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UPS invests in and already making deliveries with autonomous trucking company TuSimple

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Logistics giant UPS has invested in autonomous trucking startup TuSimple, and has already made some deliveries with driverless vehicles.

UPS says its venture capital arm, UPS Ventures, has made a minority investment in autonomous driving company TuSimple.

Together, both companies are testing self-driving tractor-trailers on a route in Arizona to determine whether the vehicles can improve service and efficiency in the UPS network. [Read more…] about UPS invests in and already making deliveries with autonomous trucking company TuSimple

Electrify America and Stable partner to offer robotic fast-charging for vehicle fleets

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Electrify America has entered an agreement with San Francisco-based electric vehicle fleet charging company Stable Auto to introduce robotic charging solutions for self-driving vehicles in a pilot demonstration site in San Francisco.

Electrify America is a subsidiary of Volkswagen, and Stable is a startup. Both companies develop infrastructure solutions needed to deploy self-driving and electric vehicle fleets.

Electrify America and Stable say they recognize the emergence of both electric and autonomous vehicle fleets, and are jointly working to address the absence of dedicated charging facilities equipped for such vehicles with this demonstration. [Read more…] about Electrify America and Stable partner to offer robotic fast-charging for vehicle fleets

Kodiak Robotics expands into Texas and begins first autonomous freight deliveries

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Kodiak Robotics, a startup developing self-driving technology for long-haul trucking, has started making its first commercial deliveries with a safety driver behind the wheel.

Kodiak achieved this milestone just 16 months after the company was formed. Kodiak also announced it will be supporting its growing testing and freight operations from a new facility in North Texas.

Kodiak operates as a true freight carrier, with self-driving trucks operating on “middle mile” highway routes. [Read more…] about Kodiak Robotics expands into Texas and begins first autonomous freight deliveries

Recogni launches with $25 million to develop AI processing for autonomous vehicles

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A US-German startup called Recogni has raised $25 million in Series A funding to make “fully-autonomous vehicles a reality”.

Until now, Recogni has been in “stealth mode” while it develops its “high-performance, low-power AI processing for autonomous vehicles”.

Recogni says it has designed a vision-oriented artificial intelligence platform for autonomous vehicles. [Read more…] about Recogni launches with $25 million to develop AI processing for autonomous vehicles

Postmates chooses Ouster lidar for autonomous delivery rover

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Delivery firm Postmates has selected the Ouster OS1 lidar sensor for use in its Serve autonomous delivery rover, which is being deployed in Los Angeles.

The Ouster OS1 lidar enables Serve to navigate pavements, detect pedestrians, and interact with the community.

The rover combines Postmates’ Socially-Aware-Navigation system and Ouster’s multi-beam flash lidar architecture to give a new platform for on-demand commerce.

[Read more…] about Postmates chooses Ouster lidar for autonomous delivery rover

Groupe PSA tests test vehicle-to-infrastructure communications in Spain

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For the first time in an urban environment, The Automotive Technology Centre of Galicia and Groupe PSA are testing the contribution that communication technologies can make to the development of automated vehicle functions.

The aim is to see how well vehicles can communicate with the surrounding infrastructure in a complex urban environment.

The tests carried out in Vigo related to: an automated valet parking system; autonomous driving in an urban environment; optimal speed regulation when approaching a traffic light; and protection of vulnerable users.

[Read more…] about Groupe PSA tests test vehicle-to-infrastructure communications in Spain

Continental launches series production of technologies for robo-taxis

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Continental’s technology for driverless vehicles will be in production for the first time in French company EasyMile’s EZ10 autonomous shuttle. Continental has held a stake in this driverless vehicle manufacturer since 2017.

Driverless robo-taxis will become an important part of mobility in urban centers, helping to reduce traffic congestion and increase efficiency, says the company.

Driverless transport systems of this kind are still rare. Small autonomous shuttle buses with room for several passengers – which also qualify as robo-taxis – have driven on short, straightforward public routes during pilot projects and in designated areas at airports, hospitals, universities, and exhibition grounds.

[Read more…] about Continental launches series production of technologies for robo-taxis

Groupe PSA tests autonomous vehicle through motorway toll

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Groupe PSA and Vinci Autoroutes have carried out further tests to assess a vehicle’s ability to drive autonomously at cruising speed and pass through a tollgate in autonomous mode. A first trial was carried out in 2017.

Two new complex driving situations were also tested in real traffic conditions on the Vinci Autoroutes network: changing into autonomous mode in a traffic area temporarily altered due to roadworks; and performing a “safe stop”.

This involves the vehicle driving to a safe place in the event that the driver does not take back control in a specific situation, for example obstacles on the road, bad weather conditions or the end of the motorway.

[Read more…] about Groupe PSA tests autonomous vehicle through motorway toll

Volvo Trucks autonomous vehicle to link logistics centre and Gothenburg port

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Volvo Trucks’ electric, connected and autonomous vehicle Vera will form part of an integrated solution to transport goods from a logistics centre to a port terminal in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The assignment is a result of a new collaboration between Volvo Trucks and the ferry and logistics company, DFDS.

The purpose of the collaboration is to use Vera in a real application, enabling a connected system for a continuous flow of goods, from a DFDS’ logistics centre to an APM Terminals port facility in Gothenburg, for distribution across the world.

[Read more…] about Volvo Trucks autonomous vehicle to link logistics centre and Gothenburg port

Toposens launches ultrasonic sensor for close-range perception

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Toposens has launched what it describes as its “current flag-ship product”, the TS3, a 3D ultrasonic sensor.

The company says the TS3 us suitable for a wide range of applications in the autonomous systems market that require a strong need for reliable object detection and situational awareness.

In comparison to common ultrasonic sensors, which usually measure the distance only to the closest reflecting surface, Toposens’ new 3D sensors achieve “a wide field of view of up to 160° and provide simultaneous 3D measurements for multiple objects within the scanning area”, says the company. [Read more…] about Toposens launches ultrasonic sensor for close-range perception