Financial Results – Page 9648 – I wish I had more to offer

Baidu sets its sights on taking A.I. and self-driving cars outside China

Online search provider Baidu — referred to as the Google of China — has been expanding aggressively into cutting edge technology such as artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles.

The Chines tech titan is one of the largest internet companies in the world with a strong user base, thanks in no small part to China's massive population of 1.4 billion people.

About 70 percent of China's internet searches go through Baidu. The Chinese-language search platform is one of the most visited websites in the world, with its traffic surpassed only by Google, YouTube and Facebook, according to Alexa Internet, which measures web data and analytics.

Most of Baidu's revenue comes from online advertising. While its primary business is its search engine, it also offers maps, images, videos and news platforms to users. It's also a majority stakeholder in iQiyi, widely referred to as the Netflix of China.

But like other Chinese internet firms, Baidu is subject to Beijing's strict online censorship laws. The government has fined companies, including Baidu, for failing to properly censor content on its platforms.

Baidu is also investing heavily into its autonomous vehicle projects and has formed partnerships with the likes of Microsoft and Intel, and carmakers BMW, Ford and Daimler.

Leading the charge in China's push for driverless technology, Baidu has already developed and produced more than 100 self-driving buses. The autonomous vehicles will soon be deployed to the streets of Beijing and Shenzhen, and are due to enter Japan's self-driving market in early 2019.

The company has set its sights on markets outside China. It's next move would be to take its AI and self-driving technology to foreign markets, bringing it one step closer to becoming a global tech titan.

End of the road: Volkswagen to stop making Beetles

Volkswagen will the halt the production of Beetles in 2019, marking the end of the road for one of the world’s most beloved cars. The German company will introduce two special editions of the vehicle before it stops making the model altogether in July. Volkswagen is sidelining the Beetle, renowned for its distinctive curved shape… Continue reading End of the road: Volkswagen to stop making Beetles

Online used car startup Shift raises $140 million

Shift Technologies, an online marketplace for used cars, has closed a Series D financing round of more than $140 million in equity and debt. The round, which consists of about $70 million in debt and $71 million in equity, was led by automotive retailer Lithia Motors. Bryan DeBoer, CEO and president of Lithia, will join Shift’s… Continue reading Online used car startup Shift raises $140 million

GM to recall about 1.2 million vehicles worldwide

(Reuters) – General Motors Co (GM.N) is recalling 1.205 million pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles worldwide due to issues with a temporary loss of power steering, the No.1 U.S. automaker said on Thursday. The GM logo is seen in Warren, Michigan, U.S. on October 26, 2015. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File Photo The recall covers certain 2015… Continue reading GM to recall about 1.2 million vehicles worldwide

Tesla Eliminates Two Color Choices To Streamline Production

Billionaire CEO Elon Musk announced on Twitter this morning that Tesla, Inc. will be dropping two of its premium color options in order to streamline manufacturing.

According to Reuters, the car company only offers seven colors (Obsidian Black, Metallic Silver, Solid Black, Midnight Silver Metallic, Deep Blue Metallic, Pearl White Multi-Coat, and Red Multi-Coat), so dropping two colors from standard manufacturing amounts to a reduction in color choice by nearly a third. Repair facilities will continue to stock all colors, and Musk notes that Obsidian Black and Metallic Silver will still be available by special request at a premium. Nearly all of Tesla’s color choices are options anyway; per CNN, the only color buyers don’t have to pay extra for is Solid Black.

Tesla has been on a bit of a roller coaster this year, partially due to a production shortfall of its Model 3 sedan, the company’s car for the masses. The Model 3 is smaller and less expensive than the other two products currently in the Tesla lineup, the Model S and Model X, and the company is betting its future on being able to pump out as many as 6,000 Model 3s per week to meet demand. Currently, Tesla is only making about 5,000 per week, and it didn’t reach that number until July, much later than Musk originally planned. Taking the most labor-intensive paint options out of the mix is an attempt to speed up production, though it remains to be seen how much it will help.

The other factor contributing to Tesla’s ups and downs this year has been Musk himself. In just the last couple of months, he has been seen smoking marijuana on Joe Rogan’s podcast, got into a Twitter war with a pop star, threatened to create his own media empire to avoid criticism from the press, falsely accused a British rescue diver of being a pedophile, and spontaneously announced plans on Twitter to take the company private at $420 per share, a violation of Securities and Exchange Commission laws. A number of lawsuits have sprung up surrounding these events, increasing Musk’s already high stress load from his claimed 120-hour work weeks. Since the privatization announcement in early August, Tesla shares have dropped an astonishing 29 percent, and are currently hovering around $275, a far cry from the nearly $400 share price before Musk’s announcement. On Tuesday, brokerage Nomura Instinet downgraded Tesla stock from neutral to buy status, citing Musk’s “erratic behavior” as the reason.

Tesla, Inc. trades on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol TSLA.O.

UPDATE 2-GM to recall about 1.2 mln vehicles worldwide

(Reuters) – General Motors Co is recalling more than 1 million pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles in the United States due to issues with a temporary loss of power steering, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said. The GM logo is seen in Warren, Michigan, U.S. on October 26, 2015. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File Photo The… Continue reading UPDATE 2-GM to recall about 1.2 mln vehicles worldwide

Volkswagen’s Skoda unions object to renewed talks on production moves

PRAGUE: Trade unions at Volkswagen‘s Czech unit Skoda Auto on Thursday rejected any ideas of moving some of the production of its premium sedan model Superb to German plants. In a statement, the unions said discussions over the issue of shifting some production to VW’s Emden plant had started again within the parent company’s management.… Continue reading Volkswagen’s Skoda unions object to renewed talks on production moves

Chinese electric carmaker NIO recovers from bumpy U.S. debut

(Reuters) – Shares of Chinese electric carmaker NIO Inc (NIO.N) bounced back from a 15 percent plunge in their market debut on Wednesday, a day after the company’s IPO was priced at the lower end of the expected range. Bin Li, CEO of Chinese electric vehicle start-up NIO Inc., rings a ceremonial bell as NIO… Continue reading Chinese electric carmaker NIO recovers from bumpy U.S. debut

MWCA: VMware pushes into 5G with Service Assurance Suite

VMware has announced that it will be integrating its new Service Assurance Suite into its network function virtualisation (NFV) portfolio to assist carriers in launching 5G mobile networks. “5G deployments will not be possible without virtualisation, service assurance, and a solid multi-cloud strategy,” VMware EVP of Strategy and Corporate Development and GM of Telco NFV… Continue reading MWCA: VMware pushes into 5G with Service Assurance Suite

Rapide E: Secrets of first all-electric Aston Martin revealed

Published: Sep 12, 2018

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by
Neil Allison

With development of Aston Martin’s first all-electric production car – the Rapide E – progressing apace, the luxury British marque has today confirmed a raft of technical details for the strictly limited 155-unit special edition.

12 September 2018, Millbrook, England: With development of Aston Martin’s first all-electric production car – the Rapide E – progressing apace, the luxury British marque has today confirmed a raft of technical details for the strictly limited 155-unit special edition.
Working closely with Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) as its development partner, Aston Martin has utilised the hugely successful leader in Electric Vehicle (EV) technology to kickstart a new era for Aston Martin’s powertrain technology and overcome the technical challenges associated with packaging the battery system and motors within the space available.
Throughout the development process, the engineering team have focused on achieving effective cooling of the batteries and motor to ensure consistent performance, while strict weight targets have been stringently observed using lightweight alloys and carbon composite materials.
Rapide E will be powered by an 800V battery electrical architecture with 65kWh installed capacity using over 5600 lithium ion 18650 format cylindrical cells. These are mounted in a bespoke battery pack where the original 6.0-litre V12, its gearbox and fuel tank were located. This battery system powers two rear mounted electric motors producing a combined target output of just over 610PS and a colossal 950Nm of torque.
Rapide E’s range target is over 200 miles under the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP), while the model is capable of charging at a rate of 1851,2 miles of range per hour using a typical 400V 50kW charger. However, the car’s 800V high-voltage battery system enables faster charging of 3101,2 miles of range per hour, using an 800V outlet delivering 100kW or higher.
Being an Aston Martin, the Rapide E is being developed with a high-performance objective. Projected top speed for the Rapide E is 155mph, with a sub-4.0sec 0-60mph time and a 50-70mph time of just 1.5sec. It’s important to stress that these figures are not restricted to a narrow window only when the batteries are fully-charged. Instead the target is for maximum performance on-demand throughout majority of the battery state of charge window, as would be expected from a conventional internal combustion-engined car. This includes the ability to drive a full lap of the Nürburgring with absolutely no derating of the battery and the ability to cope with the daily demands of repeated hard acceleration and braking.
The car’s exterior and underbody has also been aerodynamically optimised and complemented with newly-designed aerodynamic wheels. Shod with Pirelli P Zero™, Rapide E’s bespoke tyres aim to deliver a lower rolling-resistance and reduced cavity noise, while still delivering superior dynamic capability. Rapide E aims to achieve higher levels of aerodynamic, frictional loss and cooling performance over the standard Rapide S.
It has also been an objective of the project to retain and enhance the feel, character and delivery of the V12-engined Rapide S. To this end, careful attention will be paid to the development and tuning of both the electric powertrain and the chassis, with particular focus applied to software integration. The rear-wheel drive Rapide E’s twin electric motors will drive through a Limited-Slip Differential, which combined with revised spring and damper rates ensures the pure handling characteristics for which the petrol-powered Rapide S is already renowned.

Though the Rapide E will be built in low volumes, it is being subjected to Aston Martin’s stringent and exhaustive testing protocols, with the dedicated WAE team working closely alongside Aston Martin personnel to ensure every aspect of the prototype test programme follows the marque’s established procedures. Uniquely, customers will be an extended part of the ongoing Rapide E programme, with their comments and driving experiences providing an invaluable stream of feedback that will help shape and improve future Aston Martin EVs.
In addition to WAE, the Rapide E programme enjoys the support of other technical partners including Hyperbat Limited – a new joint venture company between Williams Advanced Engineering and Unipart Manufacturing Group – as the battery manufacturer, Integral Powertrain for the electric motors, Xtrac for the transmission and the H1PERBAT project consortium with grant funding from the Advanced Propulsion Centre.
Speaking of the Rapide E programme, Andy Palmer, CEO Aston Martin, commented: “Environmental responsibility and sustainability is a global challenge faced by us all. As a career automotive engineer, I’m proud that the car industry is leading the way in finding long-term solutions and reducing harmful emissions. As Aston Martin’s CEO, I take particular satisfaction working with Williams Advanced Engineering and our other associated technology partners to bring Rapide E to reality. As our first all-electric production model, Rapide E will fast-track our knowledge and help us ensure the character and high-performance capabilities of our future EV models and enhance the unique qualities found in all Aston Martins as we know them today. Rapide E will also serve as a critical step on our path to re-launching Lagonda as the world’s first zero-emission luxury marque”.
Rapide E will be built at the upcoming St. Athan production facility, announced as the future ‘Home of Electrification’ for both the Aston Martin and Lagonda brands. Aston Martin is accepting expressions of interest via its global dealership network, with pricing available on application.
Customer deliveries are set for Q4 2019.

1Predicted figure
2WLTP figure