M and A – Page 9875 – I wish I had more to offer

Volkswagen Group and leading self-driving technology company, Aurora, announce strategic partnership at CES 2018

Today, the Volkswagen Group and leading self-driving technology company, Aurora, announced a strategic partnership that brings the two companies together to bring self-driving electric vehicles to cities as Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) fleets. The Volkswagen Group defined its goal of becoming a global leader in autonomous driving with its dedicated Self-Driving System (SDS) in its future program… Continue reading Volkswagen Group and leading self-driving technology company, Aurora, announce strategic partnership at CES 2018

FAURECIA TO PURCHASE HUG ENGINEERING AND BECOME MAJOR PLAYER IN DEPOLLUTION SYSTEMS FOR HIGH HORSEPOWER ENGINES

Faurecia today announced that it had entered into an agreement for the acquisition of 100% of the Swiss company Hug Engineering. The company is a market leader in complete exhaust gas purification systems for engines above 750hp. Hug Engineering is currently owned by the German Group ElringKlinger. High horsepower engines are used in marine propulsion,… Continue reading FAURECIA TO PURCHASE HUG ENGINEERING AND BECOME MAJOR PLAYER IN DEPOLLUTION SYSTEMS FOR HIGH HORSEPOWER ENGINES

FAURECIA AND ACCENTURE JOIN FORCES TO REINVENT ONBOARD EXPERIENCE FOR CONNECTED AND AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

Faurecia (EO.PA) and Accenture (NYSE: ACN) today announced they have signed a memorandum of understanding for a five-year collaboration to accelerate innovation for mobility services. Faurecia and Accenture will combine their innovation expertise and co-invest to develop products and services for connected and autonomous vehicles. They will focus initially on two areas: cognitive technologies to reinvent… Continue reading FAURECIA AND ACCENTURE JOIN FORCES TO REINVENT ONBOARD EXPERIENCE FOR CONNECTED AND AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

Opel introduces short-time working for an expected six months

The Opel plant in Rüsselsheim is scheduled to start short-time work this week. The goal of the six-month measure is to avoid layoffs. Further steps are to follow to get the carmaker back on track. Opel plant in Rüsselsheim Monday, 08.01.2018 20:45 This week starts in the Opel plant in Rüsselsheim a six-month presumably short-time… Continue reading Opel introduces short-time working for an expected six months

Asia tech news roundup – Jan 8

Ooi Huey Tyng, GrabPay’s new managing director for Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Photo credit: Grab / MovingStills Photography Funding for a used luxury goods marketplace, corporate backing for Mobike’s ride-hailing venture, and another high-profile executive appointment at Grab. Here are the day’s top tech news stories from around the region. Transportation More details of Didi’s… Continue reading Asia tech news roundup – Jan 8

China’s Didi Rumored To Buy Failed Bike Sharing Firm Bluegogo As Didi-Ofo Relations Worsen

China’s largest ride sharing firm Didi Chuxing has reportedly acquired collapsed bike sharing firm Bluegogo and is incubating an internal bike sharing brand, as Didi’s relationship with Chinese bike sharing leader ofo worsens. The Didi-ofo alliance appears on the verge of collapsing, Chinese media reported citing insiders with knowledge of the situation. Didi, which reportedly… Continue reading China’s Didi Rumored To Buy Failed Bike Sharing Firm Bluegogo As Didi-Ofo Relations Worsen

Aptiv and Lyft to Bring Self-Driving Rides to Las Vegas in January 2018

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Aptiv (NYSE: APTV), a global technology company that provides leading automated driving solutions, and ride-hailing leader Lyft, today announced a partnership to demonstrate a first-of-its-kind fully automated point-to-point ride-hailing experience during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018 in Las Vegas. “This partnership represents a real-life application of scalable, automated… Continue reading Aptiv and Lyft to Bring Self-Driving Rides to Las Vegas in January 2018

Susan Krusel

Susan Krusel is vice president, Communications & Public Affairs, Ford of Europe and Middle East & Africa, a position she has held since March 2018. In this role, she is responsible for growing reputation and leading all internal and external communications initiatives in the region. Previously, Krusel served as director, Global Corporate Communications, at the… Continue reading Susan Krusel

Aston Martin Lagonda completes Phase Two of new St Athan facility

Published: Jul 20, 2018

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Neil Allison

Aston Martin, the producer of highly desirable luxury handcrafted sports cars, today announced it has completed the second phase of its new car assembly plant at St Athan, in South Wales.

20 July 2018, St Athan, Wales: Aston Martin, the producer of highly desirable luxury handcrafted sports cars, today announced it has completed the second phase of its new car assembly plant at St Athan, in South Wales.
Aston Martin’s Board of Directors held their first meeting in St Athan to mark the completion of building work at the facility, which involves the conversion of three super hangars at the former Ministry of Defence site into a state-of-the-art vehicle assembly facility.
Directors and shareholder representatives of Aston Martin were briefed on the progress of the project, in which production of the company’s first sports utility vehicle (SUV) is due to begin in late 2019.
The St Athan plant is a demonstration of Aston Martin’s continued commitment to the UK and is set to bring up to 750 new employment opportunities to the South Wales region. Of the total workforce, 150 employees have been recruited as part of the pre-production preparations.
When the St Athan plant is complete, it will join Aston Martin’s Gaydon headquarters and Newport Pagnell site as centres of the highest quality of British craftmanship and engineering.
The fit-out of the super hangars, the third and final phase of the construction project, has already begun ahead of the inaugural production planned for next year as part of the company’s Second Century Plan.
Dr Andy Palmer, Aston Martin President and Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted at the progress being made at the St Athan site. The team have done a fantastic job in advancing the facility and I was incredibly proud to chair our first Board meeting at the new plant. Wales has a long history of engineering excellence and the Board is delighted that it will play such an important part in Aston Martin’s development.”
Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport Ken Skates said: “I am delighted to see our partnership with Aston Martin, right in the heart of our Cardiff Airport and St Athan Enterprise Zone, coming to fruition.
“Progress to date continues to match the company’s aspiration for future growth and, when complete, the site will provide highly-skilled employment and world-class apprenticeship opportunities in the automotive sector for many generations to come. I wish them the same success with the next phase.”

Aston Martin race to the skies

Published: Jul 16, 2018

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Neil Allison

British luxury brand Aston Martin is today presenting the Volante Vision Concept, a luxury concept aircraft with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities. Produced in partnership with Cranfield University, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions and Rolls-Royce, the concept aircraft aims to bring luxury personal transportation to the sky.

16 July 2018, Farnborough: British luxury brand Aston Martin is today presenting the Volante Vision Concept, a luxury concept aircraft with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities. Produced in partnership with Cranfield University, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions and Rolls-Royce, the concept aircraft aims to bring luxury personal transportation to the sky.
The Volante Vision Concept is a demonstration of Aston Martin’s design ingenuity. With room for three adults, the concept is a near future study that previews a flying autonomous hybrid-electric vehicle for urban and inter-city air travel, providing fast, efficient and congestion free luxurious travel.
The Volante Vision Concept will take full advantage of the latest advances in aerospace, electrification and autonomous technologies, coupled with Aston Martin’s signature design.
Combining the strengths of Cranfield University, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions, Rolls-Royce and Aston Martin, this new concept unites the world’s best aerospace experts, propulsion specialists and designers. The skills offered by each partner ensures that the Volante Vision Concept promises to offer an exciting alternative transportation solution for customers across the globe.
Aston Martin President and CEO Dr Andy Palmer said: “With the population in urban areas continuing to grow, congestion in towns and cities will become increasingly demanding. We need to look at alternative solutions to reduce congestion, cut pollution and improve mobility. Air travel will be a crucial part in the future of transportation, the Volante Vision Concept is the ultimate luxury mobility solution.
“Humans have always spent on average, one hour commuting to and from work. The distance we live from our workplace has been determined by the methods of transportation available. The Volante Vision Concept will enable us to travel further with our hourly commute, meaning we are able to live further away from where we work. Cities will grow, and towns that are today too far away from cities to be commutable will become suburban.
“With Aston Martin and our ‘dream team’ of British innovation across industry and academia, we are positioned to change the future of transportation, giving our customers a new dimension of freedom”.
Professor Iain Gray, Director of Aerospace at Cranfield University said: “We’re delighted to be part of this exciting and forward-thinking project that showcases British innovation and the way that Cranfield works with and supports business. The Volante Vision Concept exemplifies Cranfield’s unique capabilities in digital aviation, autonomous systems and the electrification of aerospace, and is an excellent example of how the University combines cutting-edge research, academic rigour and real-world application.”
Cranfield Aerospace Solutions (CAeS) CEO Paul Hutton said: “The introduction of autonomous and electric propulsion technologies into new aircraft designs is both inevitable and challenging, and as the UK’s leading aircraft design and production SME we are excited to be playing this key role in the Volante Vision Concept and so to be at the vanguard of this revolution in aerospace.”
Director, Rolls-Royce Electrical Rob Watson said: “We are delighted to be involved in the Volante Vision Concept, which showcases the best of British design and engineering. Rolls-Royce has already delivered hybrid-electric systems for other applications including ships and trains, and we’re very excited about the potential of the technology in aerospace. This is a great opportunity to collaborate on a pioneering project which will use high performancehybrid-electric propulsion technologies for personal air mobility concepts that could transform the future of transportation.”
As the designer of cars such as the Aston Martin DB11, the new Vantage, the DBS Superleggera and Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar project – Aston Martin EVP and Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman holds the key to the distinctive design language of the new Aston Martins.
“We are at the beginning of a new generation of urban transportation, vertical mobility is no longer a fantasy. We have a unique chance to create a luxury concept aircraft that will represent the ultimate fusion of art and technology.” says Reichman.
“We have used forms and proportions that express the same devotion to design, engineering and beauty that shape our cars.”