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Consortium of car companies to build massive power network for electric vehicles

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A consortium of companies which includes some of the leading automakers has agreed to build what they say will be an “ultra-fast, high-power” charging network along major highways in Europe. 

The joint venture includes BMW, Daimler, Ford, and Volkswagen, which owns the Audi and Porsche brands.

The group says it will build a direct current network of approximately 400 charging points for battery electric vehicles.

In a joint statement, the consortium says this is an “important step” towards facilitating mass-market battery electric vehicle adoption.

The network itself will be based on the Combined Charging System standard technology, and will expand the existing electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Europe.

Individual charging points will enable motorists to use DC current to fast-charge their vehicles with 350 kW of power, say the companies.

At the moment, the country with the highest number of charging points is the United States, followed by the Netherlands and Germany.

This is according to OpenChargeMap.org, which says there are approximately 80,000 charging stations across more than 40,000 locations around the world.

BMW to start research with IBM Watson artificial intelligence system

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Auto giant to locate research team at IBM’s Munich Watson IoT HQ, as computing colossus explores conversational interfaces in BMW i8 hybrid sports cars

IBM has entered into a new collaboration with the BMW Group, through which the companies will work together to explore the role of Watson cognitive computing in personalizing the driving experience and creating more intuitive driver support systems for cars of the future.

As part of the agreement, the BMW Group will collocate a team of researchers at IBM’s global headquarters for Watson Internet of Things (IoT) in Munich, Germany and the companies will work together explore how to improve intelligent assistant functions for drivers.

IBM recently pledged to invest $200 million to make its new Munich center one of the world’s most advanced facilities for collaborative innovation as part of a global investment of $3 billion to bring Watson cognitive computing to the Internet of Things.  [Read more…] about BMW to start research with IBM Watson artificial intelligence system

Connecting revolutions: Exclusive interview with Stäubli Robotics automotive boss

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A range of Stäubli robots
A range of Stäubli robots

Stäubli is one of the first industrial automation companies, having been established all the way back in the late-1800s and quickly developing what was then advanced technology for the weaving industry before the century was out. The company even owns Jacquard machines, Jacquard being the pioneering manufacturer of looms that defined the original Industrial Revolution – and the inventor of punched cards to control machines, from which flowed computer programming principles. 

Then in the early 1980s, Stäubli bought the Unimation business from Westinghouse, Unimation being the company which developed the first industrial robot arm, the Unimate.

Today, Stäubli is still one of world’s largest industrial robotics and automation companies, and its product manager in the US is Paul Deady.  [Read more…] about Connecting revolutions: Exclusive interview with Stäubli Robotics automotive boss

Mercedes research boss prioritises artificial intelligence

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Daimler – the parent company of Mercedes-Benz – is placing artificial intelligence at the centre of its plans going forward, says its head of research, Anke Kleinshmit, at the company’s Future Talk conference

How is artificial intelligence influencing tomorrow’s mobility? How can we use its ideas today? How intelligent will the car of the future be? And above all: what role will people play in this?

These were the central questions discussed by Mercedes-Benz experts at the fourth Future Talk in Berlin in dialogue with scientists, engineers and journalists. In the past few years the Mercedes-Benz Future Talk has dealt with the subjects of utopia, robotics and virtuality. This time, the focus was on the integration of artificial intelligence in the field of mobility and the interaction of humans and machines.

Already in the 1960s researchers expected a major breakthrough in the development and application of artificial intelligence, but the human world still proved too complex for digital computers. However, due to the triumph of the internet, the mass of data that has become available with this and the huge increase in computing power of today’s computers, artificial intelligence is now entering people’s lives and also offers big opportunities and potential for the future of the automobile.  [Read more…] about Mercedes research boss prioritises artificial intelligence

Huge reboot: What Trump’s aversion to trade blocs could mean for the US robotics, automation and manufacturing industries

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The US automotive manufacturing industry is probably going through some angsty times right now, what with president-elect Donald Trump reiterating his campaign pledge to repeal or at least renegotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the North American Free Trade Agreement, and any other free-trade deal previous administrations have signed up to. 

For a highly globalised industry like the automotive sector, which sources parts from all over the world and may assemble its vehicles in any number of countries simultaneously based on a common platform, this is perhaps one election promise which it would rather not be kept.

However, Trump has already produced a presidential address style video in which he says: “I am going to issue a notification of intent to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a potential disaster for our country.

“Instead, we will negotiate fair, bilateral trade deals that bring jobs and industry back onto American shores.”  [Read more…] about Huge reboot: What Trump’s aversion to trade blocs could mean for the US robotics, automation and manufacturing industries

nuTonomy to test its self-driving cars on public roads in Boston

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nutonomy-grab

On-street testing will begin before the end of 2016 in Raymond Flynn Marine Park

nuTonomy, the developer of software for self-driving cars, has signed a deal with the City of Boston and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation that authorizes nuTonomy to begin testing its growing fleet of self-driving cars on specific public streets in a designated area of Boston.

nuTonomy will begin testing its self-driving Renault Zoe electric vehicle before the end of the year in the Raymond L Flynn Marine Park in the Seaport section of the city.

nuTonomy outfits its vehicles with a state-of-the art software system, which has been integrated with high-performance sensing and computing components, to enable safe operation without a driver.  [Read more…] about nuTonomy to test its self-driving cars on public roads in Boston

Connected cars: A massive new market for chipmakers

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The Benz Patent Motorwagen, invented by Carl Benz in the 1880s, is regarded as the first motor car ever made. 

It was a purely a mechanical machine with no electronics.

It wasn’t until the 1930s that electronics started playing a part in cars, which had become much more complex and more powerful since the original motorwagen.

And electronics have played an increasingly large role ever since.  [Read more…] about Connected cars: A massive new market for chipmakers

AImotive launches self-driving automotive technology powered by artificial intelligence

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aimotive

AImotive – formerly known as AdasWorks – claims to be the first to enable an artificial intelligence ecosystem for autonomous driving regardless of location, driving style or driving conditions

AImotive has launched what it says is a “full stack technology solution and the most powerful artificial intelligence software” for the automotive industry, designed to provide self-driving vehicles better safety, improved comfort and increased productivity. 

AImotive used to be called AdasWorks, and the new name reflects the broader vision to “bring global accessibility to self-driving vehicles, faster and safer than any other company in the world”.

The AImotive product suite delivers the robust technology required to operate self-driving vehicles in all conditions, and adapts in real-time to different driving styles and cultures, says the company.  [Read more…] about AImotive launches self-driving automotive technology powered by artificial intelligence

The Toyota Corolla at 50: The best-selling car of all time

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The Toyota Corolla is by far the best-selling model of car ever made, with close to 50 million units sold since its launch in 1966. 

The company commemorated the 50th anniversary last month of “the car for everyone” by producing a video and other content looking back on its success in putting Toyota on the global automaking map.

One notable story told of how one owner has been driving his first-generation Corolla since he bought it in 1969 at the age of 24.  [Read more…] about The Toyota Corolla at 50: The best-selling car of all time

Electric car industry sparks into life

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2017-chevrolet-volt-electric-car

Two of the world’s biggest automakers have made moves which would suggest electric cars will become mass-market vehicles much sooner than perhaps some may have expected. 

General Motors has decided to bring forward its production of the all-electric Chevy Volt, according to a report in Manufacturers’ Monthly, which quotes a report on Associated Press.

The vehicles will go on sale towards the end of this year for around $30,000.  [Read more…] about Electric car industry sparks into life