Autonomous cars will never exist says Waymo boss – AutoExpress

Fully autonomous cars that can drive in any conditions and on any road without human input will never exist, according to the boss of a leading driverless vehicle firm. Waymo CEO John Krafcik told the Wall Street Journal’s D.Live conference “autonomy will always have constraints.” • Jaguar teams up with Waymo to build driverless I-Pace SUVs… Continue reading Autonomous cars will never exist says Waymo boss – AutoExpress

AEye Announces Industry Leading Family of Perception Sensors for ADAS Solutions

AE200 Series is designed to address the need of modular, high-performance sensors that are based on the iDAR™ platform and optimized for size, weight, power, and price.
“The AE200…product family — specifically for the ADAS market — delivers the perception data that is needed for safe and reliable L3 operation, at a price point that OEMs will find extremely attractive. We achieve this by using the concept of agile parallax, a derivative feature of our iDAR architecture. This agility allows us to retain the same world record flexibility, revisit rate and resolution of the AE110, by trading off range and achievable simultaneous ROIs.”

CES, Las Vegas, NV – January 8, 2019 – AEye, a world leader in artificial perception systems and the developer of iDAR™, today announced the AE200 Series of sensors, a game changing solid-state sensor family for Level 3 ADAS applications. AEye previously announced its latest Mobility/Robotaxi solution, the AE110, in December, 2018. Built on the world’s most extensive solid-state LiDAR patent portfolio, the AE200 Series features the industry’s only software-definable intelligent agile LiDAR, industry-leading ADAS performance, and is SWaP optimized for modular ADAS deployments capable of supporting all popular vehicle packaging locations.

The company simultaneously announced today that it has entered into strategic partnerships with Hella and LG Electronics. The AE200 Series will be one of the iDAR-based artificial perception systems that both Hella and LG Electronics will be using to deliver ADAS solutions to global OEMs at scale.

The AE200 Series includes AEye’s industry leading anti-spoofing and interference mitigation and is under ASIL-B functional safety certification, ensuring it meets the automotive industry’s stringent safety standards. Delivering ADAS L3 long range performance of up to 200M at 10% reflectivity at 0.1° resolution and the short range performance configuration of 50M range at 10% reflectivity, the AE200 Series will be modular in design and capable of up to 120°x 45° Field of View.

“The AE200 is about redefining performance expectations for modular ADAS perception sensors,” said Aravind Ratnam, Vice President of Product Management at AEye. “For level 3, current low cost LiDAR options don’t deliver value for their low price. This product family specifically for the ADAS market delivers the perception data that is needed for safe and reliable L3 operation, at a price point that OEMs will find extremely attractive. We achieve this by using the concept of agile parallax, a derivative feature of our iDAR architecture. This agility allows us to retain the same world record flexibility, revisit rate and resolution of the AE110, by trading off range and achievable simultaneous ROIs.”

Key features of the AE200 include:

Software-definable LiDAR
Designed to meet ISO 26262 functional safety requirements, eye safe in all modes
Four layers of interference mitigation and anti-spoofing technology
Software Development Kit
Software and fundamental perception capabilities to support specific ADAS solutions such as Cross Traffic Alerts, Emergency Braking, Front and Rear Collision Warning, and Blind Spot Monitoring, etc.
Automotive SWaP optimized with documented field and environmental testing
Modular for supporting all critical ADAS packaging locations including headlamp, windscreen, side mirror, front grill, A-pillar, and C-pillar
Optional High resolution RGB or IR camera fused and bore sighted with AEye’s agile LiDAR

The AE200 will be available to automotive OEMs and Tier 1s in the Summer, 2019. For more information about AEye, the AE110, and the company’s innovative approach to artificial perception, please visit CES Booth #2100 at the Westgate Convention Center in Las Vegas, January 8th – 11th, 2019. For a private car demo, please contact [email protected]

About AEye
AEye is an artificial perception pioneer and creator of iDAR™, a perception system that acts as the eyes and visual cortex of autonomous vehicles. Since its demonstration of its solid-state LiDAR scanner in 2013, AEye has pioneered breakthroughs in intelligent sensing. The company is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, and backed by world-renowned investors including Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Taiwania Capital, Intel Capital, & Airbus Ventures.

Media Contact:

AEye, Inc.
Jennifer Deitsch
[email protected]

925-400-4366

AEye Announces Industry Leading Family of Perception Sensors for ADAS Solutions — AEye Introduces Advanced Mobility Product for the Autonomous Vehicle MarketAEye’s iDAR Shatters Both Range and Scan Rate Performance Records for Automotive Grade LiDARAEye’s $40M Series B Includes Numerous Automotive Leaders Including Subaru, Hella, LG, and SKThe Future of Autonomous Vehicles: Part I – Think Like a Robot, Perceive Like a HumanThe Future of Autonomous Vehicles: Part II – Blind Technology without Compassion Is RuthlessAEye Announces Addition of Aravind Ratnam as Vice President of Product ManagementBlair LaCorte Named President of AEyeAEye Granted Foundational Patents For Core Solid-State MEMs-Based Agile LiDAR And Embedded AI TechnologyAEye’s iDAR Leverages Biomimicry to Enable First Solid State Lidar with 100Hz Scan RateAEye Introduces Next Generation of Artificial Perception: New Dynamic Vixels™

Understanding the collective wisdom of the car crowd

This article was originally published on LinkedIn. Mapping has been around for thousands of years. One of the very first things that early humans painted on the walls of their caves were maps – pictures representing how they saw the world. Maps are abstractions, and as humanity developed, we’ve gradually learned how to describe roads,… Continue reading Understanding the collective wisdom of the car crowd

Mercedes-Benz Cars at the CES 2019: Starting the New Year with the World Premiere of a Design Icon

08.

January 2019

Las Vegas

The brand with the three-pointed star is kicking off the new year at CES 2019 with the world premiere of the new Mercedes-Benz CLA Coupé featuring the further evolution of the MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) infotainment system. Further highlights are the US premieres of the battery-electric Mercedes-Benz EQC (power consumption combined: 22.2 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 0 g/km, preliminary figures) and the pioneering Vision URBANETIC mobility concept. You can watch the Mercedes-Benz press conference via video-on-demand on Mercedes me media: https://media.mercedes-benz.com/ces2019.
The Mercedes-Benz CLA Coupé celebrates its world premiere. The successor to the premium coupé first unveiled in 2013 boasts an innovative interior with the next evolution of the MBUX, which now recognises control commands through movements. Also new is the ENERGIZING COACH familiar from the B-Class. This service, based on an intelligent algorithm, suggests one of the programmes from the ENERGIZING package according to the situation and individual needs. Its extensively facelifted exterior ensures the new CLA Coupé remains the design icon of the compact segment. Its distinctive forward-angled front end with its long, taut hood and power domes is particularly striking, while the wider track emphasises the sporty and dynamic look.
“We’re taking it to the next level by bringing the intelligent interior assistant to the compact class, too. Movement recognition makes it easier and more intuitive to operate,” says Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. “The CLA offers a huge amount of automotive intelligence, and not just with this new feature.”
“With the first CLA, a four-door compact coupe, we opened up a completely new segment. And its success proves us right: 750,000 units of the CLA and CLA Shooting Brake alone have already been sold,” says Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing & Sales. “The next iteration of the CLA is an intelligent evolutionary development that is even more emotional and sportier than its predecessor. Paired with the new operating system, it once again sets benchmarks for the entire class.”
Two electrified US premieres
On show for the first time on American soil is the Mercedes-Benz EQC. The first purely battery-electric vehicle from the EQ product and technology brand represents an ideal combination of comfort, quality and everyday usability. Both inside and out, the crossover SUV embodies the design language of progressive luxury. The EQC is likewise equipped with the groundbreaking MBUX – Mercedes-Benz User Experience – multimedia system, enhanced with a wide range of EQ-specific content. It also boasts a completely re-engineered powertrain system with a compact electric driveline (eATS) front and rear, giving the EQC the handling characteristics of an all-wheel-drive vehicle and providing it with an electric range of more than 450 km in the NEDC (preliminary figures)i.
“The EQC is the Mercedes-Benz among electric vehicles. Soon, we will have many more – we aim for over ten purely electric passenger cars by 2022,” stresses Ola Källenius. “This will cover the entire portfolio: from smart to large SUVs.
The future definitely is electric.”
Also celebrating its US premiere is the Vision URBANETIC – a revolutionary mobility concept that goes way beyond previous notions of autonomous vehicles. Vision URBANETIC removes the division between people moving and goods transportation. The concept lowers traffic volume, takes the pressure off city infrastructures and contributes to a new quality of urban life. The revolutionary vehicle is based on an autonomous, electrically powered driving platform that can carry different, interchangeable bodies for either people moving or goods transportation. As a ride-sharing vehicle, Vision URBANETIC can carry up to twelve passengers, while the cargo module can transport up to ten EPAL pallets.

“The empathy of the Vision URBANETIC was particularly important to us: The vehicle is attentive and interacts with people through various lighting elements,” says Ola Källenius. “With this kind of vehicle, we’re shooting for the moon. And that’s a crucial part of innovation.”
High customer loyalty – sales figures continue to rise for eighth year in a row
For the third time in a row, Mercedes-Benz is the best-selling premium brand in the automotive industry. “With more than 2.4 million vehicles delivered by Mercedes-Benz Cars in 2018, we once again surpassed our own sales record – for the eighth time in succession. In addition, despite a challenging year, we maintained our position at the top of the premium segment. The enthusiasm for our vehicles as well as the loyalty of our customers motivates us to give our best well into the new year,” said Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing and Sales.
The Mercedes-Benz press conference is available as video-on-demand on https://media.mercedes-benz.com/ces2019, alongside two further multi-angle live streams from our show stand, which will be uploaded during the course of the day. At 2.00 pm local time (CET-9), Sajjad Khan, Member of the Divisional Board of Mercedes-Benz Cars, CASE and Vice President of Digital Vehicle & Mobility, will provide an insight into the latest CASE developments. At 3.30 pm local time
(CET-9), Wilfried Porth, Member of the Board of Management, Human Resources and Director of Labour Relations, Mercedes-Benz Vans, will talk about the future of mobility based on the example of the Vision URBANETIC. The media available on Mercedes me media also offers a wide range of additional information as well as extensive imagery and video footage from CES 2019.

i Figures on fuel consumption, power consumption and CO2 emissions are preliminary. They were calculated by Technical Services for the certification process in accordance with the WLTP and correlated with NEDC figures. EC type approval and a conformity certificate with official figures are not yet available. The official figures may differ from those stated here.

Press Contact

Andrea Eberhardt

Product Communications Mercedes-Benz Vans

andrea.eberhardt@daimler.com

Tel: +49 711 17-84020

Fax: +49 711 17-1779097330

Koert Groeneveld

Head of International Product & Technology Communications

koert.groeneveld@daimler.com

Tel: +49 711 17-92311

Fax: +49 711 17-94365

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Walmart taps Udelv for latest driverless car tests to deliver groceries

Source: Walmart
An Udelv car that's being used in Walmart's test in Arizona.

Walmart is expanding its tests of driverless cars as a way to get online grocery orders to shoppers' homes more quickly.

The big-box retailer is now piloting a program to use Udelv autonomous-driving vans to deliver fresh groceries in Surprise, Arizona.

“We want to make sure we stay on the cutting edge of grocery delivery by exploring what's new and next,” Tom Ward, senior vice president of Walmart's digital operations in the U.S., said Tuesday in a blog post.

Walmart has already announced other pilot programs with self-driving car companies, including Ford and Alphabet's Waymo. The company plans to end this fiscal year with an online grocery delivery option in roughly 100 metropolitan areas, reaching more than 40 percent of U.S. households. For 2019, it plans to add that to another 800 stores.

There's good reason for retailers to be investing in online grocery delivery.

Online spending by U.S. consumers for groceries is expected to climb 15 percent this year, according to a survey by Brick Meets Click, an advisory group for grocers. That would push the share of grocery sales that take place on the internet to 6.3 percent of overall sales.

Companies that offer delivery and pick-up options for grocery orders should see even bigger growth, Brick Meets Click said. Those retailers' online sales could grow by 25 to 30 percent in 2019. By the end of the year, roughly 90 percent of U.S. households are forecast by Brick Meets Click to have access to at least one delivery or pick-up service for groceries. Other businesses experimenting in the space include Kroger, Whole Foods (via Amazon) and Albertsons.

Earlier this week, Walmart launched a campaign that aired during the Golden Globes and showed famous cars — like the Scooby Doo mystery machine — pulling up to Walmart stores and using its online grocery pickup service. That's also now available nationally.

Walmart's head of e-commerce in the U.S., Marc Lore, recently said the retailer was focused on taking food delivery to the next level, in addition to its driverless car tests. He envisions a day when food will be delivered to shoppers' refrigerators.

ZF expands Partnership with Microsoft to Develop Digital Services

Whether in the passenger car sector or for commercial vehicles, ZF is well on the road toward Vision Zero. Autonomous vehicles, innovative safety systems and intelligent mobility solutions contribute to a future of road traffic with zero accidents and zero emissions. This will be accompanied by digitalizing the entire value chain. The technological backbone for… Continue reading ZF expands Partnership with Microsoft to Develop Digital Services

USA premiere of the new Mercedes-Benz EQC: The Mercedes-Benz among electric vehicles

08.

January 2019

Stuttgart/Las Vegas

Combined power consumption: 22.2 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 0 g/km, provisional details*Stuttgart/Las Vegas. At CES 2019 in Las Vegas the first Mercedes-Benz vehicle from the EQ brand is celebrating its US premiere. The EQC (combined power consumption: 22.2 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 0 g/km, provisional details)[1] symbolises the beginning of a new mobility era at Daimler. With its seamless, clear design and colour highlights typical of the brand, it is a pioneer for an avant-garde electric look while representing the design idiom of Progressive Luxury. With respect to quality, safety and comfort the EQC is the Mercedes-Benz among electric vehicles, and highly convincing in the sum of its attributes. These elements are accompanied by dynamic performance, thanks to two electric motors at the front and rear axles with a combined output of 300 kW. Thanks to an ingenious operation strategy, the EQC has a preliminary range of 450[1] kilometres (279 miles) according to the European cycle NEDC. EQ also offers comprehensive services with Mercedes me, and makes electromobility convenient and suitable for day-to-day motoring.
As the first Mercedes-Benz model under the new product and technology brand EQ, the Mercedes-Benz EQC has many trailblazing design details and colour highlights typical of the brand. Both inside and out, the EQC embodies the design idiom of Progressive Luxury. This arises from the combination of a previously unknown beauty, the conscious clash of digital and analogue elements as well as the seamless merging of intuitive and physical design.
By virtue of its muscular proportions, the EQC is classed as a crossover SUV. The extended roofline and window layout with a low waistline and the coupé-like roof recess at the rear visually position it between an SUV and an SUV coupé.
Star Car: putting on a big show with the Night Design
A striking feature at the front is the large black-panel surface enclosing the headlamps and grille. Exclusively for the American market the large Mercedes star on the panel is illuminated at night as standard and for the first time it can also be combined with the radar-controlled DISTRONIC. This ensures a particularly impressive look in darkness. The Night Design is also unique thanks to the inclusion of the fibre-optic cable for the first time. As the finishing touch to the top of the Black Panel it provides a visual link to the characteristic Mercedes‑Benz daytime running lights. This creates an almost uninterrupted, horizontal light band. The inner housings and tubes of the standard MULTIBEAM LED headlamps are in high-gloss black. Contrasting colour highlights discreetly confirm the model's membership of the new EQ family: blue stripes on a white background, and MULTIBEAM lettering also in blue.
The high-quality interior of the EQC also pioneers an avant-garde electro-look. One example is the louvred edge of the instrument panel, which resembles the cooling ribs of a hi-fi amplifier. The instrument panel is designed as a driver-oriented cockpit. The typical Mercedes-Benz wing profile is asymmetrical, with a “cut-out” in the driver area. This is where one of the visual highlights of the cockpit is located – a high-tech, high gloss cassette housing flat air vents with key-shaped, rosé-gold coloured louvres.
Powertrain: Dynamic performance meets efficiency
As the first Mercedes-Benz model to be launched under the new product and technology brand EQ, the EQC features an all-new drive system development with compact electric drivetrains at each axle. These give the EQC the driving characteristics of an all-wheel drive.
To reduce power consumption and increase dynamism, the electric drivetrains are configured differently: the front electric motor is optimised for best possible efficiency in the low to medium load range, while the rear one determines dynamism. Together, they generate an output of approx. 300 kW and a combined maximum torque of 765 Nm.
Mercedes-Benz engineers have enhanced noise comfort with a number of measures. In the EQC the powerpacks are isolated by rubber mounts at two points: where the powerpack connects to its subframe and where the subframe connects to the body. This effective isolation is supplemented with insulation measures. As a result, the interior of the EQC is extremely quiet.
The lithium-ion battery, which has an energy content of 80 kWh (NEDC), supplies the vehicle with power. The power consumption and range of electric vehicles greatly depend on the driving style. The EQC supports its driver with five driving programs, each with different characteristics: COMFORT, ECO, MAX RANGE, SPORT and an individually adaptable program. In the more economical driving modes, the haptic accelerator pedal that prompts the driver to conserve power plays an important role. The driver is also able to influence the recuperation level using so-called paddles behind the steering wheel.
The ECO Assist system gives the driver comprehensive support when driving predictively: by prompting the driver when it is appropriate to come off the accelerator, e.g. because the vehicle is approaching a speed limit, and by functions such as coasting and specific control of recuperation. For this purpose, navigation data, traffic sign recognition and information from the intelligent safety assistants (radar and stereo camera) are linked and processed.
Charging: Flexible and fast
As standard the EQC is equipped with a water-cooled onboard charger (OBC) with a capacity of 7.4 kW, making it suitable for AC charging at home or at public charging stations.
Within the EU the charging process at a Mercedes-Benz Wallbox is up to three times faster than at a household socket; in the USA the time advantage when charging at a Wallbox is even up to eight times as much, because here the voltage at a household socket is usually 120 V. It is faster still with DC charging – which is standard for the EQC, with a suitable market-specific plug – for example via CCS (Combined Charging Systems) in Europe and the USA, CHAdeMO in Japan or GB/T in China. Depending on the SoC (status of charge), the EQC can be charged with a maximum output of up to 110 kW at an appropriate charging station. It then takes around 40 minutes to charge from 10 to 80 percent SoC (provisional figures).
Technical data[2]
CO2 emissions
0 g/km
Power consumption (NEDC)
22.2 kWh/100 km
Range (NEDC)
over 450 km (279 mi)
Drive system
2 asynchronous motors, all-wheel drive
Output
300 kW (408 hp)
Peak torque
765 Nm
Top speed
180 km/h (governed)
Acceleration 0-100 km/h
5.1 s
Battery
Lithium-ion
Battery energy content (NEDC)
80 kWh
Battery weight
650* kg
Length/width (incl. mirrors)/height:
4761/1884 (2096) /1624 mm
Track width (FA/RA)
1625/1615 mm
Wheelbase
2873 mm
Luggage compartment (depending on equipment fitted)
approx. 500 l.
Kerb weight/perm. GVW/payload (DIN)
2425*/2930/505 kg
perm. trailer load for 12% uphill gradient
1800 kg
* Provisional data
The multimedia system MBUX: with EQC-specific functions
The EQC features the innovative multimedia system MBUX – Mercedes-Benz User Experience – which has numerous EQ-specific functions such as the display of range, charge status and energy flow. EQ-optimised navigation, driving modes, charging current and departure time can also be controlled and set via MBUX.
The MBUX display has a special EQ icon where numerous EQ features are grouped. Alternatively the user can access the EQ menu of the MBUX system directly using a key in the lower left control panel. Thanks to natural language recognition, the EQ-specific voice control helps the driver to operate the EQC.
MBUX Interior Assist: an even greater experience
By recognising movements MBUX Interior Assist brings added intelligence to the interior. Thanks to innovative technology, MBUX now supports the occupants by making various comfort and MBUX functions even simpler and more intuitive. Interior Assist operates in non-contact mode and functions both in sunlight and in complete darkness.
It enables the adaptation of screen content as soon as a hand approaches the touchscreen in the dashboard or the touchpad on the centre console, for example. Individual elements are highlighted according to the currently active menu. In addition, the system is able to distinguish between the driver's and front passenger's wishes and thus knows for whose seat the seat heating is to be activated, for example.
A special feature of Interior Assist is the personal favourites function. The driver and front passenger can both program a personal, favourite function which is initiated using a horizontally outstretched index and middle finger. In this way, any command which is controllable via MBUX can be stored for simple access. One typical favourite command is “navigate me home”. The system is also in a position to detect reliably whether it is being operated by the driver or front passenger. This even means that they can each assign their own different favourites with the same hand position.
There are other functions which can be controlled intuitively, without any need to practise corresponding gestures: In the dark, the reading lamp can be switched on and off by briefly extending a hand towards the rear-view mirror, for example. If the driver reaches over towards the (unoccupied) front passenger seat in the dark, it will be illuminated automatically. This makes it easier to find any items which may have been deposited on the seat. As soon as the person's hand leaves this area, the light automatically switches off again.
Intelligent services: Relaxed travel from start to finish
EQ with Mercedes me provides comprehensive services for the electric mobility of today and tomorrow. The most important new services and functions of the EQC planned for market launch include:
Pre-entry climate control: This ensures that the vehicle interior is already at the desired temperature on departure. It can be programmed directly via MBUX or via the Mercedes me app. A sophisticated system with a heat pump and electric heater boosters pre-climatises the interior.
EQ optimised navigation always bases its calculation on the fastest route taking into account the shortest charging time and the topography. The route planning also responds dynamically to changes, and can take place both offboard and onboard, i.e. externally (via the Mercedes me App) and within the vehicle. Thanks to EQ-optimised navigation, Mercedes-Benz customers can easily find charging stations, and Mercedes me Charge gives them convenient access to the charging stations of numerous providers, also beyond national borders. Customers benefit from an integrated payment function with simple invoicing.
Active and passive safety: EQC-specific safety concept
The EQC is equipped with the latest generation of Mercedes-Benz driving assistance systems. In the Driving Assistance package, these include new functions such as predictive speed adjustment when approaching the end of a tailback: when a tailback is detected, Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC reduces the speed to around 100 km/h as a precaution. In a tailback on the motorway, the lane guidance system keeps the vehicle off-centre to leave space for the emergency services.
The EQC also meets the highest requirements with respect to passive safety: in addition to the usual, extensive programme of crash tests, Mercedes-Benz applies further, particularly stringent safety standards to the battery and all component parts carrying electrical current. These standards exceed legal requirements. The vehicle structure of the EQC has been adapted to suit the special requirements of the electrical components and battery, and is configured to achieve the usual high safety level. For example, a new subframe surrounds the drive components located in the front section, and this unit is supported by the usual mounting points.
Mechanical protection of the battery: the high-safety design begins with the installation position of the high-voltage battery beneath the vehicle floor. The energy storage unit is surrounded by a stable frame that can absorb energy. Deformation elements are installed between the frame and the battery, and these are able to absorb additional forces in the event of a severe side impact. A battery guard in the front area of the battery is able to prevent the energy storage unit from being pierced by foreign objects.
Electrical protection of the high-voltage system: the extensive experience of Mercedes-Benz with high-voltage drive systems has led to a multi-stage safety concept that deploys in the event of an accident. The high-voltage system automatically shuts down, reversibly or irreversibly, according to the severity of the accident. There are also shutdown points where emergency teams can deactivate the high-voltage system manually.
Testing: Endurance tests around the world
By market launch, 200 prototypes and pre-production vehicles of the EQC will have absolved tests covering several million kilometres across four continents (Europe, North America, Asia and Africa). The test program comprises more than 500 individual tests. Like all Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the EQC must absolve the demanding standard test programme. There are also special tests for the electric powertrain, the fuel cell, and the interplay of all powertrain components.
In the process the test experts are able to build upon the extensive findings from their digital testing work, used to ensure both the buildability of the vehicle and for the simulation of e.g. crash behaviour, aerodynamics and NVH: noise, vibration, harshness . In addition there are intensive tests on numerous test rigs at the Mercedes-Benz Technology Centre in Sindelfingen. The ratio between digital and real testing is roughly 35 to 65 percent.
Production: Preparations in full swing in the Bremen plant
Production of the EQC will start in 2019 at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Bremen. The preparations for this are already fully under way. The new EQC will be integrated into ongoing series production as a fully electric vehicle. The very latest production technologies will be employed.
One decisive innovation is the so-called battery-joining centre where the EQC undergoes a second “marriage” following installation of the two electric powerpacks in the bodyshell. This is where the EQCs are recognised as electric models with the help of data tags attached to the body, and equipped with a battery. The body is suspended from a so-called C-carrier and deposited on a frame. Support arms raise the battery to the vehicle's floor from below. An employee monitors the automatic bolting in place.
In parallel with this, production of our own batteries for the EQC is coming on stream at the expanded battery plant in Kamenz (near Dresden).
Alongside Bremen, the Sino-German production joint venture Beijing Benz Automotive Co. Ltd. (BBAC) is also preparing for the production start-up of the EQC for the local market.
[1] Figures for power consumption and CO2 emissions are provisional and were determined by the German Technical Service. The range figures are also provisional. EC type approval and a certificate of conformity with official figures are not yet available. Differences between the stated figures and the official figures are possible.
[2] Figures for power consumption and CO2 emissions are provisional and were determined by the German Technical Service. The range figures are also provisional. EC type approval and a certificate of conformity with official figures are not yet available. Differences between the stated figures and the official figures are possible.

Press Contact

Wolfgang Würth

Manager Communications EQ

wolfgang.wuerth@daimler.com

Tel: +49 711 17-46508

Fax: +49 711 17-79016071

Koert Groeneveld

Head of International Product & Technology Communications

koert.groeneveld@daimler.com

Tel: +49 711 17-92311

Fax: +49 711 17-94365

Press Contact Overview

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Mercedes-Benz posts eighth consecutive record year and maintains number 1 position in the premium segment

08.

January 2019

Stuttgart

Last year, Mercedes-Benz sold more than 2.3 million cars worldwide (+0.9%), making 2018 the most successful year in terms of sales in the company’s history. The passenger car division of Daimler AG sold a total of more than 2.4 million Mercedes-Benz and smart vehicles last year (+0.6%). Mercedes-Benz is the best-selling premium brand in the automotive industry for the third time in succession. Despite challenges for the entire industry, 2018 was the eighth consecutive record year for Mercedes-Benz. Mercedes-Benz completed its strongest-selling year along with the best quarter in the company’s history and a new sales record for December. The best full-year unit sales of all time were achieved in the Asia-Pacific region. With an increase of more than 11%, China was once again the market with the strongest growth in absolute terms and the biggest individual market for Mercedes-Benz. Stuttgart – Mercedes-Benz continues to be the leading premium automobile brand in terms of unit sales. In a challenging year, the company with the three-pointed star increased its global car sales to 2,310,185 units in 2018, its eighth consecutive record year (+0.9%), making Mercedes-Benz the best-selling premium brand in the automotive industry for the third time in succession. The new sales record in the car division of Daimler AG was driven in particular by the success of Mercedes-Benz in the Asia-Pacific region and its core Chinese market there. Worldwide, models including the SUVs and the E-Class Saloon and Estate were able to generate significant sales impetus in 2018.
Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars: “In 2018, Mercedes-Benz was at the top of the premium segment in the automotive industry for the third year in a row. In a highly competitive environment, we also remained at the top from month to month, thanks in particular to double-digit growth in China and many new models that have delighted both existing and new customers worldwide. We will continue rejuvenating our portfolio systematically in 2019. We see the major successes in our core business primarily as paving the way for shaping the individual mobility of tomorrow.”
Mercedes-Benz completed its strongest-selling year also with the best quarter in the company’s history (595,098 units, +4.0%). In addition, a new December record was set last month with sales of 206,532 units (+6.7%). In 2018, Mercedes-Benz maintained its position as the premium brand with the most new registrations in many markets, and secured market leadership in markets including Germany, France, Russia, Switzerland, Poland, Portugal, Turkey, Denmark, Hungary, Romania, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, USA, Canada, Brazil and Argentina.
“With more than 2.4 million vehicles delivered by Mercedes-Benz Cars in 2018, we once again surpassed our own sales record – for the eighth time in succession. In addition, despite a challenging year, we maintained our position at the top of the premium segment. The excitement for our models and the loyalty of our customers spurs us on to continue giving the best in the new year,” said Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing and Sales. “In recent months, the strong growth of the new A-Class has shown the impetus high-calibre innovations such as MBUX can have in the market. In 2019, more than 10 Mercedes-Benz models will inspire our customers with the intuitive operating concept of MBUX and its artificial intelligence – not only in the compact car segment, but also in SUV segment.”
Mercedes-Benz full-year unit sales by region
Asia-Pacific was most important growth driver also in 2018
The number of 943,473 Mercedes-Benz passenger cars delivered to customers in the Asia-Pacific sales region was higher than ever before in one year (+7.8%). China was once again the company’s biggest sales market – not only in the Asia-Pacific region, but worldwide. Last year, 652,996 cars with the three-pointed star were handed over to customers. The strategy of “Made in China, for China”

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