In connected car news this week were BMW, Valeo, Metamoto, HyundaiMobis, CES, HERE, Toshiba, Acuant, EVgo, Xevo, Faurecia and Qualcomm.
Docomo & Valeo 5GV2X
Docomo and Valeo partner for the connected car. The two companies will launch the initiative to develop and deploy services from April 13.
Docomo works for the wide usage and promotion of the Internet of Things (IoT) in the automotive domain, among others, through the 5G mobile communication network planned for commercial use in 2020 and mobile networks such as IoT. Valeo is an automotive supplier developing technologies at the heart of the three revolutions shaping today’s automotive industry: electrification, autonomous and connected vehicles, and digital mobility.
Under the agreement, Valeo and Docomo will combine their respective expertise and solutions to offer telecommunication services and on-board equipment for connected cars, including next-generation mobility services in the era of 5G/V2X*, digital services for cars using smart phones, and enhanced controls for on-board equipment.
The two companies will jointly develop innovative products and solutions and will gradually offer new mobility services for connected cars, in order to create a further enhanced life on-board.
Metamoto Early Engagement
Metamoto, Inc., a Silicon Valley startup offering scalable simulation solutions for autonomous vehicles, announced it has enlisted an assembly of leading automotive players in its early engagement program. The announcement coincides with the start of Metamoto’s Series A fundraising on the heels of a successful $2M seed round fundraise, led by investor group Motus Ventures and UL, a strategic investor, in July.
Participants were selected to ensure perspectives were represented from across the transportation value chain, including: OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers, transportation network companies (TNCs) and stack, sensor and other technology providers. All engagement projects are already in progress or in the final stages of planning.
Through its structured early engagement program, Metamoto will foster the process of learning via an accelerated feedback loop to enable iteration before the launch of the company’s highly-anticipated Simulation as a Service offering for autonomous system training, testing, debugging and validation workflows.
HyundaiMobis Design Model Workshop
Hyundai Mobis, has established a ‘Design Model Workshop’, a cutting-edge design research facility in order to secure a competitive edge in auto component design. It is the first time in Korea that an automotive supplier, rather than a Global Automaker, has launched its own design research facility.
Hyundai Mobis plans to create models of new cars and establish an optimal component design process that best suits each car model. The design workshop is expected to facilitate the design process because they can get a car model in the early stage of component design and fabricate and modify samples in a single place. Another merit is that designers can see the design of a real model, rather than simply seeing a virtual one on the monitor.Hyundai Mobis is expected to respond to customer demand faster and more accurately by actively utilizing the Design Model Workshop. This is because using 3D printers can significantly reduce the time to make a sample, consequently saving development duration and cost. The automotive supplier plans to improve precision by scanning samples with a 360-degree rotating 3D scanner and utilizing data acquired from scanning.
CES ASIA 2018 Most Automotive
The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) announced today that CES Asia 2018 will feature the largest vehicle technology exhibit to date with leading automakers and vehicle tech companies launching new self-driving technologies and the latest concept cars. Advances in technology are making cars safer and more connected. At CES Asia audiences will experience the latest breakthroughs in self-driving vehicles and more interactive features, including more integrated applications of artificial intelligence. Horizon Robotics, whose embedded AI solution is giving self-driving vehicles its “brain,” will debut at the show. Baidu will offer two driving demos onsite, self-driving level 3 (conditional automation) and self-driving level 4 (high automation) on a newly expanded outdoor exhibit area. CES Asia will run June 13-15, 2018 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC).
HERE Technologies Opens Self-Driving Car R&D site in Boulder, Colorado
Boulder, CO – The leading global provider of high-definition maps for autonomous vehicles, HERE Technologies, has opened a new R&D facility in Boulder, Colorado. The site brings together experts in geospatial engineering, machine learning and data science to work on cutting-edge processes that enable HERE’s HD Live Map to “self-heal”. This is where crowdsourced data from live car sensors are used to validate and update the high-definition map, keeping it constantly fresh and accurate.
HERE HD Live Map is essential for the overall safety and comfort of autonomous driving. The vehicle relies on the map to localize itself on the road, as well as to better understand the road environment beyond the range of its near-field sensors for strategic path planning.
Toshiba new MOSFETs
Fabricated using the latest ninth generation trench U-MOS IX-H process and housed in a small low-resistance package, the new MOSFETs provide low on-resistance and thus help reduce conduction loss. The U-MOS IX-H design also lowers switching noise compared with Toshiba’s previous design (U-MOS IV), helping to reduce EMI (Electromagnetic Interference).
The SOP Advance (WF) package adopts a wettable flank terminal structure, which enables AOI (Automated Optical Inspection) after soldering.
Applications
- Electric power steering (EPS)
- Load switches
- Electric pumps
Acuant Identity Confirmation Partnerships
Acuant, a global provider of identity verification solutions, today announced two new /customers in the automotive sector. Atlanta-based Clutch Technologies, a provider of technology that powers subscription access for the automotive industry, and Pony Car Sharing, a European ride sharing service, have both chosen Acuant for identity verification. Additionally, both companies will employ Acuant’s Facial Recognition Match (FRM) to offer a superior customer experience while minimizing theft and fraud.
Clutch chose Acuant’s patented technology to authenticate driver’s licenses. As part of the verification process, Acuant extracts biometric and alphanumeric data from IDs and applies 50+ forensic tests instantly. Clutch will also perform facial recognition match to validate users.
Pony Car Sharing chose Acuant to verify members during onboarding, automatically capturing and validating identification information. Identity information will then accurately auto-populate the Pony Car Sharing database. This eliminates manual entry, photocopying and paperwork. Pony Car Sharing will also employ Acuant FRM for stronger authentication. Customers using the Pony Car Sharing app can be remotely authenticated and unlock cars with their mobile phones.
EVGo Provides Chargers for GM’s Maven
EVgo, the nation’s largest network of public electric vehicle (EV) DC Fast charging stations, announced an agreement with Maven, General Motors’ car sharing brand, to construct a dedicated DC fast charging network available to Maven Gig Chevrolet Bolt EV drivers. This agreement builds upon the success of EVgo and Maven’s current pilot programs powering Bolt drivers in seven major US cities.
Today, Maven drivers use public EVgo fast chargers in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Boston, Washington DC, Baltimore, and Austin. EVgo’s new dedicated network for Maven will expand to hundreds of charging stations in Maven markets across the country.
BMW Autonomous Campus
The BMW Group’s campus for autonomous driving is a state-of-the-art centre of excellence that covers every base when it comes to offering greater capacity for innovation and increased development efficiency – and ultimately securing the company’s future sustainability.
The BMW Group is intending to drive forward development of highly automated vehicles with the new campus in Unterschleißheim, and is looking to recruit IT specialists and software developers in the areas of artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analysis.
The autonomous driving campus is opening its doors to “new working environments” – i.e. an open-plan layout, intelligent and flexible use of office space, and a multifaceted and creative workplace. The benefits for the development experts employed here are clear: flexibility, efficiency, a high level of autonomy and short distances. This means, for example, that a software developer working at the new campus can immediately test out freshly written code in a vehicle that is just a short walk away.
The BMW Group is the first company in the automotive industry to apply the agile working model systematically and universally for an entire specialist area – in this case across autonomous driving and driver assistance, from the research phase all the way through to series production development. Agile working models form a crucial basis for efficient, future-proof development.
Xevo Promotes to Restaurants
Xevo, the global leader in data-driven user experiences for the automotive industry, today announced that they will be speaking at the Restaurant Leadership Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, April 15-18. Attendees will also have the opportunity to see the groundbreaking in-vehicle merchant-to-driver commerce platform live in a 2018 Chevrolet Camaro at the show. Xevo partnered with General Motors to deliver a powerful new channel in mobile commerce, making it possible for restaurant companies to engage their customers in automotive environments. Several Xevo restaurant partners are already deployed on the platform, including Applebee’s and IHOP from Dine Brands Global, one of the largest full-service dining companies in the world and a true innovator in omni-channel mobile ordering.
EV Carsharing White Paper
Electric carsharing gives new impetus for the breakthrough of electric vehicles. car2go, the global market leader in the free-floating carsharing sector, published a White Paper showcasing the five main reasons why e-carsharing plays a central role in the development of electric mobility.
The White Paper can be downloaded here.
New HUX Head for VW
Volkswagen is consistently preparing itself to become the most user centered mobility brand. Therefore, the company established the new Holistic User Experience (HUX) division headed by Dr. Matthias Erb. In his new role he reports directly to the CEO of the Volkswagen brand, Dr. Herbert Diess.
The number of so-called “touch points” between Volkswagen and its customers will further increase over the next years. The touch points are within the car, around the vehicle, and via internet through apps and websites.
Volkswagen will offer an end-to-end user experience to its customers, which will be among the best and most exciting in the market in terms of interaction at all touch points.
The HUX division will be steering the interaction between Technical Development, Design, Product Lines and Sales, in order to, amongst others, ensure the smooth integration of the vehicle into the digital world.
Intuitive usability in combination with the complete integration of a continuously growing range of functions such as infotainment, mobility and value-added services will serve as guiding principles.
Creating a unique and consistent look and feel at all touch points will be the division’s core task as the ecosystem around the relationship between company and customer is continuously expanding.
Initially, the focus of the Holistic User Experience team will be the I.D. family, the new generation of electric cars based on the modular electrification toolkit (MEB). The scope of work will gradually extend to the entire model portfolio.
Faurecia New Tech Center
Faurecia, one of the world’s leading automotive technology companies, announces the opening of a new tech center in Yokohama, Japan, for its Seating, Interiors and Clean Mobility businesses.
With this strengthened presence, the Group will accelerate the development of technologies for Smart Life on Board and Sustainable Mobility through reinforced customer intimacy and the establishment of technology partnerships.
Qualcomm Owns NXP Now
Qualcomm Incorporated announced that Qualcomm River Holdings B.V., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm, has extended the offering period of its previously announced cash tender offer to purchase all of the outstanding common shares of NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ: NXPI). The tender offer is being made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, dated as of October 27, 2016, by and between Qualcomm River Holdings B.V. and NXP, as amended (the “Purchase Agreement”). The tender offer is now scheduled to expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on April 20, 2018, unless extended or earlier terminated, in either case pursuant to the terms of the Purchase Agreement.
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