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Transportation

ABB to power South Korea’s first domestic zero-emissions ferry

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ABB has secured a contract with Haemin Heavy Industries shipyard to provide a complete power and propulsion solution for Busan Port Authority’s first all-electric passenger ferry.

The new ferry represents the first commitment by South Korean authorities to a plan which will see 140 state-owned conventionally powered vessels replaced with those operating on cleaner alternatives by 2030, in line with environmental legislation.

Sustainable transportation, including marine vessels, will play an important role in South Korea’s plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, set out in the country’s Green New Deal, announced in 2020. [Read more…] about ABB to power South Korea’s first domestic zero-emissions ferry

Car sharing promotes mobility turnaround in Luxembourg

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MOQO app assures easy operation and good service

Luxembourg is also working intensively on the transport revolution. The Duchy received a lot of attention when it became the first country in the world to introduce free local transport at the end of February 2020.

Even before that, a nationwide car sharing system was established with FLEX Carsharing, which is to be further expanded. FLEX provider CFL Mobility wants to use MOQO’s Shared Mobility Platform in the future. The know-how of the Shared Mobility experts from Aachen is increasingly in demand in more and more countries.

Luxembourg is the country in the EU with the highest level of individual ownership. Reasons for this are the high level of prosperity, favourable company car practices and a very good road infrastructure. However, the infrastructure could not prevent the high number of vehicles from leading to traffic chaos. [Read more…] about Car sharing promotes mobility turnaround in Luxembourg

Norwegian shared mobility provider Bilkollektivet chooses MOQO

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Environmentally friendly mobility concept with high growth potential

More and more people than ever before are signing up to Bilkollektivet, a co-operative founded 25 years ago in Oslo and the oldest car sharing provider in the country. Every month, 400 to 500 new people register up for the ever-growing pool of vehicles.

A co-operation between the Norwegians and the German mobility software specialist MOQO now makes car sharing even easier, more transparent and more convenient for both the operators and the approximately 11,000 users it now boasts.

Bilkollektivet currently has 603 cars in the capital Oslo and 15 cars in Stavanger, the fourth largest city in the country. The co-operative works in such a way that members become shareholders when they join the co-operative. [Read more…] about Norwegian shared mobility provider Bilkollektivet chooses MOQO

Why Car Collectors Flock to Classic Cars Over New Automobiles

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If you’ve ever looked up car collections of celebrities or the rich, or just went to a car show, you’ve likely seen a noticeable trend. That trend is that most of the cars you see are classic or muscle cars, rather than some of the flashy and technologically impressive offerings available in modern markets.

You might ask yourself why that is, and that’s a good question. You’d think someone would want to spend a lot of money on a more advanced car, not one that was made more than a half-century ago, so why is that?

The answer isn’t always that straightforward. Some people like newer cars, while others prefer the older classics. If you’re interested in the classics and want to know why car collectors also flock to these older models, rather than their newer counterparts, then read on to see why classics never go out of style. [Read more…] about Why Car Collectors Flock to Classic Cars Over New Automobiles

Mercedes-Benz unveils the MBUX Hyperscreen

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For Mercedes-Benz, 2021 marks the beginning of the next chapter in interaction between vehicle and user: the MBUX Hyperscreen takes the operation and display of infotainment, comfort and vehicle functions to a new level thanks to artificial intelligence (AI).

The large, curved screen unit lends the interior a unique aesthetic and extends along the entire width of the vehicle in front of the driver and front passenger – for whom the digital experience is as emotional as it is intuitive and effortless. The MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) Hyperscreen, which is for the first time optionally available in the fully electric luxury saloon EQS, is representative of the emotional intelligence of the entire vehicle and is highly capable of learning. [Read more…] about Mercedes-Benz unveils the MBUX Hyperscreen

Einride driverless trucks now powered by Nvidia chips

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Autonomous electric truck maker Einride says the next generation of its groundbreaking “Pods” will use the Nvidia Drive AGX Orin autonomous vehicle computing platform to handle high-speed, unmanned operations.

Pär Degerman, CTO of Einride, says: “Safety and functionality in autonomous drive are achieved in two ways: diversity and redundancy.

“To capture and account for the diversity in a myriad of operational scenarios, and to develop the redundancy necessary to improve functionality, we need the most advanced processors possible, and that’s where Nvidia Orin comes in.” [Read more…] about Einride driverless trucks now powered by Nvidia chips

Daimler and Volvo launch €1.2 billion venture to develop hydrogen fuel-cell technology for trucks

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Volvo Group and Daimler Trucks have entered into a joint venture to develop, produce and commercialize hydrogen fuel-cell systems for use in heavy-duty trucks as the primary focus, as well as other applications.

The ambition of both partners is to make the new company a leading global manufacturer of fuel cells, and thus help the world take a major step towards climate-neutral and sustainable transportation by 2050.

Volvo will acquire 50 percent of the partnership interests in Daimler Truck Fuel Cell for approximately €600 million on a cash and debt-free basis. Closing of the transaction is expected during the first half of 2021. [Read more…] about Daimler and Volvo launch €1.2 billion venture to develop hydrogen fuel-cell technology for trucks

‘Autonomous vehicles’ tops Lux Research list of emerging technologies

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The category of “Autonomous vehicles” tops a new list of 12 emerging technologies for 2021 produced by Lux Research.

The research company says that, after a tumultuous 2020, organizations need to “re-examine their outlook on what emerging tech innovations will be critical for their future opportunities”.

Lux Research, a provider of tech-enabled research and advisory services, released its annual report on the top tech innovations that will have the greatest impact over the next 10 years, based on proprietary data science tools and expert insight. [Read more…] about ‘Autonomous vehicles’ tops Lux Research list of emerging technologies

Motional and Via partner to launch platform for public, on-demand shared robotaxi rides

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Motional, a driverless technology developer, and Via, a public mobility solutions provider, have agreed a partnership that they say will “serve as a blueprint for the future of on-demand, shared robotaxis”.

Motional and Via seek to use learnings from the partnership to inform how driverless vehicles can be integrated into mass transit networks, and optimized for pooled rides.

The partnership’s first service – shared robotaxi rides, available to the public – is expected to launch in one of Motional’s existing US markets in the first half of 2021. The initial launch market will be announced at a later date. [Read more…] about Motional and Via partner to launch platform for public, on-demand shared robotaxi rides

Daimler Trucks and Waymo partner on the development of autonomous SAE Level 4 trucks

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Daimler Trucks and Waymo have signed a broad, global, strategic partnership to implement autonomous SAE Level 4 technology. Their initial effort will combine Waymo’s industry-leading automated driver technology with a unique version of Daimler’s Freightliner Cascadia, to enable autonomous driving.

Waymo brings over a decade of experience building what it has trademarked as the “World’s Most Experienced Driver”, having driven over 20 million miles on public roads across 25 US cities and 15 billion miles in simulation.

Daimler Trucks North America, Daimler Trucks’ US subsidiary, parent company of the Freightliner brand and the US market leader in commercial vehicle manufacturing, provides their experience in developing “state-of-the art Class 8 vehicles”. [Read more…] about Daimler Trucks and Waymo partner on the development of autonomous SAE Level 4 trucks