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Transportation

Smart cities: Embracing technology for urban mobility advancement

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By Francois-Joseph Van Audenhove, partner at Arthur D. Little

Urban mobility operators face evolving customer needs and behaviors as well as a spate of technological advancements, driven by the fourth industrial revolution, that must be embraced in order to stay competitive in the short term, and require transformation for operators to stay relevant in the long term.

Major developments have opened up a range of new mobility options for individuals and now customers expect operators, particularly of public transport, to offer services that are fast, reliable, convenient and personalized.

As such, technological trends and new mobility solutions could lead to a very different mobility ecosystem in the future.  [Read more…] about Smart cities: Embracing technology for urban mobility advancement

Deliver event organisers provide growing platform for ‘e-logistics’ sector

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The third edition of the invite-only and carbon-neutral Deliver series of e-logistics events took place on June 5th and 6th 2018 in London, at Twickenham Stadium, with 750 attendees – which is more than 70 per cent compared to the last edition – coming from 35 different countries.

Deliver 2019 will take place on June 5th and 6th 2019 in Lisbon, at the Estoril Congress Center, and will involve 1,200 attendees.

Deliver 2018 gathered 60 e-Logistics service providers – multinational leaders and innovative startups across delivery, technology, fulfillment and packaging – who had 2,000 one-to-one meetings with 450 decision makers from e-commerce powerhouses, with a ratio of three buyers per vendor.  [Read more…] about Deliver event organisers provide growing platform for ‘e-logistics’ sector

Opinion: Chinese automakers are better off innovating in electric and autonomous technology

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It could be time for international carmakers to consider changing partners in China. While the Chinese government has encouraged partnerships in the hope that local companies will learn and become global, new electric and autonomous technologies seem to offer better opportunities. Article by Edward Tse, Gao Feng Advisory

On April 17th China’s National Development and Reform Commission announced the elimination of foreign equity restrictions on special-purpose vehicles and new energy vehicles in 2018, on commercial vehicles in 2020 and on passenger vehicles in 2022.

In addition to the opportunity to own their own manufacturing ventures, foreign automakers are no longer restricted to having only two joint ventures in China.

The 50:50 joint venture equity rule dates back to 1994. The government hoped a domestic industry would emerge whereby the Chinese domestic companies would learn from their partners and eventually emerge as successful global automakers in their own right.  [Read more…] about Opinion: Chinese automakers are better off innovating in electric and autonomous technology

AI, captain! Hitachi partners with Stena Line to implement digital technology in shipping

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Hitachi helps ferry operator Stena Line to increase business performance while maintaining its commitment to sustainable shipping operations

Hitachi has partnered with Stena Line, one of the largest shipping companies in Europe, to implement artificial intelligence technology on ships to reduce fuel consumption costs and become an important tool in the company’s efforts to minimise environmental impact.

The partnership will see a team of Hitachi experts from across its business units review the existing digital architecture, in close collaboration with Stena Line, and advise the ferry company as it aims to become the world’s leading cognitive shipping company by 2021.

Controlling fuel consumption is vital to Stena Line’s business since it is a major part of their total cost base.  [Read more…] about AI, captain! Hitachi partners with Stena Line to implement digital technology in shipping

Magna partners with May Mobility to develop self-driving shuttles

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Collaboration in south-eastern Michigan to make the first deployment in Downtown Detroit possible

Getting around in crowded city streets of America is about to get a little easier. May Mobility, an Ann Arbor, Michigan startup building self-driving shuttles, has partnered with Magna, a mobility technology company and one of the world’s largest automotive suppliers, to retrofit and scale up May Mobility’s unique fleet of self-driving shuttles set to enter the US market.

This partnership is an industry-first, with Magna retrofitting low-speed self-driving micro transit electric vehicles from the chassis up. (See video below.)

The initial fleet of vehicles will debut on June 26, 2018 with May Mobility’s first commercial deployment which will take place in Detroit, Michigan.  [Read more…] about Magna partners with May Mobility to develop self-driving shuttles

Deliver: Growth of e-commerce providing opportunities for robotics and automation companies

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“Deliver” is a series of industry events in Europe aimed at “e-logistics”, an obvious play on the term “e-commerce”. 

E-commerce can, obviously, refer to either online retail or wholesale, or any sales and purchasing activity that occurs in an electronic environment, on electronic devices.

And, in the aggregate, e-commerce is such a big activity now that it is driving growth in many related business sectors such as supply chain and logistics. Hence, e-logistics.  [Read more…] about Deliver: Growth of e-commerce providing opportunities for robotics and automation companies

Harman launches 5G-ready multiband conformal antennas for automotive industry

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Harman International has launched its “all-new” 5G-ready multiband conformal antennas for automotive applications.

Harma, which is subsidiary of Samsung, says the new product combines multiple antennas in one module that can be mounted below a vehicle’s body panels.

A modern, connected car could require as many as 18 antennas to provide all relevant services for consumers.  [Read more…] about Harman launches 5G-ready multiband conformal antennas for automotive industry

Belt & Road: Much more than a revival of the ancient Silk Road

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A huge amount has been written already about the so-called Belt and Road initiative or project, but it looks like this is just the beginning. 

On the face of it, the Belt and Road refers to a plan to create a logistics network that brings together Europe and Asia with road, rail, and sea routes.

It’s an idea China came up with, and its leaders have made enthusiastic pronouncements about it, even though the project will cost an estimated $1 trillion over the next decade or two. But it’s an open-ended, complex project, so such estimates could just be Communist Chinese propaganda.  [Read more…] about Belt & Road: Much more than a revival of the ancient Silk Road

Starship Technologies raises another $25 million in funding and appoints new CEO

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Starship Technologies, the maker of small autonomous vehicles for home deliveries, has raised another $25 million in additional seed funding and has appointed Lex Bayer as chief executive officer.

The round includes follow-on investments from existing investors including Matrix Partners and Morpheus Ventures.

Additional investors include Airbnb co-founder Nathan Blecharczyk, Skype founding engineer Jaan Tallinn, and former chairman and CEO of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Gary Barber.  [Read more…] about Starship Technologies raises another $25 million in funding and appoints new CEO

Daimler Trucks to open automated truck R&D center in Portland, Oregon

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Daimler Trucks says it will establish an automated truck research and development center in the US.

The facility will be located at Daimler Trucks North America headquarters on Swan Island in Portland, Oregon, where DTNA already has a significant research and development presence, including a full-scale heavy-duty truck wind tunnel on Swan Island and the High Desert Proving Grounds nearby in Madras, Oregon.

The center will be dedicated to further developing automated driving technology and understanding its impact on society and benefits for customers. [Read more…] about Daimler Trucks to open automated truck R&D center in Portland, Oregon