On Automotive IQ this week, we rounded up our High 5 classes realized from Autonomous Autos On-line.
From new improvements from Volvo Automobiles to trucking autonomy with Daimler and plenty extra in between, listed below are 5 of our high picks from the occasion, full with hyperlinks so you’ll be able to rewatch the periods on demand everytime you like.
In case you missed the occasion, you’ll be able to signal as much as watch each session on the occasion web site fully free, just by heading to Autonomous Autos On-line.
We’re additionally wanting ahead to our subsequent completely free occasion – Automotive Security and Safety On-line – which takes place on June 30 and July 1. With high audio system already confirmed from NVIDIA, Intel and Continental, it’s certain to be value a watch, and all the small print are under.
Within the meantime, right here’s a couple of tales that caught our eye this week:
Ford and VW seal Argo AI deal
Regardless of setbacks brought on by COVID-19 proper throughout the globe, on June 1, VW finalized its beforehand introduced funding in Argo AI. VW agreed to affix Ford as a part of a big-dollar collaboration in autonomous know-how for the US and European markets final July.
Now that the deal has been realised, the 2 companies will work in direction of a shared aim that splits into three. It’s hoped that the deal will assist share the $4bn prices, enhance the size of autonomy and enhance knowledge assortment throughout each VW and Ford manufacturers that may use Argo AI’s tech.
It additionally signifies a continued deepening of ties between Ford and VW. Each companies just lately reaffirmed their commitments to working collectively on plenty of initiatives. Along with Argo AI, Ford will use VW’s MEB EV toolkit for a European market SUV; Ford will develop a one-tonne pick-up that VW Business Autos will reskin; whereas a supply van developed by the latter can be tailored by the previous. The powertrain has not but been introduced. Fascinating occasions…
VW deepens EV funding in China
On the subject of Volkswagen, the German agency has made a strategic transfer to develop its EV three way partnership enterprise in China.
First up, Volkswagen has plonked down €1 billion to extend its share in JAC Volkswagen, its three way partnership for e-mobility from 50 to 75 per cent. The funding contains the acquisition of fifty per cent of JAG, the father or mother firm of Volkswagen’s Chinese language associate JAC.
Whereas it’s at it, VW has additionally acquired 26 per cent of battery producer Gotion Excessive-Tech Co., Ltd. for round €1 billion, turning into the corporate’s largest shareholder.
The transfer is important, and reveals that even in a post-COVID world, VW believes sooner or later being electrical. The agency plans to promote 1.5-million EVs per 12 months in China by 2025.
Micromobility round-up
We coated the truth that the shared mobility house was having a tricky time pre-coronavirus, however maybe issues are wanting up.
First up, Singapore’s Beam has simply introduced a $26m Sequence A funding spherical in its e-scooter sharing enterprise, taking its worth over $50m. The agency at the moment operates in Australia, Malaysia New Zealand, South Korea and Taiwan, and claims to be completely different from rivals by incentivising its customers to park scooters responsibly after use. It would use the money to develop the place it affords it custom-designed third-generation Beam Saturn scooter that has swappable batteries.
In the meantime, France’s BlaBlaCar has partnered with Sweden’s Voi to supply e-scooters via a brand new BlaBlaRide app. BlaBlaCar has 18 million subscribers in France, who will now have the ability to trip Voi scooters by way of the brand new app right away. The Voi scooters acquire BlaBla branding, however regardless of the deal, each firms stay separate authorized entities.
Maybe essentially the most vital information is saved till final, with Lime asserting a brand new $170m funding spherical. Along with gaining additional funds from Google’s father or mother firm Alphabet, the funding was led, considerably, by Uber.
Uber already held a small stake in Lime, however the brand new deal considerably will increase this, and contains successfully offloading its brilliant purple branded micromobility agency Bounce to Lime. It is going to be fascinating to see how each companies combine each other’s merchandise into their respective apps.
