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mobility

Perrone Robotics confirms commitment to develop autonomous vehicle test facility at ACM

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Perrone Robotics, a provider of fully automated vehicle technology and solutions, has “solidified its commitment” to develop an advanced automated vehicle test facility at the American Center for Mobility (ACM) in Ypsilanti, Michigan by signing a new lease.

ACM’s smart mobility test center will enable Perrone’s team to work on high-speed, long-term, and continuous testing of a wide range of transit vans, shuttles, cargo vehicles, and trucks integrated with Perrone’s patented autonomous vehicle TONY Retrofit solution.

Perrone’s signed commitment with ACM comes just a few short months after the company received a $10 million investment from CapStone Holdings. The funding will support Perrone as it continues to advance its leadership role in the mobility industry. [Read more…] about Perrone Robotics confirms commitment to develop autonomous vehicle test facility at ACM

Toyota subsidiary Hino Motors partners with REE Automotive to develop autonomous mobility solutions

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Hino Motors, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation, and REE Automotive, an innovator in e-mobility, have signed a strategic business alliance agreement to realize their shared vision of “providing new value to society through next-generation commercial mobility”.

With the backdrop of advancements in CASE – Connected, Autonomous, Shared and Electric – vehicles, the automotive industry is entering a major transformation phase.

Hino and REE envision beyond this transformation a future in which commercial vehicles that support the movement of people and goods will evolve into mobility that provides new value and opportunities for society. [Read more…] about Toyota subsidiary Hino Motors partners with REE Automotive to develop autonomous mobility solutions

Toyota’s Woven Capital invests in autonomous vehicle fleet platform Ridecell

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Woven Capital, a venture capital unit of Toyota, has made an investment in Ridecell, a platform powering digital transformations and IoT automation for fleet-driven businesses.

Woven Capital is an $800 million global investment fund that supports innovative, growth-stage companies in mobility, automation, artificial intelligence, data and analytics, connectivity, and smart cities.

It is the investment arm of the Woven Planet Group, a Toyota subsidiary which says it is “dedicated to building the safest mobility in the world”. [Read more…] about Toyota’s Woven Capital invests in autonomous vehicle fleet platform Ridecell

Bridgestone invests in autonomous truck developer Kodiak Robotics

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Bridgestone Americas has made a minority investment in Kodiak Robotics, a US-based self-driving trucking company.

The partnership will allow Bridgestone to integrate its smart-sensing tire technologies and fleet solutions into Kodiak’s level 4 autonomous trucks.

The companies will also pilot future autonomous and smart tire technologies to further enhance vehicle intelligence and advance toward a safer, more efficient, and more sustainable mobility future. [Read more…] about Bridgestone invests in autonomous truck developer Kodiak Robotics

Beep launches Yellowstone’s first autonomous shuttles in partnership with Local Motors

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Beep – a provider of multi-passenger, electric, autonomous mobility solutions – has launched what it says is Yellowstone National Park’s first-ever autonomous shuttle program, called TEDDY (The Electric Driverless Demonstration in Yellowstone), in partnership with Local Motors, a designer and manufacturer of autonomous vehicles.

The TEDDY project, an ode to Teddy Roosevelt, will enable the National Park Service to test the feasibility and sustainability of autonomous mobility and better plan for the future of transportation.

Joe Moye, Beep CEO, says: “Beep is proud to have been selected by the National Park Service to provide transformative mobility at the country’s first national park. [Read more…] about Beep launches Yellowstone’s first autonomous shuttles in partnership with Local Motors

US government-funded project tests connected vehicles for lifesaving applications

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A US Department of Transportation-funded project called THEA Connected Vehicle Pilot has been testing connected vehicles for lifesaving applications at the American Center of Mobility.

The tests were undertaken in collaboration with automotive manufacturers and road operators.

The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority Connected Vehicle Pilot (THEA CV Pilot) is a $22 million project jointly funded by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and THEA. [Read more…] about US government-funded project tests connected vehicles for lifesaving applications

Beep secures $20 million Series-A investment from Intel and Blue Lagoon

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Beep, a provider of multi-passenger, electric, autonomous mobility solutions, has closed the company’s Series A investment round with Intel Capital and Blue Lagoon Capital, raising $20 million.

The funding will enable Beep to continue the expansion of its autonomous fleet deployments across North America and leverage its learnings to advance passenger mobility service for cities, business districts and campuses at scale.

Beep utilizes a combination of machine learning, contextual traffic data and the company’s existing centralized command center data to provide vital oversight in managing high-risk scenarios for autonomous vehicles in complex geo-fenced environments. [Read more…] about Beep secures $20 million Series-A investment from Intel and Blue Lagoon

SberAutoTech launches its first fully autonomous vehicle

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By David Rafalovsky, CTO, Sberbank Group; executive vice president, head of technology, Sberbank

SberAutoTech, a Sber ecosystem company, has revealed a prototype of its own autonomous vehicle for future mobility, which it has named “FLIP”.

The brand-new and fully self-driving vehicle has been developed to match the highest level in international driving automation classification. It pursues the new mobility concept providing quick, safe, and comfortable transportation for passengers through cutting-edge IT and automotive technologies.

There is a proprietary electric platform driven by an electric motor powered by a replaceable battery module at the core of FLIP. Key differentiating know-how is that fast-swappable batteries can be replaced in five minutes. [Read more…] about SberAutoTech launches its first fully autonomous vehicle

Roam Robotics launches ‘smart knee’, a robotic partial exoskeleton

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Roam Robotics, an artificial intelligence and wearable robotics company, has launched its Ascend product, a “first-of-its-kind smart knee orthosis that helps wearers reduce knee pain and regain mobility”, according to the company.

Ascend’s technology is actively adapting, meaning it senses the body’s movement, automatically adjusts to the wearer’s needs, and provides precise support at the right moment for target muscle groups.

It is a registered Class I device with the FDA and will be available for purchase directly and through private and Medicare insurance, radically expanding public accessibility to wearable robotic devices. [Read more…] about Roam Robotics launches ‘smart knee’, a robotic partial exoskeleton

Toyota ‘accelerating’ its autonomous vehicle plans with Lyft’s Level 5 acquisition

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Toyota is accelerating its autonomous vehicle plans through its acquisition of Lyft’s Level 5, according to research company GlobalData. 

Toyota Motor’s tech investment arm, Woven Planet Holdings, has agreed to acquire shared mobility giant Lyft’s self-driving vehicle division Level 5 for $550 million.

In response to the news, Bakar Sadik Agwan, senior automotive consulting analyst at GlobalData, offers her analysis. [Read more…] about Toyota ‘accelerating’ its autonomous vehicle plans with Lyft’s Level 5 acquisition