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general motors

GM breaks ground on $65 million ACDelco and Genuine GM Parts processing facility

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General Motors has broken new ground on an all-new $65 million ACDelco and Genuine GM Parts processing center on a vacant 141-acre lot near the intersection of Genesee and Davison roads in the City of Burton, in the US.

The facility is being built within the Customer Care and Aftersales division of GM.

GM says the new building is the company’s largest single investment in a warehousing and logistics facility in the United States in nearly 40 years.  [Read more…] about GM breaks ground on $65 million ACDelco and Genuine GM Parts processing facility

SoftBank to invest more than $2 billion into General Motors’ self-driving cars unit Cruise Automation

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SoftBank is planning to invest more than $2 billion into General Motors’ self-driving vehicle technology unit, Cruise Automation. 

Cruise Automation is a startup company acquired by General Motors two years ago.

In some ways, this is a surprise move by SoftBank. The Japanese telecommunications giant has previously invested in other sectors of the robotics market.  [Read more…] about SoftBank to invest more than $2 billion into General Motors’ self-driving cars unit Cruise Automation

General Motors to build self-driving cars in Michigan, US

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After more than a year of building test vehicles for development of its self-driving technology, General Motors will build production versions of its Cruise AV at its Orion Township assembly plant in Michigan.

Roof modules for GM’s self-driving vehicles will be assembled at its Brownstown plant.

The Cruise AV, which the company plans to commercialize in 2019, is the first production-ready vehicle built from the ground up to operate safely on its own with no driver, steering wheel, pedals or manual controls.

[Read more…] about General Motors to build self-driving cars in Michigan, US

General Motors uses AI-based generative design technology to reduce vehicle weight

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General Motors is using new, advanced software design technology to introduce the next generation of vehicle lightweighting. The technology is key to developing efficient and lighter alternative propulsion and zero emission vehicles.

GM is the first automaker in North America to use new generative design software technology from software company Autodesk.

It uses cloud computing and AI-based algorithms to rapidly explore multiple permutations of a part design, generating hundreds of high-performance, often organic-looking geometric design options based on goals and parameters set by the user, such as weight, strength, material choice, fabrication method, and more. The user then determines the best part design option.

[Read more…] about General Motors uses AI-based generative design technology to reduce vehicle weight

General Motors reveals autonomous electric mobile platform

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General Motors has unveiled a new type of vehicle which the company says is flexible, autonomous and is powered by fuel cell technology – or electric. 

GM says the Silent Utility Rover Universal Superstructure – Surus, for short – delivers highly mobile autonomous capability and agility in unpredictable terrain.

This would make it suitable for military use, which is what GM is aiming at. But it could also find applications in the commercial logistics industry, another market GM has listed where Surus could find work. [Read more…] about General Motors reveals autonomous electric mobile platform

GM acquires lidar developer Strobe to accelerate driverless car development

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General Motors has acquired lidar – light detection and radar – technology company Strobe.

As part of the deal, Strobe’s engineering talent will join GM’s Cruise Automation team to develop next-generation lidar solutions for self-driving vehicles.

Kyle Vogt, founder and CEO, Cruise Automation, says: “Strobe’s LIDAR technology will significantly improve the cost and capabilities of our vehicles so that we can more quickly accomplish our mission to deploy driverless vehicles at scale.” [Read more…] about GM acquires lidar developer Strobe to accelerate driverless car development

Electric car industry sparks into life

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2017-chevrolet-volt-electric-car

Two of the world’s biggest automakers have made moves which would suggest electric cars will become mass-market vehicles much sooner than perhaps some may have expected. 

General Motors has decided to bring forward its production of the all-electric Chevy Volt, according to a report in Manufacturers’ Monthly, which quotes a report on Associated Press.

The vehicles will go on sale towards the end of this year for around $30,000.  [Read more…] about Electric car industry sparks into life

Industrial robots can now do their work uninterrupted thanks to the cloud and offline programming

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fanuc industrial robot

Industrial robots are increasingly being connected to the cloud, where they can be managed centrally in some sort of control room, which means that a small number of human staff could theoretically manage hundreds, if not thousands, of machines.

Previously they were almost always operated in isolated circumstances within factories, inside a work cell, fenced off from human workers because of safety concerns. They were programmed individually, using a teach pendant, which is like a 20-years-out-of-date oversized mobile phone.

The teach pendant is still used for refinements and modifications after the machine goes online, into work, but nowadays most industrial robots are prepared for a life of work using offline programming. [Read more…] about Industrial robots can now do their work uninterrupted thanks to the cloud and offline programming