Where Innovation Meets Imagination
Otto Motors, the industrial division of Clearpath Robotics, is expanding into the Japanese market.
The move marks Ontario-based Otto’s first expansion outside North America.
Otto Motors produces self-driving vehicles – also referred to as “autonomous mobile robots” or warehouse robots – that move materials within manufacturing and warehousing facilities. [Read more…] about Otto Motors expands its autonomous mobile robots business to Japan
“Lights-out manufacturing” is a term to mean the method of making things in a way that’s entirely automated and does not need humans to be involved in the process.
Of course, humans initially set up the process, build the factory and so on, but the factory which outputs the final product only requires robotics and automation technology.
It’s an idea that has probably been explored in science fiction many times, but in reality, a fully automated factory that needs no human intervention at all is still a distant dream. [Read more…] about Hirotec on long journey towards lights-out manufacturing with robots from Otto and Yaskawa
By Heather Somerville and Julia Love, Reuters
Uber Technologies’ drive to become a major player in the trucking business is off to a bumpy start, with analysts and industry executives questioning what exactly the company can bring to the sprawling $700-billion industry.
The San Francisco ride-services giant had planned to disrupt freight hauling by offering a complete package of trucking technology including self-driving trucks and smartphone-based logistics services.
But what has emerged so far, industry watchers say, is a modest effort to build a brokerage service connecting truckers looking for loads to shippers with cargo to haul. [Read more…] about Uber’s autonomous truck journey off to a bumpy start
Funding from iNovia Capital, Caterpillar Ventures, GE Ventures and previous investors will expand new Otto Motors division
Clearpath Robotics, a leading provider of self-driving vehicle solutions, announced today the completion of a $30 million investment led by iNovia Capital with participation from Caterpillar Ventures, GE Ventures, Eclipse Ventures, RRE Ventures and Silicon Valley Bank.
Clearpath will use the funding to grow the company’s industrial division, Otto Motors. Clearpath launched Otto Motors in 2015 to focus on self-driving vehicles for material transport inside manufacturing and warehouse operations.
Matt Rendall, CEO and co-founder of Clearpath, says: “Factories operate like small indoor cities, complete with roads, traffic, intersections and pedestrians.
“Unlike city streets, a factory floor is a controlled environment, which makes it an ideal place to introduce self-driving vehicles at scale. Companies like Google, Tesla and Uber are still testing, whereas our self-driving vehicles are commercially available today.” [Read more…] about Clearpath Robotics raises $30 million to expand Otto self-driving logistics vehicle technology
