In connected car news this week were Geotab, Clickdriver, Free2Move, Maven, CCC, MDrive, Getaround and GM.
Geotab 3rd Party Device Plan
Extending its long-running commitment to open data sharing and integration, Geotab announced the launch of its Third-Party Device plan. Now, customers can bring a third-party telematics device and enjoy the advanced notifications, reporting and dashboards, and data analytics offered by the award-winning MyGeotab software.
Clickdriver Uses CrateDB
Crate.io, developers of CrateDB, a leading open source SQL database for real time analytics of IoT and machine data announced that Clickdrive, an internet-enabled onboard vehicle monitoring solution, has selected CrateDB to enable storage and analysis of up to 2,000 data points per second, per car. The system helps fleet owners decrease operating costs, prevent vehicle breakdowns, and improve fleet utilization and safety.
Free Airport Parking?
PSA has launched Free2Move in North America with the introduction of carsharing services in Los Angeles from April 3rd 2017. The progressive entry into North America is a 10-year project within “Push to Pass” plan of PSA Group and will be led by Larry Dominique, sr. VP of PSA Group.
The car sharing service for travellers will be 1st available in Los Angeles airport starting from April 3rd 2017 before a larger deployment in the United States. This offer is designed to optimize cars ensuring they rarely go unused, providing advantageous solutions to car owners (free or advantageous-price parking in addition to the benefit from the rent) and to car users (rental price approx. 50% less expensive than with a traditional car rental offer).
Maven Lyft Expresses to Baltimore
Baltimoreans and visitors to the city can now access new cars on demand for hourly or daily rates through Maven’s seamless mobile app. Maven, General Motors’ personal mobility brand, is expanding its offerings in Baltimore from the Lyft Express Drive program to now include Maven City car sharing.
Samsung’s Rahman is New President of Car Connectivity Consortium
The Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) announced the election of Mahfuzur Rahman, Director of Standards & Technology at Samsung Research America, as its new President. Mahfuzur will oversee the CCC, an organization driving global technologies and standards for car connectivity solutions. He will also chair and serve on the CCC Board alongside representatives from General Motors, Volkswagen, Daimler, RealVNC, HTC, PSA, Honda, LG Electronics, Hyundai, Alpine, Toyota, and Panasonic. Mahfuzur has been an active CCC Participant and Board member since the beginning of 2016.
The Car Connectivity Consortium is currently expanding its portfolio of technologies beyond MirrorLink including two very exciting projects: “Digital Key,” where smartphones are used to gain access to the car, and “Car Data,” which builds an ecosystem for features such as usage-based insurance.
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Bollinger Motors Reveal
Bollinger Motors revealed the first images of the actual chassis structure which will underpin its upcoming all-electric on and off road sport utility truck.
The all-aluminum chassis with a high-strength, low-alloy (HSLA) steel rollover structure is designed for optimal off road vehicle proportions. It sports a wheelbase of 105 inches, front and rear track of 68 inches, an approach angle of 56 degrees, departure angle of 53 degrees, and break over angle of 33 degrees. The chassis by itself weighs just 295 pounds while not sacrificing structural or torsional rigidity. The base ride height provides for 15.5 inches of ground clearance but will be adjustable using a self-leveling, 4-wheel independent, hydro-pneumatic suspension within the 10 inches of wheel travel. The A-arms are made of high strength steel and attach to the frame via durable polyurethane bushings, while disconnectable anti-roll bars allow traction enhancing, full suspension articulation during off-road maneuvers.
MDrive Study Shows Students Like to Share EVs
Electric vehicle car sharing could be the future of transportation for some: DENSO announced the results of MDrive, the first study to focus on car sharing for people who live, work or frequent one location. In partnership with the University of Michigan-Dearborn and Detroit-based NextEnergy, an energy and technology accelerator, the study identified the potential impact electric vehicle car sharing could have on the future of mobility, personal transportation, and vehicle design.
The study involved 30 University of Michigan-Dearborn students living at The Union at Dearborn, who shared three Ford Focus Electric vehicles for a six-month period. The students used a custom app to reserve, access, share, and drive the vehicles anywhere within the continental United States, in exchange for their detailed feedback on the experience. Onboard diagnostics equipment gathered real-time data, while dashboard cameras captured video of the user experience. Students also provided feedback and suggestions for technologies most needed in future car share vehicles via short surveys and online forums. DENSO researchers then identified common benefits and challenges experienced by users to inform design of future car sharing technologies.
“Our study reinforced the idea that Electric Vehicle Car Sharing is an increasingly viable personal transportation alternative, and groups who share common interests stand to benefit the most,” said Michael Bima, a lead engineer in the North American Research and Engineering Center at DENSO International America. “For car sharing to reach its full potential, manufacturers and car share service providers need to address the efficiency and convenience for the end user– drivers should be able to quickly and easily access the vehicle, adjust their settings, and be on their way. Vehicle range and charging become areas of focus when you add electric vehicles, as well.”
VOXX Buy Rosen Electronics
VOXX Electronics Corporation (VEC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of VOXX International Corporation (NASDAQ: VOXX), announced today the Company has entered into a definitive purchase agreement with AAMP of America to acquire all inventory and intellectual property, including patents and trademarks of Rosen Electronics products.
During the next two weeks, VOXX will be moving all operations from AAMP’s Ontario, CA warehouse to VOXX’s facilities in Nevada, Virginia and Orlando. Integrating the Rosen products into these three touch points will provide the Rosen customers with a high level of confidence in expedited deliveries to all reaches of the country.
Geatround Gets Around NJ
Getaround, the leading peer-to-peer car-sharing platform, announced its expansion into the Tri-State New Jersey area. Now, car owners in Hoboken, Jersey City and Weehawken can earn money by renting out their cars. Those without cars can easily discover and rent cars by the hour using the Getaround website, iOS or Android apps. With over 30,000 users between Northern New Jersey and New York City looking to rent cars this spring and summer for road trips, apartment moves and errand runs, now is the time for car owners to list their cars and start earning money.
Vote for Best Teen Film
Teen filmmakers are pointing their lens at driver safety, and making a difference. Toyota and Discovery Education announced the ten finalists of the Toyota TeenDrive365 Video Challenge. Now in its sixth year, the Challenge invites teens to create short videos to inspire their peers to drive more safely and avoid risky behavior. The public is invited to watch the ten finalists’ videos —chosen from nearly 1,500 submissions — at TeenDrive365InSchool.com/vote and vote through April 18, 2017 for the People’s Choice winner, who will receive a $5,000 prize and a behind-the-scenes trip to a taping of a Velocity network show.
Bosch Supports U of Amsterdam Research
The University of Amsterdam and Bosch have announced a research alliance in Amsterdam. Known as Delta Lab (“Deep Learning Technologies Amsterdam”), the alliance aims to promote regular professional exchange and knowledge transfer. In this way, Bosch is further expanding its expertise in the field of artificial intelligence. Over the next four years, the company will make a total of 3 million euros available to support the research of ten PhD students and postdoctoral fellows at the University of Amsterdam.
GM Supports 8 Universities for AutoDrive Challenger
At WCX 17: SAE World Congress Experience, SAE International and General Motors announced the eight North American universities who will compete in the upcoming AutoDrive Challenge.
This new autonomous vehicle design competition is a three-year challenge to develop and demonstrate a fully autonomous passenger vehicle. The competition’s technical goal is navigating an urban driving course in an automated driving mode as described by SAE Standard (J3016) level 4 definition by Year 3.
The universities are:
- Kettering University
- Michigan State University
- Michigan Tech
- North Carolina A&T University
- Texas A&M University
- University of Toronto
- University of Waterloo
- Virginia Tech
Throughout the three-year competition, students will focus on autonomous technologies and allow for modification and testing. They will work with real-world applications of sensing technologies, computing platforms, software design implementation and advanced computation methods such as computer vision, pattern recognition, machine learning, artificial intelligence, sensor fusion and autonomous vehicle controls.
GM will provide each team with a Chevrolet Bolt EV as the vehicle platform. Strategic partners and suppliers will aid the students in their technology development by providing vehicle parts and software. Throughout the AutoDrive Challenge competition cycle, students and faculty will be invited to attend technology-specific workshops to help them in their concept refinement and overall autonomous technical understanding.