Tag Archives: Tech

U Spy The Hyundai Ioniq 5 Robotaxi Being Tested At The Las Vegas Airport

Just a few days after Motional unveiled its Hyundai Ioniq 5-based robotaxi at the Munich Motor Show, a prototype has been spied by a CarScoops reader several thousand miles across the Atlantic on American shores.

This heavily-camouflaged prototype was spied testing at an airport in Las Vegas and certainly appears to have turned quite a few heads. It is equipped with an array of sensors previewed through renderings released by Motional last month.

Read More: Hyundai Ioniq 5 Robotaxis With Level 4 Autonomous Tech Coming To Lyft In 2023

The Ioniq 5 robotaxi has no less than 30 sensors that includes a host of cameras, radar, and LiDAR. Sensors can be seen on the roof of the car, as well as its front fascia, front quarter panels, and rear-end. A driver was pictured behind the wheel controlling the car but when development of it is complete, Motional hopes to remove the driver completely and use a remote vehicle assistance as a safety redundancy, allowing a remote operator to control the robotaxi in the event of something unexpected happening.

“For the Ioniq 5-based robotaxi, we have applied various redundancy systems, in addition to a suite of essential technologies to ensure safety and convenience of the passengers,” head of the Autonomous Driving Center at Hyundai Motor Group, Woongjun Jang recently said in a statement. “By successfully integrating the Group’s Ioniq 5 Robotaxi with Motional’s autonomous driving technology, we are proud to announce that we have achieved another important milestone on the road to the commercialization of our robotaxi.”

The vehicle will begin to transport passengers in 2023 through a partnership with ride-hailing giant Lyft, meaning Motional and Hyundai still have plenty of time to get the autonomous EV ready for launch.

Thanks to Aditya Gaur for the photos!

PHOTO GALLERY

more photos…

Banned From The U.S., Huawei Continues To Grow Its Automotive Footprint In China

Chinese technology giant Huawei has doubled down on its push into the automotive market, particularly in China.

After the company’s massive smartphone business had to deal with the Trump administration’s decision in 2019 to blacklist Huawei for alleged threats to U.S. national security, it sees the automotive industry as a place where its technology expertise can be put to good use.

Read More: Huawei Will Provide 4G Technology To 30 Million VW Group Models

Huawei first launched its HiCar system in 2019, which allows motorists to connect their cars with their smartphones and enables things like intelligent voice assistance and navigation. This system has proved a success, so much so that more than 30 auto brands in China have started to use it, including most domestic brands and even the likes of Volvo and Audi. As many as five million new cars and light trucks sold throughout China this year will have the system, Auto News reports.

Huawei is now looking to make its mark in the electric vehicle segment. It recently announced a deal with Jianghuai Automobile Co to develop sensors and intelligent cockpits for next-generation EVs. Recently, GAC Motor Co. revealed that it will invest 800 million yuan ($123 million) to develop an intelligent electric utility vehicle with Huawei. It is reported that this vehicle will feature Huawei’s computing and communication technology, provide Level 4 autonomy, and is scheduled to hit mass-production in late 2023.

And that’s not all. Huawei’s Level 3 autonomous driving system is featured in the new ArcFox Alpha-S produced by BAIC and unveiled in April’s Shanghai Auto Show. Huawei is also working with Changhan Automobile Co. to develop an electric crossover that’s tipped to debut at November’s Guangzhou Auto Show.

ArcFox Alpha-S

Hyundai Could Have Flying Cars At Major US Airports By 2025

Hyundai is pushing forward with the development of flying cars and believes that it could have air taxis in operation by the middle of the current decade.

This bold prediction was made to Reuters by the COO of Hyundai‘s global operation and CEO of Hyundai North America, Jose Munoz, who claimed that the company might be ready for customer flights by 2025. That’s sooner than previous estimates, which suggested that Hyundai could have flying taxis at major US airports by 2028.

Read More: Hyundai Eager To Speed Up Development Of Flying Vehicles

The air taxis that Hyundai has shown off previously are quadcopters powered by batteries. Indeed, the company recently announced a $7.4 billion investment in the U.S. to produce electric vehicles and develop smart mobility solutions, including flying cars, per Reuters.

“We see this market as a significant growth opportunity,” Munoz said.

Hyundai’s base of operations for the technology is currently in Washington state, though it also has plans to open infrastructures elsewhere, like a passenger drone airport in the UK.

Although some consider the technology to be well into the future, Munoz said that Hyundai doesn’t want to be left behind playing catch up. Indeed, Morgan Stanley has predicted that the urban air mobility market could be worth up to $1 trillion by 2040.

“When it comes to future technology… it’s never too soon. The pioneers are the winners,” Munoz said.

The company doesn’t want to just sell flying taxis as a simple transaction, though. The business model will be more nuanced and Munoz believes Hyundai can develop services around the vehicles and even use them for commercial cargo.

In 2019, Hyundai pledged $1.5 billion over six years to its flying vehicle unit. Several other automakers, including Toyota, Daimler, and Geely are also invested in the race for flying passenger vehicles.

Williams And Italdesign Partner On High-Performance EV Architecture

Williams Advanced Engineering and Italdesign have partnered to create an advanced electric vehicle platform.

This architecture, dubbed EVX, sees the front and rear chassis structures mounted to the carbon composite case, meaning crash loads can be transferred via internal reinforcements to the integrated side sills. This results in improved torsional stiffness and reduces the reliance on the upper structure of the platform.

The molded composite structural battery was designed in-house by Williams Advanced Engineering and has the ability to provide 1000 kW (1,341 hp) of power and support capacities between 104 kWh and 120 kWh. If needed, the pack can be expanded up to 160 kWh for a potential 1,000 km (621-mile) range. The platform can accommodate wheelbases from 2,900 mm to 3,100 mm and also uses recycled composite materials in its construction.

Read Also: Lotus Terminates Evija Partnership With Williams Advanced Engineering, Prompting Legal Action

While Williams Advanced Engineering doesn’t currently produce any electric vehicles of its own, it has a wealth of experience in the sector having been the original supplier of batteries for the entire Formula E grid. The company also supplies battery systems to the ETCR and Extreme E championships.

“We are delighted to join forces with Italdesign on this exciting and timely joint collaboration,” Williams Advanced Engineering technical director Paul McNamara said. “Demand for high performance electric vehicles is continuing to show considerable growth but to date, there has not been a complete EV production solution. This unique relationship brings together state-of-the-art EV rolling chassis technology with one of the world’s leaders in vehicle body engineering.”

Italdesign and Williams want to provide the architecture to newcomers and established OEMs eager to produce high-performance GTs, crossovers, and sedans.

PHOTO GALLERY

more photos…

Honda’s New Charging Solution Will Allow UK Users To Recharge With Green Energy And Save Money

Honda’s new energy solutions division recently announced the imminent debut of their first project titled e:PROGRESS that’s being touted as the most advanced home charging solution from an automobile manufacturer in Europe.

The new technology consists of a connected charger that is paired with intelligent software developed by Moixa, a charging specialist company. This software organizes a charging schedule based on drivers’ requirements to make sure that their cars are sufficiently charged at all times while honing in on low-priced clean energy.

Also Watch: Can The Cute Honda e Electric Mini Win Over Chris Harris?

Power is produced by Octopus Energy, a UK-based electricity supplier with the UK’s first dynamic tariff. The flexible tariff can be applied to the residence as well as the car, and allows users to access lower-priced electricity during renewable-heavy, off-peak hours. This is where Moixa’s software plays a significant role as it chooses the most cost-effective time to charge the Honda e, monitoring price changes that can occur every 30 minutes.

The result is an estimated £475 saved annually compared to the standard tariff. The recommended charger to be used for the service is the Honda Power Charger S+ (4G), which will be integrated with e:PROGRESS to allow timely access to low-cost electricity.

Setting up e:PROGRESS is guaranteed to be a swift and easy process, with clients being able to check their eligibility online and British Gas carrying out the installation process to ensure customers receive a quality nation-wide service and responsive after-sales support. What’s more, e:PROGRESS is said to support active grid management, helping to stabilize demand and optimize the use of renewable energy. This project by the energy divisions solutions unit is the first of many to come, including Honda Power Manager, and is a step closer to achieving Honda’s 2030 vision of being a company that offers ‘new value’ by branching out into areas such as energy services.

Smartphone Giant Xiaomi Wants To Build Electric Cars With The Help Of Great Wall

Chinese tech giant Xiaomi is the latest company that’s looking into building its own electric cars.

Xiaomi is reportedly in talks with Great Wall to use one of its factories in China to build electric vehicles under its own brand for the mass market, which would be in line with its products in the electronics industry.

Citing sources with direct knowledge of the matter, Reuters reports that Xiaomi and Great Wall could announce their partnership as soon as next week.

Read Also: Toyota Boss Warns Apple That The Car Business Isn’t Easy

Great Wall is China’s biggest pickup truck maker

If the deal goes through, this would be Great Wall’s first manufacturing service to another company, with the Chinese carmaker offering engineering consultancy to Xiaomi in order to speed up the project.

Lei Jun, Xiaomi’s founder and chief executive, reportedly believes that his company’s expertise in hardware manufacturing will help accelerate the design and production of their electric vehicles.

“Xiaomi wants to find a mature automobile manufacturer to provide model infrastructure, enabling its own advantages in mobile internet technology,” said Alan Kang, a senior analyst at LMC Automotive. “Xiaomi’s advantages in operating systems and home furnishing also bring a lot of imagination for such cooperation in the future.”

Xiaomi, which according to the report is planning to launch its first electric vehicle around 2023, wants its cars to be connected with other devices in its product eco-system. Alongside smartphones, the Chinese tech company also offers a very wide range of internet-connected devices that includes everything from fitness trackers to scooters and rice cookers.

Great Wall’s retro-styled electric sedan concept from the 2020 Beijing Auto Show

New Ford Mach-E And F-150 Getting Hands-Free Driving Tech Over The Air In Q3 2021, Subscription Costs $600

Ford is going to offer its latest hands-free driver-assistance system with the new 2021 F-150 and Mustang Mach-E models but there’s a catch.

While customers will get the necessary hardware for the system to work with their new 2021 F-150 or Mustang Mach-E, either as standard equipment or an option on certain trims, Ford’s hands-free driver-assistance system won’t come online until the third quarter of 2021 via an over-the-air software patch.

Read Also: GM’s Super Cruise Crushes Tesla’s Autopilot In CR’s Hands-Free Test

Ford said that the new Active Drive Assist will be standard for the 2021 F-150 Limited and for the 2021 Mustang Mach-E CA Route 1, Premium, and First Edition models.

Here’s how much it will cost you

As for the rest of the F-150’s range, the hands-free driver assistance system will be a $1,595 option while Mustang Mach-E Select buyers can get it as part of the $3,200 Comfort and Technology Package, which also includes a 360-degree camera, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel.

Ford will also offer the hardware for the Active Drive Assist, which includes a forward-facing camera and radar sensors among others, as a separate ‘prep package’ together with the Active Park Assist 2.0 for $895, which includes a $100 early adopter incentive.

Customers will then have to pay $600 for a three-year subscription for the software of the hands-free Active Drive Assist, when that is ready to launch, in which case they’ll receive it via an over-the-air update.

So to sum up, owners of upper level trim cars that already come equipped with the hardware as standard, will pay $600 for the software subscription. Otherwise, owners of lower trim levels will have to pay for the hardware (via options) and an additional $600 for the software.

“In the second half of 2021, new customers will be able to purchase the hardware and software together in the Ford Co-Pilot Active 2.0 package, without the need for an Over-the-Air Update to initiate the feature,” the company said in a statement.

[embedded content]

Ford’s new Active Drive Assist system builds upon the existing adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go function and the Lane Centering and Speed Sign recognition systems. The system will allow drivers to take their hands off the wheel on prequalified sections of divided highways, the so-called ‘Hands-Free Zones’ that make up over 100,000 miles of North American roads.

Ford’s new system also uses an advanced driver-facing camera that will track eye gaze and head position to make sure drivers are paying attention to the road while in Hands-Free mode, as well as when they are using the hands-on Lane Centering mode.

“As breakthroughs in new technology allow us to help reduce the stress of long highway drives, it’s important to make sure these capabilities can be enjoyed by the largest spread of people possible,” said Hau Thai-Tang, chief product platform, and operations officer, Ford Motor Company. “Active Drive Assist can help improve the driving experience while ensuring people remain aware and fully in control, all for a price unmatched by our competitors – a commitment to affordable innovations that has driven us since Henry Ford put the world on wheels.”

Ford expects to sell more than 100,000 F-150 and Mustang Mach-E equipped with Active Drive Assist technology hardware in their first year in the market.