In connected car news are Alfa Romeo, Navistar, Daymake, Extreme, Eye-Net, BorgWarner, Karma Automotive, Exro, Renesas, DTS Xperi, Momentum Dynamics, ISS, ZETA, Xevo, Volta, AAM, Fimatix and TrueCar.
Passionate Valentine from Alfa Romeo
Ahead of Valentine’s Day this Sunday, Alfa Romeo today announced Passione, an interactive e-book that chronicles the heritage, influences and exploration of the brand’s passion for impactful and iconic Italian design over the last 110 years.
Created in partnership with Centro Stile Alfa Romeo in Turin, Italy, Passione examines the brand’s unparalleled history and significance in global automotive design, and includes exclusive renderings and sketches from the designers at Centro Stile.
Navistar Buys Property in San Antonio to Employ 650
Navistar International Corporation acquired a new property in San Antonio, which includes existing buildings that will house support functions for its under-construction plant in the area. Navistar’s total investment in the region will exceed $275 million and create over 650 jobs, pending local incentive approvals.
The expansion in Texas is part of Navistar 4.0, the company’s enterprise-wide growth strategy. Navistar’s under-construction 900,000-square-foot plant in San Antonio will produce Class 6-8 vehicles, including new electric-powered trucks. The additional property will bring resources closer to manufacturing operations.
Daymak & Extreme
– Daymak is pleased to announce it has signed a partnership agreement with Extreme Vehicle Battery Technologies Corp. (“EV Battery Tech” or “the Company“) (CSE: ACDC.)
Extreme Vehicle Battery Technologies Corp. is a blockchain and battery technology company with revolutionary, patented Battery Management Systems (BMS) designed to meet the growing demand for scalable, smart solutions for the rapidly growing Electric Vehicle (EV) and Energy Storage Solution (ESS) markets.
The deal goes into effect immediately and has a term of 5 years, with an automatic renewal for 1-year terms. We can expect to see EV Battery Tech’s products incorporated into Daymak’s product line sometime in late Q2 of this year. While the Agreement’s intention is for EV Battery Tech to be the exclusive provider of batteries and battery packs, Daymak has the right to seek an alternative quote if Daymak and EV Battery tech cannot agree on commercial terms, however EV Battery Tech will still have the right of first refusal to match the commercial terms of any competing bid for the supply of such systems.
5G Testing by Eye-Net Mobile
-Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (Nasdaq and TASE: FRSX), an innovator in automotive vision systems, announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, Eye-Net Mobile Ltd., will conduct technological demonstrations over the 5G cellular network in collaboration with the innovation labs of a top multinational European cellular provider to test its Eye-Net™ Protect cellular-based vehicle-to-everything (V2X) accident prevention solution. The cellular provider will conduct the technological demonstrations in front of different business units within its organization as well as several commercial partners. The demonstrations will be used to test the software development kit (SDK) configuration and performance of the Eye-Net solution in controlled environment scenarios. Successful demonstrations of Eye-Net Protect’s V2X capabilities may lead to a pilot project with the cellular provider.
The Eye-Net Protect cellular-based V2X solution is designed to protect the most vulnerable road users in real time—including pedestrians, cyclists, scooter drivers and car drivers—by providing collision alerts when the road users have no direct line of sight. Eye-Net Protect is agnostic to cellular infrastructure and seamlessly adapts to the cellular network generation.
New BorgWarner HVH 320
BorgWarner’s latest High Voltage Hairpin (HVH) electric motor, the HVH 320, is ready to power a variety of hybrid and electric applications for commercial vehicle manufacturers, including a large European OEM. Production of the HVH 320, which is equipped with 800-volt capabilities and available in four variants, is expected to kick off in 2024. Its multi-faceted platform will support the manufacturers’ goal of a common electric drivetrain and deliver approximately 97% peak efficiency and over 400kW of power.
Karma in Iceland
Karma Automotive announced the opening of its newest addition to its global dealer network: Karma Iceland.
EVBox Public & ISO
Following the news that it will become a public company by the end of March via a business combination with TPG Pace Beneficial Finance EVBox, a global provider of electric vehicle charging hardware, software and service is taking an important step in its development by becoming ISO-certified.
EVBox, the charging station brand of EVBox, has successfully passed an ISO audit to receive the ISO 9001:2015 (quality management systems), ISO 14001:2015 (environmental management systems), and ISO 45001:2018 (occupational health and safety management systems) certifications. Everon, the cloud software platform brand of EVBox offering charging management solutions, has also received the ISO 45001:2018 certification.
New Power Class from Exro
Exro Technologies Inc. (TSXV: EXRO) (OTC: EXROF) (the “Company” or “Exro”), a leading clean technology company which has developed a new class of power electronics for electric motors and batteries, is pleased to announce that it has expanded its strategic partnership with SEA Electric Pty Ltd. (“SEA Electric” or “SEA”) to accelerate development of Exro’s Battery Control System (“BCS”).
Renesas Updates R-Car Smart SoC
Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE:6723), a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, introduced an update of its state-of the-art R-Car V3H system-on-chip (SoC) to deliver significantly improved deep learning performance for smart camera applications, including driver and occupant monitoring systems (DMS / OMS), automotive front cameras, surround view, and auto parking for high-volume vehicles up to Level 2+. The updated SoC combines sensor fusion on the real-time domain with up to ASIL C metrics and an architecture optimized for smart computer vision. It offers OEMs and Tier 1s a high-performance, low-power solution that supports the latest NCAP 2020 requirements as well as the roadmap to NCAP 2025 3 Stars at competitive system costs.
Building on the state-of-the-art recognition technology introduced with the R-Car V3H in February 2018, which includes integrated IP for convolutional neural networks (CNN), the updated R-Car V3H delivers four times the performance for CNN processing compared to the earlier version and achieves up to overall 7.2 TOPS processing including all computer vision IPs while maintaining low power consumption levels.
The highly integrated SoC supports up to ASIL C metrics safety goals on the real-time domain, reducing the need for an external safety microcontroller (MCU) to manage sensor fusion and final decision actions. The R-Car V3H features a suite of proven IPs that support the perception stack, sensor fusion with radar and/or Lidar, and ISP with up to eight MP cameras support, allowing OEMs and Tier 1s to achieve quicker time to market with lower bill of materials costs.
“The rising popularity of intelligent systems for applications, such as driver monitoring, park assist, driver recognition, and occupant sensing, is stoking higher demand for deep learning functions as automakers look for new ways to enable smart camera applications,” said Naoki Yoshida, Vice President of Automotive Digital Products Marketing Division at Renesas. “The updated SoC provides R-Car V3H customers a flexible, easy, and cost-effective path to higher computer vision performance for next-generation front camera systems, and we are excited to continue bringing cutting-edge innovation to our customers with our growing platform of open and scalable SoCs for ADAS and highly automated driving.”
Key Features of R-Car V3H SoC
- Delivers up to 7.2 TOPS, including 3.7 TOPS for CNN, with optimized performance-to-power balance
- Supports ASIL D development process for systematic capability for the full SoC
- Supports metric targets for ASIL B (sensor layer, application processors) and ASIL C (real-time domain) safety goals
- Full hardware and software compatibility with the currently mass-produced R-Car V3H SoC
- Integrates a full set of automotive peripherals including CAN, Ethernet AVB, and FlexRay
- Features a full set of video processing and image recognition IP for advanced sensing and recognition, including CNN-IP, Computer vision engine, Image-distortion-correction IPs, Stereovision, Classifier and Dense Optical Flow
The updated R-Car V3H joins Renesas’ expanding lineup of SoCs within the open and flexible Renesas autonomy platform, which offers OEMs and Tier 1s complete scalability from entry-level NCAP applications up to highly automated driving systems. Customers can also combine the R-Car V3H SoC with Renesas’ high-performance low-power RH850 MCU, integrated power management ICs, and power transistor devices to access the key components required for more complex safety compliant systems.
DTS Xperi’s DTS Connected Radio
DTS®, a global leader in next-generation audio, imaging, and sensing technology, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Xperi Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: XPER) (“Xperi”), announced that DTS Connected Radio, the world’s only global connected radio solution, is rebranded as DTS AutoStage™ to reflect the broad application of the platform within automotive infotainment systems. It was also announced that DTS AutoStage won a 2021 Business Intelligence Group (BIG) Innovation Award, which recognizes organizations, products, and people that are bringing new ideas to life in innovative ways.
The rebrand to DTS AutoStage was in part driven by the opportunities resulting from Xperi’s merger with TiVo in June 2020, which enabled the integration of TiVo’s world-class music metadata and personalized content discovery engine. The new branding represents not only the many entertainment ‘stages’ the platform offers, but also how the platform will be able to amplify those stages as in-cabin technology continues to evolve. Additional features recently added to the DTS AutoStage platform already include lyrics, content metadata, and personalization capabilities. Also, the global broadcast platform continues to expand and includes major commercial broadcasters such as Entercom, Beasley, Cox Radio, Bauer Media, and Global Radio, as well as dominant regional platforms including FM World, Quu Interactive, Radio.com, and RadioApp. DTS AutoStage recently launched in the Daimler MB User Experience (MBUX).
TS AutoStage pairs over-the-air broadcast content with IP-delivered metadata (such as information about on-air radio programs, talent, artist, song, station contact, etc.) and content (lyrics, related events, podcasts) personalized to create a unique and engaging radio-listening experience in markets around the world. It also enables a seamless transition for the listener from broadcast to internet stream when the vehicle drives out of broadcast range.
Available in 48 countries, DTS AutoStage’s content is sourced from over 48 thousand radio stations, 40 million tracks, 4 million albums, 1 million artist bios, and more – all aggregated, curated, and personalized to create the richest and most relevant in-vehicle radio listening experience.
SEA Electric is widely recognized as a market leader in the electrification of commercial vehicles with operations in five countries and over one million miles of independent Original Equipment Manufacturer (“OEM”) tested and in-service operation. SEA Electric is currently partnered with commercial vehicle OEM’s, dealers, and upfitters to deliver a new range of zero-emissions trucks and is on schedule to deliver more than 1,000 electric vehicles this year and is forecasted to have more than 15,000 vehicles on the road by the end of 2023.
Essex Furukawa Selects Sight Machine
Essex Furukawa, the world’s largest manufacturer of the magnet wire/winding wire that powers motors, including for electric vehicles (EVs), has selected Sight Machine Inc. as the manufacturing productivity platform for its plants in China, the United States and Germany, Sight Machine announced today.
The agreement extends the digital transformation initiative begun at Essex Furukawa’s magnet wire plant in Torreón, Mexico, where Sight Machine has helped Essex Furukawa increase production needed to meet fast-growing demand from EV production. Essex Furukawa will now use Sight Machine to improve manufacturing quality, speed and uptime in its plants supplying automakers in four of the world’s six largest auto making countries.
Momentum Dynamics Joins ZETA
-Momentum Dynamics CEO, Andy Daga has called for a global push toward cleaner air on his company’s joining of ZETA – the Zero Emissions Transport Association as a founder member.
In a Blog Post on the ZETA website, (www.zeta2030.org) Daga also calls for a clear-eyed perspective when planning for the future of EV charging, and for all players to embrace new ways of thinking about charging, rather than leaning on habits left over from the gasoline fueling model./
ISS for V2X
INTEGRITY Security Services (ISS) today announced its Security Credential Management System (SCMS) add-on Device Management Dashboard Service (DMD). The ISS Certificate Management Service (CMS) DMD Service is another first for the vehicle-to-everything (V2X), cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) and car-to-everything (C2X) markets globally. The CMS Device Management Dashboard Service provides the industry’s first end-to-end management dashboard to visualize any On-Board Unit (OBU) or Roadside Unit (RSU) being provisioned by the ISS CMS. In use today in Connected Vehicle (CV) Pilot programs, the ISS DMD Service provides visibility into the interactions that OBUs and RSUs have with the ISS CMS, providing a rich set of reports and detailed auditing information to help fleet, infrastructure owner-operator (IOO), and Department of Transportation (DOT) operators with C-V2X, V2X and C2X security rollouts and deployments. The CMS DMD Service enhances the features of the ISS CMS, which provides certificates to OBUs and RSUs used in USDOT CV Pilots and other state and local V2X dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) and C-V2X programs.
2022 Outlander Launch Tuesday
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) today confirmed details for the much-anticipated global debut of the upcoming all-new 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander. In the same way that Outlander will challenge conventions regarding both the brand and the segment, the launch will do the same. Through a first-of-its-kind collaboration with Amazon, the 2022 Outlander will be the first vehicle ever unveiled on Amazon Live.1 The debut will take place on Tuesday, February 16 at 6 p.m. EST.
In Car Payments Coming from CITGO
– CITGO and Xevo, a part of Lear Corporation and a global leader in connected car software, today announced that they have entered a formal agreement to connect consumers with more than 4,500 CITGO-branded retail locations through an in-vehicle CITGO app.
The app is powered by the Xevo Market mobile commerce platform and enables consumers to interact with popular brands through embedded ordering and transactions via the in-vehicle touchscreen.
According to Kevin Kinney, General Manager of Brand Equity for CITGO, “Giving consumers the option to pay for fuel through their connected car simplifies the purchasing process so our customers can get on their way. Our partnership with Xevo is a critical component in making this vision a reality.”
Consumers will be able to link their CITGO shopper loyalty program
Volta Merges with Tortoise Acq.
Volta Industries, Inc. (“Volta”), an industry leader in commerce-centric electric vehicle (“EV”) charging networks, and Tortoise Acquisition Corp. II (NYSE: SNPR), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company with a strategic focus on energy sustainability and decarbonizing transportation, today announced they intend to merge. Upon the closing of the transaction, the combined entity will be named Volta Inc. and remain on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the new ticker symbol “VLTA.”
The pro forma equity value of the combined company is expected to exceed $2 billion at the $10.00 per share PIPE price and assuming minimal redemptions by Tortoise Acquisition Corp. II public shareholders. The funds will be used to further accelerate Volta’s efforts to continue to grow and unlock the value of its contract portfolio, as well as increasing its investment in product, engineering and network charging infrastructure.
Fimatx & PrivacyrCars
Fimatix UK Ltd, a leading Digital Technology Services Consultancy, announced today a new distribution partnership with Privacy4Cars, the first-of-its-kind platform designed to help erase Personal Information (PI) from modern vehicles. The partnership will bring Privacy4Cars’ patent-pending process for the deletion of PI, including phone numbers, call logs, location history and garage door codes, from modern vehicles to the European market for the first time. Developed by a world-renowned cybersecurity and vehicle privacy expert, Privacy4Cars offers a standard process that makes data deletion simple and scalable.
TrueCar Partners with HyerCar
TrueCar, Inc. , the most efficient and transparent way to find a car and HyreCar Inc. the car-sharing marketplace for ridesharing, food, and package delivery services, today announced their new partnership and the launch of the HyreCar Auto Buying Program powered by TrueCar.
The TrueCar and HyreCar partnership addresses the vehicle purchase needs of drivers and owners that work in the mobility and transportation industry. HyreCar’s innovative Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) marketplace generates tens of thousands of potential automotive purchase and rental leads per month. The partnership will leverage TrueCar’s online vehicle research, trade-in, pricing, and innovative payment tools. TrueCar’s 14,000 plus national dealer network will assist HyreCar customers to acquire a new or used vehicle or to sell or trade-in their vehicle. Additionally, the TrueCar Partnership will support HyreCar’s Earn to Own™ program for qualified HyreCar customers.
AAM Next Gen Driveshaft for RAM
American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM) has secured the next generation axle and driveshaft program for Ram’s heavy duty pick-up trucks. As Ram’s strategic driveline supplier through 2030, AAM expects current and future sales related to this program to exceed several billion dollars over the lifetime of this award.