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Startup company building autonomous trucks on Nvidia platform already has ‘more than 10,000 pre-orders’

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The autonomous trucking industry is about to get what is described by Nvidia as “a major new addition”.

Self-driving truck company Plus announced that its upcoming autonomous vehicle platform will be built on Nvidia Drive Orin.

This software-defined system will “continuously improve upon the safety and efficiency of the delivery and logistics industry with high-performance compute and AI algorithms that can be updated over the air”, says Nvidia. [Read more…] about Startup company building autonomous trucks on Nvidia platform already has ‘more than 10,000 pre-orders’

2020 saw ‘significant organizational growth and progress in autonomous vehicle market’, says industry group

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2020 saw “significant organizational growth and progress” in the autonomous vehicle market, according to the Autonomous Vehicle Computing Consortium, a global group of automotive and technology industry leaders cooperating to help accelerate the delivery of automated and assisted driving compute solutions.

AVCC members have finalized two key foundation documents, new working groups have kicked off work, and critical topics such as cybersecurity are now being addressed. Additional work and liaisons are kicking off in 2021, and new members are invited to help drive these initiatives forward.

Armando Pereira, president of AVCC, says: “The need for AVCC’s guidance for autonomous vehicle computing has gained importance over the past year, and we are proud of our technical committees’ work to unite and build consensus around industry recommendations. [Read more…] about 2020 saw ‘significant organizational growth and progress in autonomous vehicle market’, says industry group

Yaskawa achieves 30 million total shipments of AC drives

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Yaskawa, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of industrial robotics and automation technologies, says it has reached 30 million total shipments of alternating current drives.

An AC drive is a device that is used to control the speed of an electric motor, which are present in almost all robots and automated machines.

In a statement, Yaskawa, which shipped the world’s first transistor inverter in 1974, says: “We are pleased to announce that the cumulative shipments of AC Drives reached 30 million units in January 2021.” [Read more…] about Yaskawa achieves 30 million total shipments of AC drives

Lidar sensor makers choose Nvidia Drive for development

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Baraja, Hesai, Innoviz, Magna and Ouster join Nvidia Drive developer ecosystem

When it comes to autonomous vehicle sensor innovation, it’s best to keep an open mind – and an open development platform, according to chipmaker Nvidia. 

That’s why Nvidia Drive is the chosen platform on which the majority of these sensors run, says the company.

In addition to camera sensors, Nvidia has long recognized that lidar is a crucial component to an autonomous vehicle’s perception stack. By emitting invisible lasers at incredibly fast speeds, lidar sensors can paint a detailed 3D picture from the signals that bounce back instantaneously. [Read more…] about Lidar sensor makers choose Nvidia Drive for development

VW electric vehicle sales increase more than 400 percent

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Volkswagen’s electric vehicle sales have increased more than 400 percent over the past year, according to the German auto giant’s latest figures.

The Volkswagen Group says its “e-offensive is gaining traction”. Deliveries of electric models in the EU including the UK, Norway and Iceland increased “more than fourfold in the year now ended to a total of 315,400 electric vehicles (2019: 72,600)”.

The proportion of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in-hybrids (PHEVs) in the total deliveries rose to 9.7 percent (2019: 1.7 percent). [Read more…] about VW electric vehicle sales increase more than 400 percent

Electric SUVs Launching in 2021

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SUVs were known for their pollution but now they’re at the forefront of car development. Electric SUVs are eco-friendly, powerful, and gorgeous.

An electric car is a technological wonder in its own right. The cars are getting better by the minute, and they’re able to go for longer without charging.

Huge progress is being made when it comes to power, size, technology, and design. Electric cars really are the future. [Read more…] about Electric SUVs Launching in 2021

Einride driverless trucks now powered by Nvidia chips

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Autonomous electric truck maker Einride says the next generation of its groundbreaking “Pods” will use the Nvidia Drive AGX Orin autonomous vehicle computing platform to handle high-speed, unmanned operations.

Pär Degerman, CTO of Einride, says: “Safety and functionality in autonomous drive are achieved in two ways: diversity and redundancy.

“To capture and account for the diversity in a myriad of operational scenarios, and to develop the redundancy necessary to improve functionality, we need the most advanced processors possible, and that’s where Nvidia Orin comes in.” [Read more…] about Einride driverless trucks now powered by Nvidia chips

Locomation integrates Nvidia chip into autonomous vehicle

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Locomation, a provider of autonomous trucking technology, says it will use the Nvidia Drive AGX Orin autonomous vehicle computing platform for the commercialization of self-driving trucks starting in 2022.

Locomation’s first commercial product in a series of planned product rollouts is Autonomous Relay Convoy (ARCTM).

ARCTM allows one driver to pilot a lead truck equipped with technology augmentation while a fully autonomous follower truck operates in tandem. [Read more…] about Locomation integrates Nvidia chip into autonomous vehicle

How to select the best rugged external drive

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If you are someone who does their work on the go, you will find it necessary to have a portable storage device that can handle rough conditions like random drops, high temperatures, and minor water spills.

External drives (mainly HDDs) are so vulnerable if not handled with care. This is because they are mechanical, and a small distortion in the orientation of the plates and the head can lead to failure.

As a traveler, you may have to consider a couple of factors before deciding which external storage device to buy. [Read more…] about How to select the best rugged external drive

Baemin launches outdoor delivery robot in South Korea

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A company called Baemin, or Baedal Minjok, whose parent company is the better-known Woowa Brothers, has launched an outdoor delivery robot which is expected to be used for food deliveries. 

The robot is in service at the Gwanggyo Alley Way, a multipurpose housing complex in Gwanggyo, a planned city 25 km south of capital city Seoul.

When orders are placed in restaurants within the plaza via a Baemin app, the robot delivers to the ground floor of customer’s residence. [Read more…] about Baemin launches outdoor delivery robot in South Korea