I was had planned to do a long post on self-driving cars a quite long time. I was planning to do one this spring, but I might not do that, because it seems that predictions that self-driving cars would be here in 2020 were far too rosy. Five years ago, several companies including Nissan and Toyota promised self-driving cars in 2020. So it may be wise to take any new forecasts with a grain of salt. Hare is a worth to check out article of the current status of self-driving cars:
Surprise! 2020 Is Not the Year for Self-Driving Cars
https://spectrum.ieee.org/transportation/self-driving/surprise-2020-is-not-the-year-for-selfdriving-cars
In March, because of the coronavirus, self-driving car companies, including Argo, Aurora, Cruise, Pony, and Waymo, suspended vehicle testing and operations that involved a human driver. Around the same time, Waymo and Ford released open data sets of information collected during autonomous-vehicle tests and challenged developers to use them to come up with faster and smarter self-driving algorithms.
It seems that the self-driving car industry still hopes to make meaningful progress on autonomous vehicles (AVs) this year, but the industry is slowed by the pandemic and facing a set of very hard problems that have gotten no easier to solve over the years.
1,894 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://techcrunch.com/2021/01/29/internet-of-cars-a-driver-side-primer-on-iot-implementation/
Tomi Engdahl says:
GM To Make Only Electric Vehicles By 2035, Be Carbon Neutral By 2040
https://www.forbes.com/sites/samabuelsamid/2021/01/28/general-motors-commits-to-being-carbon-neutral-by-2040/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Pavef kokoaa itseohjautuvien ajoneuvojen ekosysteemiä
1.2.2021
Kotimaiset autonomisen liikenteen yritykset muodostavat yhdessä kiinnostavan kumppanin kansainvälisille jäteille.
https://insinoori-lehti.fi/artikkelit/pavef-kokoaa-itseohjautuvien-ajoneuvojen-ekosysteemia/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Who Leads the Charge Towards Electric Mobility?
https://www.statista.com/chart/13143/electric-vehicle-sales/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Estonia-based AUVE TECH is developing a #hydrogen-powered #selfdriving vehicle, to be completed by mid-2021. CEO Johannes Mossov shared his vision on the future of #sustainable, self-driving cars, and the secret to the quick success of Auve Tech.
Estonian autonomous vehicle manufacturer Auve Tech aims for global expansion through hydrogen-powered ‘last-mile’ buses
https://investinestonia.com/estonian-autonomous-vehicle-manufacturer-auve-tech-aims-for-global-expansion-through-hydrogen-powered-last-mile-buses/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=socialmedia&utm_content=estonian-autonomous-vehicle-manufacturer-auve-tech-aims-for-global-expansion-through-hydrogen-powered-last-mile-buses&fbclid=IwAR3Hz2apFfs9pwYC3_93Tn6AEBEBYRgRNjF2Jee8mwxp_8-aTcVybjz3lKs
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2021/03/02/autopiireille-sulautettuja-ohjelmistokehitystyokaluja/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Teslassa on jo enemmän DRAM-muistia kuin PC:ssä
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/11822-teslassa-on-jo-enemman-dram-muistia-kuin-pc-ssa
DRAM-muistien käyttö autoissa kasvaa TrendForcen mukaan yli 30 prosentin vauhtia. Käytännössä tämä tarkoittaa, että tulevissa Tesloissa on edemmän DRAM-muistia kuin älypuhelimissa tai PC-tietokoneissa.
Keskimäärin uudessa autossa on DRAM-muistia tämän vuoden lopulla 4 gigatavua. Tesla on tässä kehityksessä omassa luokassaan, sillä sen kaikissa malleissa muistia on vähintään 8 gigatavua.
Teslan seuraavassa polvessa (alusta kuvassa) käytetään yhtiön omia AI-prosessoreja. Samalla muistin määrä kasvaa 20 gigatavuun. Käytännössä tämä tarkoittaa, että autoista tulee muutaman vuoden päästä DRAM-valmistajia yhä enemmän kiinnostava sektori.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/11825-lidar-nakee-pian-kauemmaksi
Robottiautoissa käytetään eri anturitekniikoita, jotta ajoneuvo tunnistaa kaiken ympärillään ja voi liikkua turvallisesti. Anturin tekniikka kehittyy nyt nopeaa vauhtia. On Semiconductor on esitellyt uuden valotutkan eli LiDARin, jolla auton järjestelmä näkee 250 metrin päähän.
Robottiautossa ja ADAS-järjestelmissä LiDAR käytännössä täydentää tutkaa ja kameranäköä. LiDARin kantama on tutkaa parempi, se näkee ympäristöään laajalla kulmalla ja erottaa objektit myös suorassa 100 luksin auringonvalossa. Yksi tärkeimpiä on LiDARin tuottama syvyys- tai etäisyystieto.
LiDARin toteutukseen on käytännössä kolme eri tekniikkaa: dToF mittaa takaisinheijastuvan signaalin kulkuaikaa, iToF mittaa signaalin lentoajan vaihe-eroa ja taajuusmoduloitu FMCW-valotutka mittaa signaalin nopeutta aikakehyksessä.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2021/03/01/sahkoauton-elektroniikkaohjelmistoihin-langaton-paivitys/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Volvo to sell only all-electric vehicles by 2030
https://techcrunch.com/2021/03/02/volvo-to-sell-only-all-electric-vehicles-by-2030/
Volvo Cars said it will only make and sell all-electric vehicles by 2030, as part of a broader transformation of the automaker that will include shifting sales online.
“The key to sustainability is electrification, said Volvo Cars CEO Håkan Samuelsson during a presentation Tuesday. “Together with investments in charging infrastructure that is the right way to go and the course we have chosen at Volvo.”
The announcement was tied to the launch of the C40 Recharge, a low slung crossover based on the company’s CMA vehicle platform.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Maailman kovimmilla sähköautomarkkinoilla Teslaa haastetaan rajusti – Tässä ovat haastajat
Hannamiina Tanninen4.3.202107:31AUTOSÄHKÖAUTOSIJOITTAMINENSÄHKÖAUTOHYBRIDIAUTOSÄHKÖAJONEUVOAUTOTKIINA
Pelkkä kotimarkkinaan keskittyminen luo kiinalaisyrityksille kasvunäkymiä, varsinkin kun maan viranomaiset suosivat kotimaisten autojen tuotantoa ja kysyntää.
https://www.tekniikkatalous.fi/uutiset/tt/6ba3aedd-593e-4cc5-9211-84a13dcd9c04?ref=ampparit:a6ef
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mobileye’s Lidar on a Chip Targets Level 4 Autonomous Vehicles by 2025
https://www.designnews.com/automotive-engineering/mobileyes-lidar-chip-targets-level-4-autonomous-vehicles-2025?ADTRK=InformaMarkets&elq_mid=15409&elq_cid=876648
Intel’s Mobileye autonomous vehicle division states a bold goal of having self-driving cars ready for consumers by the middle of this decade.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Automakers Will Go Fabless
Forget Hyundai, think Magnapple for iCar
https://www.eetimes.com/automakers-will-go-fabless/
Today, no one would question a semiconductor company that designs but doesn’t make its own chips. How is that different from an automaker that designs but doesn’t make its own cars? It isn’t. Automakers will go fabless.
As AMD co-founder and past CEO Jerry Sanders once remarked “Real men have fabs.” The only conclusion I draw from that statement is that semiconductor fabrication is perhaps the one example in nature of human males competing for bragging rights as to who has the smallest feature size.
I imagine Lisa Su, AMD’s CEO since October 2014, has never lost sleep over the company’s now “fabless” status and considering the share price performance under Su’s tenure, neither have AMD’s shareholders. Taking the short ride from AMD headquarters in Santa Clara, California, to Apple in Cupertino, we find Tim Cook presiding over a company with a greater than $2 trillion market capitalization which also has no semiconductor fabs. I suspect he loses no sleep over this either.
Apple isn’t an OEM and could be thought of as a software developer and creative design studio that oversees one of the most complex manufacturing and supply chain networks in the electronics industry.
Today many semiconductor companies are fabless, relying on foundry partners such as TSMC and Samsung for manufacturing. AMD and Apple are two examples, Nvidia and Qualcomm two more. So, if it is now an accepted practice for semiconductor companies to design but not manufacture their chips, why would it be a stretch to imagine a world in which an automaker designed but didn’t make its cars? It isn’t, because we are already well on the way there.
Enter Magna, a sub-contract manufacturer offering complete vehicle manufacturing. In the description for this process, Magna states:
As a worldwide leading brand-independent contract manufacturer Magna is the strategic partner of many global acting OEMs. Thanks to our complete vehicle competence, our flexibility and our multi-OEM experience, we are in a unique position to support traditional automakers in case of additional capacity, as well as new entrants in the automotive industry.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/11855-risc-v-laajentaa-autojen-jarjestelmiin
RISC-V laajentaa autojen järjestelmiin
IAR ilmoittaa, että sen suosittu Embedded Workbench for RISC-V -työkalupaketti on nyt TÜV SÜD -sertifioitu. Tuen myötä RISC-V-koodille saadaan tuki toiminnallisen turvallisuuden IEC 61508- sekä autojen turvallisuuteen liittyvien järjestelmien ISO 26262 -standardeille.
Tomi Engdahl says:
California Reviewing Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ Feature After Company Clarifies Its Limits
https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2021/03/09/california-reviewing-teslas-full-self-driving-feature-after-company-clarifies-its-limits/?sh=491339934076&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ForbesMainFacebook&utm_campaign=socialflowForbesMainFB
California regulators continue to review an update to Tesla’s Autopilot feature that enables vehicles with a $10,000 “Full Self-Driving” option to do things like steer themselves on city streets. Tesla says that, despite the name, the software doesn’t offer a level of autonomous capability that requires state approval.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/11874-robottiauton-testaamiseen-tarvitaan-standardeja
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/11858-intelin-maailman-pienin-lidar-kamera-perustuu-mikropeileihin
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2021/03/10/alytekniikat-pitavat-robottikuorma-auton-tiella/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2021/03/09/robottiautobisnes-valmistautuu-jo-maksujarjestelmiin/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/11877-autoon-gigabitin-optinen-verkko-edullisesti
Tomi Engdahl says:
Älä tee tätä kotona! Mikko avasi Nissan Leafin ajoakun – tällainen näky paljastui https://www.is.fi/autot/art-2000007854595.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Are We Prepared for Killer Robo-Drivers?
https://www.eetimes.com/are-we-prepared-for-killer-robo-drivers/
Robots drivers, we’re told, could reduce traffic deaths. That might be possible someday. But it is highly implausible that switching entirely to robot drivers will eliminate traffic deaths, which leads to the question: are we really prepared for killer robo-drivers?
Ask yourself this: How would you feel if it was your child, partner, parent or friend that was killed in one of the two Boeing 737 Max crashes? I’d feel angry, and the more I learn about the failings of Boeing’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) in the 737 Max, the angrier I feel. Reading the recent article on the subject in EE Times, one comment in particular stood out:
Ultimately, fuel savings, longer range and reduced operational costs appear to outweigh safety considerations.
Translation: Money beats safety.
The global 737 Max fleet was grounded for 20 months following the second fatal crash (in March 2019) while the role of MCAS was investigated. This gives us some major clues regarding the level of acceptance to software killing people. Amid all the hoopla and magical thinking surrounding the self-driving circus and the boasts of “saving lives,” little is said about where we are currently headed.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Amazon’s Playbook on Autonomous Vehicles
https://www.eetimes.com/amazons-playbook-on-autonomous-vehicles/
So, what exactly is Amazon’s playbook on autonomous vehicles? There is little doubt that Amazon will be a major user of autonomous vehicles and will participate in multiple AV use-cases. In this column, I will focus on Amazon’s AV-related activities. This is a follow-on to my previous Amazon column, which provided information on Amazon’s extensive and growing logistics and transportation activities.
So, what does Amazon’s playbook say, when it comes to go after the AV market?
AVs will also create new business opportunities through mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) especially robotaxi and goods deliveries. There is no doubt that Amazon will use goods AVs as part of its transportation and delivery network—the question is when and how fast. There is more uncertainty in Amazon’s goal with the robotaxi opportunity that are present from the Zoox acquisition.
Tomi Engdahl says:
End-to-End Vehicle Verification
https://resources.sw.siemens.com/en-US/white-paper-end-to-end-vehicle-verification?utm_source=dynmail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Veloce-End-to-End-Vehicle-Verif-WP7&mid=6818270&PC=L&c=2021_03_16_veloce_end_to_end_vehicle_veri
As the ultimate systems-of-systems, automated vehicles present an enormous verification task, requiring verification of complex sensing, computing, and actuating functions. This can be accomplished only by virtualizing the entire system — environment and vehicle — and through realistic scenario modeling, hardware emulation, and mechatronic verification. This paper describes how a PreScan, Veloce, and AMEsim tool flow provides the thoroughness of verification to get new cars on the road quickly, efficiently, and safely.
1 million+ tests and 14Billion driving miles needed to verify a vehicle for level 5 safety
Tomi Engdahl says:
Robottiautojen kehittäjä laajentaa Kuopioon
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2021/03/18/robottiautojen-kehittaja-laajentaa-kuopioon/
Itseohjautuvia autoja kehittävä Unikie perustaa uuden kehitysyksikön Kuopioon. Uusi yksikkö tulee vahvistamaan yhtiön omaa tuotekehitystä niin myös palvelemaan muun muassa Ponssea koneteollisuuden tuotekehitystarpeita. Yritys tavoittelee Kuopioon minimissään 25 henkilön tiimiä.
Unikien Kuopion pisteessä tullaan kehittämään autoon teknologiaa, jonka avulla auto pystyy ajamaan itsenäisesti ilman kuljettajaa. Kyseessä on teknologiayhtiö Unikien keihäänkärkituote, jota käytetään tällä hetkellä jo suljetuissa ympäristöissä, esimerkiksi autovalmistajien tehtaissa.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Lidar Sweepstakes Draws 15 RFQs, But No Frontrunner
https://www.eetimes.com/lidar-sweepstakes-draws-15-rfqs-but-no-frontrunner/
More than a dozen RFQs for lidars are reportedly flying around. Evidently, lidars are beginning to penetrate the ADAS market. Automotive industry observers, however, caution not to expect a single lidar supplier to win this sweepstakes.
Of all the automotive sensor modalities designed to enhance sensing and object detection, lidars offer by far the most complex and diverse options. Technologies deployed in each lidar system often differ not only in light sources, but also in their “ranging” and “imaging” methodologies. Some mature lidars are reaching mass production. But new lidar technologies — often pitched as more promising — are regularly appearing in the R&D or proof-of-concept stage. Inevitably, these lidars vary hugely in cost, size, and performance.
A further complication is the growing number of lidar players (estimated to be 70-80 companies) crowding the market. Mergers and acquisitions are rampant. Some lidar companies have found a new lease on life by opting for SPAC (special purpose acquisition company) status. Many startups view SPAC as an alternative way to raise capital and access public equity markets.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/11906-unikie-perustaa-kuopioon-robottiautojen-kehitysyksikon
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.designnews.com/automotive-engineering/automotive-technicians-must-train-hybrids-and-evs?ADTRK=InformaMarkets&elq_mid=15982&elq_cid=876648
Tomi Engdahl says:
Automotive Suppliers Optimistic Despite Supply-Chain Challenges
https://www.designnews.com/automotive-engineering/automotive-suppliers-optimistic-despite-supply-chain-challenges?ADTRK=InformaMarkets&elq_mid=15982&elq_cid=876648
In spite of the negative impact of component and raw material shortages, executives at American automotive suppliers reveal continued strength in light-vehicle demand. That is according to the Q1 Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA) Supplier Barometer Index (SBI), released March 3, a gauge to measure the sentiments of North American suppliers.
Shortages of certain components and raw materials are impairing suppliers’ ability to fulfill customer volumes, resulting in a drop in the supplier outlook to 62, down from Q4 2020’s SBI of 67. However, that is still 12 points above a neutral level of 50. The Q1 OESA Supplier Barometer focused on production, planning and electrification.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Automotive Suppliers Optimistic Despite Supply-Chain Challenges
https://www.designnews.com/automotive-engineering/automotive-suppliers-optimistic-despite-supply-chain-challenges?ADTRK=InformaMarkets&elq_mid=15982&elq_cid=876648
Continued strength in light-vehicle demand is fueling optimism among automotive suppliers in spite of shortages in components and raw materials.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2021/03/18/new-part-day-onion-tau-lidar-camera/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.vehiclesuggest.com/tesla-cybertruck-will-be-able-to-power-a-house-campers/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://insideevs.com/news/493761/musk-cybertruck-for-off-grid-living/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Experts Say Auto Industry’s Software Strategy Needs To Get Agile To Compete
https://www.forbes.com/sites/edgarsten/2021/03/08/experts-say-auto-industrys-software-strategy-needs-to-get-agile-to-compete/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Fire Destroys Part of Renesas Fab
https://www.eetimes.com/fire-destroys-part-of-renesas-fab/
More woes for the global automotive manufacturing industry. A serious fire at Renesas’ chip making plant in Ibaraki Prefecture will, according to the company, have “a very large impact” on its ability to supply devices to the sector, as well as some other sectors.
The fire destroyed a significant portion of the huge facility, including the 300mm line at the Naka Factory. Renesas said it was looking at the feasibility of increasing production at other facilities in order to make up for the loss of substantial volumes, and warned the stricken plant will not be operational for at least a month.
The company’s CEO Hidetoshi Shibata said “we are concerned that there will be a massive impact on chip supplies; we will pursue every means possible to minimize the impact.” The facility was primarily involved in making devices for the automotive sector.
Car makers have already been struggling with huge shortages of semiconductors and increasing demand for them. For instance Ford Motors said last month it would lose some 20% of output for the first quarter of 2021. Other companies that have had to cut back, or even suspend production, include Honda, Toyota and Tesla.
The fire was caused by plating equipment in one of the buildings due to a surge in current, destroying 600 square meters, including some 5% of the building’s clean room area. However, the entire building has had to be closed down to allow cleaning and reconstruction.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Changing Roles of Automotive Software
https://www.eetimes.com/changing-roles-of-automotive-software/
Cars are rapidly becoming software-defined, and that is starting to change the automotive industry’s technology, business models, and even its very structure. Similar changes have taken place in other industries. It is now time for the auto industry to face changes and disruptions.
My definition of “software-defined” means that a large majority of car functionality is now implemented by software applications that run on the required processors, memory and sensors. Additionally, most of the functionality is defined by how well the human-machine interface is implemented in software. We are also expecting expanded software capabilities for more advanced ADAS and autonomous vehicle functionality. All of the software will require advancing connected car systems for remote updates, cybersecurity, data collection and infotainment for the occupants.
Two distinct software categories are used — embedded software clients in cars plus software-as-a-service (SaaS) platforms that are delivered via cloud software platforms. The software client platforms are dominant now in the auto industry, but SaaS platforms are on the rise and will play a much more important role in the future.
The next table is a summary of my perspectives on how automotive software will change in the next decade. In the table five category of players are listed—software developers, cloud computing providers, Tier 1 suppliers, auto OEMs and auto dealers. To show recent evolution and future projections, the columns have summaries for three time periods — 2010s, now and 2030s. The content in the table are explained below for each player category.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Saksalainen Volkswagen on kertonut tuottavansa vuonna 2026 uutuutensa sähkökäyttöisinä ja ohjelmistoilla päivitettävänä. Samalla yritys virittelee seuraavaa vaihetta, jossa auto voisi liikkua ilman kuljettajaa. Yritys lupaa tuoda autonomisen ajamisen laajasti saataville vuoteen 2030 mennessä.
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2021/03/19/ensin-sahkoautoihin-sitten-robottiautoihin/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Yang Jie / Wall Street Journal:
Japanese chip maker Renesas says a fire at one its plants has halted production for at least a month, impacting automakers, and estimates losses at $160M/month
Fire at Giant Auto-Chip Plant Fuels Supply Concerns
Shares of Toyota, Nissan and Honda fell Monday
https://www.wsj.com/articles/renesas-chip-plant-fire-spreads-concerns-about-global-auto-production-11616414181?mod=djemalertNEWS
A fire at a factory of one of the world’s leading auto chip makers has added to the troubles of car makers that already have slashed production because of a semiconductor shortage.
The fire Friday left a swath of charred equipment in the factory owned by a subsidiary of Renesas Electronics Corp. RNECY -3.09% in Hitachinaka, northeast of Tokyo. The company said it would take at least a month to restart the damaged operations.
Shares of Japan’s three leading car makers— Toyota Motor Corp. TM -2.59% , Nissan Motor Co. NSANY -2.44% and Honda Motor Co. HMC -2.89% —all fell by more than 3% on Monday, worse than the overall market, while Renesas shares were down 4.9%.
Renesas said heat from an electrical problem inside a single piece of equipment caused the fire and contaminated clean rooms needed to make semiconductors. It said two-thirds of the chips made at the fire-affected factory were automotive chips.
Renesas’s chief executive, Hidetoshi Shibata, said Sunday the impact on global chip supplies would be significant. Mariko Semetko, a credit analyst at Moody’s Japan, said the fire was likely to damp the recovery of global auto production this year, while auto makers said they were still assessing the impact.
Car makers have already been struggling with a shortage of semiconductors stemming in part from an unexpectedly strong comeback after the coronavirus pandemic hit last year. That left factories ill-prepared to increase production quickly.
Ford Motor Co. F 0.16% said in February it expected to cut output by up to 20% in the first quarter of this year, costing the company $1 billion to $2.5 billion in pretax profit.
Sudden shortages of other parts and materials have also hit the global supply chain in recent weeks. The February freeze and blackout in Texas caused chemical plant shutdowns and hit supplies of plastics and other materials used in many products including cars.
The earthquake and fire carried a feeling of déjà vu for Renesas, because the same factory was one of the hardest-hit by eastern Japan’s devastating earthquake on March 11, 2011. It was offline for about three months and mobilized thousands of people including customers’ workers to make repairs.
The factory took on a bigger role recently during the chip shortage. Renesas said earlier this month it had brought back to Japan some production originally outsourced to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. TSM 3.12% , in a bid to meet customer demand more quickly. The fire will delay part of that production, Renesas said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The F-150 has an on-board generator that can run all the equipment on a fair-size construction site, or even power an entire house, as some Texans found out during the recent winter-induced power outage.
2021’s Top Ten Tech Cars: Ford F-150
https://spectrum.ieee.org/transportation/advanced-cars/2021s-top-ten-tech-cars-ford-f-150
Tomi Engdahl says:
An Electric Motor That Works in Any Classic Car
https://spectrum.ieee.org/cars-that-think/transportation/advanced-cars/an-electric-motor-that-works-in-any-classic-car
Anyone who’s owned a vintage car can tell you—and boy, will they tell you—how much time, money, and maintenance is required to keep their baby running. And don’t forget the gasoline, garage oil puddles, or tailpipe pollution involved.
A California startup may have the answer: A plug-and-play innovative motor to convert that finicky old gas-guzzler into an electric car. Eric Hutchison and Brock Winberg first gained attention by rescuing a moldering, V-8-powered 1978 Ferrari 308—you may know it as the model that “Magnum: P.I.” drove on TV—and transforming it into an electric marvel. Now, the co-founders of Electric GT have developed a DIY, electric “crate motor” that will let traditional gearheads or EV fans do the same.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://spectrum.ieee.org/transportation/advanced-cars/2021s-top-ten-tech-cars-rimac-c-two
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2021/03/22/how-laser-headlights-work/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.eetimes.eu/electric-vehicles-48-v-is-the-new-12-v/
https://www.eetimes.eu/automotive-excellence-made-in-europe/?utm_source=eeteurope&utm_medium=nl&utm_campaign=2021-03-25&utm_content=head
Tomi Engdahl says:
Under the Hood: the Innovation-Rich Golf 8
https://www.eetimes.com/under-the-hood-the-innovation-rich-golf-8/
The Volkswagen Golf 8 is no fancy supercar. But it is the German carmaker’s top-selling, high-volume model, packed with bells and whistles. It boasts a host of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) features and always-on connectivity, such as V2X for vehicle-to-everything communication and UWB for secure car access.
Golf 8 is also a mild hybrid electric vehicle with a lithium-ion battery. The latest model uses a new electrified drive system with 48-volt technology.
The fact that VW crammed “a lot of innovations” into “such a compact, mass-market car” caught the interest of System Plus Consulting (Nantes, France), according to the company CEO Romain Faux. System Plus, a part of market/technology research firm Yole Développement based in Lyon, conducted this teardown.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kneron Enters ADAS Aftermarket with AI Chips
https://www.eetimes.com/kneron-enters-adas-aftermarket-with-ai-chips/
Taiwanese AI accelerator chip startup Kneron has entered the automotive market with strategic partnerships on aftermarket ADAS systems and a new strategic investor. With this move, the company intends to break into the notoriously difficult automotive sector.
Automotive is tough to break into for chip startups without years of reliability data available to prove their chips meet stringent requirements. On top of this, design cycles are long and startups without other revenue streams can’t afford to wait multiple years until vehicles go into production to start making revenues.
Kneron CEO Albert Liu told EE Times that Asian vehicle OEMs are just as difficult for startups to break into as their US and European counterparts.
“This is why we’re starting with the aftermarket,” he said. “As for our approach, we’ve been building revenue streams in the AIoT market and proving our products in vehicles. We’ve been building our reputation and record with channel markets.”
This is not Kneron’s first move in automotive. At the beginning of 2021, Kneron announced a strategic partnership with Taiwanese CEM Foxconn, where the companies will collaborate on AI use cases for Industry 4.0 and automotive through Foxconn’s MIH electric vehicle (EV) platform. MIH is an open software and hardware platform intended to lower the barriers to entry into the EV industry. Foxconn also made a strategic investment in Kneron at the time.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Robottibussi syöttää matkustajia Tampereen ratikkaan
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/11936-robottibussi-syottaa-matkustajia-tampereen-ratikkaan
Suomalainen Sensible 4 käynnistää itseajavien ajoneuvojen pilotin Tampereella loppuvuodesta. Sensible 4:n ohjelmistolla varustetut kaksi Toyota Proace -autoa syöttävät matkustajia ratikkalinjan päätepysäkille Hervannassa.
Syöttöliikenne tukee kesällä valmistuvaa raitiovaunulinjaa. Pilotti on osa EU-rahoitteista SHOW-projektia. Kaksi automatisoitua Toyota Proacea kuljettaa matkustajia raitiovaunupysäkeille noin kolmen kilometrin reitillä. Pilotti kestää yhteensä kaksi kuukautta.
Tomi Engdahl says:
With Drones and Other Autonomous Vehicles, Safety Must Come First
https://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/aviation/with-drones-and-other-autonomous-vehicles-safety-must-come-first
Tomi Engdahl says:
Suomalaisen robottibussin ohjelmisto lopputesteihin
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2021/03/25/suomalaisen-robottibussin-ohjelmisto-lopputesteihin/
Tampereella alkaa itseajavien ajoneuvojen pilotti loppuvuodesta, joka samalla toimii ensi vuonna julkaistavan Sensible 4:n kehitteillä olevan robottiauto-ohjelmiston viimeisimpänä testauspaikkana. Ensi vuonna julkaistava SAE Level 4 -tuote on suunnattu viimeisten kilometrien sukkulabusseihin.
Tampereen pilotti on osa EU-rahoitteista SHOW-projektia. Kaksi automatisoitua Toyota Proacea kuljettaa matkustajia raitiovaunupysäkeille noin kolmen kilometrin reitillä. Pilotti kestää yhteensä kaksi kuukautta ja se toteutetaan joulukuun 2020 ja helmikuun 2021 välillä.
TAUSTAA: Espoolaisen Sensible 4:n automatisoimat ajoneuvot, MUJIn suunnittelema GACHA, Dongfeng Fengxing CM7 ja Renault Twizy, on nähty Suomessa esimerkiksi Helsingin Pasilassa. Itseajavat Toyota Proacet liikennöivät alkuvuodesta 2021 kuukauden verran Norjan Gjesdalissa FABULOS-projektissa, ja Norjan Skissä aloitettiin myös vuoden mittainen pilottiprojekti. Suunnitteilla on myös projektit Saksaan, Japaniin sekä Yhdistyneisiin Arabiemiraatteihin. Vuonna 2022 Sensible 4 julkaisee uuden Dawnin, ensimmäisen kaupallisen itseajavan sukkulabussiohjelmiston, johon Hervannan pilotti on yksi Dawnin kehityksen viime askelista.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Reuters:
Sources: Xiaomi is in talks with Great Wall Motors to manufacture EVs under its own brand, a partnership could be announced as early as next week
Exclusive: Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi to make EVs using Great Wall’s plant – sources
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-xiaomi-electric-great-wall-motor-excl-idUSKBN2BI05P
China’s Xiaomi Corp plans to make electric vehicles (EVs) using Great Wall Motor Co Ltd’s factory, said three people with direct knowledge of the matter, making it the latest tech firm to join the smart mobility race.
Great Wall, which has not before offered manufacturing services to other companies, will provide engineering consultancy to speed up the project, said one of the people.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/tekniset-artikkelit/11946-joustavaa-hallintaa-sahkoauton-akustoon