Daimler Accelerates Localization of Mercedes-Benz Products with Investment in New Tech Center China

Daimler to expand footprint in China, its largest single market, with 2nd R&D site in Beijing, following earlier announcement on plans of 2nd production plant for passenger cars in the country’s capital city. Total investment of over 1.1 billion RMB (approximately 145 million EUR) into new R&D Tech Center China, with start of operation in… Continue reading Daimler Accelerates Localization of Mercedes-Benz Products with Investment in New Tech Center China

Bosch and Daimler: San José targeted to become pilot city for an automated on-demand ride-hailing service

Mobility Solutions is the largest Bosch Group business sector. In 2017, its sales came to 47.4 billion euros, or 61 percent of total group sales. This makes the Bosch Group one of the leading automotive suppliers. The Mobility Solutions business sector pursues a vision of mobility that is accident-free. emissions-free, and stress-free, and combines the… Continue reading Bosch and Daimler: San José targeted to become pilot city for an automated on-demand ride-hailing service

Lime launches its first car-sharing service in Seattle

Lime It’s true: after a long time focusing on scooters, Lime is ready to delve into four-wheeled transportation. The startup is launching a car-sharing service, LimePod, that will be available in Seattle as of this week. As with scooters, it’ll cost just $1 to unlock a car that you can park wherever you need it… Continue reading Lime launches its first car-sharing service in Seattle

Via Rides into Virginia with New Arlington County Service

Published October 29, 2018 9:00 am, Via NYC
Via Rides into Virginia with New Arlington County Service

Via, the world’s leading expert in on-demand shared transit, is excited to announce the extension of its DC service to Arlington County, Virginia.

Via first launched in Washington DC in August 2016 to support residents during SafeTrak repair work to the red line. The service has since grown to cover the entire District and has provided more than 1.5 million shared rides to date. The expansion into Arlington will extend Via’s affordable and convenient rides to this vibrant commercial, residential, and historical hub. Via plans to further extend operations to Reagan National Airport in the coming months.

Via’s world-renowned dynamic ride-pooling technology, developed initially for New York City, has powered more than 35 million shared rides globally throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

How it works:

Using the Via app, passengers select their pick up and drop off location and confirm their ride. Via’s smart algorithm enables multiple riders to seamlessly share a single vehicle. The powerful technology directs passengers to a nearby corner – a virtual bus stop – for pick up and drop off, allowing for quick and efficient shared trips without lengthy detours that take riders out of their way. This enables Via’s system to transport a high volume of passengers while using a fraction of the number of vehicles utilized by taxis or on-demand car services. ​By grouping multiple passengers into a single shared vehicle, Via reduces congestion and emissions, providing an inexpensive, eco-friendly, and convenient transportation alternative.

“Via’s powerful technology is seamlessly integrating with public transit infrastructure around the globe, redefining the way people get around cities,” said Daniel Ramot, co-founder and CEO of Via. “We’re delighted to be expanding into Arlington, extending our convenient, affordable, and congestion-reducing service to residents of Virginia.”

About Via

Via is re-engineering public transit, from a regulated system of rigid routes and schedules to a fully dynamic, on-demand network. Via’s mobile app connects multiple passengers who are headed the same way, allowing riders to seamlessly share a premium vehicle. First launched in New York City in September 2013, the Via platform currently operates in the United States, and in Europe through its joint venture with Mercedes-Benz Vans, ViaVan. Via’s technology is also deployed worldwide through partner projects with public transportation agencies, private transit operators, taxi fleets, private companies, and universities, seamlessly integrating with public transit infrastructure to provide the most cutting edge on-demand mobility innovation.

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VW, Mercedes-Benz agree to fix diesels in Germany

Mercedes-Benz GLS350d spotted testing near Denver
Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz have each agreed to spend up to $3,430 to update each of the older diesel cars they sold in Germany with new emissions systems that comply with regulations, Reuters reported Thursday.

The German agreement mirrors one in the U.S. in which Volkswagen paid owners between $5,000 and $10,000 in addition to the cost of repairing or buying back their cars. (The company is still in the process of returning the repaired older diesels back to the market in the U.S.)

A similar U.S. claim against Mercedes has been filed, dismissed, and refiled, but has not yet been adjudicated.

DON'T MISS: Mercedes-Benz gets its own diesel emission cheating questions now

Like the American Volkswagen settlement, the awards are designed to compensate diesel owners for added depreciation of their cars and give them money toward a down payment on a cleaner replacement car.

In Europe, the emissions issue has taken on more urgency because some cities have banned driving older diesel cars in city limits. Those include Frankfurt, Cologne, and Bonn, the latter two of which were required to institute such bans by next April according to a court order that came on Thursday.

READ THIS: Why Did Volkswagen Cheat On Diesel Emissions In Its TDI Cars? (2015)

“Volkswagen, Daimler and BMW will make sure their customers can remain mobile,” German Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer told reporters at a conference in Germany on Thursday.

Scheuer has been pushing German automakers to spend more to retrofit older diesels to keep them on the road. Mercedes-Benz and VW will pay for the cost of retrofitting the cars, although BMW has still refused to do so, Scheuer said.

Last month, German prosecutors fined Volkswagen's luxury brand Audi $927 million after finding documents and emails exchanged between the automaker, its Mercedes-Benz rivals, and Germany auto parts supplier Bosch that the prosecutors allege showed collusion among the automakers to cheat emissions regulations.

Daimler’s List of Excuses Gets Longer and Longer

Daimler’s List of Excuses Gets Longer and Longer  BloombergDr. Z’s Bad Timing: Daimler’s CEO Stumbles on His Victory Lap  BloombergQuintDaimler Cuts 2018 Outlook After Lower 3Q Projections  Transport Topics OnlineFull coverage Go to Source

Germany Plays Catch Up, Pours $1.2 Billion Into EV Batteries

26 M BY WADE MALONE Currently Japanese, Korean and Chinese firms dominate battery cell production According to Reuters, Germany has earmarked $1 billion euros ($1.2 billion USD) to jump start local production of electric car battery cells. The effort is intended to reduce the reliance of German automakers on Asian battery suppliers. This investment would… Continue reading Germany Plays Catch Up, Pours $1.2 Billion Into EV Batteries

Subsidised plug-in cars driven on fuel

Tens of thousands of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) bought with generous government grants may be burning as much fuel as combustion-engine cars. ​Data compiled for the BBC suggests that such vehicles in corporate fleets averaged just 40 miles per gallon (mpg), when they could have done 130. Many drivers may never have unwrapped their charging cables,… Continue reading Subsidised plug-in cars driven on fuel

Taxify aims for 10-fold Africa growth, to overtake Uber in Europe

LISBON (Reuters) – Taxify, a European-based rival to Uber and the leading app-based taxi-hailing platform in Africa, expects to grow its African business ten-fold over the next two years while it works to dethrone Uber in Europe, its chief executive told Reuters. FILE PHOTO – A Taxify car drives in Tallinn, Estonia, June 13, 2017.… Continue reading Taxify aims for 10-fold Africa growth, to overtake Uber in Europe