Robotics & Automation News

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Toyota premieres own-brand battery electric vehicles

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Toyota unveiled its C-HR and IZOA battery electric vehicles (BEVs) on the opening day of Auto Shanghai 2019.

The C-HR and IZOA will be the first BEVs to launch in China under the Toyota brand. Sales of the new models are expected to start from 2020.

Toyota also displayed other electrified vehicles, such as hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) variants for the RAV4 and the Alphard/Vellfire in China, as well as the Corolla and Levin plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) series, launched in March 2019.

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$700 billion spent on mergers and acquisitions in industrial sector

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Almost $700 billion was spent on mergers and acquisitions in industrial sector last year, according to a study.

Research from global management consultancy A.T. Kearney has found that the total value of deals in the industrials market has risen to $680 billion in 2018, an increase from $662 billion the year before.

A.T. Kearney’s Industrials M&A Report 2019 analysed over 76,000 global transactions between 2009 and 2018 and found that the trend towards so-called ‘megadeals’ is set to continue.

2018 alone saw more than 100 individual deals worth over $1 billion, and seven of those transactions topping the $10 billion mark – including significant deals such as United Technologies’ $30+ billion takeover of avionics supplier Rockwell Collins and the intra-UK $12.1bn deal between Melrose Industries and GKN. [Read more…] about $700 billion spent on mergers and acquisitions in industrial sector

Foxconn boss Terry Gou considers automating the entire population of Taiwan

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Foxconn boss Terry Gou has confirmed that he is considering running for president in Taiwan’s general election next year, according to the South China Morning Post.

“I will decide in the next two days whether to run for president,” Gou told reporters at a seminar in Taipei earlier today. “I hardly slept last night thinking of the future of Taiwan and its security issues.”

He added that the 2020 presidential election will be “extremely critical in determining Taiwan’s future in the next 20 years in the political, defense and economic sectors”.  [Read more…] about Foxconn boss Terry Gou considers automating the entire population of Taiwan

Groupe PSA to starts autonomous driving tests on open roads in China

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Groupe PSA has obtained a licence to start autonomous driving tests on open roads in Chongqing, China, the first French carmaker to do so.

Groupe PSA has autonomous car experience in Europe, the challenge is to integrate Groupe PSA’s technology into the Chinese ecosystem as the environment, infrastructure, map system and road users are different.

The company is the first car manufacturer to have tested the autonomous car on open roads in France from July 2015 onwards, as well as the first carmaker to obtain the authorisations to carry out autonomous mode tests with “non-expert” drivers in March 2017.

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Hyundai Robotics signs a joint venture agreement with HGZN

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Hyundai Robotics has signed a joint venture agreement for the production, sales, and after-sales services of industrial robots with Jiangsu Hagong Intelligent Robot (Ha Gong Zhi Neng [HGZN]) in China.

Under the agreement, the two parties plan to build a smart factory that is capable of manufacturing four different models by the end of 2019, and manufacture and sell 17,000 units by 2022.

The new agreement with the no. 1 auto welding company in China has provided Hyundai Robotics with the opportunity to capitalise on HGZN’s local sales network and secure manufacturing bases in China, which will serve as a bridge for Hyundai Robotics’ access to the Chinese robotics market.

Groupe PSA acquires shares in Chinese automotive spare parts distributor, UAP

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Groupe PSA is taking a stronger position in Chinese market with the acquistion of a stake in UAP Auto Union, the leading spare parts distributor in the Shandong region,

UAP has a geographical coverage of more than 100 hubs, and is expanding its delivery service to surrounding provinces with 50 hubs.

With the help of UAP, Groupe PSA will have access to a competitive and efficient distribution system. The objective is to accelerate growth in sales of multi-brand parts, particularly with the new Eurorepar range, which Groupe PSA is developing for the Chinese market.

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Magna opens new mechatronics engineering centre in China

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Magna was joined by customers and local government officials at a ceremony to announce the opening of a new mechatronics engineering centre in Suzhou in the Jiangsu Province, China.

Automakers around the world are looking to mechatronics as an opportunity to improve getting in and out of vehicles both today and in the future.

Mechatronics products, such as power doors and liftgates, work through a combination of mechanical systems, electronic control units and embedded software to offer consumers unique vehicle access experiences.

[Read more…] about Magna opens new mechatronics engineering centre in China

EZ Robot deploys AI in food manufacturing in China

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Incubated by Cogobuy Group’s INGDAN.com, China’s leading AI research and hardware development platform for industrial robotics, EZ Robot Inc., has successfully deployed AI food manufacturing machines for Fujian Anjoy Foods Co. Ltd., one of China’s leading food manufacturers.

The AI modules have significantly improved production efficiency, inventory turnover, and equipment utilisation.

EZ Robot, was established in early 2015 to provide a one-stop solution to provide proprietary AI modules for AI-enabled robotics projects.

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Comau releases e.DO educational robot in China

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Comau has launched its e.DO robot in China. e.DO is the first educational robot in the company’s history designed to help students of different ages learn both STEM and humanities subjects, as well as explore the world of robotics in a more engaging, innovative way.

Yang Guilong, the Deputy Secretary of CPC of the Education Bureau and the President of Education Institute of Songjiang, Shanghai, Kai Wei, Comau China Head of Robotics and Automation Products, and Bie Chao, Comau APAC Head of Marketing, attended the launch at the InterContinental Shanghai Ruijin.

According to the IFR’s (International Federation of Robotics) report, the market volume of educational robots is 610 million RMB with a 21.1% year-on-year growth in 2017.

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First China International Import Expo focuses on smart manufacturing

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The first China International Import Expo (CIIE), an important platform to promote bilateral trade relations between China and the world, will take place from 5 to 10 November at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai.

The Expo, along with a series of related forums and activities, is poised to welcome over 3,000 firms from more than 130 countries and regions, including about 200 industrial leading companies, and attract over 150,000 domestic and foreign buyers.

Jointly hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, CIIE will feature more than 100 new products, technologies and cutting-edge solutions across a total of 270,000 m2.

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