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Continental and Aurora finalize design of ‘world’s first’ scalable autonomous trucking system

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Continental and Aurora Innovation announced they have achieved a key development milestone to commercialize autonomous trucks at scale.

The companies have finalized the design and architecture of the future fallback system and hardware of the Aurora Driver – an SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) Level 4 autonomous driving system – that Continental plans to start production of in 2027.

The finalized hardware design comes less than a year after the companies entered an industry-first partnership aimed at high-volume manufacturing of autonomous trucking systems. [Read more…] about Continental and Aurora finalize design of ‘world’s first’ scalable autonomous trucking system

Project 3 Mobility raises €100 million to develop autonomous driving ecosystem

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Project 3 Mobility, a Croatian company developing a new ecosystem of urban autonomous mobility, has closed its Series A investment round, growing the total amount raised from private investors to approximately €100 million.

In this significant investment round, Project 3 Mobility (P3) – a company developing its own autonomous electric vehicle, specialised infrastructure, and mobility service – gathered strong interest and support from leading global companies and investment funds. The investment is laying a solid foundation for the company’s future development and growth.

TASARU Mobility Investments (TASARU) – a company fully owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), one of the largest sovereign funds in the world – invested in Project 3 Mobility, making this their first investment in the next-generation technology sector and the first outside of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [Read more…] about Project 3 Mobility raises €100 million to develop autonomous driving ecosystem

Nauticus Robotics raises $12 million in new investment

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Nauticus Robotics, a developer of subsea robots and software, has raised an additional $12 million as part of a second tranche of investment.

The new investment will expedite certification of Nauticus’ flagship robot, the Aquanaut, which facilitates the transformation of tethered ROV (remotely operated vehicle) operations to fully autonomous operations.

It is expected to perform numerous tasks in water depths ranging from 200 to 2,000+ meters during February in preparation for an inaugural job inspecting a deep-water production facility of a major oil and gas company in the Gulf of Mexico. [Read more…] about Nauticus Robotics raises $12 million in new investment

German industry proposes new development standard for safe automated driving

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Four years ago, the German automotive industry joined forces with 21 partners in a project to develop the world’s first structures for the verification of safety standards for “automated vehicles” – also referred to as autonomous or self-driving vehicles – in an urban environment. The results of the joint Verification and Validation Methods (VVM) project are now available.

The findings of the pre-competitive research project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and initiated by the VDA flagship initiative autonomous and connected driving, were discussed in detail at the final presentation at the Carl Benz Arena in Stuttgart.

The higher the level of automated driving and the more complex a system’s area of application, the more factors need to be taken into account during development. The first SAE Level 3 systems for freeway driving and an SAE Level 4 system for driverless parking have already been approved. [Read more…] about German industry proposes new development standard for safe automated driving

The reliability of autonomous off-road driving

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We hear so much about a self-driving car revolution – but precious little evidence of it on our roads. While manufacturers struggle to introduce the technology and authorities hesitate over safety concerns, there IS a new wave of autonomous driving happening across the world. It’s in off-road commercial vehicles.

Self-driving vehicles are booming in the heavy-duty realm of construction, farming, industry and even freight rail transport.

It’s not clear who really wants self-driving cars but off-road it’s a very different story. The shortage of drivers and the cost of training new ones is pushing these developments much faster. From vehicles to off-road handling tires like venom power, it is a keen interest within the motoring industry and many brands and developers are jumping to create the best product. [Read more…] about The reliability of autonomous off-road driving

SpartanNash introduces ‘retail innovation’ with in-store robot from Simbe

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Food solutions company SpartanNash has agreed plans to implement Simbe Robotics’ autonomous inventory robot Tally in 60 additional company-operated stores across the Midwest USA.

This opportunity to generate actionable, real-time inventory insights represents SpartanNash’s continued investment in technology to enhance the store guest and Associate experiences.

Tom Swanson, SpartanNash executive vice president, corporate retail, says: We first piloted Tally in 15 stores, and the success of that launch motivated us to expand Tally across more locations to help Associates save time in inventory tracking and spend more time on the floor serving our store guests. [Read more…] about SpartanNash introduces ‘retail innovation’ with in-store robot from Simbe

Reliable Robotics continues momentum towards certification of its autonomous flight system

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Reliable Robotics, a developer of autonomous aircraft automation systems, has announced further certification progress with FAA acceptance of requirements for Reliable’s advanced aircraft navigation and autopilot systems.

These systems provide continuous autopilot engagement throughout all phases of flight including automatic taxi, takeoff, and landing.

In an industry-leading first, Reliable Robotics and the FAA established agreement on the testing and analysis that will be performed to show that these highly automated systems satisfy FAA safety and performance requirements for operations throughout the conterminous United States and Alaska. [Read more…] about Reliable Robotics continues momentum towards certification of its autonomous flight system

Changi Airport partners with Aurrigo to trial new autonomous baggage handling vehicle

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Changi Airport Group and Aurrigo International are collaborating to test the latest version of its electric-powered autonomous vehicle, Auto-DollyTug, at Changi Airport, Singapore.

Auto-DollyTug, which has new ground handling capabilities and is more maneuverable, will be put through different scenarios to assess its efficiency and speed when it comes to aircraft turnaround times.

Combining the utility of a baggage tractor and the unit load device (ULD) carrying capability of an airport dolly, the latest Auto-DollyTug can rotate in its own length and, using the groundbreaking sideways drive system, move directly sideways and slide into tight spaces, enabling the swift delivery of a single ULD even when other GSE equipment is in place at the aircraft. [Read more…] about Changi Airport partners with Aurrigo to trial new autonomous baggage handling vehicle

Changi Airport and Aurrigo to trial new autonomous baggage handling vehicle

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Changi Airport Group and Aurrigo International are collaborating to test the latest version of its electric-powered autonomous vehicle, Auto-DollyTug, at Changi Airport.

Auto-DollyTug, which has new ground handling capabilities and is more maneuverable, will be put through different scenarios to assess its efficiency and speed when it comes to aircraft turnaround times.

Combining the utility of a baggage tractor and the unit load device (ULD) carrying capability of an airport dolly, the latest Auto-DollyTug can rotate in its own length and, using the groundbreaking sideways drive system, move directly sideways and slide into tight spaces, enabling the swift delivery of a single ULD even when other GSE equipment is in place at the aircraft. [Read more…] about Changi Airport and Aurrigo to trial new autonomous baggage handling vehicle

Einride and Mars partner to develop ‘largest’ electric project in industry

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Einride, a freight mobility company that provides digital, electric and autonomous technology, has agreed a partnership with food manufacturer Mars Inc to deploy a fleet of digitally optimized electric heavy-duty trucks across Mars’ network by 2030.

It is estimated that the European operations will save 20,000 metric tons of CO2e each year by 2030, accounting for roughly a 10 percent reduction in Mars Europe’s road transport GHG emissions.

Robert Falck, CEO and founder at Einride, says: “This sets a precedent for other players in the freight industry to follow, showcasing the mass potential of electrification at scale. [Read more…] about Einride and Mars partner to develop ‘largest’ electric project in industry