Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

autonomous vehicles

ZF works on European ‘truck platooning’ 

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ZF is working with truck manufacturers as part of the EU co-funded ENSEMBLE project to test programmes with the goal of introducing multi-brand truck platooning on European roads by 2021.

Truck platooning – when lorries move on motorways in a tightly spaced convoy – for trucks from numerous manufacturers requires exacting networking standards.

ZF’s current portfolio has the technology to enable platooning capabilities, including camera and radar sensors, the ZF ProAI supercomputer, the ReAx electrohydraulic commercial vehicle steering system as well as the transmission system.

[Read more…] about ZF works on European ‘truck platooning’ 

Mercedes builds 18 autonomous trucks for sugar cane harvesting

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As part of a development partnership with the Brazilian agricultural technology manufacturer GrunnerTech, Mercedes-Benz do Brasil has configured 18 Mercedes-Benz Axor 3131 trucks specifically for automated use in sugar cane harvesting.

The Axor, which has proven itself on the Brazilian market, is equipped with all the technological components required for automated Level 2 driving: the vehicle automatically controls the speed and proximity as well as longitudinal and lateral guidance.

Although the driver retains control of the truck at all times, his hands do not have to be permanently on the steering wheel.

[Read more…] about Mercedes builds 18 autonomous trucks for sugar cane harvesting

ZF developing autonomous ‘last-mile’ delivery

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The logistics industry is overtaking the passenger car sector when it comes to the automation of driving functions. ZF is supporting this trend with innovative concepts and major investments.

For example, there are commercial vehicles that are intelligently connected thanks to production-ready ZF technology and equipped with autonomous driving functions capable of independently performing all logistics tasks or assisting package delivery drivers.

Autonomous delivery trucks will make package deliveries along the “last mile” more efficient – which will in the future help to deal with rising delivery volumes while reducing traffic in city centres.

[Read more…] about ZF developing autonomous ‘last-mile’ delivery

Laid-back Californians totally lose it and go on the rampage, attacking driverless vehicles everywhere, apparently

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Californians are famous for being laid back, going surfing, and… attacking robots? 

In what is probably one of the weirdest stories to emerge so far this year, residents of California have reportedly been attacking driverless cars and other autonomous wheeled vehicles.

And no one really knows why.

They’ve been shouting out them, too, apparently.  [Read more…] about Laid-back Californians totally lose it and go on the rampage, attacking driverless vehicles everywhere, apparently

Fast-growing sectors within robotics and automation

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If we were to think of robotics and automation as one industry – which we at this website in fact do – we could argue that it’s one of the fastest-growing industries in the world right now.

Certainly if we were to include software automation systems – such as robotic process automation – it would probably be the biggest.

But Robotics and Automation News tends to concentrate on physical machines – such as robotic arms or autonomous vehicles – which can be seen in a typical manufacturing or logistics facility.

And we try and understand what other sectors are most closely related to robotics and automation – manufacturing and logistics being two obvious ones.

[Read more…] about Fast-growing sectors within robotics and automation

Toyota Research Institute partners with GoMentum to test autonomous vehicles in California

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Toyota Research Institute has signed an agreement with GoMentum Station to test autonomous vehicle technology at the 5,000 acre autonomous vehicle proving grounds located in Concord, California.

Managed by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, this partnership enables TRI to expand closed course testing of its two-prong approach to vehicle automation – Guardian and Chauffeur.

Established in 2015, TRI has made rapid advancements in its research into automated driving and recently demonstrated Platform 2.1, its new advanced safety research vehicle that allows for testing of both Guardian and Chauffeur in a single vehicle.  [Read more…] about Toyota Research Institute partners with GoMentum to test autonomous vehicles in California