For companies developing autonomous vehicles, AI may be taking the wheel, but it’s also increasingly being used in the back office. Automakers, suppliers and startups developing self-driving cars are implementing deep learning algorithms to operate vehicles without a human driver. With high-performance compute solutions from NVIDIA, vehicle manufacturers are also using AI in their data… Continue reading Automakers Extend AI Use Beyond Autonomous Vehicles into Back Office
Tag: Volvo
Uber-funded research project pushes new ways to measure safety of driverless cars
October 11 at 12:01 AM A typical driving test considers basic skills: Can you parallel park? Do you merge safely? Do you know to yield to pedestrians? No such government exam is required for cars driven by a computer. The idea has been dismissed by federal officials who oppose regulation and industry leaders who say… Continue reading Uber-funded research project pushes new ways to measure safety of driverless cars
Waylands Automotive acquires Johnsons Cars’ Volvo Oxford dealership
Waylands Automotive has acquired Johnsons Cars’ Volvo Oxford car dealership to extend it operations to four sites – all with the Swedish premium brand. Waylands completed the acquisition of the Botley Road franchised site on October 5 and is set to realise plans to move the facility to a new 17-car showroom just a short… Continue reading Waylands Automotive acquires Johnsons Cars’ Volvo Oxford dealership
Press Releases – Car and van CO2 targets: environment ministers adopt common position, auto industry reacts
Brussels, 10 October 2018 – Auto makers take note of the common position on future CO2 targets for cars and vans adopted by the 28 EU member states during a meeting of environment ministers in Luxembourg last night. “Further reducing CO2 emissions remains a top priority of the EU auto industry. All manufacturers are actively… Continue reading Press Releases – Car and van CO2 targets: environment ministers adopt common position, auto industry reacts
Geely and Daimler want to create a car-sharing and VTC joint venture
Unity is strength. The Chinese manufacturer Geely seeks to associate with Daimler, of which he is already the largest shareholder, to tackle the car-sharing and VTC market. The two companies are currently in talks to create a car pooling and on-demand vehicle joint venture in China, reports Bloomberg. The objective would be compete with Didi,… Continue reading Geely and Daimler want to create a car-sharing and VTC joint venture
Daimler and Geely discuss ride sharing JV – report
Zhejiang Geely Holding – which owns Volvo Cars, is in talks with Daimler, in which billionaire owner billionaire Li Shufu took an almost 10% stake earlier this year, to set up ride-hailing and car-sharing services in China, sources told Bloomberg. A 50-50 venture that would take on market leader Didi Chuxing was under discussion, one source… Continue reading Daimler and Geely discuss ride sharing JV – report
GM tops Tesla in ranking of automated driving systems
GM beats Tesla in Consumer Reports ranking of automated driving systems
5:51 PM ET Thu, 4 Oct 2018 | 01:45
As more automakers develop automated driving systems that allow drivers to take their hands off the steering wheels for short periods of time, a new report says General Motors has developed the best system.
Consumer Reports tested four of the most popular systems and says Cadillac's Super Cruise does the best job of ensuring the vehicle is driven safely while making sure drivers pay attention when they take their hands off the steering wheels.
“Super Cruise has a camera that looks at the drivers' eyes and warns them if they look away for too long or fall asleep, and that's a game changer,” said Jake Fisher, director of auto testing at Consumer Reports.
“This is definitely a shot across the bow of Tesla, which already has Autopilot,” said Michelle Krebs, analyst for AutoTrader said.
Consumer Reports ranks Tesla's Autopilot as the second-most effective automated driving system, criticizing it for not doing enough to keep the driver engaged when the vehicle is in Autopilot mode.
“Autopilot is a strong system, but it doesn't have enough safeguards,” said Fisher.
GM Super Cruise tops Tesla in Consumer Reports' automated driving tech tests
8:23 AM ET Thu, 4 Oct 2018 | 03:52
Consumer Reports rated Nissan's ProPILOT Assist as the third-best system and Volvo's Pilot Assist as the least effective of the four it tested. Nissan says ProPILOT Assist is a “hands-on” driver-assist system rather than a “self-driving” feature. Volvo echoed that response.
“Pilot Assist is not an autonomous driving system. It is a driver assistance system designed to keep the driver in the loop at all times with hands on the wheel, eyes on the road and the mind on driving,” said Johan Larsson, a Volvo spokesman.
The systems were evaluated at Consumer Reports' test track and on public and highways. The reviews are based on five criteria: capability and performance, ease of use, if the systems made it clear when it was safe to use, whether they kept the driver engaged, and how they alerted or handled an unresponsive driver.
Consumer Reports is not warning people to avoid using any of the automated driving systems it tested, but it wants drivers to better understand the limits of the technology.
Ever since Tesla unveiled Autopilot in 2015, it's been controversial technology. When it first came out in “beta” mode, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said, “It is important to exercise great caution at this early stage.”
Not everyone got the message. Within months of rolling out, Tesla owners posted videos on YouTube showing themselves driving hands free and not always paying attention.
In 2016, a Tesla driver was killed when his Model S in Autopilot mode crashed into a semi-truck in Williston, Florida. The National Transportation Safety Board concluded limitations in Tesla's Autopilot system played a major role in the crash. NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt bluntly summarized the case saying, “System safeguards were lacking.”
Two years later, as more vehicles and more automakers develop automated driving systems, Consumer Reports is worried drivers will become too complacent and not be ready to grab the steering wheel if their car or truck steers itself into trouble.
“The big concern is putting too much trust in these systems,” said Fisher of Consumer Reports. “Drivers are not always paying attention when these systems are in use.”
WATCH: GM demonstrates its hands-free 'Super Cruise' system
General Motors shows off new hands-free ’Super Cruise’ system in highway demo
12:08 PM ET Wed, 28 June 2017 | 05:10
Volvo’s Polestar brand is assembling prototypes of its first plug-in hybrid sports car
Polestar has started assembling verification prototypes of its upcoming plug-in hybrid sports car as Volvo’s standalone electric performance brand prepares to produce customer cars next year. Verification prototypes of the Polestar 1 vehicle, which are built largely by hand, mark the first testing phase for production. The vehicles will be crashed and driven through different kinds of… Continue reading Volvo’s Polestar brand is assembling prototypes of its first plug-in hybrid sports car
Press Releases – EU Parliament vote on CO2 targets for cars and vans: auto industry voices concerns
Brussels, 3 October 2018 – The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) has voiced its serious concerns about the outcome of the European Parliament’s plenary vote on future CO2 reduction targets for cars and vans. “We remain particularly concerned about the extremely aggressive CO2 reduction targets and the imposition of sales quotas for battery electric vehicles… Continue reading Press Releases – EU Parliament vote on CO2 targets for cars and vans: auto industry voices concerns
Volvo not considering diesel car retrofits in Germany – spokeswoman
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Volvo is not considering any hardware retrofits for diesel vehicles in Germany, a company spokeswoman said on Monday, denying a report by Germany’s Der Spiegel magazine that said the Swedish carmaker was mulling that option. FILE PHOTO: A Volvo logo is seen at a car dealership in Vienna, Austria, May 30, 2017.… Continue reading Volvo not considering diesel car retrofits in Germany – spokeswoman