self-driving cars
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With electric cars becoming mainstream, the BMW i sub-brand originally established for the zero-emission cars has changed its focus to autonomous driving technology. That’s the word of Klaus Fröhlich, BMW’s board member for R&D, who recently spoke with Reuters. BMW, like many rivals, rightly sees fully autonomous cars as reshaping the industry. It’s why there’s been a flurry of announcements regarding automakers investing serious cash in ride-sharing companies. General Motors Company [NYSE:GM] teamed up with Lyft, Volkswagen with Gett, and Toyota with Uber...
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Google opening autonomous car research facility in MichiganGoogle is set to establish a new presence in Motor City by opening up a new 53,000-square foot facility dedicated to autonomous car development. The facility, under construction in the Detroit suburb of Novi, will take advantage of a large engineering labor pool in Michigan. The facility is also...
Andrew Ganz -
Toyota, Volkswagen latest to invest in ride-sharingTwo more industry giants have announced major investments in ride-sharing. Following the likes of Apple, BMW, Daimler, General Motors Company [NYSE:GM] and Google, which have all made major investments in ride-sharing in recent years, Toyota and Volkswagen on Tuesday came out with their own...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Uber’s autonomous Ford Fusion to hit the roads in PittsburghThis month has seen a wave of announcements regarding autonomous cars and its application to ride-sharing. Not wanting to be left out, ride-sharing giant Uber, which is developing its own autonomous technology, announced on Thursday that its prototypes are about to start testing on public roads in...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Queen paves way for autonomous cars in U.K.The Queen of England took time out of an address to Parliament this morning to proclaim that she intends for her country to take the lead on developing autonomous cars. In her State Opening of Parliament, Queen Elizabeth II confirmed changes to insurance legislation in the United Kingdom that will...
Andrew Ganz -
Acura unveils its second autonomous car prototypeAcura has taken the wraps off of an RLX prototype that looks almost like what you can buy from one of its dealers—except that this one doesn't require a driver. This latest RLX prototype is Acura's second foray into the world of autonomous vehicle development. The sedan makes use of updated...
Andrew Ganz -
Although there are some stereotypes that might suggest otherwise, cars are only as considerate as their drivers—even the autonomous ones if they're Audis. The German automaker's next-generation A8 is set to debut a fully autonomous mode when it hits the market next year. In the meantime, Audi has been testing an A7 equipped with the technology on roads in its home country. The biggest recent development, Audi said in a press release, is that the cars are learning to be more considerate of other drivers. Just how is that possible? Audi says it refers to the test car codename "Jack,"...
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Will BMW's new flagship be an electric car?Tesla is currently igniting the hearts and wallets of a portion of the car-buying public that is interested in putting an electric vehicle in their garage or driveway. Those are car buyers that the traditional automakers are paying close attention to, or should be if they're not. Germany's three...
Jeff Glucker -
Audi to launch at least 1 electrified car per year from 2018In its annual general meeting held today in Ingolstadt, Germany, Audi outlined two key areas of focus for the future: electrification and digitization. No doubt spurred on by the emissions cheating scandal Audi is embroiled in together with its Volkswagen Group parent, the automaker is accelerating...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Autonomous cars 5 years out, says Sergio MarchionneThe outspoken CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles [NYSE:FCAU] said in an interview that fully autonomous cars are about five years away from legal road use, not a couple of decades as others have suggested. Sergio Marchionne, whose company is now working directly with Google to develop a self-driving...
Andrew Ganz -
GM and Lyft on-demand autonomous taxi service could start next yearGeneral Motors Company [NYSE:GM] has been spending up big in preparation for the arrival of fully autonomous cars. First it invested $500 million in ride-sharing business Lyft, and just a few months later it paid $1 billion to acquire autonomous car technology firm Cruise Automation. The end goal...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
FCA to build autonomous Chrysler Pacificas for GoogleGoogle and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles [NYSE:FCAU] have confirmed a partnership in the area of autonomous cars. As part of the partnership, Google’s autonomous car technology, which includes various sensors and complex software systems, will be fully integrated in about 100 Chrysler Pacifica...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
The list is a who's who of autonomous driving: Google, Ford Motor Company [NYSE:F], Volvo, Uber, and General Motors Company-backed [NYSE:GM] Lyft have all banded together to create a coalition designed to speed up the process by which autonomous cars will become a road-going reality. The quintet of firms said this week that they will work together to push "lawmakers, regulators, and the public to realize the safety and societal benefits of self-driving vehicles." ALSO SEE: How electric cars can charge wirelessly Don't look for any sort of technology to be shared among the group. The coalition...
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Parking via smartphones and tablets: technology is ready, regulations aren'tIt’s been nearly ten years since Lexus introduced to the U.S. market a system through which its big luxury sedan, the LS, could park itself. Since then there have been many luxury models, and even some relatively inexpensive mainstream models, to adopt versions of such a system, which sizes...
Bengt Halvorson -
Tesla to offer free Autopilot month-long trial for current ownersOwners of Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] Model S and Model X electric vehicles who didn't pony up for the automaker's Autopilot semi-autonomous system can test it out for a month for free. If they like it, they can add the software—the hardware is already there—for $3,000. The prize for...
Andrew Ganz -
Uber nabs Ford exec to lead autonomous driving pushIn what may be the best sign yet that Uber is serious about becoming a leader in the emerging world of autonomous driving, the ride-sharing company announced this week that it has hired Ford Motor Company's top electronics and engineering director. Sherif Markaby will head up Uber's global vehicle...
Andrew Ganz -
Mercedes autonomous trucks take part in cross-border trialIn the not too distant future, the role of a truck driver may be obsolete. German auto giant Daimler, which owns major truck brands such as Mercedes-Benz Trucks, Freightliner and Western Star, is already testing trucks that can cross multiple countries with minimal driver intervention. ALSO SEE...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Roborace autonomous race car concept revealedThe first race between fully autonomous cars is coming—and much soon than you think. A championship called Roborace is being established and if all goes to plan will host its first race later this year. Roborace will be an exhibition-style event supporting the Formula E Championship and...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Google says that a recent crash between one of its self-driving Lexus RX 450h test cars and a city bus happened due to an obstruction in the road and a subsequent miscalculation. The admission came this week at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, where Google's autonomous driving boss Chris Urmson told a gathered crowd what happened in the car's computer system. You can fast forward to the 21:40 mark for the start of the discussion. ALSO SEE: Here are 5 things to avoid doing with a manual transmission: Video Urmson says the SUV picked up on a sand bag on the road and came to a stop to avoid...
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Ford latest to make “mobility provider” transition: VideoAutomakers in general see their future as being mobility providers rather than solely manufacturers of cars and trucks. This change in thinking is in direct response to changing trends like the rising popularity of the sharing economy, where, particularly in congested cities, the traditional...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
GM acquires Cruise Automation, moves closer to autonomous drivingGeneral Motors Company [NYSE:GM] announced it has bought San Francisco-based Cruise Automation, a young startup firm that specializes in autonomous vehicle technology. The acquisition, GM says, will help it move forward on its plans for cars that are capable of driving themselves. Cruise was...
Andrew Ganz -
BMW celebrates centenary with Vision Next 100 autonomous conceptIt was 100 years ago today that the company currently known as the Bayerische Motoren Werke was first registered, though it would be more than a decade until it started churning out cars. Nevertheless, BMW is keen to celebrate and is doing so with a gala event today in Munich, Germany that saw the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Ride-sharing to go driverless if Uber gets its wayYour next Uber driver might not be a driver at all, at least if you don't plan on using the service for a few years. The ride-sharing company is planning to begin testing autonomous vehicles on a sprawling former brownfield site in Pittsburgh. SEE ALSO: Google develops Uber rival On the 187-acre...
Andrew Ganz -
NHTSA Says Google Can Test Cars Without Drivers Or Even Steering WheelsIn a letter posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website this week, NHTSA told Google it can test autonomous cars without drivers, steering wheels, brake pedals, or throttle pedals. The move fits with the promise the Department of Transportation made in January to remove...
Kirk Bell