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Mercedes partners with ProLogium to develop next-generation solid-state battery cells for electric vehicles

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Mercedes-Benz and ProLogium, a developer of solid-state batteries, have signed a technology cooperation agreement to develop next-generation battery cells.

The first Mercedes-Benz test vehicles equipped with solid-state batteries co-developed with ProLogium are expected to be introduced in the coming years.

The companies also agreed on milestones that would enable integration of the solid-state battery technology into a range of passenger vehicles in the second half of the decade. [Read more…] about Mercedes partners with ProLogium to develop next-generation solid-state battery cells for electric vehicles

SAIC unveils China’s ‘first’ Level 4 robotic taxi platform

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Chinese carmaker SAIC Motor has officially started the operation of its SAIC Mobility Robotaxi, claiming it to be China’s first Level 4 self-driving platform.

SAIC says its “Robotaxi” employs “superior resources” – from SAIC Motor Passenger Vehicle Company, SAIC Motor AI Lab, autonomous driving technology company Momenta, and its ride-hailing service platform SAIC Mobility – to create a data-driven ecosystem featuring continuing evolution in an effort to explore the application of Level 4 self-driving technology in urban mobility scenarios.

There is a lack of clarity about the term “robotaxi”. So far, most companies have used it as a generic term to mean robotic taxi. None of them has yet trademarked the actual word. SAIC doesn’t seem to have done so either, but has the word on the side of its cars. [Read more…] about SAIC unveils China’s ‘first’ Level 4 robotic taxi platform

Will Car Manufacturing Ever Be Fully Automated?

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The other day, I got an email asking me to participate in a survey regarding robots in hotels. Basically, the people behind the study wanted to gauge how comfortable respondents were about letting robots and AI systems take care of different aspects of their stay.

Would they be happy to check in without ever speaking to a human? What about having a robot clean their rooms?

The reason this survey stuck with me is that it posited the possibility that hotels would be staffed by robots in the near future. I wondered if it would be people coming to stay in hotels who would delay this from happening due to technophobia. This is in spite of the fact that mechanisation itself is not fully automated in many industries. [Read more…] about Will Car Manufacturing Ever Be Fully Automated?

‘We wrote the playbook’: Michigan reinvents itself as the global capital of autonomous mobility

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The US state of Michigan is reinventing itself as the global capital of autonomous mobility. From opening an air corridor for drones to building a stretch of road on which electric vehicles can charge themselves wirelessly as they move along, the state is creating an ecosystem which could become something of a template for the rest of America.

Michigan is, as most readers will know, the state in which Detroit is located. Detroit, the most populous city in the state, is the historic centre of the modern global automotive industry, or “Motor Town” as it was famously called many decades ago, inspiring the name “Motown” for the even more famous record label.

And while it may have lost some of its industrial status in recent decades, Detroit still provides homes and office space to some of the largest automotive companies in the world: Ford, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz USA, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and a whole range of automotive components, systems and parts manufacturers. [Read more…] about ‘We wrote the playbook’: Michigan reinvents itself as the global capital of autonomous mobility

Startup awarded $5 million to build autonomous car that ‘runs on light’

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Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), an agency of the US military akin to Darpa, is funding a $4.8 million project spearheaded by Boston University College of Engineering, the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Lightmatter, a startup developing “photonic supercomputing” chips.

Electro-photonic computing, or optical computing, is thought to hold the promise of solving one of the biggest technical hurdles that self-driving cars face today – delivering high performance, low latency computing power that is also energy efficient.

At the end of the IARPA-funded experiment, the scientists hope to have “a fully functioning prototype of a self-driving car that runs on light”. [Read more…] about Startup awarded $5 million to build autonomous car that ‘runs on light’

BlueBotics acquired by Zapi Group

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BlueBotics, a developer of navigation systems for automated guided vehicles and autonomous mobile robots, has been acquired by Zapi Group.

Zapi is a global provider of electrification and manufacturer of electronic speed controllers, electric motors, battery chargers, and associated products for electric and hybrid vehicles.

Zapi’s acquisition includes the shares held by investor Forestay Capital. The transaction was closed on December 21, 2021, but no financial details have yet been disclosed. [Read more…] about BlueBotics acquired by Zapi Group

Governor Whitmer launches ‘first’ US wireless electric vehicle charging road system

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Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has announced the award of a contract to build a first in the United States public wireless in-road charging system allowing electric vehicles to charge while in motion and stationary.

A company called Electreon has been selected to build an electric road system in Detroit as part of the inductive vehicle charging pilot program.

Governor Whitmer says: “As we aim to lead the future of mobility and electrification by boosting electric vehicle production and lowering consumer costs, a wireless in-road charging system is the next piece to the puzzle for sustainability. [Read more…] about Governor Whitmer launches ‘first’ US wireless electric vehicle charging road system

BYD to mass manufacture Nuro’s electric autonomous delivery vehicle

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BYD, one of China’s largest automotive and technology companies, has agreed a partnership with autonomous vehicle company Nuro to begin producing the company’s third-generation electric autonomous delivery vehicle.

The partnership is expected to scale Nuro’s more affordable, eco-friendly, and convenient services to millions of people across the country.

Stella Li, executive vice president of BYD and president of BYD North America, says: “BYD will leverage the manufacturing capacity of our Lancaster plant by finishing assembly of globally sourced hardware components to support Nuro and bring more jobs to the community. [Read more…] about BYD to mass manufacture Nuro’s electric autonomous delivery vehicle

Nuro launches new autonomous grocery delivery vehicle

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The hugely well-funded autonomous vehicle company Nuro has unveiled its third-generation autonomous delivery vehicle, and says it is ready to mass manufacture the vehicle.

Describing it as “the most advanced zero-occupant vehicle designed by the company to date”, the new flagship model, simply called “Nuro”, is expected to scale its safe, eco-friendly, and convenient services to millions of people across the US.

Nuro’s third-generation vehicle is designed to carry more goods and enable more deliveries, with twice the cargo volume of the company’s second generation vehicle. [Read more…] about Nuro launches new autonomous grocery delivery vehicle

Continental developing charging robots for electric vehicles with Volterio

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Automotive technology giant Continental says it is “revolutionizing the charging of electric vehicles”.

Working with startup Volterio, Continental’s development and production service provider Continental Engineering Services is developing a fully automatic intelligent charging robot that will make filling up with electricity “much easier and more convenient” in the future.

CES and Volterio have now officially entered into a partnership that will see the latter develop the first near-production systems for the jointly designed charging robot by mid-2022. [Read more…] about Continental developing charging robots for electric vehicles with Volterio