Tag: Ford

Amazon just invested in self-driving car company Aurora

Leonard Ortiz | Digital First Media | Getty Images
Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon, speaks to a group of Amazon employees that are veterans during an Amazon Veterans Day celebration, to honor the Warriors@Amazon, a group of employees who have served in the military and their spouses, in an event outside a hanger at the Long Beach Airport in Long Beach on Monday, November 12, 2018. The event included the unveiling Amazon's 40th airplane named Valor in honor of the group. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz/Digital First Media/Orange County Register via Getty Images)

Self-driving car startup Aurora announced on Thursday that it has raised more than $530 million in funding, from investors including Amazon, Sequoia and the investment arm of energy giant Shell.

“This funding and partnership will accelerate our mission of delivering the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly,” Aurora said. Aurora's management has a lot of experience in the automotive industry.

The company's CEO and co-founder Chris Urmson is the former CTO of self-driving cars at Alphabet, which owns the autonomous vehicle firm Waymo. Co-founder and chief product officer Sterling Anderson led the design and launch of the Tesla Model X, according to Aurora's website. Drew Bagnell, Aurora's chief technology officer and co-founder helped found Uber's Advanced Technology Center.

“We are always looking to invest in innovative, customer-obsessed companies, and Aurora is just that,” Amazon told CNBC in a statement. “Autonomous technology has the potential to help make the jobs of our employees and partners safer and more productive, whether it's in a fulfillment center or on the road, and we're excited about the possibilities.”

The Wall Street Journal said last year that Amazon has a team dedicated to building autonomous vehicle technology. Amazon also announced a partnership with Toyota last year that will help Amazon explore ways to use self-driving cars to deliver food. Earlier this week, CNBC reported that Amazon is already hauling cargo in self-driving trucks developed by Embark.

Rather than manufacturing its own vehicles, Aurora is working with incumbents like VW and Hyundai, as well as Byton in China, to develop self-driving cars. It competes with Waymo, other venture backed autonomous vehicle start-ups like Zoox, and self-driving companies that were acquired by Ford and GM, Argo.AI and Cruise, respectively.

Neither Amazon nor Aurora revealed just how much of the new funding round came from Amazon. The e-commerce titan's investment in Aurora follows its addition of risk language in its 10K filings, that Amazon views “transportation and logistics services” as competition.

Amazon's delivery costs exceeded $27 billion in 2018. Using advanced driver-assistive technology, or fully self-driving vehicles, could help it curb delivery costs.

-CNBC's Deirdre Bosa and Lora Kolodny contributed to this report.

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Ford Invests $1 Billion in Chicago Plants; Creates 500 New Jobs to Launch Explorer, Police Interceptor, Lincoln Aviator

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Fiat Chrysler shares tumble as 2019 guidance disappoints

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Toyota debuts new Tacoma to protect its crown as No. 1 midsize pickup from encroaching US rivals

Source: Toyota
2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road

The pickup wars are spreading.

Toyota refreshed its best-selling Tacoma mid-size pickup trucks with Apple Car Play, larger touch screens and other features drivers have come to expect in today's utility vehicles, the company said Thursday. The Japanese automaker's move comes as American automakers — not content to rule the full-size segment —release smaller trucks that threaten the one category where Toyota has managed to hold its own with the Big 3 in Detroit.

Source: Toyota
2020 Toyota Tacoma Limited

The Tacoma has led the mid-size pickup segment in sales in the U.S. for the last 14 years, and the company is anxious to hold onto that crown. Ford just brought back the Ranger mid-size pickup truck, and Chevrolet has been successful with its Colorado.

Even Jeep is getting into action. Fiat Chrysler's brand known mostly for sport utility vehicles launched the Gladiator pickup at the Los Angeles Auto Show late last year. As the historical leader in the segment, Toyota has the most to lose.

The good news is this segment is growing overall, as the broader market turns toward utility vehicles. Mid-size pickup sales are expected to grow from about 3 percent of the total market in 2018 to 4 percent by 2021, according to data from LMC Automotive, a firm that tracks the auto industry.

Source: Toyota
2020 Toyota Tacoma Limited

The number of models is also expected to grow, reversing a multi-year pullback in the segment. In 2010, there were 11 mid-size pickup trucks to choose from, according to LMC. But there were only five models from 2014 to 2018. But again, by 2021, that is expected to more than double again back to a total of 11.

Source: Toyota
2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road

Toyota's refresh is not a dramatic redesign, said IHS Markit analyst Stephanie Brinley. But it's adding some key upgrades, such as an improved infotainment systems with Apple Car Play, and a few other features that customers have come to expect in new vehicles. A larger touchscreen in the truck's console will come standard on every model. Each trim level will come with upgrades specific to that variant, such as new grille designs and new headlights and taillights.

Source: Toyota
2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro

In addition to overhauling the Tacoma, Toyota is beefing up its TRD Pro off-road racing lineup, adding a TRD Pro version of its three-row Sequoia sport utility vehicle. Toyota already makes TRD Pro versions of its Tacoma and Tundra pickups and its 4Runner SUV.

Source: Toyota
2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro

Off-road and sporty on-road variants of pickup trucks and SUVs have been around for a long time, but automakers seem to be beefing up their selection of packages and options. Automakers are looking to leverage the shift to trucks and SUVS as an opportunity to find new ways to package features and capabilities to net a few more customers wherever they can.

“Every type of vehicle, every capability, every price point is looking to be exploited,” Schuster said. “It is a fight for customers and a fight for market share.”

Freudenberg Acquires Lithium Battery Maker XALT Energy

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Ford Motor Company Issues Recall for Select 2019 Ranger Vehicles to Verify Shifter Interlock Functionality

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GM is going ‘all-electric,’ but it doesn’t expect to make money off EVs until early next decade

Bill Pugliano | Getty Images
Mary Barra, Chairman and CEO of General Motors, and Mark Reuss, Executive Vice President of GM Global Product Development, reveal the Chevrolet Bolt EV to the news media at the 2016 North American International Auto Show January 11th, 2016 in Detroit, Michigan.

General Motors does not expect its electric vehicles to turn a profit for at least a few more years, CEO Mary Barra told investors on Wednesday.

The largest U.S. automaker repeated its commitment Wednesday to make its entire vehicle lineup “all-electric,” but provided investors with few details of those plans on a conference call after GM reported fourth quarter earnings that beat expectations.

However, GM is clear that its electric vehicles won't make money until “early next decade,” Barra said.

Making money off electric vehicles has long been considered a major challenge for automakers, which are pouring money into electric vehicle, EV, technology in the face of fluctuating oil prices, government initiatives to reduce carbon pollution and excitement over Tesla.

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The California-based electric car maker has recently pulled off two profitable quarters in a row after losing money for years. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said in the past he expected Tesla to start turning regular profits beginning in the third quarter of 2018. So far the company has made good on that promise, but some investors are still cautious, if not skeptical the company can maintain that momentum.

Barra also demurred when asked when customers can expect to see an electric pickup truck from GM, saying simply that GM is “committed to an all-electric future” and to “stay tuned” for more news.

Meanwhile, other automakers have announced their intentions to move further into electric vehicles. For example, Ford is planning an all-electric version of its best-selling F-150 full-size pickup. Its first foray into EV's will be a new crossover inspired by the Mustang that executives say will be built for driving enthusiasts.

GM recently said it plans to make its luxury brand Cadillac the lead brand for its electrification efforts.

Ford Tests Light-Based Visual Language that Could Help Autonomous Vehicles Communicate with Pedestrians

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China sales buoy Toyota’s profit, but U.S. weakness persists

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