In connected car news are Porsche, SpotHero, Jaunt, Mercedes-Benz, Forvia, Hella, AMD and rFpro.
Porsche Sets Guinness World Record for Longest Continuous Electric Vehicle Drift on Ice
Porsche has secured a Guinness World Records title for the longest continuous vehicle drift on ice by an electric vehicle, with instructor Jens Richter at the wheel of a Taycan GTS. Over 132 laps and 17.503 kilometers (10.87 miles) in 46 minutes, Richter successfully maintained a controlled drift on an ice track in Levi, Finland.
The record surpassed the previous mark of 14.809 (9.2) kilometers. This achievement marks the fourth Guinness World Record for the Taycan, which has previously set records in areas such as altitude change and speed in an enclosed building. The successful attempt showcased the Taycan GTS’s exceptional handling and performance in extreme conditions.
SpotHero and Jawnt Partner to Offer Pre-Tax Parking for Commuters
SpotHero, North America’s leading parking reservation platform, has partnered with Jawnt, a commuter benefits provider, to enable Jawnt members to book and pay for parking using pre-tax dollars via their Jawnt Pass commuter debit card. This collaboration enhances flexibility for hybrid and in-office workers while promoting more efficient and cost-effective commuting.
By integrating SpotHero’s daily, multi-day, and monthly parking solutions with Jawnt’s tax-advantaged benefits, commuters can save time and reduce carbon emissions caused by circling for parking. The partnership expands SpotHero’s reach to Jawnt users in major U.S. cities, including Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Washington, and San Francisco. Jawnt members can access the feature by adding their commuter debit card as a payment method in the SpotHero app.
Mercedes-Benz Migrates to “RISE with SAP” on AWS to Drive Digital Transformation
Mercedes-Benz is enhancing its IT infrastructure by migrating to “RISE with SAP” on Amazon Web Services (AWS), accelerating digital transformation and fostering innovation. Following the December 2024 contract signing, key SAP applications along the value chain are being moved to AWS, standardizing IT operations and integrating AI for greater efficiency. This transition ensures continuous updates, streamlines processes from finance to logistics, and enhances security. By leveraging SAP’s cloud solutions, Mercedes-Benz aims to optimize business operations and maintain a competitive edge through advanced technology and automation.
Forvia Hella Selects Infineon’s CoolSiC™ 1200 V MOSFET
Forvia Hella has chosen Infineon Technologies’ new CoolSiC™ Automotive MOSFET 1200 V for its next-generation 800 V DCDC charging solution. This MOSFET, designed for high-voltage automotive applications, features a Q-DPAK package with top-side cooling (TSC) technology, enhancing thermal performance, simplifying assembly, and reducing system costs. Infineon emphasizes its commitment to advancing e-mobility with high-efficiency silicon carbide (SiC) solutions, while Forvia Hella highlights its dedication to innovation and customer-centric mobility solutions. The CoolSiC MOSFET’s Gen1p technology offers optimized PCB design, lower switching losses, and improved heat dissipation, making it an ideal choice for advanced automotive power electronics.
AMD Adopts rFpro’s AV elevate™ 4 Automated Parking
AMD integrated rFpro’s AV elevate™ simulation platform to accelerate the development of its automated parking systems. This collaboration enables AMD to test thousands of parking scenarios in a virtual environment, significantly reducing the need for physical testing. Showcased at CES 2025, AMD’s parking assistance technology leverages AV elevate’s high-fidelity simulations to handle complex parking challenges.
rFpro’s platform offers advanced sensor integration, synthetic training data, and digital twins of real-world environments, providing a comprehensive solution for autonomous vehicle development. The partnership highlights AV elevate’s role as a leading simulation tool for ADAS and automated driving technologies.