CES holds a special place in our heart. A year ago, we piloted self-driving cars for the first time with our partner Aptiv at CES in Las Vegas. After a successful pilot where we provided over 400 rides throughout the week, we launched our public program in May in Las Vegas. Fast forward to today… Continue reading That’s a Wrap! CES 2019
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Avis to Equip 50K Vehicles with Connected Car Tech
Connected vehicles empower Avis customers to manage their entire rental experience through the recently updated Avis mobile app. Photo via iStockPhoto/Karneg. Avis Budget Group and Continental announced an expanded partnership, which will see Avis boost its fleet of connected cars in Europe and the U.S. by equipping 50,000 vehicles with Continental’s enhanced Key as a Service (KaaS)… Continue reading Avis to Equip 50K Vehicles with Connected Car Tech
Tesla is not going to buy GM factory because of union employees, says GM CEO
After GM announced that it would shut down some factories, Elon Musk said that Tesla would consider buying one of them, but now GM CEO Mary Barra says that it will not work out because Tesla doesn’t want GM’s union employees. Last year, GM announced that they are closing 3 assembly factories in North America. In an… Continue reading Tesla is not going to buy GM factory because of union employees, says GM CEO
Audi e-tron electric SUV buyers can leave the charger installation to Amazon
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2019 Audi e-tron first drive – Abu Dhabi UAE, December 2018
Given how often automakers expect electric-car drivers to charge at home—80 to 90 percent of the time, by most estimates—it’s surprising that more attention isn’t paid to making sure that those drivers can get the most out of home charging.
With its e-tron electric SUV arriving in dealerships this spring, Audi is one of the first automakers to partner with a retailer consumers probably already trust to keep it all organized and on a tight timeline: Amazon.
At an Amazon and Audi Charging Solutions page, drivers and shoppers can see three levels of home charging for the e-tron: Standard, Better, and Best.
DON’T MISS: How to recharge an electric car in the middle of nowhere: Amazon drone?
Standard means using the mobile charger that comes with the e-tron to plug into a standard U.S. 120-volt outlet—with a full charge taking up to a whopping 90 hours. (In this case, there's nothing to buy.) The Better solution involves plugging the e-tron’s 240-volt mobile charger into a NEMA 14-50 outlet that’s been installed through Amazon. And the Best solution involves using a dedicated wi-fi equipped smart charger, while keeping the mobile charger in the vehicle so it’s there when needed.
Amazon Audi charger installation
Both the Better and Best solutions, utilizing a 240-volt outlet, allow a full charge in 9 to 12 hours.
Partnership for installing the ‘Best’
While the service wants to win customers over with the Audi co-branding, it doesn’t want to lock itself to a particular brand of charger. “Customers will shop by price, by the features they need,” said Pat Bigatel, the general manager of Amazon Home Services, at the e-tron's reveal event last year. “That’s one of the reasons we don’t typically pick a brand in anything we do; we want to give customers choice.”
Through the Audi program there are two chargers: a 32-amp ChargePoint Home, or a JuiceBox Pro offered in 40-amp or 32-amp versions. Both offer voice control via Amazon Alexa and are UL-listed and Energy Star Certified.
CHECK OUT: Electric cars from Audi, Porsche: Explaining platform magic
Amazon, which has been selling Level 2 home chargers for many years—we first reported on it in 2011—bases pricing on a series of simple questions such as whether the charger will be installed in a basement or garage, whether the panel has been upgraded or not, and whether the building was built before or after 1990. It also asks for the estimated length of conduit needed between the electrical panel and the preferred location. A full service-panel upgrade is one of the top options if you find you’ll need to juggle between your central A/C, car charger, and dryer.
The Amazon service includes the installation of the charger and of a dual-pole 50-amp circuit breaker (40-amp if required/desired, for the 32-amp unit), as well as the installation of a junction box if required by local code. It doesn’t include projects that involve trenching, drywall work, or other rewiring, and permitting and inspection costs aren’t included.
READ MORE: 2019 Audi e-tron first drive: Redrawing the electric-vehicle boundaries
The charging program, installation and all, is being phased in now for some cities—with many more soon, before the vehicle's April launch. It's backed by what Amazon calls its Happiness Guarantee, meaning essentially that Amazon with be the go-between to help resolve anything between you and the professional—an aspect that could be quite useful in big-city markets (on the West Coast especially) that are short on electricians, among other skilled trades.
Another big bonus of the Amazon program: Under its terms, the service provider must call you within one business day of placing the order to schedule the installation. Amazon works primarily with third parties, which means a background check and approval process.
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Under pressure to change, Ford is reinventing itself
The company has not ruled out leaving Europe altogether if its strategy fails, said a source. New York: Struggling with a sagging stock price and sluggish sales, US car giant Ford took steps to regain its footing this week with the announcement of a massive restructuring effort in Europe — even as it prepared for… Continue reading Under pressure to change, Ford is reinventing itself
Quantum, the world’s first ‘software-defined satellite’, moves a step closer to commission
Quantum satellite will be capable of being completely reprogrammed in orbit. Image: Airbus The UK scientists have completed their part in the construction of the novel Quantum satellite, which is claimed will be the first fully reprogrammable, ‘software-defined’ spacecraft. This communications satellite has been commissioned by Eutelsat and is being built by Airbus and its subsidiary… Continue reading Quantum, the world’s first ‘software-defined satellite’, moves a step closer to commission
David Hall Honored as “2018 Inventor of the Year” by Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation
David Hall Honored as “2018 Inventor of the Year” by Intellectual Property Owners Education FoundationDecember 12, 2018|In Press Releases|By Albie Jarvis
Genius behind the Autonomous Vehicle revolution celebrated at Foundation Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C.
David Hall Honored as “2018 Inventor of the Year” by Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation
The Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation honored David Hall, chief executive officer and founder of Velodyne Lidar, Inc., as the 2018 Inventor of the Year at the Foundation’s awards dinner held at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. last night. Hall was recognized for creating the groundbreaking lidar sensor technology that is the essential component for fully autonomous vehicles and enables the most sophisticated advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Each year, the Foundation recognizes outstanding inventors for their contributions to the economy and overall quality of life.
“Inventing is my passion and I like to imagine building something that nobody’s built before”Tweet this
“Inventing is my passion and I like to imagine building something that nobody’s built before,” Hall said. “I amuse myself by innovating. It’s what I do. What I’m looking for is the smile on someone else’s face when they use my product and get joy out of it. I invent for the love of inventing and it was an honor to be recognized by the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation. Intellectual property protection is imperative to fostering innovation and is a valuable asset to new technology.”
The idea of leveraging lidar technology for autonomous driving came to Hall after competing as one of the original entrants in the DARPA Grand Challenge. In 2005, he invented lidar to give autonomous vehicles real-time, 360-degree vision that then set the stage for revolutionizing the automobile industry. Velodyne Lidar is the industry leader, supplying virtually all of the top automakers and autonomous vehicle developers globally with the smartest, most powerful lidar sensors. In addition to their wide application in self-driving cars, Velodyne’s versatile lidar sensors are now utilized in myriad trailblazing applications, including unmanned aerial vehicles, mapping, industrial safety, security, and more.
Hall is a technology visionary whose more than 30 U.S. patents cover a variety of applications. He founded Velodyne Acoustics in 1983 as an audio company specializing in low-frequency sound and subwoofer technology. In 2011, he launched Velodyne Marine and debuted its first self-stabilizing craft, the Martini, at the 2013 Miami boat show. This prototype was the world’s first sea-faring vessel with an active suspension. More recently, at the US Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural LAUNCH event, Hall presented his vision of a magnet-based propulsion system that would revolutionize space exploration and settlement.
MEDIA PLEASE NOTE: To learn more about IPO and the Inventor of the Year Award, please contact Nyree Berry at IPO (202) 507-4514; nberry@ipo.org. To schedule an interview with David Hall or to request images, please contact Robin Carr at Landis Communications Inc. (415) 561-0888; velodyne@landispr.com.
About IPO and IPO Education Foundation
Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO), established in 1972, is a 501(c)6 trade association for owners of patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. IPO serves all intellectual property owners in all industries and all fields of technology. IPO advocates for effective and affordable IP ownership rights and provides a wide array of services to members, including: supporting member interests relating to legislative and international issues; analyzing current IP issues; information and educational services and disseminating information to the public on the importance of intellectual property rights.
IPO has a related 501(c)3 foundation, the IPO Education Foundation. The IPO Education Foundation is devoted to educational and charitable activities designed to promote the value of intellectual property rights. IPO and the IPO Education Foundation share the same office location and IPO staff also support the Foundation.
About Velodyne Lidar, Inc.
Velodyne provides the smartest, most powerful lidar solutions for autonomy and driver assistance. Founded in 1983 and headquartered in San Jose, Calif., Velodyne is known worldwide for its portfolio of breakthrough lidar sensor technologies. In 2005, Velodyne’s Founder and CEO, David Hall, invented real-time surround view lidar systems, revolutionizing perception and autonomy in a variety of industries including automotive, new mobility, mapping, robotics, and security. Velodyne’s established high-performance product line includes the cost-effective VLP-16 Puck™, the versatile VLP-32 Ultra-Puck™, the perfect for L4-L5 autonomy VLS-128™, and the directional view Velarray™. For more information, please visit www.velodynelidar.com.
ZF Acquires Automotive Division of Romanian Engineering Services Provider BeeSpeed in Timisoara
“BeeSpeed is a long-term and reliable partner,” says Manfred Meyer, Head of Engineering in the Active Safety, Braking Systems, and Steering Systems Business Unit at ZF. “By acquiring this company, we will have permanently secured the expertise of BeeSpeed’s roughly 110 engineers who work for us as part of BeeSpeed’s automotive division while offering them… Continue reading ZF Acquires Automotive Division of Romanian Engineering Services Provider BeeSpeed in Timisoara
World’s most valuable AI startup SenseTime unveils self-driving center in Japan
The world’s highest-valued artificial intelligence startup SenseTime has set foot in Japan. The Beijing-based firm announced on Friday that it just opened a self-driving facility in Joso, a historic city 50 kilometers away from Tokyo where it plans to conduct R&D and road test driverless vehicles. The initiative follows its agreement with Japanese auto giant Honda in… Continue reading World’s most valuable AI startup SenseTime unveils self-driving center in Japan
Ford values VW's scale, Mahindra's efficiency in tie-ups
Ford values VW's scale, Mahindra's efficiency in tie-upsIn intensifying alliance talks with Germany's largest automaker, Ford Motor Co. is eyeing Volkswagen AG's available manufacturing capacity to help the Blue Oval revive its money-losing European business.
“We believe that if we can form this alliance with VW … it would give us the benefit of the increased scale of their business,” Steven Armstrong, president of Ford's operations in Europe, Middle East and Africa, said Thursday. He added that an alliance with VW could “broaden” Ford's “product range.”
Details on the Volkswagen deal could come as soon as Tuesday at the Detroit auto show pending a scheduled meeting Friday of VW's governing supervisory board, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.
Under pressure to dramatically improve the financial performance of its regional businesses, Ford is seriously exploring sweeping automotive partnerships to help fix long-standing issues in Europe, South America and India, now on track to become one of the world's largest markets.
In Europe, Volkswagen would help Ford amplify its already-strong commercial vehicle business, and a successful partnership could bolster Ford's reputation and market share outside its U.S. stronghold, one sourcewith knowledge of the situation told The Detroit News.
Jim Farley, Ford president of global markets, said Wednesday evening in Detroit that ongoing discussions with the Mumbai-based Mahindra Group could unlock cost-savings for Ford as it attempts to get the proper products into the growing Indian auto market.
“Partnering, we explained about a year ago, was going to be a key part of Ford's future,” Farley said. “Boy, has it been eye-opening to work with Mahindra. The way they look at costs… It's an extremely fit company. They have real capabilities when it comes to reuse. We offer a lot. Emission certification, because emissions are getting real complicated in places like India.”
Negotiations with Mahindra to partner on SUVs and a small electric vehicle began in March following a series of memorandums of understanding and collaborations on other, smaller products. Details of the Mahindra partnership should become clear by the middle of this year,a source said Friday.
Partnering with largest SUV manufacturer in India could also help Ford sell a product that better fits the Indian market. Ford vehicles are currently too big and too expensive for the cost-focused Indian market.
Details on potential alliance with VW could come soon. Steven Armstrong, Ford president of Europe, Middle East and Africa, said Thursday Volkswagen's manufacturing scale in Europe could be a boon for the company. Ford is the leading commercial light vehicle seller in Europe, but has only the fourth-best manufacturing scale.
“Quantifying potential synergies for Ford from a partnership with VW is tricky,” Deutsche Bank wrote in a note Thursday. “But between the large combined spend on autonomous and electrification, and the potential for better capacity utilization in Europe or South America, we feel that Ford savings could ultimately amount to several billion dollars in case of a broad partnership.”
The automakers have for most of the past year been in broad-ranging discussions about partnering on everything from light commercial vehicles to electrification and autonomous vehicles. Both Ford and Volkswagen have repeatedly declined to comment about the nature of the partnership discussions, or when details might be announced.
Ford on Thursday announced it would cut thousands of jobs in Europe as part of an ongoing effort to turn the business around there. The Volkswagen partnership would be a vital part of Ford's future plans for Europe. Armstrong said Ford wouldn't have continued to sell in Europe if the strong commercial vehicles business — which it hopes to grow with Volkswagen's help — didn't have a future.
The companies have also discussed partnering on the more futuristic and expensive side of the business. The News reported in November that as part of the partnership talks, Volkswagen was considering a $1 billion-plus investment in Argo AI, the robotics and technology company majority-owned by Ford.
The potential investment in Argo was being considered as Ford and Volkswagen continue months-long talks on global partnerships, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation. Volkswagen also was considering a separate investment in Ford's in-house autonomous vehicle business, The News has previously reported.
The potential deals could result in both Ford and Volkswagen saving massive amounts of money as they invest in self-driving vehicles, aligning two of the world's largest automakers behind one of the biggest bets on the future of the auto industry. The companies could co-develop hardware and software for robotic vehicles, widen global market penetration and save money on software and licensing as a result of the partnership after the vehicles launch in 2021, the year Ford is targeting to put the vehicles on roads.
Ford and Volkswagen have also focused, among other things, on globally co-developing light-commercial vehicles. The two automakers and Argo hope to have some part of the autonomous vehicle deals finalized before the end of 2018, sources told The News in November.
VW CEO Herbert Diess said after a White House meeting in December that he might used Ford plant capacity in the U.S. to build cars. Ford executive chairman Bill Ford Jr. said then that the discussions were progressing well.
“Although there's been a lot of news about Volkswagen and Ford, Mahindra and Ford is also a very important opportunity,” Farley said. “There's a lot of potential.”
ithibodeau@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Ian_Thibodeau
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