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Survey suggests public has safety concerns about autonomous vehicles

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Motional, the driverless vehicle development company created by Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv, has released its inaugural Motional Consumer Mobility Report, which examines Americans’ perceptions of driverless vehicles.

The study found that one-fifth of Americans are more interested in driverless vehicles than they were before the pandemic.

The survey was carried out from July 17-21, 2020, and considered 1,003 responses from US consumers sampled using a blind online panel recruitment. The overall margin of error for the research is +/- 3.02 percent at a 95 percent confidence interval). [Read more…] about Survey suggests public has safety concerns about autonomous vehicles

Wilson Logistics orders 1,120 autonomous truck systems from Locomation

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Wilson Logistics has ordered 1,120 autonomous truck systems from Locomation. The companies claim this is “the world’s first autonomous truck purchase order”.

Locomation is a provider of autonomous trucking technology and Wilson Logistics is a large transportation logistics company based in Springfield, Missouri, USA.

Under the terms of the deal, a minimum of 1,120 Wilson Logistics tractors or trucks are to be equipped with Locomation’s Autonomous Relay Convoy (ARCTM) technology, with the first units delivered in early 2022. Additionally, the deal amends the commercial agreement between the two companies to extend through 2028. [Read more…] about Wilson Logistics orders 1,120 autonomous truck systems from Locomation

Robotic and Automation News Review: ABB, Mitsubishi, Fanuc, Baidu, Nvidia and much more…

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Robotics and Automation News Review Friday 18 September 2020

This is a new, weekly column which rounds up all the most interesting news from the robotics and automation industry in the past seven days, in brief form.

This Robotics and Automation News Review is also available to view on our YouTube channel. (See video embedded below.)

Please support our website by subscribing to our YouTube channel, by sharing the stories we publish on your social media pages, and by purchasing premium subscriptions to RoboticsAndAutomationNews.com, as well as through corporate sponsorships and advertising.

[Read more…] about Robotic and Automation News Review: ABB, Mitsubishi, Fanuc, Baidu, Nvidia and much more…

Innovation in Times of Crisis: What Does the Future Hold for Automation?

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The Covid-19 pandemic isn’t letting up any time soon. Countries which have relaxed their lockdown measures following a decrease in the number of positive cases are now experiencing a resurgence in numbers of confirmed infections.

Governments are already planning to reintroduce restrictions to stop the spread of the deadly coronavirus, which has claimed the lives of over 800,000 people worldwide.

As this global crisis continues to challenge economic sustainability, the business landscape has to adapt to new methods and tools in order to stay afloat. Sure enough, this crisis has opened up new spaces for discussing genuine innovation. [Read more…] about Innovation in Times of Crisis: What Does the Future Hold for Automation?

Advances in Epoxy Coating and Technology Across the Years

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Epoxy coatings technology has undergone reasonable advancements since its inception in the 1950s. After US restrictions on some Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) in the 70s, single protective coatings could no longer meet solvent content requirements, hence they were discontinued.

Thankfully, this further strengthened the position of epoxy coatings as an optimal material choice for several industries.

In recent years, epoxy coatings have become the mainstay element of the protective coatings industry because of their superior chemical and physical properties-epoxy coatings are excellent adhesives, corrosion-resistant, and possess high mechanical strength. [Read more…] about Advances in Epoxy Coating and Technology Across the Years

Daimler Trucks and Torc Robotics celebrate one year of successful collaboration

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September 2020 marks one year of Daimler Trucks and Torc Robotics partnering as a team after the US-based automated driving technology company became part of Daimler Trucks’ Autonomous Technology Group.

One year together, collaboratively pursuing a common goal of bringing series-produced highly automated trucks (SAE Level 4) to the roads within the decade; including on-road deployment of a Level 4 test fleet, initiation of redesign of truck chassis, adoption of a hub-to-hub model, formalized rigorous testing protocols, formal truck safety driver certification process, and extended software capabilities.

Now, the Autonomous Technology Group will extend its testing to New Mexico by building up a new testing center in Albuquerque. Expanding to a new location will support testing and provide data for more use cases of next generation vehicles on public roads starting this fall. [Read more…] about Daimler Trucks and Torc Robotics celebrate one year of successful collaboration

Dover acquires industrial automation company XanTec

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Dover Corporation, diversified global manufacturer and solutions provider with annual revenue of approximately $7 billion, has completed the acquisition of XanTec.

XanTec Steuerungs und EDV-Technik is a developer and supplier of automation and control solutions for industrial machinery of all types with particular focus on plastic and polymer processing machines across the globe.

XanTec now becomes part of the Maag Group, a global provider of integrated and customizable process technology solutions for the polymer, chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and food industries within Dover’s Pumps & Process Solutions segment. [Read more…] about Dover acquires industrial automation company XanTec

Walmart deal helps Shopify shares skyrocket more than 300 percent

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Shopify shares have skyrocketed to all-time highs over the past few weeks, largely as a result of its new partnership with Walmart. Shopify is the first online commerce platform partner that Walmart has signed such a deal with. 

The agreement, agreed in June, allows Shopify – which bought warehouse robot maker 6 River Systems last year for $450 million – to put 1,200 of its merchants into Walmart’s marketplace

Walmart is America’s largest retail chain, with annual revenues of more than $500 billion. The vast majority of its sales are in brick-and-mortar stores, but the company has recently been making a big push into the digital space. [Read more…] about Walmart deal helps Shopify shares skyrocket more than 300 percent

Reasons Why Everyone Can Benefit From a 3D Printers

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The number of different applications of 3D printing is increasing every day as this technology becomes more and more integral to different areas of our lives.

Gone are the days when 3D printing was a luxury hobby; 3D printers are now cheaper and more widely available than they have ever been.

With such a wide range of affordable printers and the limitless potential of creation, there are many people who are looking to buy a 3D printer to get their craft hobby started. This article is a guide to how everyone can benefit from a 3D printer. [Read more…] about Reasons Why Everyone Can Benefit From a 3D Printers

SkyDrive launches ‘world’s smallest flying car’

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A Japanese startup company called SkyDrive has unveiled what it claims is the world’s smallest flying car. (See video below.)

Designed to carry one person, the vehicle could be said to be the aerial equivalent of a motorcycle.

SkyDrive says it can put the what we’ll call the “airbike” into mass production in just two years’ time, by which time there should be more regulations about aerial vehicles. [Read more…] about SkyDrive launches ‘world’s smallest flying car’