In connected car news are GMC, Toyota AI, Volvo, Opus IVS, TomTom, FEV, HERE, what3words, Tyrata, SmartSens, Hyundai, Nexteer, OneSpin and ADASKY.
GMC Spring Hill is Factory Zero
General Motors Co. announced that its Spring Hill, Tennessee assembly plant will begin the transition to become the company’s third vehicle manufacturing site to produce electric vehicles, joining Factory ZERO in Detroit and Hamtramck, Michigan, and Orion Assembly in Orion Township, Michigan. In addition, the company is confirming investments in five Michigan plants, including the Lansing Delta Township Assembly and Flint Assembly for future crossover and full-size pickup production.
The all-new Cadillac LYRIQ will be the first EV produced at Spring Hill. Production of the Cadillac XT6 and XT5 will continue at Spring Hill. The facility will build both traditionally powered Cadillac products and EVs.
Toyota AI Invests in YPC Tech
Toyota AI Ventures, Toyota’s early-stage venture capital fund, today announced its investment in YPC Technologies, a robotic kitchen startup based in Montreal, Canada. The funding follows YPC Technologies’ participation in the 2020 Toyota AI Ventures “call for innovation” focused on smart, connected cities that launched earlier this year in partnership with Toyota Research Institute – Advanced Development (TRI-AD) and Toyota Research Institute (TRI).
Toyota AI Ventures views cities as a platform for innovation, and this year’s global call for innovation focused on attracting and investing in early-stage startups that are building solutions for smart and connected cities in the areas of artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomy, mobility, cloud, or data. The call allowed Toyota AI Ventures, TRI-AD, and TRI to discover startups across a variety of different verticals that are solving real-world problems.
Based in Tokyo, Japan, TRI-AD is overseeing Toyota’s Woven City, which will serve as a living laboratory for innovations such as mobility and robotics. “Urban communities face complex challenges to long-term sustainability,” said Dr. James Kuffner, CEO of TRI-AD and chief digital officer and member of the Board of Directors of Toyota Motor Corporation. “There is an immense need for more inventors, thinkers, and creators to help the cities of our world better support happy, healthy human life.”//
Care by Volvo More Flexible
Care by Volvo, the only national flat rate car subscription service, is now more flexible than ever with new customers having the option to upgrade or return a new subscription any time after the first four months.
The flexible subscription enhances Care by Volvo as an alternative to traditional car leasing and financing and is inclusive of maintenance and insurance costs.
“Care by Volvo has been very popular in bringing new people into the Volvo brand,” said Peter Wexler, Head of Care by Volvo, VCUSA. “By offering our customers flexibility alongside insurance, tire protection, maintenance and other services, we believe Care by Volvo is the most flexible all-inclusive option available when it comes to car ownership.”
Earlier this year, the Care by Volvo offer was expanded to include vehicles in retail stock, meaning customers can walk into a Volvo retailer, choose to finance, lease or subscribe to any car they see, and drive away in a vehicle the same day. The change also allows Care by Volvo customers access to a wider range of Volvo models and trim levels allowing for greater choice and a potentially lower monthly payment.
Offered in partnership with Volvo retailers throughout the country, updates to the Care by Volvo program offer customers added flexibility and ease, reducing the complexity in car ownership.
Opus IVS Intros New ScanSafe
Opus IVS, formerly DrewTech, announces the availability of a new collision scanning solution, ScanSafe™. ScanSafe is a comprehensive scanning solution that brings together OEM scanning, aftermarket quick scanning, calibration, programming, and live diagnostic support through a consistent user interface that integrates into the existing workflow of CCC ONE® Platform users, making it easy to conduct pre-scans, in-process scans, and post-repair scans. Scan results and invoices will flow back into CCC ONE.
The patented technology from the industry leader in J2534 and remote flash programming provides the Opus IVS core solutions of OEM Scan, QuickScan, IVS 360, and RAP (Remote Assisted Programming). IVS360 connects the shop with 100+ brand-specific master technicians to help interpret trouble codes, review OEM service procedures, and provide diagnostic assistance directly through the tool. “Our live repair guidance and remote programming experts give customers what they need to perform complex repairs on high-tech vehicles. We are proud to help lead the collision repair industry into the future of diagnosing, calibrating, and programming advanced vehicles,” notes Herron.
Lightning Systems, a leading provider of complete electrification solutions for commercial fleets, today announced that it is expanding and renaming the company to Lightning eMotors, effective immediately.
TomTom Parnters with Huawei
TomTom, the location technology specialist, today announced that Huawei has selected TomTom to fuel its new map application. Petal Maps offers maps, turn-by-turn navigation, traffic information and search. The app comes with the new HUAWEI Mate 40 Series and is available for download on the HUAWEI AppGallery in over 140 countries and regions.
FEV’s Uniper PoC MFC
FEV, a globally leading service provider of vehicle and powertrain development for hardware and software, supported Uniper from ideation to Proof of Concept (PoC) of the Mobile Fast Charging Solution (MFC), an innovative charging infrastructure approach. One prerequisite for the successful transition of e-mobility from niche to mass is an efficient charging infrastructure. However, especially at places with fluctuating charging demand, operators are reluctant to install stationary charging stations given the lacking business case.
Uniper’s power bank for electric vehicles addresses this issue. It can be used to cover peak demands without the need of large investments into grid reinforcements and transformer stations. MFC is capable of operating independently from the power grid. Once the batteries are drained, the station is replaced by a new one.
Key facts and data also include:
- FEV developed and manufactured a unique Mobile Fast Charging Station for Uniper to provide Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)
- The Proof of Concept provides up to 75 kW charging power to two vehicles in parallel and entails up to 1,000 km electric driving range
- The charging station is managed as an Internet of Things (IoT) device, allowing for remote condition monitoring and organization of operations
- A dedicated power supply and logistics network handles recharging and exchange, using 100 percent CO2 emission-free energy
- The fully charged new station guarantees a seamless energy supply, and the replaced MFC is recharged at a special charging hub and brought back into the field
In the first step, FEV Consulting supported Uniper by deriving business model ideas for applications of MFCs, before a consumer survey was conducted to confirm the business model analysis. Eventually, FEV Consulting and EVA Fahrzeugtechnik, a subsidiary of FEV Group in the business segment Electronics & Electrification, developed and manufactured a unique Mobile Fast Charging Station for Electric Vehicles from scratch.
HERE Partners with what3words
HERE and what3words have partnered up to offer the next generation of precision in-car navigation. OEMs using HERE Technologies can now include what3words as an in-car navigation feature, with drivers of enabled vehicles able to navigate to any precise 3-meter square using a what3words address.
HERE is the world’s leading navigation platform with its map data services found in 150 million vehicles worldwide. The platform offers industry-leading products designed to use the latest location content, such as road networks, buildings and traffic systems. The addition of what3words address entry means that drivers can experience the smartest mapping systems, alongside the break-through address system.
what3words is an innovative addressing system which has divided the world into a grid of 3-meter squares and given each square a unique combination of three words: a what3words address. For example, HERE’s Chicago office can be found at ///memory.traps.lease. what3words enables people to easily convey locations as specific as building entrances or parking spots and it provides easy location references in places with no street addresses, such as beaches, parks and remote hiking trails.
Drivers can input a what3words address directly into their car head unit or connected car app, just as they would a street address or point of interest. Millions of what3words addresses are being used over the world, with drivers finding them in booking confirmations, guidebooks, website contact pages or in messages sent by friends. Drivers can also discover what3words addresses on the free what3words app or the online map. what3words’ technology has been adopted by global car companies, logistics providers and mobility apps, including Mercedes-Benz, Tata Motors, DB Schenker, Hermes and Cabify.
Tyrata IntelliTread DOS
Tyrata, Inc., a tire sensor and data management company, has raised $2.9 million in financing from global investors. Tyrata was able to raise the funds in spite of significant COVID-19 pandemic headwinds, a confirmation of the persistent market-demand for automated tread depth monitoring and the strength of Tyrata’s technology and data services offering. The funds will be used to complete customer qualification of the IntelliTread™ Drive-Over System (DOS), establish high-volume manufacturing in global markets and speed development of the Tyrata Internal Tread Sensor product line.
technology and data services offering. The funds will be used to complete customer qualification of the IntelliTread™ Drive-Over System (DOS), establish high-volume manufacturing in global markets and speed development of the Tyrata Internal Tread Sensor product line.
The IntelliTread™ Drive-Over System was developed based on the unmet need for low-cost, easy-to-deploy tread wear monitoring in both passenger and commercial vehicle fleets. DOS collects tire wear data when a vehicle drives over a speed-bump-like unit which is then linked to cloud-based data analytics to alert service and depot managers as to the actual condition of the tire tread in real time. The system automates critical safety and tire management processes that are typically costly, slow and labor-intensive, and provides daily feedback for a more efficient and safer operation.
SmartSens new 130W pixel CMOS
SmartSens announced the launch of its SC133GS CMOS 130W pixel CMOS sensor with global shutter and fan-out package to further enhance performance in automotive settings. The solution delivers superior signal-to-noise ratio, ultra-high sensitivity, and excellent dynamic range to address growing demand for intelligent in-vehicle technology and smart car applications such as driver monitoring systems (DMS).
DMS systems equipped with the SC133GS can monitor driver attentiveness by tracking face and head movements during vehicle operation. The solution facilitates identification of eyelid closure, blinking, gaze direction, yawning, and head movements—all of which can indicate dangerous situations that precede potential road hazards and accidents. The real-time feedback and data from the SC133GS can be used to trigger alerts and warnings for the driver and vehicle occupants.
In low-light driving environments, the sensor’s ultra-high sensitivity (QE @ 940 nm > 40%), which is capable of reading near-infrared light, offers unprecedented visibility of vehicle occupants.
Combined with a high 120 fps frame rate and single-frame HDR technology that has garnered numerous industry awards to provide real-time images with clearly visible light and dark details, the sensor can accurately capture the most subtle changes in occupants’ movements—such as dropping eyelids and downward tilting of the head. The result is high-quality and undistorted information for intelligent recognition systems to improve overall safety.]///
Fisker Inc. today announced that it is set to reveal the production version of the Fisker Ocean, its all-electric SUV, at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show. Fisker recently announced a strategic cooperation with Magna International supporting the co-development and manufacture of the Fisker Ocean SUV, projected to launch in Q4 2022. The Ocean will be assembled by Magna in Europe and is poised to deliver class-leading range, functional interior space with third-row seating and overall vehicle performance.
Hyundai Offers Virtual MIF
Hyundai Motor Group (the Group) announced today that the fifth Mobility Innovators Forum (MIF) will be virtually hosted by Hyundai CRADLE Silicon Valley from October 29 to 30. Anyone interested in joining the conversation on the future of mobility innovation can sign up via the website.
Under the theme, ‘From Vision to Reality’, MIF 2020 will expand on last year’s discussion, taking next steps toward turning human-centered mobility into reality. With the automotive industry undergoing a major transformation driven by electrification, artificial intelligence and digitalization, MIF 2020 aims to facilitate critical assessment of all technological advancements, policies, regulations and business model changes required to drive further development.
Nexteer High-Output EPS
Nexteer Automotive launches High-Output Electric Power Steering (EPS) that delivers advanced safety and comfort features as well as enhanced fuel efficiency for heavy-duty (HD) trucks and light commercial vehicles (LCVs).
Now with the ability to steer these vehicle types electrically, drivers of HD trucks and LCVs can benefit from savings at the gas pump and from advanced features such as lane keep assist, crosswind compensation, trailer assist and more.
OneSpin New Scale4Edge
OneSpin® Solutions, provider of certified IC integrity verification solutions for building functionally correct, safe, secure and trusted integrated circuits, announced it is a contributing partner in the Scalable Infrastructure for Edge Computing (Scale4Edge) project. Funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) of the German government under the ZuSE program, the Scale4Edge project is focused on providing a commercial ecosystem to accelerate the development of advanced edge computing processors to handle the massive amount of data calculations for today’s and future AI and Industry 4.0 applications. This ecosystem will utilize the RISC-V instruction set architecture due to its scalability, flexibility, and cost-effective attributes.
ADASKY B-Series Funding
ADASKY, an Israeli startup engaged in developing and manufacturing revolutionary thermal imaging (LWIR) systems for automotive and pedestrian safety, announced today that it has secured a $15M investment from existing shareholders Kyocera Corporation and Sungwoo-Hitech Co., Ltd, as part of a Series B investment round.