Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Transportation

Autonomous vehicle Olli goes to university

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Local Motors by LM Industries, known for 3D-Printed mobility solutions, has launched operations of Olli at the University at Buffalo, USA. Olli is the world’s first co-created, self-driving, electric vehicle.

The University at Buffalo will use Olli for autonomous vehicle education and mapping while also testing the shuttles for campus transportation.

The project, which is being co-managed by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the New York State Department of Transportation, supports Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s clean energy goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030.

[Read more…] about Autonomous vehicle Olli goes to university

Volkswagen Design focuses on working digitally

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Light-emitting diode screens, interactive design, collaboration in virtual reality: Volkswagen Design is forging ahead with the process of digital transformation and has completely changed its working methods over the past two years.

And with success: from the creation of new products right up to the point of their acceptance, work is now consistently carried out digitally, which significantly increases the efficiency of individual work steps and facilitates collaboration across locations.

The new processes also give employees much more room for personal and professional development.  [Read more…] about Volkswagen Design focuses on working digitally

Bosch invests in mapping company for autonomous vehicles DeepMap

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Robert Bosch Venture Capital, the corporate venture capital company of the Bosch Group, has completed an investment in DeepMap, a US start-up based in Palo Alto, California.

DeepMap is a software company focused on solving the mapping and localization challenge for autonomous vehicles.

RBVC managing director Dr Ingo Ramesohl, says: “Maps explicitly designed to be read by machines are a critical enabling technology for safe autonomy. DeepMap fills a vacuum in the market.  [Read more…] about Bosch invests in mapping company for autonomous vehicles DeepMap

Magna and Beijing Electric Vehicle to jointly engineer and build electric vehicles in China

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Magna is to form two new joint ventures with Beijing Electric Vehicle Co. Ltd (BJEV) for complete vehicle manufacturing as well as engineering of electric vehicles.

BJEV, a subsidiary of the BAIC Group for electric cars, and Magna, a global automotive supplier and the world’s leading brand-independent vehicle contract manufacturer, have signed term sheets for the new joint ventures.

Over the coming months, Magna and BJEV will work with authorities to implement legally binding joint-venture agreements which will govern the operations of these two joint ventures.

[Read more…] about Magna and Beijing Electric Vehicle to jointly engineer and build electric vehicles in China

How deep learning enables autonomous vehicles to understand their environment

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Humans are constantly taking in data from the world around them using five primary senses. You hear your phone ring, see a notification on your computer screen or touch something hot.

However, without perception, there’s no way to decipher those inputs and determine what’s relevant. That you should answer the call, know there’s an email to respond to or pull away your hand before it’s burned.

Now imagine driving on a highway, where a constant stream of information surrounds you. From lane markings and street signs to lane-splitting motorcyclists, merging trucks and traffic jams – the ability to make instant, informed decisions is not just a skill, it’s an imperative.  [Read more…] about How deep learning enables autonomous vehicles to understand their environment

Growth in electric vehicle sales will not strain the power grid, says McKinsey

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The growing popularity and sales of electric vehicle will not strain the power grid, according to an analysis by McKinsey, one of the world’s leading management consultancies. 

McKinsey says its analysis suggests “the projected growth in e-mobility will not drive substantial increases in total electrical-grid power demand in the near- to mid-term, limiting the need for new electricity-generation capacity during that period”.

The authors of the report used Germany as an example and found that electric vehicle sales may grow to the extent that five extra gigawatts of power will be required, but that is only 1 percent of total supply.  [Read more…] about Growth in electric vehicle sales will not strain the power grid, says McKinsey

BMW and Great Wall Motor establish joint venture to build Mini electric vehicles in China

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The BMW Group and the Chinese manufacturer Great Wall Motor have signed an agreement to produce Mini electric vehicles through a new 50:50 joint venture based in China. 

During a recent event for autonomous and connected driving attended by China’s Premier Li Keqiang and Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, the BMW Group and Great Wall Motor committed to founding a new joint venture, “Spotlight Automotive Limited”, for the development and production of electric vehicles in China.

As well as Mini electric vehicles, the joint venture will also produce electric vehicles for Great Wall Motor.  [Read more…] about BMW and Great Wall Motor establish joint venture to build Mini electric vehicles in China

Kuka wins multimillion-dollar automotive contract with GAC in China

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Kuka has received an order to supply industrial robots to Chinese automotive manufacturer GAC NE, subsidiary of GAC Group.

The order value lies in the “high double-digit million euro range”, says Kuka, and was booked in the second quarter of 2018.

The automotive manufacturer GAC Group is headquartered in Guangzhou, China, and is a Fortune “Global 500” company.  [Read more…] about Kuka wins multimillion-dollar automotive contract with GAC in China

Electric market: Designing and manufacturing batteries for bikes and golf carts

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Promoted

If just a small percentage of cyclists in the west install batteries on their bikes, it would make for a massive new market. Golf carts and milk floats already show how useful batteries can be. In this article, we take a look at the potential market, and visit a company that designs and manufactures batteries to order. 

One of the interesting facts about globalization is that although you would imagine that there would be a free flow of ideas from west to east and vice versa, very often it’s only one way. 

That’s understandable if it’s products like Apple’s iPhone, which is hugely popular in China as it is all over the world; and, of course, the device is actually made in China, so there is an exchange of sorts.

But what I’m referring to is how ideas that are widespread in China, and Asia in general, never seem to become popular in the west.  [Read more…] about Electric market: Designing and manufacturing batteries for bikes and golf carts

Continental strengthens AI research partnership with University of California

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Automotive systems supplier Continental is expanding its international network for artificial intelligence in Silicon Valley.

The expansion will involve the “DeepDrive” partnership the company has with the University of California, Berkeley, dubbed “BDD”.

Continental says the partnership is designed to “speed up neural networks for the car of the future and safety of AI systems”.  [Read more…] about Continental strengthens AI research partnership with University of California