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Mercedes-Benz announces six new Mercedes-EQ EV launches by 2022
Mercedes-Benz is targeting leadership in electric drives and vehicle software, and recently gave an update on its electrification plans of product portfolio — key elements of the strategic focus called Ambition 2039 on the way to CO2 neutrality. With the company’s ‘Electric First’ strategy, “our vehicle portfolio becomes electric and thus also our global production network with vehicle and battery factories,” said Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, responsible for Daimler Group Research and COO Mercedes-Benz Cars. “We intend to lead in the field of e-mobility and focus in particular on battery technology.” It company just announced production plans for six models on its way to eight all-electric Mercedes-EQ models in 2022. It is integrating Mercedes-EQ models into series production in existing plants. In Germany, the Sindelfingen plant will produce the EQS electric luxury sedan (in Factory 56) in the first half of 2021, and the Rastatt (and Beijing) plant will produce the EQA, the first all-electric compact SUV, in 2021. Plants in Kecskemét, Hungary, and Beijing will produce the EQB, the second all-electric compact SUV, in 2021. The Bremen, Germany, then the Beijing plant just after, will make the electric EQE business sedan in 2021. The Tuscaloosa, AL, USA, plant will make SUV variants of the EQS und EQE beginning in 2022. Supporting the vehicle launches will be the “imminent” production start of battery systems for EQS and EQE in Untertürkheim/Hedelfingen, Germany. Production of compact SUV battery systems will be at the Kamenz, Germany; Jawor, Poland; and Beijing plants. Tuscaloosa will produce batteries for SUV variants of EQS and EQE beginning 2022.
Motional and Lyft announce driverless rideshare service
Ride-hailing company Lyft and Motional, the driverless technology joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv, announced plans to launch a multimarket robotaxi service in major U.S. cities beginning in 2023. Motional’s next-generation, fully-driverless vehicles will be integrated and deployed on the Lyft network. The agreement is said to mark the largest robotaxi deployment partnership for a major ridesharing network. It follows an ongoing three-year partnership in which Motional (previously Aptiv) and Lyft operate what the partners say is the world’s longest-standing commercial robotaxi service in Las Vegas. In a significant upgrade for the partnership, the new vehicles will be fully driverless, the fleet size will grow significantly, and the service will have the potential to scale widely. Motional will deliver next-generation robotaxis, based on a Hyundai vehicle platform, integrated with sensors, computers, and software to enable driverless and remote vehicle operation. Lyft will power the rideshare network and customer experience. The two companies will share responsibility for fleet operations. The services will begin rolling out in 2023, with foundations laid for further expansion across the Lyft network. Launch markets will be announced at a later date. “Our aim is to not only build safe, reliable, and accessible driverless vehicles but to deliver them at significant scale,” commented Karl Iagnemma, President and CEO, Motional. “This first-of-its-kind agreement is a testament to our collaborative approach for scaling self-driving vehicles in cities,” added Raj Kapoor, Lyft CSO and Head of Business, Self-Driving. The partners have operated a public, revenue-generating robotaxi fleet for nearly three years, gaining experience in integrating autonomous cars and ridesharing networks, operating a commercial robotaxi service at scale, and building consumer trust in self-driving cars.
Veoneer supplies ‘world’s most advanced’ thermal-sensing system for new Cadillac Escalade
Veoneer, Inc. has started production of its fourth-generation thermal-sensing system, debuting on General Motors’ 2021 Cadillac Escalade. The Night Vision system uses a wider field-of-view thermal camera—with four times greater resolution compared to the previous generation—to extend road coverage, improve detection capability, and display a sharper image. “Veoneer’s fourth-generation thermal sensing system is a leap forward in the innovation of smaller automotive thermal cameras with increased resolution and improved analytics to enhance the detection of pedestrians and animals on the road,” said Jan Carlson, Veoneer’s Chairman, President, and CEO. “The launch of our newest thermal sensing system and the inclusion of our localization technology on the 2021 Cadillac Escalade is an important milestone in Veoneer’s journey towards safe collaborative driving.” Compared to the third-generation system, the camera is 50% smaller and 50% lighter, enabling Veoneer to include more cameras per pallet during shipment, reducing carbon emissions during transportation to the production line. Veoneer’s thermal camera is integrated into the front grille of the Escalade and the thermal image is displayed in front of the driver on Cadillac’s new 38-in curved OLED screen. The system senses small temperature variances to differentiate objects from their surroundings at extended ranges. It uses enhanced analytics to help drivers see beyond their headlamps and detect pedestrians, vulnerable road users, and animals up to 200 m (656 ft) in good weather. The system alerts drivers of potential dangers in low-visibility conditions including darkness, fog, smoke, and blinding on-coming headlights. According to NHTSA, more pedestrian fatalities occur in the dark (76%) than in daylight (20%), dusk (2%), and dawn (2%).
Vayyar 4D imaging radar sensor pitched as LiDAR alternative
4D imaging-radar startup Vayyar says it is transforming automotive safety with its production-ready radar-on-chip (RoC) platform, which enables leading-edge vehicle safety with “unprecedented” cost efficiencies. The company claims the single-chip solution is capable of seeing through objects, able to operate effectively in all weather conditions, can replace over a dozen other sensors, and negates the need for LiDAR and camera sensors. The automotive-grade, AEC-Q100-qualified RoC features up to 48 transceivers, an internal digital signal processor, and a microcontroller unit for real-time signal processing. Within the cabin, one of the chips can support a multitude of systems including intruder alerts, child-presence detection, and eCall to alert emergency services for a crash. There are more than 100 sensors in a typical car, with analysts predicting that this will double by 2030. However, Vayyar’s new production-ready RoC with a single radio-frequency integrated circuit offers the potential to cut cost and complexity. “By replacing multiple sensors with our multifunctional, scalable platform, the possibilities for simplicity and savings are substantial,” explained Ian Podkamien, Head of Automotive at Vayyar. “Its price point is similar to a single-function 3×4 2D/3D radar solution, but with substantial added value.” The platform provides high resolution and a wide field-of-view to deliver precision and detail. The company pitches its full end-to-end solution including hardware, software, development, and testing resources, streamlining the integration process to minimize effort, costs, and risk for Tier 1 suppliers and OEMs. For more info, visit www.vayyar.com/auto.
Mobileye and Luminar clarify LiDAR collaboration
Automotive LiDAR company Luminar Technologies, Inc. and Mobileye, an Intel company, clarified details of the deal they announced in November under which Luminar is to provide its LiDAR in production volumes at sub-$1,000 cost. Following nearly two years of working together at the development stage, Luminar’s technology will be used to enable Mobileye’s True Redundancy capability, with multiple self-contained sensor systems to enable safety and validated SAE level 4 automated driving. “Luminar is the first and only company that meets the stringent performance, safety, and economic requirements for autonomous production vehicles, and is proud to count Mobileye as a cornerstone launch program for Luminar,” said Austin Russell, Luminar Founder and CEO. “High-performance lidar is an important part of our autonomous vehicle solution and we have worked closely with Luminar for our next phase of driverless car development,” added Prof. Amnon Shashua, Mobileye CEO and Intel Senior Vice President. “In tandem, Mobileye has independently been working on silicon photonics-based LiDAR that could be part of our future solutions.” Luminar has over 50 industry partners, including 7 of the top 10 global automotive OEMs. Earlier this year, the company signed the industry’s first production deal for autonomous consumer vehicles with Volvo Cars. For more information. visit www.luminartech.com.
Britishvolt selects site to build Britain’s first battery ‘gigaplant’
Britishvolt, the UK’s foremost investor in battery technologies, has selected a site in the northeast of England to build the UK’s first battery “gigaplant.” The company has acquired rights to a site in Blyth Northumberland and intends to begin construction in Summer 2021, with lithium-ion batteries in production by the end of 2023. The total investment is £2.6 billion, making it the largest industrial investment in the UK Northeast since Nissan’s arrival in 1984 and one of the largest-ever industrial investments in the UK. By the final phase of the project in 2027, the plant will employ up to 3000 highly skilled people, producing over 300,000 lithium-ion batteries for the UK automotive industry. It will further provide up to 5000 jobs in the wider supply chain. The building of a battery gigaplant is also one of the key pillars of British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson’s, ten-point plan for the UK’s green recovery and an important step to a Net Zero economy by 2050. “Now we can really start the hard work and begin producing lithium-ion batteries for future electrified vehicles in just three years. Britishvolt CEO, Orral Nadjari. “It is crucial for the UK automotive industry and for the entire economy that we are able to power the future.” Designed by Pininfarina Architecture, the production facility will serve as a landmark aligned with the region’s mission to establish a green manufacturing industry.
Faraday Future and Philips to collaborate on user wellness monitoring
Faraday Future (FF), a California-based global shared intelligent mobility ecosystem company, has announced a joint development agreement with Philips Intellectual Property & Standards to collaborate and showcase vehicle features that use Philips health technologies and software. FF hopes the results will be significant differentiators to its product vision and upcoming luxury electric vehicles. The companies will explore the feasibility of applying Philips technologies for automotive use cases related to users’ wellness monitoring. “At FF, we are working with leading-edge technology partners to advance our technological innovations, and we look forward to our relationship with Philips as we push towards our vision of future mobility,” said Shyam Sundar, Sr. Director, I.A.I Product & Business Development at FF. According to the company’s product launch plan, FF 91 will kick off production about nine months following the closing of a successful round of funding. The newly announced FF 81 EV and development preparation for future models and next-generation core technologies will follow the introduction of FF 91.
