Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

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European project Robotics4EU releases surveys aimed at robotics community

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Robotics4EU, a three-year project funded under the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme, is releasing two surveys to support the project implementation and its goal: to boost a wider adoption of robotics in Europe. 

Developed as a basis for foundational work and to support the Robotics4EU project implementation, which started in January, these two surveys are aimed at the robotics community and policy makers in the area of robotics.

The data gathered from these surveys will also help identify the greatest challenges, bottlenecks and needs in enabling wider adoption of robotics in the project’s areas – healthcare, inspection and maintenance of infrastructure, agri-food, and agile production – and help the uptake of principles of responsible robotics. [Read more…] about European project Robotics4EU releases surveys aimed at robotics community

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

30 critical raw materials: EU prioritizes lithium but launches plan to avoid dependency

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The European Commission, the administrative arm of the European Union, has listed 30 “critical raw materials” that it wants to secure the supply of while at the same time avoiding becoming dependent on any of them.

The four new additions to the list are bauxite, lithium, titanium and strontium.

Lithium, a fundamental material in the manufacturing of batteries of all kinds, is increasingly gaining importance as more and more people buy electric cars. [Read more…] about 30 critical raw materials: EU prioritizes lithium but launches plan to avoid dependency

German engineering companies losing massive market share due to subtle trade barriers

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German engineering companies are losing massive market share due to trade barriers around the world, according to a new report.

Globally its most successful sector, and represented by industry association VDMA, Germany’s engineering companies say they have lost between 70 and 100 percent of export markets in some countries.

The VDMA blames “egoism” and a climate of protectionism, according to Die Welt, which notes that subtle instruments such as localization initiatives and regulations, as well as the traditional blunt ones such as tariffs and subsidies, are being used to obligate companies to avoid buying from overseas machine builders. [Read more…] about German engineering companies losing massive market share due to subtle trade barriers

EU member states agree €750 billion post-pandemic recovery fund

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Member states of the European Union have agreed a €750 billion recovery fund in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, which has all but destroyed large parts of the economy in many countries.

The agreement was reached during a four-day summit meeting in Brussels, Belgium between the leaders of the 27 member nations.

Charles Michel, chairman of the summit, called the accord “a pivotal moment for Europe”, according to a report by Reuters. [Read more…] about EU member states agree €750 billion post-pandemic recovery fund

Internet industry organisation calls for strengthening EU against tech giants

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The internet industry association ECO has called for the strengthening of the European Union against tech giants that have caused enormous disruption across Europe and the world.

ECO has drawn up a six-point “catalogue of requirements” on behalf of the internet industry for the strengthening of Europe as a digital location.

The organisation says the internet industry is gaining increasing significance for the economy as a whole and promotes value creation in other sectors, thereby guaranteeing the innovation capacity of Europe as a business location. [Read more…] about Internet industry organisation calls for strengthening EU against tech giants

EU report – the digital future could be stressful

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In a new report, EU-OSHA publishes the findings of a major 2-year project to anticipate the effects of digitalisation on occupational safety and health (OSH) in the EU.

The final results of this foresight project highlight developments in ICT-enabled technologies, the potential impact of these technologies on the nature and organisation of work, and the challenges and opportunities to OSH that they may bring.

Increased monitoring of workers, 24/7 availability, frequent job changes and the management of work by algorithm can raise levels of workers’ stress.

[Read more…] about EU report – the digital future could be stressful

ArcelorMittal: sale agreed for four EU steel plants

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ArcelorMittal has received a binding offer from Liberty House Group for the acquisition of ArcelorMittal Ostrava (Czech Republic), ArcelorMittal Galati (Romania), ArcelorMittal Skopje (Macedonia) and ArcelorMittal Piombino (Italy).

The four assets are part of a divestment package the Company agreed with the European Commission during its merger control investigation into the Company’s acquisition of Ilva S.p.A (‘Ilva’).

Transaction closing is subject to the completion of the Company’s acquisition of Ilva, and conditional on EU approval and the conclusion of information consultations with local and European Works Councils.

[Read more…] about ArcelorMittal: sale agreed for four EU steel plants

EU expected to make it more difficult for foreign companies to buy European companies

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The European Union is re-examining the rules governing takeovers of European companies by investors from outside the EU. 

The reassessment comes in the aftermath of the takeover of German robotics and industrial automation company Kuka by Chinese household appliances maker Midea.

Midea’s acquisition of Kuka – for about $4 billion – was said by Bloomberg to be part of a “global acquisitions spree” by the Chinese company.  [Read more…] about EU expected to make it more difficult for foreign companies to buy European companies

Robots will become ‘electronic persons’ under European Union plan

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The European Union is considering giving robots human rights under a plan to classify them as “electronic persons” and making their owners liable to pay taxes on their behalf, according to Reuters. 

What’s been called a “robot revolution” in recent years has led to millions of robots of all types being built and utilised in almost every area of society – from robotic arms in the manufacturing industry, through autonomous vehicles in transportation, to domestic or service robots in commercial buildings and in the home.

No one knows exactly what the robot population on Earth is, but it’s likely to overtake segments of the human population in some countries within a decade or two. Moreover, a very large proportion of future robots are likely to be humanoids.

This massive growth of robotics and autonomous technologies has led the European Parliament’s committee on legal affairs to draft a resolution saying “that at least the most sophisticated autonomous robots could be established as having the status of electronic persons with specific rights and obligations”. [Read more…] about Robots will become ‘electronic persons’ under European Union plan

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