Market trends and business perspectives
by Sam Francis
Industrial robot manufacturer Kuka says it has received an order in the “single-digit million euro range” from the Korean automotive supplier Donghee Industrial.
The order was booked in the second quarter of 2019.
Donghee relies on robot-based friction stir welding from Kuka in the area of electric mobility. [Read more…] about Kuka receives large order from Donghee for robotic welding systems
by Anna
Bosch and Daimler have chosen in a city located in the San Francisco Bay in Silicon Valley, California, as the pilot location for a first test fleet developing fully-automated and driverless driving.
Bosch and Daimler will offer customers a shuttle service with automated vehicles on selected routes. Daimler Mobility Services is envisaged as the operator of this test fleet and the app-based mobility service.
The pilot project will demonstrate how mobility services such as car sharing (car2go), ride-hailing (mytaxi) and multi-modal platforms (moovel) can be intelligently connected to shape the future of mobility.
[Read more…] about Bosch and Daimler to pilot automated driving in California
ABB, the industrial giant with a massive business in power generation equipment, and electric vehicle network operator Fastned Charging have opened their 100th electric vehicle charging location in the Netherlands.
The companies say Europe is introducing stricter emission targets from 2020, so their partnership Fastned and ABB is “facilitating the electric revolution set to transform European highways”.
Since the launch of the pilot Fastned project in The Netherlands in 2013, the close working relationship between Fastned and ABB has facilitated the successful launch of charging sites across the Netherlands and Germany, with the UK’s first high power station launching in Sunderland just a couple of months ago. [Read more…] about ABB and Fastned open their 100th electric vehicle charging location
by Anna
Magna, BAIC Group and the Zhenjiang government celebrated the signing of a framework agreement governing their electric vehicle manufacturing joint venture in Zhenjiang, China, which marks another milestone of their continued cooperation.
The transaction, which is pending regulatory approval and other closing conditions, is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2019.
The joint venture, which is to be controlled by an affiliate of the BAIC Group, is Magna’s first investment in a complete vehicle manufacturing facility outside Europe.
[Read more…] about Magna signs first complete vehicle manufacturing joint venture in China
by Sam Francis
Electrify America has entered an agreement with San Francisco-based electric vehicle fleet charging company Stable Auto to introduce robotic charging solutions for self-driving vehicles in a pilot demonstration site in San Francisco.
Electrify America is a subsidiary of Volkswagen, and Stable is a startup. Both companies develop infrastructure solutions needed to deploy self-driving and electric vehicle fleets.
Electrify America and Stable say they recognize the emergence of both electric and autonomous vehicle fleets, and are jointly working to address the absence of dedicated charging facilities equipped for such vehicles with this demonstration. [Read more…] about Electrify America and Stable partner to offer robotic fast-charging for vehicle fleets
by Anna
For the first time in an urban environment, The Automotive Technology Centre of Galicia and Groupe PSA are testing the contribution that communication technologies can make to the development of automated vehicle functions.
The aim is to see how well vehicles can communicate with the surrounding infrastructure in a complex urban environment.
The tests carried out in Vigo related to: an automated valet parking system; autonomous driving in an urban environment; optimal speed regulation when approaching a traffic light; and protection of vulnerable users.
[Read more…] about Groupe PSA tests test vehicle-to-infrastructure communications in Spain
by Anna
Continental’s technology for driverless vehicles will be in production for the first time in French company EasyMile’s EZ10 autonomous shuttle. Continental has held a stake in this driverless vehicle manufacturer since 2017.
Driverless robo-taxis will become an important part of mobility in urban centers, helping to reduce traffic congestion and increase efficiency, says the company.
Driverless transport systems of this kind are still rare. Small autonomous shuttle buses with room for several passengers – which also qualify as robo-taxis – have driven on short, straightforward public routes during pilot projects and in designated areas at airports, hospitals, universities, and exhibition grounds.
[Read more…] about Continental launches series production of technologies for robo-taxis
A US public policy organization called the Competitive Enterprise Institute is urging states to update their laws to enable driverless truck platooning.
The CEO says the measures would offers safety, economic, and environmental benefits.
New automated vehicle technology will help freight truck companies transport consumer goods in a more fuel-efficient way, reducing transportation costs and emissions and boosting highway safety thanks to always-on automatic emergency braking. [Read more…] about Public policy group calls for updating of laws to enable driverless truck platooning
by Anna
Groupe PSA and Vinci Autoroutes have carried out further tests to assess a vehicle’s ability to drive autonomously at cruising speed and pass through a tollgate in autonomous mode. A first trial was carried out in 2017.
Two new complex driving situations were also tested in real traffic conditions on the Vinci Autoroutes network: changing into autonomous mode in a traffic area temporarily altered due to roadworks; and performing a “safe stop”.
This involves the vehicle driving to a safe place in the event that the driver does not take back control in a specific situation, for example obstacles on the road, bad weather conditions or the end of the motorway.
[Read more…] about Groupe PSA tests autonomous vehicle through motorway toll
by Anna
Hyundai Motor Group has begun a series of sweeping changes to its R&D organisations and development processes, enabling greater responsiveness to the changing future mobility technology landscape.
Promoting a keener focus on customer needs, the new approach will also streamline the decision-making and development processes to achieve efficiencies and cost optimisation.
Through reorganisation under Architecture-Driven System-Based Organisation (SBO), technology units at the Group’s R&D Division in Korea will align their operational processes to transform the Group.
[Read more…] about Hyundai reorganises R&D centre structure to streamline vehicle development
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