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Daimler takes the next step towards securing its CASE (connectivity, autonomous, shared & services and electric) corporate strategy

Electric Line-Up Daimler AG
Electric Line-Up Daimler AG

Consistent implementation of the CASE corporate strategy.
Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars: “Our electric offensive continues to gain momentum. After investing billions of euros in the development of the electric fleet and the expansion of our global battery network, we are now taking the next step: With the purchase of battery cells for more than 20 billion euros, we are consistently pushing forward with the transformation into the electric future of our company. We plan a total of 130 electrified variants at Mercedes-Benz Cars by 2022. In addition, we will have electric vans, buses and trucks.”
Wilko Stark, Member of the Divisional Board Mercedes-Benz Cars, Procurement and Supplier Quality: “With extensive orders for battery cells until the year 2030, we set another important milestone for the electrification of our future electric vehicles of the EQ product and technology brand. In this way, together with our partners, we ensure the supply of our global battery production network today and in the future using the latest technologies.”
The Human Rights Respect System creates a systematic approach to respect for human rights in sustainable supply chains. A prerequisite for a supply contract is consent to the disclosure of the entire supply chain.

STUTTGART, 12-Dec-2018 — /EuropaWire/ — Daimler is taking the next step towards securing its CASE corporate strategy. The company already plays a leading role in all four areas of connectivity, autonomous, shared & services and electric. The combination of the individual fields plays a decisive role, especially in the transformation to electric mobility. Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars: “Our electric offensive continues to gain momentum. After investing billions of euros in the development of the electric fleet and the expansion of our global battery network, we are now taking the next step: With the purchase of battery cells for more than 20 billion euros, we are systematically pushing forward with the transformation into the electric future of our company. We plan a total of 130 electrified variants at Mercedes-Benz Cars by 2022. In addition, we will have electric vans, buses and trucks.”

The company is investing ten billion euros in the expansion of the Mercedes-Benz Cars electric fleet and another billion euros in the global battery production network within the worldwide production network.

“With extensive orders for battery cells until the year 2030, we set another important milestone for the electrification of our future electric vehicles of the EQ product and technology brand. In this way, together with our partners, we ensure the supply of our global battery production network today and in the future using the latest technologies,” says Wilko Stark, Member of the Divisional Board Mercedes-Benz Cars, Procurement and Supplier Quality since October 2018. The suppliers are already producing battery cells in Asia and Europe and are continuing to expand in Europe and additionally in the USA.

Mercedes-Benz Cars battery production network

Daimler is investing more than one billion euros in a global battery production network within the worldwide production network of Mercedes-Benz Cars. The company purchases the cells on the world market. This ensures the best possible technology and focuses on the core competence of battery assembly. The global battery production network of Mercedes-Benz Cars will in the future consist of eight factories on three continents. The first factory in Kamenz is already in series production and the second factory there will start series production at the beginning of 2019. Two more factories will be built in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim, one at the company’s Sindelfingen site, and one each at the sites in Beijing (China), Bangkok (Thailand) and Tuscaloosa (USA). The local production of batteries is an important success factor in Mercedes-Benz Cars’ electric offensive and is decisive for meeting the global demand for electric vehicles flexibly and efficiently.

As an integral and important element of our electrical strategy. Competences for the technological evaluation of cells as well as research and development activities will be consistently expanded. These include the continuous optimization of the current generation of Li-ion systems, the further development of cells bought on the world market and research of the next generation of so-called post-lithium-ion systems.

Mercedes-Benz Cars electric offensive

By 2022, the entire Mercedes portfolio is to be electrified, with various electrified alternatives available in every segment, from the smart to the SUVs. In total, there will be well over 130 variants, from the 48-volt electrical system to EQ Boost and plug-in hybrids and more than ten all-electric vehicles powered by batteries or fuel cells. By 2025, sales of battery-electric vehicles are to increase to 15-25 percent of total unit sales – depending on individual customer preferences and the development of the public infrastructure.

Daimler commercial vehicles with an extensive electric portfolio

Daimler has been gaining experience with electric trucks since 2010 and has had its first all-electric truck in series production on the market and in customers’ hands since last year: the Fuso eCanter light-duty truck. The all-electric eActros for heavy-duty distribution transport has also been proving its worth on Germany’s roads since June 2018. In September, Mercedes-Benz Trucks handed over the first of a total of ten eActros trucks of the so-called innovation fleet to a customer for use in everyday operations. Series production in the bus segment began in autumn this year and the first Mercedes-Benz eCitaro was recently delivered to Hamburg’s public transport operator – Hamburger Hochbahn AG. Mercedes-Benz Vans electrifies its entire commercial fleet. It starts with the all-electric mid-size van eVito, which has been delivered since November 2018. The eSprinter will follow in the second half of 2019. At the same time, Mercedes-Benz Vans thinks beyond the vehicle and, together with the customers, develops an overall system solution for the respective vehicle fleet. Two examples for the close integration of the customer perspective are the pilot projects with Hermes and Amazon Logistics. Hermes Germany will receive 1,500 Mercedes-Benz electric transporters and the corresponding efficient charging infrastructure. Amazon Logistics takes over 100 eVito in Bochum and Dusseldorf. The vehicles from Daimler Trucks, Daimler Buses and Mercedes-Benz Vans thus provide an electrical solution for all segments in inner-city traffic.

Sustainable supply of raw materials

Sustainability is one of the basic principles of Daimler’s corporate strategy as well as being a benchmark for corporate success. This also includes the responsible procurement of raw materials. Daimler has therefore developed a systematic approach to respecting human rights: the Human Rights Respect System. With its risk-oriented and systematic approach, the system makes the subject of human rights manageable even along complex supply chains. Daimler attaches particular importance to a sustainable raw-material supply chain for the expected growth in electric vehicles. To this end, Daimler has been defining sustainability requirements for suppliers in its Supplier Sustainability Standards for several years. All new Mercedes-Benz suppliers are subjected to potential analyses before they are commissioned. Approximately 700 quality engineers carry out these audits, if necessary together with human rights experts in the field. A prerequisite for a supply contract with Mercedes-Benz Cars is consent to disclosure of the entire supply chain, right back to the mines. Essential elements of our requirements for suppliers relate to working conditions and compliance with human rights. The direct suppliers undertake to firmly pass on and monitor our sustainability standards within the supply chain. Responsibility for the procurement of raw materials for the production of battery cells lies with the suppliers. However, Daimler does not leave its partners alone with this task and supports them with interdisciplinary teams.

About CASE

CASE – these letters are shaping the future of mobility. They stand for the fields of networking (Connected), autonomous driving (Autonomous), flexible use (Shared & Services) and electric drive systems (Electric). The four CASE fields are an integral part of the corporate strategy of Daimler AG. The aim is to shape intuitive mobility for our customers through intelligent dovetailing of the CASE topics.

Mercedes-Benz Cars already plays a leading role in all four areas today. For example, all activities in the area of connectivity are focused on the digital brand Mercedes me, which gives customers access to an extensive and personalized range of services by app, website or straight from their car.

On the way to autonomous driving, Mercedes-Benz has for years been a key driver of development and has repeatedly set the benchmark. To this end, the Mercedes engineers use what is known as sensor fusion. The data from different sensors, such as cameras, ultrasound and radar, are intelligently combined and analyzed. With smart vision EQ fortwo, the smart brand is also demonstrating what driving without a steering wheel could look like in the future of carsharing.

The inventor of the car is already playing a leading role in the field of Sharing & Services. The mobility services used by over 18 million people range from free-floating carsharing (car2go), through ride-hailing (mytaxi) to the mobility platform (moovel).

Mercedes-Benz is pursuing a holistic approach to powertrain electrification. Apart from the EQ brand with a family of vehicles, Mercedes-Benz is also developing a h..

JAC Volkswagen Automotive Co., Ltd. held groundbreaking ceremony for the New Energy Passenger Vehicle Project R&D Centre located in Hefei, Anhui Province, China

The groundbreaking ceremony of the new R&D centre in Hefei has been attended by representatives from JAC Volkswagen, SEAT and Volkswagen Group China.

The R&D centre will be located in Hefei and will focus on key areas such as electrification, connectivity and autonomous driving
Thanks to the strong support of shareholders, among them SEAT, JAC Volkswagen will continue moving forward with its innovation-driven future sustainable mobility strategy
Li Ming, President of JAC Volkswagen, noted that the groundbreaking on the R&D centre is a milestone for the company

Hefei, China, 12-Dec-2018 — /EuropaWire/ — JAC Volkswagen Automotive Co., Ltd. held a groundbreaking ceremony for the New Energy Passenger Vehicle Project R&D Centre located in Hefei, Anhui Province. The ceremony came two weeks after a strategic agreement was signed by Volkswagen Group China, JAC and SEAT in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

Hefei Municipal Committee Secretary Song Guoquan, Volkswagen Group China President and CEO Prof. Dr. Jochem Heizmann, JAC Chairman An Jin, SEAT Vice-president for Production and Logistics, Dr. Christian Vollmer and SEAT Vice-president for R&D Dr. Matthias Rabe, along with other local government representatives and senior executives of JAC Volkswagen’s shareholders participated in the historic groundbreaking ceremony together with investors and employee representatives.

“Today’s groundbreaking for the R&D centre is another breakthrough in the history of JAC Volkswagen,” said JAC Volkswagen President Li Ming. “Electrification and making cars smart are the key directions for the transformation that is happening in the automotive industry. With the strong support of the shareholders and all the sectors, the company is seizing the opportunity to pursue innovation-driven development in its new energy vehicle offensive, and move towards the future of sustainable mobility.”

The R&D centre, located in the Hefei Economic and Technology Development Zone, will focus on key areas such as electrification, connectivity and autonomous driving. All parties will leverage their investment, knowledge and technology strengths to ensure the R&D centre fulfils its goals. This project is an indicator of the progress that JAC Volkswagen is making in its battery electric vehicle offensive, and signals a firm step towards the next stage of development.

SEAT Vice-president for Production and Logistics and member of the Supervisory Board of JAC Volkswagen, Dr. Christian Vollmer said that “at SEAT, we are very proud to be the lead brand within the Volkswagen Group in the JAC Volkswagen joint venture. China is the world’s leading market for the electric vehicle and SEAT’s will is to contribute, together with our partners, to make mobility increasingly more sustainable.”

E-mobility along with digitalisation, connectivity and autonomous driving are the future of the mobility industry, and China has established itself as a major driver of this transformation. The construction of the R&D centre not only fulfils the agreements signed on July 9 and November 28 this year, it is also an important cornerstone for the development of JAC Volkswagen in China’s new energy vehicle industry.

Peter Wyhinny, First Vice-president of JAC Volkswagen said “I feel very proud and excited to witness this historic moment. With the rapid development of the electric vehicle industry, JAC Volkswagen, as the first joint venture dedicated to these vehicles in China, is taking full advantage of its shareholders’ resources to meet the needs of Chinese customers and build a sustainable mobility future with new technology.”

This is part of the effort made by Volkswagen Group China and its joint ventures in the e-mobility field, which will see the launch of 30 new energy vehicle models in the next two years, half of which will be produced in China. The Group aims to deliver around 400,000 New Energy Vehicles in China in 2020, and is preparing to deliver around 1.5 million in 2025.

SOURCE: Volkswagen AG

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Peik von Bestenbostel
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Tesla owners will commute “with no driver input” soon, Musk says

Tesla Model 3 dashboard in Autopilot testing with IIHS [CREDIT: IIHS]
Over the weekend, Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted that Tesla is testing new features on its Autopilot “self-driving” system, that will allow its cars to recognize stoplights and stop signs and negotiate traffic on roundabouts.

“Your Tesla will soon be able to go from your garage at home to parking at work with no driver input at all,” Musk tweeted.

That sounds like something a lot of drivers would like. Musk has 23.6 million followers on Twitter around the world; 1,400 had commented on the tweet and 5,100 had retweeted it to others, as of yesterday afternoon.

The tweet highlights how far along Tesla may be in developing its self-driving software and also how its drivers may become more reliant on its Autopilot system than Tesla itself says they should be.

Other companies testing self-driving software, such as Google's Waymo and GM's Cruise, already recognize stoplights and stop signs. They are testing only in limited areas, however, where their cars to try to encounter new obstacles one at a time to learn how to deal with each new variable.

Since cars aren't allowed on roads without a driver, each company has to apply for local permits to test cars driving themselves, especially when they begin testing with no-one in the car at all. Google recently announced that it would begin a commercial self-driving service where it is testing in Phoenix, but then didn't open the service up to the public, instead limiting it to a small group of pre-screened riders.

CHECK OUT: Tesla drivers log 1 billion miles on Autopilot

Tesla is taking a different approach. Since the company has owners driving its cars all over the world, and most of the cars have front and rear cameras, forward radar, and side proximity sensors—all of which can transmit driving data back to Tesla headquarters—the company is harvesting all this data from its drivers and running simulations using artificial intelligence software to improve its system's performance, updating the software and pushing improvements out to cars periodically, using other drivers' data to gradually improve Autopilot's driving.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk on

The company tweeted last month in time with the LA Auto Show, that drivers in its cars have covered 1 billion miles driving on Autopilot—giving the company a vast trove of data to improve the self-driving system.

Yet roads around the world aren't all alike, and it can be difficult for the company to integrate so many more driving scenarios so much more quickly, even with more real-world miles under their collective belts.

Tesla's cars have been involved in several high-profile crashes this year when driving on Autopilot, including one in which the car swerved into the damaged end of a highway divider and accelerated, killing its owner, and two in which cars under Autopilot control hit the back of stationary emergency vehicles and injured their drivers.

READ MORE: Investigators: Autopilot sped up before fatal Tesla Model X crash

Each time, Tesla has responded by releasing a statement saying: “When using Autopilot, it is the driver’s responsibility to remain attentive to their surroundings and in control of the vehicle at all times. Tesla has always been clear that Autopilot doesn’t make the car impervious to all accidents, and Tesla goes to great lengths to provide clear instructions about what Autopilot is and is not, including by offering driver instructions when owners test drive and take delivery of their car, before drivers enable Autopilot and every single time they use Autopilot, as well as through the Owner’s Manual and Release Notes for software updates.”

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