autonomous vehicle

Groupe PSA tests test vehicle-to-infrastructure communications in Spain

For the first time in an urban environment, The Automotive Technology Centre of Galicia and Groupe PSA are testing the contribution that communication technologies can make to the development of automated vehicle functions.

The aim is to see how well vehicles can communicate with the surrounding infrastructure in a complex urban environment.

The tests carried out in Vigo related to: an automated valet parking system; autonomous driving in an urban environment; optimal speed regulation when approaching a traffic light; and protection of vulnerable users.

Groupe PSA tests autonomous vehicle through motorway toll

Groupe PSA and Vinci Autoroutes have carried out further tests to assess a vehicle’s ability to drive autonomously at cruising speed and pass through a tollgate in autonomous mode. A first trial was carried out in 2017.

Two new complex driving situations were also tested in real traffic conditions on the Vinci Autoroutes network: changing into autonomous mode in a traffic area temporarily altered due to roadworks; and performing a “safe stop”.

This involves the vehicle driving to a safe place in the event that the driver does not take back control in a specific situation, for example obstacles on the road, bad weather conditions or the end of the motorway.

Velodyne Lidar sensors power ThorDrive’s autonomous driving pilot

ThorDrive, an autonomous vehicle (AV) startup, is introducing commercial vehicle services in the first of many pilots in the USA.

The initial service, in partnership with Hassett ACE Hardware, will support selected residents and fire departments in Palo Alto, California, with plans to expand to additional pilots soon.

The ThorDrive platform is using Velodyne’s lidar sensors to provide rich data content for its AV software.

Honda, Cruise and GM team up to build new autonomous vehicle

Cruise and General Motors have joined forces with Honda to pursue the shared goal of transforming mobility through the large-scale deployment of autonomous vehicle technology.

Honda will work jointly with Cruise and General Motors to fund and develop a purpose-built autonomous vehicle for Cruise that can serve a wide variety of use cases and be manufactured at high volume for global deployment.

In addition, Cruise, General Motors and Honda will explore global opportunities for commercial deployment of the Cruise network.

Renault unveils its latest autonomous vehicle concept at Paris Motor Show

At the Paris Motor Show, Groupe Renault unveiled EZ-Ultimo, its robo-vehicle concept, an autonomous, electric, connected, and shared mobility service solution offering a premium travel experience.

Available on-demand, for a single trip, for an hour or for a day, EZ-Ultimo caters to people looking to enhance a special moment through a private trip in a city, a premium tourist experience or businesses looking to offer premium journey services to its clients.

“As consumer trends change and people are enjoying ride-hailing services more and more, a new paradigm for mobility will emerge,” said Laurens van den Acker, Renault’s SVP Corporate Design.

BMW to build entire future around iNext autonomous electric concept

At the BMW AG Annual General Meeting in May 2018, Harald Krüger, Chairman of the Board of Management at the BMW Group, described iNext as follows: “The iNext project will provide our building blocks for the future, from which the entire company and all of its brands are set to benefit.”

iNext addresses the big question that is at the heart of the BMW Group’s day-to-day work: “How will we be moving around in future?” iNext builds on the idea that first took shape in 2007 with “project i” and evolved into the launch of the BMW i3 in 2013.

The BMW Group has already achieved a great deal on this front: it now has over ten years of experience with electric mobility under its belt in both small-scale and large-scale production, the BMW i models are being improved all the time, and their technology is being employed to gradually electrify models from the BMW and MINI ranges.

Next Future Transportation launches autonomous vehicle

A company called Next Future Transportation has launched a driverless vehicle that it describes as an autonomous “Parcel Delivery Solution”. (See video below.)

The vehicle could also be used as a minibus for transporting people.

Next claims it is “the world’s first Modular Mobile Parcel Locker” and that the company is “the world’s only modular electric vehicle solutions provider”. [Read more…] about Next Future Transportation launches autonomous vehicle

Drive.ai to test autonomous car in Texas

Drive.ai’s coming expansion of its self-driving car pilot to Arlington, Texas, isn’t its first driverless foray, but the testing, taking place between Dallas and Fort Worth, will validate its vehicles’ ability to handle a crowded entertainment district and process all the data that comes with it.

After launching its maiden pilot in nearby Frisco in July, Drive.ai said it would extend its ride-hailing trial to the south, with three autonomous vans offering free rides to Arlington residents and visitors for one year, starting 19 October.

The vans, which use Nvidia’s compute technology, will operate within a geo-fenced area, travelling up to 35 miles per hour with human supervisors on board for the initial phase.

Grocery giant Kroger and autonomous vehicle startup Nuro to pilot autonomous delivery vehicle and system

Kroger, one of the largest grocery store chains in the US, has teamed up with autonomous vehicle startup Nuro to develop shopping delivery services for customers.

Kroger and Nuro say the new partnership will “redefine the grocery customer experience for Americans” by piloting an on-road, fully autonomous delivery experience.

Kroger, which claims to be “America’s largest supermarket retailer”, and Nuro, maker of what it claims is “the world’s first fully unmanned road vehicle”, are working to make the convenience of grocery delivery accessible and affordable for customers everywhere. [Read more…] about Grocery giant Kroger and autonomous vehicle startup Nuro to pilot autonomous delivery vehicle and system