Mobility – Page 7064 – I wish I had more to offer

Waze upgrades carpooling service to let drivers take multiple passengers

Google-owned navigation app Waze now lets drivers pick up more than one passenger at a time when using the app’s carpooling feature. VentureBeat notes that Waze now supports picking up a maximum of four passengers, which you can do by tapping the “+” icon after confirming an initial ride. The new feature will allow drivers… Continue reading Waze upgrades carpooling service to let drivers take multiple passengers

07/30/2019Changes to the MAHLE Management Board

Changes to the MAHLE Management Board

Stuttgart/Germany, July 30, 2019 – The MAHLE Group is adding a new business unit for electronics and mechatronics, thereby further developing its strategic orientation toward alternative powertrain technologies. Corresponding changes to the MAHLE Management Board will be effective as of January 1, 2020.

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Press release [PDF; 50 KB]Press picture [JPG; 1664 KB]CV Martin Weidlich [PDF; 31 KB] New business unit for electronics and mechatronicsStrategic orientation toward new powertrain technologiesWilhelm Emperhoff to take on new business unitMartin Weidlich to join the MAHLE Management Board“In taking this step, we’re actively reinforcing our innovative strength in the field of alternative drives,” says Prof. Dr. Heinz K. Junker, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of MAHLE GmbH. MAHLE has concentrated all its electrics and electronics activities in its Mechatronics division, which has grown significantly in the last few years. “By transferring these activities into a business unit and combining it with the product areas of compressors and pumps for strategic purposes, we are focusing all our efforts on further growth and the ongoing development of our product portfolio for the mobility of the future,” adds Dr. Jörg Stratmann, CEO of the MAHLE Group.
Wilhelm Emperhoff (57), who is currently responsible for the Filtration and Engine Peripherals business unit, the Mechatronics division, and the Pumps profit center on the Management Board, has been appointed as head of the new business unit. In the future, this segment will include the present Mechatronics division, the Compressors profit center, and the Pumps profit center.
Martin Weidlich (48) was appointed by the Supervisory Board to succeed Wilhelm Emperhoff as the head of the Filtration and Engine Peripherals business unit and as a new Member of the MAHLE Management Board. Both of these personnel changes will be effective as of January 1, 2020.
Wilhelm EmperhoffWilhelm Emperhoff, born on October 26, 1961, in Regensburg/Germany, graduated as an electronic engineer from Regensburg University of Applied Sciences in 1987. From 1989, he worked in various roles at Siemens Automotive before moving to Continental AG in 2007 to become Executive Vice President of the Gasoline Systems business unit. He served as the Chief Executive Officer of Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH between 2009 and 2012, and has been a Member of the MAHLE Management Board since October 2012.
Martin WeidlichMartin Weidlich was born in Cologne/Germany on March 5, 1971. Weidlich is a graduate industrial engineer (Dipl.-Wirt.-Ing., FH) and began his career at the Ford Motor Company in 1991. In January 2001, he moved to Getrag Magna Powertrain (formerly Getrag) where he held numerous positions, ultimately acting as Vice President Research & Development and Director Core Engineering from 2010 to 2013. Martin Weidlich joined Benteler Automobiltechnik in January 2014, and is currently the company’s Executive Vice President Western Europe.
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 over 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
Ruben Danisch
Corporate Communications/Public Relations
Pragstraße 26–46
70376 Stuttgart/Germany
Phone: +49 711 501-12199
ruben.danisch@mahle.com

Eberspaecher develops new tech to secure autonomous Level 4 vehicles

Free2Move to Serve B2B Customers

By the end of 2019, close to 20,000 passenger and commercial vehicles will be available for hire in 1,300 branches across Europe, positioning Free2Move Rent as a local car rental service with a dense network of agencies. Photo via Depositphotos. As part of its short-term car rental business, Free2Move, Groupe PSA’s mobility brand, is opening… Continue reading Free2Move to Serve B2B Customers

Via and Trinity Metro Launch ZIPZONE, Connecting Fort Worth Residents to Public Transit

Published July 22, 2019 3:26 pm, Via NYC
Via and Trinity Metro Launch ZIPZONE, Connecting Fort Worth Residents to Public Transit
The new first- and last-mile service will support connections to the Mercantile Center Station

July 22, 2019 (FORT WORTH, TX) — Via, the world’s leading provider and developer of on-demand public mobility solutions, today announced a new public transportation deployment in partnership with Trinity Metro, a leading Texas public transit provider. Called Mercantile ZIPZONE, the new on-demand shared transit network brings TEXRail and bus commuters first- and last-mile connections to the Mercantile Center Station.

ZIPZONE marks Via’s third on-demand public transportation deployment in Texas, joining successful shared transit deployments in the neighboring cities of Arlington and Austin. More than 175,000 trips have been taken with Via’s Arlington service since the city’s pilot program launched in December 2017, earning a 97 percent approval rating from users.

“We are thrilled to partner with the innovative team at Trinity Metro to bring Via’s technology to Fort Worth,” said Daniel Ramot, co-founder and CEO of Via. “The new ZIPZONE service a great example of how public transportation and technology can work together to make a city smarter, building on key learnings from our successful neighboring mobility deployments in Arlington and Austin. Residents just north of Fort Worth now have a comfortable, convenient, and affordable way to move around. This is truly a great example of a city embracing the future of mobility.”

Using the Trinity Metro ZIPZONE app, riders are able to hail a shuttle directly from their smartphone. Via’s advanced algorithms will enable multiple riders to seamlessly share the vehicle. The powerful technology will direct passengers to a nearby virtual bus stop within a short walking distance for pick up and drop off, allowing for quick and efficient shared trips without lengthy detours, or inconvenient fixed routes and schedules.

ZIPZONE will operate 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. There will be no charge to use the service at launch. After the free period, rides will vary $1 to $3.

“Mercantile ZIPZONE expands the range of options offered by Trinity Metro to ease the burden of commuters who want and need to connect to this live, work and play destination,” said Wayne Gensler, Trinity Metro vice president and chief operating officer for bus and paratransit. “We are proud to work with the City of Fort Worth while we look at innovative ways to solve the first mile-last mile challenges in our area.

The project will operate in partnership with Avis Budget Group, who will provide the vehicles, as well as turnkey fleet management services, including maintaining the vehicles to ensure they are ready to hit the road.

Commuters in Fort Worth can use the new ZIPZONE service by downloading the Trinity Metro ZIPZONE smartphone app powered by Via, available on iOS and Android. Users can book rides between the Mercantile Center Station and anywhere within Mercantile ZIPZONE boundaries.

Via has been tapped by cities and transportation players around the world to help re-engineer public transit from a regulated system of rigid routes and schedules to a fully dynamic, on-demand network. Via now has more than 80 launched and pending deployments in nearly 20 countries, providing more than 60 million rides to date. To learn more about Via, visit www.platform.ridewithvia.com.

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 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 dozens of partner projects with public transportation agencies, private transit operators, taxi fleets, private companies, and universities, seamlessly integrating with public transit infrastructure to power cutting-edge on-demand mobility. For more information, visit www.platform.ridewithvia.com.

GM Cruise delays the launch of autonomous ride-share, adds to test fleet

General Motors Cruise test vehiclesSource: General MotorsCruise, the subsidiary of General Motors developing self-driving vehicles and services, said Wednesday it is postponing a plan to launch an autonomous ride-share service by the end of 2019.
It is the latest indication automakers and tech firms are finding it tougher than expected to put self-driving cars on the roads for public use.
Cruise CEO Dan Ammann announced the delay in launching an autonomous ride-share program through a post on Medium. “Our first deployment needs to be done right and we will only deploy when we can demonstrate that we will have a net positive impact on safety on our roads,” he said. The company has tabbed San Francisco as the location for the service when it eventually starts.
Before that happens, Cruise will be put more test vehicles on the road in San Francisco to better understand and solve the challenges of navigating busy city streets. Right now, Cruise has a fleet of 180 specially designed all-electric GM cars, modified with lidar sensors, cameras and radar logging thousands of miles every day, all with a safety driver ready to take control of the car if a complex or dangerous situation arises.
Since late 2017, Ammann and General Motors have said they plan to have an autonomous ride-share service on the road by the end of 2019. That optimism is one reason why the Softbank Vision Fund, Honda and others have invested more than $7.25 billion into Cruise, pushing its valuation to $19 billion last May, according to company figures.
The appeal of robotaxis is the potential to generate large profits by eliminating the driver, the biggest cost facing Uber, Lyft and other ride-hailing companies. In previous briefings with reporters, Cruise has estimated the cost to operate an autonomous ride-share program in San Francisco could be as low as $1.50 per mile, 40% below the cost of similar services operated by a human driver.
While investors may be optimistic about the potential profits of robotaxis driving passengers around a city, those who track the industry are not surprised Cruise is tapping the brakes on its plans. “The closer you get to ground zero and putting an autonomous vehicle or vehicles on the road, the difference between where the technology is now and where it needs to be cannot be ignored,” said Mike Ramsey, automotive analyst for Gartner Research. “The right thing to do is to not put a product out on the road too soon.”
Late last year, Waymo, Alphabet's autonomous vehicle division, launched its own commercial ride-share service in metropolitan Phoenix. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has promised to have “a million robotaxis” on the road by the end of 2020, capitalizing on Tesla's autopilot technology.
“I feel very confident predicting autonomous robotaxis for Tesla next year,” Musk told analysts in May. He later admitted his timing for plans is sometimes wrong.
For Cruise, the focus now is expanding the number of miles its test fleet is driving.
“Having our cars running many more miles on the road will further accelerate our rate of learning and safety validation,” said Ammann. “It will also give us crucial operational learnings from running a larger scale fleet and a larger scale ride service, which we currently operate for our employees.”

With Y Combinator’s seal of approval, MyPetrolPump raises $1.6 million for its car refueling business

Even before pitching onstage at Y Combinator, Indian car refueling startup MyPetrolPump has managed to snag $1.6 million in seed financing. The business, which is similar to startups in the U.S. like Filld, Yoshi and Booster Fuels, took 10 months to design and receive approval for its proprietary refueling trucks that can withstand the unique… Continue reading With Y Combinator’s seal of approval, MyPetrolPump raises $1.6 million for its car refueling business

Cruise’s Modified Strategy Marks A Mega Phase Shift In Self-Driving Car Industry – Forbes

Cruise, the self-driving car element of GM, made an announcement that could be seen as a healthy sign that the driverless car industry is embracing the tech race and now the trust race too. Photocredit: AP When you are knee-deep in a particular industry it can be difficult at times to notice when an overall… Continue reading Cruise’s Modified Strategy Marks A Mega Phase Shift In Self-Driving Car Industry – Forbes

Report: Lyft COO Jon McNeill is leaving

Shortly after going public, Lyft is losing one of its top executives, according to a new report from Bloomberg. Jon McNeill, who joined the ride-hailing business from Tesla about 18 months ago, is reportedly stepping down. Lyft declined to comment. Lyft’s stock (Nasdaq: LYFT) is down nearly 3% on the news. Despite a turbulent first… Continue reading Report: Lyft COO Jon McNeill is leaving

Fisker teases electric SUV’s front end, promises recycled materials inside

Henrik Fisker maintains the car's starting price will be below $40,000.

Road/Show by CNET article by ANDREW KROK

There's more than a little Range Rover inspiration in those headlights.

Henrik Fisker has taken the slow-burn approach to introducing his new electric SUV. We've seen a series of design teasers, most of which have come directly from the famed car designer's Twitter account, and what do you know, that's where the latest teaser has come from, too.

Henrik Fisker on Saturday posted a new picture of his upcoming EV SUV's front end to his Twitter account. While we've seen this part of the car in teasers before, they were limited to design mockups. This, however, appears to be its production-ready form. It's not much different from the previews, with some interesting angles on the hood and lower bumper. There's also a trick daytime running light design from LEDs in both the headlights and the bumper.

In addition to the picture, Fisker said in the tweet that his company hopes to make “the world's most sustainable vehicle.” In addition to a starting price below $40,000, Fisker claims that the interior is mighty spacious and makes use of recycled materials. In a reply to a different person's tweet, Fisker said he's keeping the interior a secret until its proper unveiling, which is scheduled for later this year.

Thus far, we still don't know much about Fisker's new EV. We know there will be a turn signal in the D-pillar, as well as a solar roof, and based on the few teasers we've seen, it's clear that the SUV will rock a shape that's at least a little bit blocky. It's believed to have a range north of 300 miles, but any mention of range should wait until the EPA or WLTP has the chance to test it. Fisker hopes to have the car on sale in 2021.

There's bound to still be a turn signal in the taillight, right?

Topics:
Fisker News,
Fisker EVs,
Innovation,
Design,
SUV,
Electric Vehicle

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