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Transportation

Growing power: A quick look at the market for electric cars

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Will electric cars become more common than petrol cars? New developments suggest that they just might.

There are 1 billion cars in the world today. And only 1 million of them are fully electric vehicles.

But electric cars are growing in number, as auto giants take more interest. As Pamela Fletcher of GM says: “The electric drive is the ultimate luxury attribute – the absolute smoothness of the driving experience, the quietness… the acceleration.”  [Read more…] about Growing power: A quick look at the market for electric cars

Intel commits $250 million extra to autonomous driving technology

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intel connected car

Intel will invest an additional than $250 million into developing autonomous driving technology, says CEO Brian Krzanich.

Intel plans to help make fully autonomous driving a reality, acknowledges its decision signifies “how critical the automotive market has become for the company”.

Krzanich, who made the announcement at the LA Auto Show recently, says the new investment is part of the company’s ongoing work with automakers and system suppliers to help integrate advanced technologies into cars.  [Read more…] about Intel commits $250 million extra to autonomous driving technology

Cern introduces Tim, the tunnel-checking robot

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The name’s TIM, Robot TIM – meet the spy patrolling the 27-km tunnel of the Large Hadron Collider.

TIM, the Train Inspection Monorail, is a mini vehicle transporting a set of instruments along tracks suspended from the tunnel’s ceiling.

This smart machine is used for real-time monitoring of the LHC tunnel: the tunnel structure, the oxygen percentage, the communication bandwidth and the temperature.  [Read more…] about Cern introduces Tim, the tunnel-checking robot

BMW demonstrates future autonomous and connected logistics technologies

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BMW i models at the Port of Bremerhaven, Germany

BMW has been showing off and testing its latest technologies for the future of autonomous and connected vehicles for the logistics industry, although the innovations are intended for application in its own supply chain. 

The company says it will increasingly rely on innovation, digitalisation and sustainability for logistics in the future.

A fully-networked supply chain, autonomous transport robots and the use of existing vehicle information for the delivery process will make logistics even more flexible and efficient, says BMW. [Read more…] about BMW demonstrates future autonomous and connected logistics technologies

Samsung buys Harman to enter connected and autonomous car race

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The biggest smartphone manufacturer in the world has signalled its intention to enter the globally accelerating connected and autonomous car race.

Samsung, which makes the Galaxy phone among others, has agreed to buy Harman, the manufacturer of incar entertainment equipment and other products.

The total value of the purchase is will be $8 billion, according to Samsung, which says Harman will continue operation as a standalone business, albeit as a subsidiary.  [Read more…] about Samsung buys Harman to enter connected and autonomous car race

Audi shows off its smart factory technologies

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Audi has been demonstrating its advanced manufacturing technologies, much of which went into building its newly opened smart factory in Mexico, where the automaker’s Q5 vehicle is being produced.  [Read more…] about Audi shows off its smart factory technologies

Consumer demand, and the demanding consumer, for the holidays

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By Thomas R. Cutler

Consumer spending trends suggest this holiday season for retailers and logistics companies will drive an improvement of 15 per cent year-over-year.

With retail sales in the US expanded 0.8 per cent in October after a strong 1 per cent gain in September, the Wall Street Journal’s Josh Mitchell reported, in the best two-month stretch of sales in at least two years.

The brisk spending is a strong sign that the economy is picking up steam, with both wages and employment rising. The expansion, mostly e-commerce, proves that once again online sales are growing at triple the rate of overall retail sales.  [Read more…] about Consumer demand, and the demanding consumer, for the holidays

nuTonomy to test its self-driving cars on public roads in Boston

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On-street testing will begin before the end of 2016 in Raymond Flynn Marine Park

nuTonomy, the developer of software for self-driving cars, has signed a deal with the City of Boston and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation that authorizes nuTonomy to begin testing its growing fleet of self-driving cars on specific public streets in a designated area of Boston.

nuTonomy will begin testing its self-driving Renault Zoe electric vehicle before the end of the year in the Raymond L Flynn Marine Park in the Seaport section of the city.

nuTonomy outfits its vehicles with a state-of-the art software system, which has been integrated with high-performance sensing and computing components, to enable safe operation without a driver.  [Read more…] about nuTonomy to test its self-driving cars on public roads in Boston

Connected cars: A massive new market for chipmakers

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The Benz Patent Motorwagen, invented by Carl Benz in the 1880s, is regarded as the first motor car ever made. 

It was a purely a mechanical machine with no electronics.

It wasn’t until the 1930s that electronics started playing a part in cars, which had become much more complex and more powerful since the original motorwagen.

And electronics have played an increasingly large role ever since.  [Read more…] about Connected cars: A massive new market for chipmakers

Swisslog signs ‘major contract’ with tire manufacturer Michelin

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Michelin, the tire manufacturer, has selected Swisslog warehouse and distribution solutions to automate a new distribution center in the US.

The order value of the automation project amounts to a high multimillion-dollar range and was booked in the second quarter of 2016.

The new distribution center will supply passenger and truck tires throughout North America, allowing the company to meet its ambitions for responsible logistics.  [Read more…] about Swisslog signs ‘major contract’ with tire manufacturer Michelin