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Seat shows off intralogistics robots at Spain factory

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Automaker Seat, which is part of the Volkswagen Group, has been showing off its autonomous and collaborative intralogistics robots at its factory in Martorell, in Spain. 

The company uses 125 automated guided vehicles at the Martorell facility, and the robots share the workspace with 7,000 human employees.

As such, Seat – and others – call these vehicles collaborative robots, because they work alongside humans (video below).

The internal logistics robots were manufactured by a company called Kivnon. Other robotic and autonomous logistics vehicles at the Martorell plant are from Aristeril and Rari.

[Read more…] about Seat shows off intralogistics robots at Spain factory

ABB to sponsor Formula E championship

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Industrial giant ABB has agreed a deal to sponsor the Formula E racing tournament.

ABB and Formula E call it a “ground-breaking partnership to champion e-mobility for a sustainable future”.

Since its first race in Beijing in September 2014, Formula E has established itself as the number one all-electric international motor sport.  [Read more…] about ABB to sponsor Formula E championship

New CEO at Vecna Robotics

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Vecna Robotics, a provider of robotic material handling autonomous ground vehicles, has appointed Dr Daniel Patt as its CEO.

Dr Patt served as Deputy Director for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Strategic Technology Office (STO) prior to his new position.

“Dan’s proven leadership abilities and diverse technology experience will further drive our rapid progression to becoming the automated logistics leader, building upon our position delivering superior materials handling solutions in unstructured warehouse environments,” said Daniel Theobald, co-founder and chief innovation officer of Vecna Robotics.

[Read more…] about New CEO at Vecna Robotics

Hyundai partners with Aurora to develop autonomous vehicles

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Hyundai Motor and Aurora, a developer of autonomous vehicle technology, have formed a strategic partnership with the aim of bringing self-driving Hyundai vehicles to market by 2021.

This partnership will incorporate Aurora’s self-driving technology into Hyundai vehicles starting with models custom-developed and launched in test programs and pilot cities.

Over the longer term, Hyundai and Aurora will work to commercialize self-driving vehicles worldwide.  [Read more…] about Hyundai partners with Aurora to develop autonomous vehicles

David v Goliath in Chinese car market: Nio’s powerful slingshot

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By Edward Tse, Gao Feng Advisory

The Chinese vehicle market is not only the largest in the world (sales of 28 million units in 2016) but it also offers the highest number of brands (130).

More and more new players – most of them local producers – are entering the field.

Globally China is establishing itself not only as the leading market for new-energy vehicles, but also for connectivity, autonomous driving and totally new mobility concepts.  [Read more…] about David v Goliath in Chinese car market: Nio’s powerful slingshot

How sensors and actuators are being used to create self-driven vehicles

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Autonomous vehicles aren’t science fiction any more. Top automobile firms and technology giants are working towards making self-driven cars commercially available by 2021.

In the same way how IoT is revolutionizing the industrial organization, self-driven vehicles are revolutionizing the transportation industry, allowing people to travel safely and comfortably.

These connected vehicles have the ability to mitigate pollution owing to their real-time traffic information and smart routing.  [Read more…] about How sensors and actuators are being used to create self-driven vehicles

Pix unveils autonomous car which also functions as a coffee machine

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A company called Pix Moving has launched a new self-driving car which can also serve coffee. 

Pix, a multidisciplinary technology developer specialising in robotics and automation, says the vehicle is of a modular design so it could be reconfigured for a variety of purposes.

The coffee-dispensing system utilises a Universal Robots arm functioning as a “barista”, which was last seen serving beer at Hannover Messe.  [Read more…] about Pix unveils autonomous car which also functions as a coffee machine

AME Industrial partners with Savoye to offer automation solutions in the US

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AME Industrial, a solutions-based material handling systems integrator, and Savoye, a French-owned designer and manufacturer of automation technologies for warehousing and distribution, have agreed to a commercial partnership in the US.

AME Industrial will be representing the “Intelis” packaging machines product suite, with focus on Jivaro.

Jivaro is a system for case size optimization that reduces dim weight shipping costs for small parcels.  [Read more…] about AME Industrial partners with Savoye to offer automation solutions in the US

Canvas Technology raises $15 million to further develop its logistics robots

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Canvas Technology says it has raised $15 million to accelerate the development of its autonomous robotic systems for the logistics sector. 

Canvas says its Series A financing was led by Playground Global, with participation from previous investors, including Xplorer Capital, AME Cloud Ventures and Morado Ventures.

Canvas Technology has built an autonomous system for movement of mobile vehicles in factories and warehouses. It also offers a cart (main picture). [Read more…] about Canvas Technology raises $15 million to further develop its logistics robots

On the way to autonomous driving: Mercedes-Benz on an automated test drive in South Africa

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Daimler Mercedes-Benz has been testing its autonomous driving technologies on the roads in South Africa

Road traffic in South Africa poses some very special challenges: different road surfaces, wild animals on the road and many pedestrians in both urban traffic and on national roads, which often cross the road completely unexpectedly.

Automated and autonomous vehicles must take these special features into account and respond reliably.

On the fourth leg of the Mercedes-Benz Intelligent World Drive, the test vehicle, which is based on the S-Class series sedan, presents its South African peculiarities in automated test drives in the Western Cape Province and in Cape Town.  [Read more…] about On the way to autonomous driving: Mercedes-Benz on an automated test drive in South Africa