Toyota is expanding its pursuit of self-driving cars by starting a new company called Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development, or TRI-AD. The Japanese automaker is starting the company in conjunction with automotive supplier Aisin Seiki and Denso, and together, they plan to invest $2.8 billion into TRI-AD in the coming years and hire around 1,000 employees… Continue reading Toyota starts a new $2.8 billion company to develop self-driving software
Author: The Verge Online News
Tesla will supply free charging stations to office parking lots
Tesla is expanding its charging infrastructure into a new area: office parking lots. A new “workplace charging” program unveiled today offers businesses free Tesla wall connectors and will also cover installation, provided they meet certain qualifications set forth by the California carmaker. Tesla won’t cover the cost of operating the charging stations, and the company… Continue reading Tesla will supply free charging stations to office parking lots
UPS is building its own fleet of electric delivery trucks
UPS announced today that it would be building its own electric delivery trucks from scratch. It will partner with truck maker Workhorse Group Inc to build the first 50 vans that could eventually replace the delivery giant’s fleet of fossil fuel-burning vehicles. The delivery EVs would have a range of 100 miles and will be… Continue reading UPS is building its own fleet of electric delivery trucks
Apple is trying to lock down battery components before electric carmakers get them
Apple is in talks to buy cobalt directly from miners to help shield it from any shortages sparked by the boom in electric cars, according to a report from Bloomberg. Cobalt is a key mineral used in lithium-ion batteries, and Bloomberg says that Apple is looking to secure contracts for several thousand metric tons of… Continue reading Apple is trying to lock down battery components before electric carmakers get them
The Smart car goes electric before it plans its autonomous future
Look at some of the autonomous vehicle concepts, predicting a future of us being able to treat a car as a lounge or work area when we don’t want to actually drive, and you’ll notice one thing: space. By that, I mean the space they take up on the road. Everyone seems to be designing… Continue reading The Smart car goes electric before it plans its autonomous future
Airbus’ autonomous ‘air taxi’ Vahana completes its first test flight
Airbus conducted the first successful test flight of its Vahana electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft on January 31st, the aerospace giant announced. At 8:52AM, the full-scale vehicle reached a modest height of five meters (16 feet) before descending safely. The self-piloted flight only lasted 53 seconds, but it is a reminder that “flying… Continue reading Airbus’ autonomous ‘air taxi’ Vahana completes its first test flight
Faraday Future’s HR head resigns as cultural rift in the workforce deepens
Troubled EV startup Faraday Future scrounged up new funding at the end of 2017, and even made a surreptitious appearance at CES, wooing CNET and a few paid YouTube influencers with the intoxicating speed of its electric car. But turmoil still exists inside the company, and the latest casualty is company’s head of HR, Crystal… Continue reading Faraday Future’s HR head resigns as cultural rift in the workforce deepens
Is BMW going to make you pay for Apple CarPlay every year?
Unlike many automakers that offer Apple CarPlay in their new cars, BMW makes you pay for it on all of their models. That’s unlikely to change, but it may soon cut a break to those who don’t use iOS or don’t like Apple’s smartphone integration system for the car. The automaker next year will turn… Continue reading Is BMW going to make you pay for Apple CarPlay every year?
BMW and Mercedes-Benz will also try out subscription plans for new cars
Not to be left out by rivals, BMW and Mercedes-Benz appear to be joining the world of automotive subscription models that cover all of the fees required with car ownership or leasing under one payment. Both BMW and Mercedes are expected to announce pilot programs for a subscription service that covers not only car payments,… Continue reading BMW and Mercedes-Benz will also try out subscription plans for new cars
Ford teases an all-electric performance car called the ‘Mach 1’
Ford just rolled out a new Ranger pickup truck, Edge crossover, and Bullitt Mustang here at the North American International Auto Show, all of which were either rumored or expected. But the company teased something totally out of the blue at the very end of its press conference: an all-electric performance car called the “Mach… Continue reading Ford teases an all-electric performance car called the ‘Mach 1’