Mobility – Page 6958 – I wish I had more to offer

Volocopter and John Deere team up for a crop-spraying autonomous agricultural drone

Autonomous drone-based transportation startup Volocopter has revealed its first partner for its new VoloDrone industrial and commercial electric vertical take-off and landing craft: John Deere. The agricultural and industrial heavy equipment company is working with Volocopter on a VoloDrone-based aerial crop-dusting system. VoloDrone, which Voloctoper unveiled at the end of last month, has 18 rotors… Continue reading Volocopter and John Deere team up for a crop-spraying autonomous agricultural drone

Yandex is now testing a self-driving sidewalk cargo delivery robot

Add another one to the list of companies piloting small wheeled autonomous robots for small package and food delivery: Yandex. Russia’s search and services giant has expanded its ambitions in the world of autonomous transportation, building on its work with self-driving cars to deploy a six-wheeled robot that adopts the popular cooler on wheels style… Continue reading Yandex is now testing a self-driving sidewalk cargo delivery robot

Uber is using Waymo tech in its self-driving cars. That could be an expensive problem. (UBER)

Uber “will likely” have to strike a deal with Waymo or develop it’s own software, the company said. The shift comes after an expert found the ride-hailing company has been using tech from the Alphabet-owned company. It’s not clear by when Uber will have to make the decision, which could prove expensive for its already… Continue reading Uber is using Waymo tech in its self-driving cars. That could be an expensive problem. (UBER)

Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm Discusses Elon Musk’s Outrageous Goals

Denholm, along with Ron Baron, has a lot to share in this recent interview. Elon Musk has often come in for criticism because of missed deadlines, over-ambitious forecasts and, in a few cases, unfulfilled promises. It’s true that production dates for the company’s vehicles have often slipped, many owners are unhappy about delays in delivering… Continue reading Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm Discusses Elon Musk’s Outrageous Goals

11/07/2019New 48-volt battery boosts mild-hybrid performance

New 48-volt battery boosts mild-hybrid performance

Stuttgart/Germany, November 07, 2019 – With a new 48-volt battery optimized for use in mild-hybrid vehicles, MAHLE Powertrain is making it possible to maximize the recuperated energy that can be stored and released. This can significantly increase the efficiency of mild-hybrid vehicles, allowing a fuel saving of between 12 and 15 percent. With this development, MAHLE Powertrain is increasing the capabilities of 48-volt systems, which offer major safety and cost advantages when compared with high-voltage systems.

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Press release [PDF; 145 KB]Press picture [JPG; 1420 KB] MAHLE Powertrain presents new prototype 48-volt batteryIncreased charge and discharge rates enable significant savings potential thanks to optimized battery cooling and cell chemistryMild-hybrid vehicles need to recover energy efficiently and at a relatively high power during deceleration events. High storage capacity is not required for these applications as the recuperated energy can be deployed during the next acceleration. Thus a compact and cost effective battery that is capable of high charge and discharge power levels relative to its storage capacity (high Crates) is desirable. As there were no suitable low-cost, compact batteries able to deal with the necessary recharge and discharge cycles involving high currents, MAHLE Powertrain decided to develop its own. The LTO chemistry in the selected cells allows continuous charge / discharge rates of 10 kW and peak rates for short periods up to 20 kW from a battery pack that has only a 0.5 kWh storage capacity.
Optimal battery cooling guarantees charge/discharge performance and battery durability. However, the coolant needed to be electrically isolated from the cells. MAHLE Powertrain settled on a robust cooling strategy, with simulations showing cooling performance to be exactly on target.
MAHLE Powertrain engineers paid a great deal of attention to the design of the busbars and electrical connections within the battery, as any high resistance in these components can be an additional heat source and limit the power capability of the system.
Testing of the first prototype is underway to verify that the pack can meet the performance targets. Initial results indicate that all temperatures within the pack remain within an acceptable range at a continuous discharge rate of over 10 kW and that it is capable of peak power levels in excess of 20 kW. The next step will be to install the prototype pack into MAHLE Powertrain’s 48V eSupercharged extreme downsizing demonstrator vehicle.
About MAHLEMAHLE is a leading international development partner and supplier to the automotive industry as well as a pioneer for the mobility of the future. The MAHLE Group is committed to making transportation more efficient, more environmentally friendly, and more comfortable by continuously optimizing the combustion engine, driving forward the use of alternative fuels, and laying the foundation for the worldwide introduction of e-mobility. The group’s product portfolio addresses all the crucial issues relating to the powertrain and air conditioning technology—both for drives with combustion engines and for e-mobility. MAHLE products are fitted in at least every second vehicle worldwide. Components and systems from MAHLE are also used off the road—in stationary applications, for mobile machinery, rail transport, as well as marine applications.
In 2018, the group generated sales of approximately EUR 12.6 billion with more than 79,000 employees and is represented in more than 30 countries with 160 production locations. At 16 major research and development centers in Germany, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Spain, Slovenia, the USA, Brazil, Japan, China, and India, more than 6,100 development engineers and technicians are working on innovative solutions for the mobility of the future.
For further information, contact:MAHLE GmbH
Christopher Rimmele
Corporate Communications/Public Relations
Pragstraße 26–46
70376 Stuttgart/Germany
Phone: +49 711 501-12374
Fax: +49 711 501-13700
christopher.rimmele@mahle.com

Uber faces costly choices after expert finds it uses Waymo self-driving tech

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Uber (UBER.N) said it “will likely” have to strike a licensing deal with Waymo or opt for costly changes to its autonomous driving software, after an expert found the ride-hailing giant still used technology from the Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) unit. FILE PHOTO: Uber’s logo is displayed on a mobile phone in… Continue reading Uber faces costly choices after expert finds it uses Waymo self-driving tech

Green Motion Updates Website to Ease Rental Process

Green Motion announced today the launch of its brand new web eco-system. Designed to present a consistent user experience across all platforms and build on Green Motion’s continued drive to deliver openness, honesty, and transparency to the international car rental industry, the new web eco-system includes the universal roll out of their multi-product strategy. “As you will see… Continue reading Green Motion Updates Website to Ease Rental Process

Toyota unveils $1.8 billion share buyback after strong second-quarter profits

TOKYO (Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) unveiled plans for a $1.8 billion share buyback on Thursday, after reporting a more-than-expected quarterly profit on better global sales and an improvement in its North American business. FILE PHOTO: An employee works under a Toyota Motor Corp logo at the company’s showroom in Tokyo, Japan February 5,… Continue reading Toyota unveils $1.8 billion share buyback after strong second-quarter profits

Michelin to adapt its hotel selection in order to meet travelers’ needs for unique addresses

Michelin to adapt its hotel selection in order to meet travelers’ needs for unique addresses Michelin, the global benchmark for restaurant recommendations, and its subsidiary company Tablet, the original curator of boutique and extraordinary hotels, have combined their expertise to provide an unprecedented selection of outstanding hotels. This innovative approach will allow travellers looking for… Continue reading Michelin to adapt its hotel selection in order to meet travelers’ needs for unique addresses

90% Of Tesla Model 3 Owners Tell Bloomberg Tesla Autopilot Makes Them Safer

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Published on November 6th, 2019 |

by Steve Hanley

90% Of Tesla Model 3 Owners Tell Bloomberg Tesla Autopilot Makes Them Safer

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November 6th, 2019 by Steve Hanley

Recently, Bloomberg conducted a survey of 5,000 Tesla Model 3 owners to find out what they like and don’t like about their cars. Part 1 dealt with quality issues while part 2 focused on service and charging. Part 3 hones in on the experiences those Tesla owners have had with Autopilot, both the basic system and the Full Self Driving package that now includes the Smart Summon feature. Not everyone has had positive experiences, with some drivers reporting instances when their cars slowed unexpectedly, but overall, 90% of respondents said they feel safer with Autopilot available.

Here’s an example: A driver from Florida (not one of the yahoos above) reported he felt something had gone wrong with his car when it suddenly slowed while driving on the highway. He didn’t understand at first that his car had detected a stopped vehicle in front of the car he was following. When the car ahead swerved out of the way, his Tesla had already reduced his speed enough that he could easily avoid slamming into the stopped vehicle. [Editor’s note: I’ve experienced this type of thing a few times, but not to such an extreme degree.] Others report sudden braking for no apparent reason — what is known as a false positive — that put them in danger of being rear ended by cars behind them. But even those drivers said, overall, Autopilot makes them safer while driving.

Overall, 13% of drivers say Autopilot has put them in a dangerous situation, while 28% say Autopilot has saved them from being in harm’s way. Based on the responses to the survey, Bloomberg says, “These Autopilot stories illustrate the messy middle ground in which the automotive world now finds itself. Ever-vigilant vehicles running automated-driving technology can perform superhuman maneuvers to keep drivers safe—and can also fail in decidedly sub-human ways. Close supervision is needed at all times (emphasis added), which is easy to forget when Autopilot is able to drive for long stretches without intervention.”

Six Tesla owners claimed that Autopilot contributed to a collision, while nine credited Autopilot with saving their lives. Even though hundreds of owners experienced glitches such as phantom braking, unexpected steering maneuvers, or failing to stop for a road hazard, the overwhelming majority of people in that group still gave Autopilot high marks overall.

Here is a sampling of some of the comments from people who responded to the survey:

“The car detected a pile-up in fog and applied the brakes/alerted driver and began a lane change to avoid it before I took over. I believe it saved my life.”
“Whiteout conditions. Lake effect snow in Cleveland. Streets were extremely icy. A crossing car ran a red light going 45 mph at a blind intersection obscured by trees and the Model 3 automatically stopped before I could react. I missed a driver side collision, potentially fatal, by less than a car length.”
“It seemed to make risky choices whenever an unusual situation arises, like a missing lane line or a truck merging suddenly into your lane.”
“Car entered my lane and I did not notice. Autopilot took over and alerted me quickly. It maneuvered out of the way and saved us from a wreck going 80 mph.”
“Didn’t recognize lanes properly on a two way road and put me in into oncoming traffic.”

There are hundreds of similar comments on the Bloomberg website you may want to read. The lesson, if there is one, is that people cannot take their hands off the wheel and their eyes off the road while Autopilot is in use. Many would like to think they can, but Autopilot is a driver assistant. Although it gets better with every new software update, it is not yet capable of fully independent driving, which means drivers must remain vigilant at all times. Many don’t want to hear that, but the results of the Bloomberg survey suggest true self driving is simply not here — at least not yet. [Editor’s note: As someone with Tesla Full Self Driving, I fully agree with Steve’s statements here.]

Smart Summon

Owners who have ponied up the extra money for what Tesla calls its Full Self Driving package now have access to Smart Summon, a protocol that allows a car to travel at slow speeds from where it is parked to where the owner is, using a smartphone app. Introduced just a short while ago, it has already been used over a million times, sometimes with less than desirable results. One person wrote, “On my first attempt (in front of a bunch of work people) the car decided to drive over a red curb and into a median. The rim got some red curb rash & the rocker panel was damaged.”

Then there is this comment: “My wife and I are different levels of mobility impaired. Summon was one reason we purchased Tesla. Having the car come get us in a slippery or icy parking lot reduces our chance for falling. We’ve tried it in several lots and while it could be more graceful, it has met expectations.”

Bloomberg sent out a supplementary survey to 1,762 owners with Full Self Driving installed. 70% say it is a useful feature, but only 41% rated it reliable enough for average drivers to use. One owner described the summon feature as driving like “nervous teenager with a learner’s permit.” Another had this to say: “Smart Summon is a great step towards the eventual self-driving future, but it is very ‘beta’ at this point. It is not safe for use yet if you’re not a very experienced user.”

Just as Autopilot has improved with time since it was first introduced several years ago — Tesla now has more than 2 billion miles worth of data from cars using Autopilot — Smart Summon will improve based on feedback from real-world driving situations. Right now, it is mostly a novelty, but in time it may become an indispensable feature many new car buyers will demand.

Here are longer “uncut” versions of the two Smart Summon videos above:

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About the Author

Steve Hanley Steve writes about the interface between technology and sustainability from his home in Rhode Island and anywhere else the Singularity may lead him. His motto is, “Life is not measured by how many breaths we take but by the number of moments that take our breath away!” You can follow him on Google + and on Twitter.

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