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autonomous cars

Automakers’ own predictions on when driverless cars will arrive

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New study by BDO shows when driverless cars will arrive – but does that matter?

Car companies, ride-hailing services and car industry technology suppliers each have their own prediction for when driverless cars will be ready to take to highways and city streets.

Audit and accounting company BDO carried out an analysis of the predictions and found that driverless cars will arrive: in early 2021.

There are some differences though. Averaging out the predictions, car companies think that driverless technology will be ready around 2 am on June 11th, 2021.

Ride-hailing services and technology suppliers are a bit more optimistic. They predict that driverless car technology will be ready by midnight, March 14th, 2020.  [Read more…] about Automakers’ own predictions on when driverless cars will arrive

Flying cars: A ‘near-term’ vision of a world where people get around in electric and autonomous cars and drones

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Airbus and the German car manufacturer Audi have teamed up to develop what they describe as “real, near-term urban mobility solutions”, which features electric and autonomous cars and drones – sometimes operating together as flying cars (main picture and video below).

Beginning this summer, Airbus – through its on-demand helicopter platform Voom – will partner with Audi to deliver an end-to-end transportation service, starting in São Paulo and Mexico City.

This partnership will provide premium ground transportation serviced by Audi vehicles and helicopter transport via Airbus’ Voom service, allowing customers to have a seamless and ultra-convenient travel experience.  [Read more…] about Flying cars: A ‘near-term’ vision of a world where people get around in electric and autonomous cars and drones

ZF and e.Go to start series production of autonomous and electric ‘people mover’ vehicle

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Automotive components manufacturer ZF and a startup called e.Go Mobile have agreed to start series production of an autonomous and electric “people mover” vehicle.

ZF says it is demonstrating its “multiple systems expertise” as a partner in the newly founded e.GO Moove joint venture.

In addition to other innovations which ZF will show at IAA commercial vehicles event in Hanover this September, the e.GO Mover is part of an entire digital logistics offering including hardware, software and services, highlighting the company’s strategic orientation.  [Read more…] about ZF and e.Go to start series production of autonomous and electric ‘people mover’ vehicle

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

New Siemens simulation to test self-driving cars

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Siemens has introduced a simulation solution which minimizes the need for extensive physical prototyping while dramatically reducing the number of logged test miles necessary to demonstrate the safety of autonomous vehicles.

Leveraging advanced, physics-based simulation and innovative sensor data processing technologies, the new Siemens solution is designed to help automakers and their suppliers address this industry challenge with the potential to shave years off the development, verification and validation of self-driving cars.

According a report issued by the Rand Corporation, autonomous vehicle prototypes would have to be driven hundreds of millions of miles over the course of several decades to demonstrate their reliability in terms of fatalities and injuries – an outcome the authors deemed inconsistent with the near-term commercial viability of self-driving cars.

[Read more…] about New Siemens simulation to test self-driving cars

Chinese more trusting of autonomous cars, says survey

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A survey conducted among more than 1,000 licensed drivers aged 18 years and above each in China, Germany, and the United States reveals that trust in technology of completely autonomous cars is nearly twice as high in China as the other two countries.

TUV Rheinland, an international testing service provider for quality and safety, carried out the global survey designed to assess consumer perception of safety of autonomous vehicles in different regions.

More than 63 percent of respondents in China believe driverless cars will increase road safety, while the figure is 34 percent in the United States and Germany.

[Read more…] about Chinese more trusting of autonomous cars, says survey

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

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

Toyota shows off its progress in robotics, autonomous cars and artificial intelligence

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Toyota Research Institute has been demonstrating its progress in the development of automated driving technology and other project work to the investor community this week.

Dr Gill Pratt, CEO of TRI, says: “In the last few months, we have rapidly accelerated our pace in advancing Toyota’s automated driving capabilities with a vision of saving lives, expanding access to mobility, and making driving more fun and convenient.

“Our research teams have also been evolving machine intelligence that can support further development of robots for in-home support of people.” [Read more…] about Toyota shows off its progress in robotics, autonomous cars and artificial intelligence

Chinese search giant Baidu launches $1.5 billion fund for autonomous car tech

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Baidu – China’s equivalent of Google – has launched a $1.5 billion fund for autonomous car technology.

The company’s newly established Apollo Fund will invest in 100 autonomous driving projects in the next three years.

Meanwhile, Baidu has unveiled the latest iteration of its Apollo open-source autonomous driving platform, Apollo 1.5. The Apollo platform has gathered 70 partner companies so far. [Read more…] about Chinese search giant Baidu launches $1.5 billion fund for autonomous car tech