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Clearpath Robotics raises $30 million to expand Otto self-driving logistics vehicle technology

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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

Bright Box launches self-driving car platform trained with extreme driving in computer games

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Bright Box, a specialist provider of connected car solutions, says its new self-driving car system has been trained using a neural network, deep learning and extreme racing computer games, in particular GTA 5. 

Bright Box, a European company, says its software is the basis for connected-vehicle applications used by the Nissan Smart Car app in Middle East, and KIA Remoto app.

Bright Box says its autonomous car solution also uses data from real-life examples.  [Read more…] about Bright Box launches self-driving car platform trained with extreme driving in computer games

nuTonomy and Grab partner to expand public trials of self-driving cars

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Uber rival Grab signs deal with driverless car developer nuTonomy

nuTonomy, a developer of software for self-driving cars, and Grab, which claims to be Southeast Asia’s leading ride-hailing app, have entered a partnership to expand nuTonomy’s ongoing public trial of self-driving cars in Singapore, believed to be the first such public trial anywhere in the world.

The trial will give select Grab users a chance to experience the full end-to-end experience of e-hailing and riding in a nuTonomy self-driving vehicle.

Combining nuTonomy’s autonomous vehicle software and technology system with Grab’s fleet routing technology and mapping in its app will enable both companies to study the end-to-end user experience of on-demand hailing of driverless vehicles.  [Read more…] about nuTonomy and Grab partner to expand public trials of self-driving cars

Startup company Sea Machines developing self-driving technology for which can be added to traditional boats

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Boston-based startup Sea Machines is developing autonomous technologies that will enable traditional boats to become self-driving vessels. 

The company says its development heralds a smarter, safer and more efficient era of marine operations brought forward through self-aware and self-driving boats and ships.

With autonomy readily making its way into many traditional land-based and airborne sectors, the massive marine domain is even better suited for autonomous systems with fewer barriers to entry, a high risk operating environment, and an accommodating regulatory space.

More than 20 million vessels are plying the world’s waters including 15 million recreational boats and 100,000 cargo ships; Sea Machines foresees autonomy disrupting this largely manual sector and rapidly developing into a $60 billion space.  [Read more…] about Startup company Sea Machines developing self-driving technology for which can be added to traditional boats

Yaskawa Motoman demonstrates new range of robots at IMTS

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Yaskawa Motoman has demonstrated a range of new automation solutions for material handling, human-robot collaboration, and mobile machine tending and material movement during IMTS 2016.  [Read more…] about Yaskawa Motoman demonstrates new range of robots at IMTS

Volvo claims to be ‘first in the world’ with self-driving truck in underground mine

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Swedish automaker determined to take the lead in autonomous car technology

Volvo’s fully autonomous truck is the first in the world to be tested in operations deep underground in the Kristineberg Mine, in Sweden, according to the company.

The self-driving truck is part of a development project aimed at improving the transport flow and safety in the mine.

The truck will cover a distance of 7 kilometres, reaching 1,320 metres underground in the narrow mine tunnels.  [Read more…] about Volvo claims to be ‘first in the world’ with self-driving truck in underground mine