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Category Archives: autonomous cars
EV Bedfellows – Nissan and Mitsubishi Sign MoU
Nissan Motor (7201T. NSANY ADR) and Mitsubishi Corporation (8058.T) have signed a memorandum of understanding to pursue a new joint initiative in next-generation-mobility and energy-related services using electric vehicles in Japan. The companies said today that Japan as a country has been addressing issues such as driver shortages due to a declining population, and difficulties maintaining public transportation services due to decreasing numbers of users. Nissan and MC have also been undertaking various initiatives to solve these problems.
Joint initiatives of course have potential economies of scale, reducing the intense capital costs required to develop EVs and autonomous vehicles. This is making for what would have previously been unlikely hookups or strange bedfellows. Nissan and Honda, Two of Japan’s Big Three automakers, previously announced that will study sharing automotive software platforms, core components related to EVs, and complementary products. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, autonomous cars, autonomous vehicles, connected vehicles, economy, electric vehicles, electronics, engineering, milestones, mobility company, news, news analysis, public health, software defined vehicles, software defined vehicles, transportation
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, EV Bedfellows, Japan Inc, Ken Zino, Makoto Uchida Nissan president and CEO
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Mercedes-Benz – Turquoise Autonomous Driving Marker Lights
Mercedes-Benz said today that it has approvals for turquoise-colored automated driving marker lights in California and Nevada. The exemption permit for California is for testing vehicles and initially limited to two years. The Nevada permit applies to Mercedes-Benz Model Year 2026 production vehicles. Thus a marketing component – styling with lights – is now part of the ongoing debate about the effect of autonomous vehicles on the safety of other road users and pedestrians. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, autonomous cars, autonomous vehicles, connected vehicles, electronics, milestones, mobility company, news analysis, public health, safety, transportation
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, DRIVE PILOT, Ken Zino, Markus Schäfer, SAE J3134, SAE-Level 3 automated driving
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Magna Joins Northstar for 5G Autonomous Driving Development
“By utilizing the latest advancements in mobile networks, we are able to accelerate the automotive domain by offering sensor enhancements and as a result offer more capable and competitive ADAS products,” said Bill Snider, President of Electronics. “Our focus is not only on meeting challenging technical requirements, but also on developing products that can help anticipate critical situations to prevent accidents, ultimately making the roads safer for all.” Continue reading
Circus Time – Cruise AV Collision with San Francisco Fire Truck
“First and foremost, our primary concern remains with our passenger and their well-being. We have been in contact to offer support and will remain in touch. In terms of what occurred around the scene of the collision there are many aspects that looked typical from the AV’s perspective and several factors that added complexity to this specific incident,” Greg Dietrerich Cruise General Manager, San Francisco Market said on 18 August. Continue reading
Posted in autonomous cars, autonomous vehicles, customer satisfaction, milestones, public health, safety, shows and events
Tagged Aaron Peskin, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, Cruise AV Collisions, David Chiu, Greg Dietrerich Cruise General Manager, Ken Zino, San Francisco Board of Supervisors
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Consumer Rights Nil in New Autonomous Vehicle Bills?
The Center for Auto Safety says one of the proposals, the SELF DRIVE Act, “neglects to include any consumer protections that prevent the use of binding arbitration clauses in contracts involving autonomous vehicles.” As is common in Washington the legislation is misleadingly named. However, there is a need to explore the issue as there are arguments on many aspects of technology and systems that can save lives and reduce traffic congestion even though AutoInformed remains skeptical about the ability of politicians to do so with a regard for We the People as opposed to We the Congress who are paid large sums by corporate interests. Continue reading
Posted in AutoInformed Editorial, autonomous cars, autonomous vehicles, connected vehicles, customer satisfaction, litigation, mobility company, news analysis, public health, safety
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, AV Bill of Rights, Bob Latta, Center for Auto Safety, Debbie Dingell, Ken Zino, SELF DRIVE Act
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Cadillac CELESTIQ Debuts With Hands-Free Driving Possible in Most Conditions Early in 2024. Caveats Apply
General Motors (NYSE: GM) announced today that Ultra Cruise1, the company’s next-generation advanced driver assistance system2 designed to enable hands-free driving in 95% of all driving scenarios, will have a 360-degree view of the vehicle through a unique sensor suite when it launches on the ~$300,000 Cadillac CELESTIQ 3 in early 2024. There are of course many technical, regulatory and insurance issues the need to be resolved before full deployment is underway. Continue reading
NTSB – Fatal Texas Tesla Crash Shows Seats Were Occupied
Contrary to some sensationalist media reports, the Tesla was occupied by a driver and one passenger, both of whom died in the crash. Damage to steering wheel pictured was due to an impact as the Tesla reached a speed of 67 mph during the 5 seconds leading up to impact. Continue reading
First Look – Freshened Mercedes-Benz E-Class
The tenth generation of the E-Class debuted in 2016 with what were then impressive innovations in the driving assistance systems. It carried on the sales tradition: to date, more than 1.2 million customers around the world have bought a current-generation E-Class Saloon or E-Class Estate. One out of every two E-Class Saloons sold worldwide in 2019 was delivered as a long-wheelbase version in China. Continue reading
FCA + PSA = Massive Job Losses
For enthusiasts as well a workers there are other threats. How about a spin-off FCA’s expensive low-return Alfa Romeo/Maserati operations? Simple math here: It would provide funds for the new FCA-PSA group while improving its utilization rate. Continue reading
Mitsubishi Electric Claims Level 4 Autonomous Driving Without High Definition Maps or Auto Parking
Mitsubishi Electric said it expects to realize fully autonomous driving in designated areas (Autonomous Driving Level 4 > see SAE Autonomous Driving Levels) by implementing proprietary traffic-control technologies, which are currently deployed for both railways and aircrafts, and artificial-intelligence (AI) technology dubbed MAISART. (roughly – Mitsubishi AI creates State-of-the-ART in technology) Continue reading
Autonomous Car Road Bumps – Mercedes Lane Keeping Recall
The software calibration for the Active Lane Keeping Assist in the top of the line S-class may be incorrect. As a result, the system may not intervene in the event of an unintended lane departure while traveling faster than 65 miles an hour. Continue reading
Hack Attacks – Connected Vehicle Cyber Security Lags
Then the payoff comes, but not for the car owners who have lost the rights to their own data, Smart mobility unlocks myriad selling opportunities for both the OEMs as well as so-called value-added service creators. It also brings with it a range of cybersecurity risk that never existed before. Continue reading
AutoInformed Special Report: More Press Releases than Automated Vehicles as Makers Describe Intentions
Thus, appears a new auto biz acronym – automated, connected, and electric (ACE) automotive technologies that in laughable jargon “will enable new mobility paradigms, new companies, and new business and revenue models that have the potential to alter the way consumers interact with vehicles.” Continue reading
FCA Sells Minivans to Google’s Waymo for Driverless Use
Google’s self-driving wing Waymo – a clear threat to established automakers – will expand its fleet with an agreement to add up to 62,000 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans. Given Chrysler’s dubious safety record, it’s a risky proposition in AutoInformed’s view. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, autonomous cars, autonomous vehicles, electronics, transportation
Tagged autoinformed.com, autonomous vehicles, fca, google, john krafcik, Ken Zino, Waymo
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Department of Commerce Proposes $8.5B Intel Funding
The U.S. Department of Commerce and Intel Corporation have reached a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide up to $8.5 billion in direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act to strengthen the U.S. supply chain and re-establish American leadership in semiconductor manufacturing, the Biden-Harris Administration said today. This is the Department of Commerce’s fourth PMT announcement under the CHIPS and Science Act. So-called leading-edge chips power the most sophisticated technology extant, including developing AI and building critical military systems and weapons.
“There is no one who cares more about revitalizing American manufacturing than President Biden, and today’s announcement is a massive step towards ensuring America’s leadership in manufacturing for the 21st century. With this agreement, we are helping to incentivize over $100 billion in investments from Intel – marking one of the largest investments ever in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, which will create over 30,000 good-paying jobs and ignite the next generation of innovation,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. Continue reading →