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Outrider raises $65 million in Series B financing round

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Outrider, a provider of autonomous yard operations systems for logistics hubs, has closed $65 million in Series B funding, led by Koch Disruptive Technologies. Other existing investors increased their investments, including NEA, 8VC, and Prologis Ventures.

New investors included Evolv Ventures, the investment arm of Kraft Heinz, and Henry Crown and Company. With $118 million raised to date, Outrider is positioned to scale and support the rapid automation of distribution yards.

In supply-chain-intensive industries, distribution yard operations are necessary for transitioning goods between the road and the warehouse. [Read more…] about Outrider raises $65 million in Series B financing round

Volkswagen orders staggering 800 ABB robots to build its new electric vehicles

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ABB has received a massive order for 800 industrial robots from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles to support production of a new generation of electric vehicles at its plant in Hannover, Germany.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is modernizing its Hannover factory and is installing state-of-the-art facilities to build the all-electric ID.

Buzz van, which will begin production in 2022. ABB’s robots will be installed in the body shop to undertake a range of body construction tasks. [Read more…] about Volkswagen orders staggering 800 ABB robots to build its new electric vehicles

Mitsubishi Electric Automation launches ‘cost-effective’ industrial robot

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Mitsubishi Electric Automation has launched its RV-8CRL industrial robot, saying it offers “a high-quality solution at a lower price point, while not sacrificing on performance”.

Due to its smaller base size, expanded effective working area, and compatibility with safety intelligence components, RV-8CRL is extremely versatile in its applications, including pick and place, inspection, and general assembly.

The RV-8CRL is designed for original equipment manufacturers and end users with a focus on easy implementation, robust safety options, and a reduction in downtime and maintenance. [Read more…] about Mitsubishi Electric Automation launches ‘cost-effective’ industrial robot

Avnet poised to play key role in next-generation automotive technology

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The automotive industry is undergoing an historic transformation which will fundamentally shift the way vehicles are manufactured as well as change the way we look at and use cars, and possibly all road-going automobiles.

In-keeping with the widespread trend, Avnet, one of the world’s leading distributors of electronic components, is taking a leading position in developing the technologies required to make the future a reality.

A number of predictions are being made for the automotive industry, and many of them may have sounded outlandish in the past, but now that the public at large has accepted driverless cars as a realistic concept, anything is possible – even flying cars. [Read more…] about Avnet poised to play key role in next-generation automotive technology

Five benefits about your electric garage door opener installation

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Electric garage door openers are both a luxury and a necessity for many homeowners. They are a convenient home feature that all modern garages should own. The devices are exclusively designed to make your life comfortable as you park or leave your garage.

Electric garage door openers ease the hassle of hoisting your garage door every time you arrive home and lowering. The tech market has various garage door openers, with a variety of benefits that suit each homeowner. [Read more…] about Five benefits about your electric garage door opener installation

Autonomous shuttles: Large, diesel buses being replaced with electric, self-driving shuttles

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The autonomous mobility industry is tackling part of the last-mile problem that many commuters encounter when using public transportation by replacing large, diesel buses with a fleet of electric, self-driving shuttle buses that transport small groups of people along defined and planned routes.

Autonomous shuttles could be a key element that connects the public transportation systems to reduce private car ownership in the future.

The autonomous shuttle total market size will be over $18 million by 2040, according to IDTechEx’s report, Robot Shuttles and Autonomous Buses 2020-2040. [Read more…] about Autonomous shuttles: Large, diesel buses being replaced with electric, self-driving shuttles

Delivery vehicles moving to electric ecosystem

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The unlikely convergence of a global pandemic and electric vehicle technology is driving delivery fleets to adopt electric vehicles at ever increasing rates.

The coronavirus pandemic has reportedly caused a huge spike in package delivery. According to CNBC.com, UPS for instance, delivered up to 21.1 million packages a day in the second quarter of 2020, a nearly 23 percent jump in average daily US volume from a year earlier.

Electric Vehicle Outlook 2020, published by BloombergNEF, states that there are over 500,000 e-buses and almost 400,000 electric delivery vans and trucks on the road globally. [Read more…] about Delivery vehicles moving to electric ecosystem

Mitsubishi Electric selling collaborative robots at half price

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Mitsubishi Electric is selling its collaborative robots at half their normal price, according to a report on the Nikkei Asian Review website.

The giant industrial conglomerate has installed dozens of its own collaborative robots at production facilities around the world, and is targeting sales of 1,000 cobot units per year.

Mitsubishi has named its collaborative robot range “MELFA”, short for Mitsubishi Electric Factory Automation, and the main cobot model is the Assista. [Read more…] about Mitsubishi Electric selling collaborative robots at half price

30 critical raw materials: EU prioritizes lithium but launches plan to avoid dependency

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The European Commission, the administrative arm of the European Union, has listed 30 “critical raw materials” that it wants to secure the supply of while at the same time avoiding becoming dependent on any of them.

The four new additions to the list are bauxite, lithium, titanium and strontium.

Lithium, a fundamental material in the manufacturing of batteries of all kinds, is increasingly gaining importance as more and more people buy electric cars. [Read more…] about 30 critical raw materials: EU prioritizes lithium but launches plan to avoid dependency

Japanese infrastructure company selects ABB’s Terra 184 electric vehicle chargers

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ABB’s newly launched Terra 184 electric vehicle chargers have been selected by Japan’s e-Mobility Power (eMP) to modernize the infrastructure for the country’s electric vehicle market and accelerate the nation’s shift towards sustainable mobility.

Financial details of the order were not disclosed.

The project is part of a broader push in Japan to increase the share of electric and plug-in hybrids to between 20-30 percent by 2030, from just 1 percent in 2018. [Read more…] about Japanese infrastructure company selects ABB’s Terra 184 electric vehicle chargers