I was had planned to do a long post on self-driving cars a quite long time. I was planning to do one this spring, but I might not do that, because it seems that predictions that self-driving cars would be here in 2020 were far too rosy. Five years ago, several companies including Nissan and Toyota promised self-driving cars in 2020. So it may be wise to take any new forecasts with a grain of salt. Hare is a worth to check out article of the current status of self-driving cars:
Surprise! 2020 Is Not the Year for Self-Driving Cars
https://spectrum.ieee.org/transportation/self-driving/surprise-2020-is-not-the-year-for-selfdriving-cars
In March, because of the coronavirus, self-driving car companies, including Argo, Aurora, Cruise, Pony, and Waymo, suspended vehicle testing and operations that involved a human driver. Around the same time, Waymo and Ford released open data sets of information collected during autonomous-vehicle tests and challenged developers to use them to come up with faster and smarter self-driving algorithms.
It seems that the self-driving car industry still hopes to make meaningful progress on autonomous vehicles (AVs) this year, but the industry is slowed by the pandemic and facing a set of very hard problems that have gotten no easier to solve over the years.
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Tomi Engdahl says:
Mike Monticello / Consumer Reports:
Review: Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving Capability” option, which offers some advanced features, still requires significant driver attention to mitigate safety risks — The $8,000 option doesn’t make the car self-driving, though it does offer a host of advanced features. CR evaluated all of them.
Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving Capability’ Falls Short of Its Name
The $8,000 option doesn’t make the car self-driving, though it does offer a host of advanced features. CR evaluated all of them.
https://www.consumerreports.org/autonomous-driving/tesla-full-self-driving-capability-review-falls-short-of-its-name/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/11114-5g-yhdistaa-autot-reaaliaikaiseen-verkkoon
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://news.slashdot.org/story/20/09/06/2140235/is-hot-asphalt-really-increasing-air-pollution?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Slashdot%2Fslashdot%2Fto+%28%28Title%29Slashdot+%28rdf%29%29
Tomi Engdahl says:
emerging 5G cellular communications technology is addressing the shortcomings of DSRC and 4G-cellular LTE to enable advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).
Tomi Engdahl says:
What’s the Difference Between Bluetooth Low Energy, UWB, and NFC for Keyless Entry?
Automotive keyless entry brings convenience, but this feature gives hackers a new way to unlock or steal cars. Learn about the communication protocols involved and how UWB can make this more secure.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/markets/automotive/article/21140598/whats-the-difference-between-bluetooth-low-energy-uwb-and-nfc-for-keyless-entry?utm_source=EG+ED+Auto+Electronics&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS200903030&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
Tomi Engdahl says:
In-Vehicle Controller Wirelessly Charges Two Mobile Devices at Once
https://www.electronicdesign.com/power-management/article/21140655/invehicle-controller-wirelessly-charges-two-mobile-devices-at-once?utm_source=EG+ED+Auto+Electronics&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS200903030&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
NXP Semiconductors introduced a wireless charging controller to simultaneously charge two Qi-enabled mobile devices at up to 2 x 15 W.
The new MWCT series is enabled by NXP’s hybrid DSC core with dedicated peripherals that allow the two Qi protocols to run in parallel in a single MWCT controller. New patented technologies, such as Clean EMC (CEMC), are said to provide breakthroughs in electromagnetic compatibility performance, which is required for CISPR 25 Class 5 in 15-W systems. As a result, OEMs can reduce the overall system bill of materials.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Teholedi tuottaa 395 lumenia yhdestä neliömillistä
https://etn.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11123&via=n&datum=2020-09-08_15:33:21&mottagare=30929
Osram Opto Semiconductros on esitellyt uusia ledejä autonvalojen toteutukseen. Komponenttien teho kasvaa koko ajan ja keraamisten komponenttien lämmönjohtokyky tarkoittaa, että niissä voidaan ajaa suurempaa virtaa.
Muutaman vuoden kuluttua ledit ovat hallitseva valonlähde auton ajovaloissa. Erityisesti niiden kompakti ja energiatehokkuus ovat merkittäviä etuja perinteisiin tekniikoihin verrattuna. Ledien avulla on myös helppo saavuttaa nykypäivän valmistajien vaatimat kirkkausarvot.
Tomi Engdahl says:
#WirelessCharging for #ElectricVehicles could deliver power on the go and end range anxiety #PowerTransfer #automotive KEMET Electronics Corporation
https://buff.ly/2R4FgYL
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Importance of Electronics in Formula 1
https://www.eetimes.com/the-importance-of-electronics-in-formula-1/
What provides the better edge in Formula 1 — a driver’s skills or finely-tuned machine? This debate broke out in the 1980s with the growth of electronic systems on Formula 1 cars. Engineers toil ceaselessly to optimize race-cars, tweaking the configuration of the over 18,000 components including sensors, ECUs, and mechanical parts.
Tomi Engdahl says:
GM unveils its new battery management system that lets the automaker improve EV batteries’ performance and extend their lifetimes.
Exclusive: GM Can Manage an EV’s Batteries Wirelessly—and Remotely
https://spectrum.ieee.org/cars-that-think/energy/batteries-storage/ieee-spectrum-exclusive-gm-can-manage-an-evs-batteries-wirelesslyand-remotely
When the battery dies in your smartphone, what do you do? You complain bitterly about its too-short lifespan, even as you shell out big bucks for a new device.
Electric vehicles can’t work that way: Cars need batteries that last as long as the vehicles do. One way of getting to that goal is by keeping close tabs on every battery in every EV, both to extend a battery’s life and to learn how to design longer-lived successors.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Complex Automotive Software: What’s Your Strategy?
https://www.eetimes.com/complex-automotive-software-whats-your-strategy/
Software expertise and experience are becoming crucial core competency that is in short supply in the auto industry. The growing amount of software functionality that are embedded in every new car model will require increased competency by OEMs, Tier 1 and software suppliers. Software platforms are a required strategy to be able to keep up with the software explosion that are coming from customer’s demand for connected cars and apps-centric infotainment systems and the many ADAS functions.
In this article, I will complete my summary on challenges and options facing the automotive industry, by exploring automotive software platforms, market and technology trends. This is a third in the series of columns I posted last month, focused on software platforms
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Visionary Roadmap for Advanced Driving Use Cases, Connectivity Technologies, and Radio Spectrum Needs
https://5gaa.org/news/the-new-c-v2x-roadmap-for-automotive-connectivity/
With this white paper, the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) presents the results of its studies relating to the evolution of automotive connectivity for the purposes of enhanced road safety, improved traffic efficiency, greener environmental impact, and more comfortable driving.
5GAA has identified the most promising advanced driving use cases such as Cooperative Manoeuvres and Sensor Sharing, in conjunction with the adoption of Cellular Vehicle-To-Everything (C-V2X) standards as well as availability of required technologies and devices, i.e. on-board units (OBUs), road-side units (RSUs), and smartphones, integrating the latest chipsets and modules. The market trajectory of the identified use cases is described along with the expected timeline for their mass market deployment.
The white paper finally highlights the spectrum needs for basic and advanced driving use cases. For direct communication, this corresponds to between 10 and 20 MHz at 5.9 GHz for basic safety, and an additional 40 MHz or more at 5.9 GHz for advanced driving.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Formal Verification Becoming Critical To Auto Security, Safety
Obstacles remain, but adoption is growing.
https://semiengineering.com/formal-verification-becoming-critical-to-auto-security-safety/
Formal verification is poised to take on an increasingly significant role in automotive security, building upon its already widespread use in safety-critical applications.
Formal has been essential component of automotive semiconductor verification for some time. Even before the advent of ADAS and semi-autonomous vehicles — and functional safety specifications like ISO 26262 and cybersecurity specifications like ISO/SAE 21434 — digital system content in cars was growing fast. Leading automotive IC providers such as Bosch and Infineon have been using formal verification as part of their verification flows for years. In fact, early mainstream formal adoption meshed well with needs of automotive chipmakers, which started with system control ICs.
“Automotive systems consist of networked ECUs connected by a CAN bus,” said Pete Hardee, director of product management at Cadence. “This has introduced many scenarios in which connected systems can interact. And that has presented many driver usability advantages, while also introducing many potential failure modes and attack vulnerabilities for safety-critical systems that must be taken into account.”
Hardee noted that few of these modes are easily covered by verification methods that consider verifying intended functionality. “There are perhaps some failure scenarios the verification engineer can conceive, plus some ‘constrained random’ variants of the resultant tests such as those common in UVM-based verification,” he said. “But failure modes and vulnerabilities manifest themselves in ways often totally unrelated to the known functionality of these systems.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Germany Taking the Autobahn to Autonomy
https://www.eetimes.com/germany-taking-the-autobahn-to-autonomy/
Germany is angling to leapfrog the world with legislation to permit self-driving vehicles on the road. If you believe that Europe, unlike the United States, has been late to the autonomous vehicle (AV) party, it’s time to think again. Germany is currently drafting the proposed regulations.
Given that AV testing is currently very restrictive in Germany, most global automakers choose the United States or China as testbeds for this work. Being first with a rigorous regulatory framework covering AVs could entice automakers to move operations from the US or China to Germany.
Further, regulations, once put in place, would also give confidence to carmakers that AV development wouldn’t be stuck in a state of science projects forever. Of course, the places where companies congregate sometimes become technology hubs; Germany certainly hopes that will happen with AVs.
Don’t be surprised if this maneuver succeeds. Remember that the building of the autobahn launched the global era of the superhighway.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Morons Leave Driver Seat Empty, Let Tesla Autopilot Drive So They Can Keep Drinking In the Car
…and of course they posted the evidence on TikTok.
https://www.thedrive.com/news/36366/morons-leave-driver-seat-empty-let-tesla-autopilot-drive-so-they-can-keep-drinking-in-the-car?xid=fbshare
hate to break it to the lowest common denominator of TikTok, but drunk-driving and open container laws still apply even if Autopilot takes the wheel…with no one behind the wheel. Thanks for posting the evidence on the internet, though!
TikTok user blurrblake posted a car-full of bros in a Tesla Model S enjoying a selection of questionable hard seltzers and singing along to Justin Bieber’s “Baby.”
That’s bad enough, but they one-upped their own dumb behavior by leaving the driver seat empty as the car went 65 mph down the highway. Yikes.
“Natural selection,” commented Billy Mueller on another TikTok roasting the drunk-ghost-ride-the-Tesla vid. “This is how God makes us smarter as a species. People drink White Claw and let Elon take the wheel.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Supercapacitor Market Gets a Jolt
https://www.eetimes.com/supercapacitor-market-gets-a-jolt/
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://linuxgizmos.com/automotive-hmi-software-debuts-free-raspberry-pi-runtime-sdk/
Tomi Engdahl says:
DeepRoute Dedicated to Self-Driving Tech
Nianqiu Liu, Vice President of DeepRoute, talked with Editor Bill Wong about the company’s advanced technology and what’s trending in the autonomous-vehicle industry.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/markets/automotive/article/21140289/deeproute-dedicated-to-selfdriving-tech?utm_source=EG+ED+Auto+Electronics&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS200903033&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
Tomi Engdahl says:
Infrastructure-Based Automated Valet Parking Debuts in Detroit
Connected Ford Escape test vehicles drive and park themselves in a downtown garage via Bosch’s Level 4 AVP system.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/markets/automotive/article/21141595/infrastructurebased-automated-valet-parking-debuts-in-detroit
Tomi Engdahl says:
Why Current Safety Analysis Methods Fail at Covering Lethal System Designs
https://www.electronicdesign.com/markets/automotive/article/21141314/why-current-safety-analysis-methods-fail-at-covering-lethal-system-designs?utm_source=EG+ED+Auto+Electronics&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS200903033&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
System-theoretic process analysis can help to cover current safety method issues, closing the gaps in safety efforts regarding the belief of the system about its environment, rather than just focusing on the failure of components and their performance.
Tomi Engdahl says:
From Gas Stations to Recharging Stations: Program Looks to Resolve Range Anxiety
https://www.electronicdesign.com/markets/automotive/whitepaper/21141457/from-gas-stations-to-recharging-stations-program-looks-to-resolve-range-anxiety?utm_source=EG+ED+Analog+%26+Power+Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS200903028&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
There’s been steady growth of EVs on roads worldwide—until the pandemic—but the lack of charging infrastructures has been a major limiting factor on their “breakout.” A pilot program underway in China looks to overcome that barrier.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/09/13/hackaday-links-september-13-2020/
And finally, Warped Perception is at it again. We recently covered how he put a GoPro inside a tire and showed what it looks like in there while the car drives around a bit. Then he notched it up a bit and did a burnout with a camera-fied tire, which was interesting for those with a destructive bent. And now he’s gone and stuck a GoPro inside the intake manifold of a turbocharged Toyota Supra, just because. It’s actually pretty interesting — the camera can see not only the massive throttle plate at the front of the manifold but also the velocity stacks feeding into each cylinder. We’re also treated to a look straight into the intake vales of one cylinder, with the barest glimpse of its fuel injector. We were a little puzzled by the reddish fluid leaking into the manifold, as was Warped Perception — engine oil, perhaps? It’s a long way to go to get diagnostic information, but makes for some pretty cool footage.
GoPro Inside a Car Tire (While Driving)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rILyBg7ZjeI
Tomi Engdahl says:
What’s Best for Autonomous Cars: LiDAR vs Radar vs Cameras
https://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/tb/stories/blog/37699?utm_source=TB_Main_News&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20200915&oly_enc_id=2460E0071134A8V
Automotive manufacturers working on self-driving cars have the choice of three main sensors: cameras, radar, and LiDAR.
When tied to a computing system, each sensor can support the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that allow a vehicle to operate autonomously in an environment.
But which sensor works best?
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/11156-sahkoauton-akuston-tilaa-voi-nyt-seurata-langattomasti
Tomi Engdahl says:
The German auto giant, which has worked on hydrogen technology for decades, is developing a fuel-cell semi with a range of up to 600 miles (1000 kilometers) per fueling and a next-generation battery truck.
Daimler Shows Off Long-Range Hydrogen Semi, New Battery Truck Amid Nikola Uproar
http://on.forbes.com/6186GQt9u
The combination of hydrogen and battery vehicles “enables us to offer our customers the best vehicle options, depending on the application,” Daimler Chairman Martin Daum said at the event. “Battery power will be rather used for lower cargo weights and for shorter distances. Fuel-cell power will tend to be the preferred option for heavier loads and longer distances.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
TI Fundamentals of Automotive
https://tiautomotivefundamentals.com/?o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx_ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R
the Automotive Design Center. Here you will find the resources you need for innovation in electronics to help fast track your automotive designs. This hub will be your key reference center for solutions in ADAS, Infotainment & Cluster, Body Electronics & Lighting, and HEV/EV. Learn more to accelerate the future of automotive systems.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2020/09/18/robottiautokin-tarvitsee-liikennevalot/
Älykkäät liikennevalot ovat edellytys myös itseohjautuvalle liikenteelle tulevaisuudessa. Mitä enemmän kulkuneuvoihin tulee tulevaisuudessa älyä, sitä oleellisempaa on, että kulkuneuvo saa jo etukäteen tietoa liikennevaloista ja liikenteestä. Sitä tarjoavat aikanaan myös uudet asennettavat Salon, Liedon ja Tampereen liikennevalojen ohjauskoneet.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Electric vehicles as energy reservoir
https://www.eeweb.com/electric-vehicles-as-energy-reservoir/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=link&utm_medium=EEWebEngInsp-20200917
It is no longer news that technical advancement generally evokes different types of emotions among individuals from all walks of life. Some consider technology as a great evil because of their perception that it diminishes kindness and others who embrace its positive side for bringing the world together and reducing it to a global village. With this global village phenomenon, every human endeavor has been experiencing some change.
This wind of progression has blown in the direction of the automobile industry. The change has swept battery-operated vehicles aside for its electrically-operated rival. The improvement in battery performance and augmentation in electric drive trains has enhanced the range of hybrid and electric vehicles (EV).
One of the core reasons for the rapid increase in an electric vehicle is the going green concept which, has become the new slogan for environmentalists and industrialists. The awareness campaign about climate change and drive to implement the Kyoto protocol have gathered momentum and emphasized the importance of electro-mobility and its impact on the environment.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.eetimes.com/autonomous-vehicles-in-china/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The man was charged with Dangerous Driving and Speeding. Just another reminder that Tesla’s autopilot feature isn’t meant to make the vehicle autonomous and drivers are still required to be alert behind the wheel.
Canadian Man Charged for Speeding at 87 mph While Asleep at the Wheel in a Tesla on Autopilot
https://www.theaegisalliance.com/2020/09/18/canadian-man-asleep-at-the-wheel-tesla-autopilot/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://techcrunch.com/2020/09/18/zoox-becomes-fourth-company-to-land-driverless-testing-permit-in-california/?tpcc=ECFB2020
Tomi Engdahl says:
Five things to know about: making self-driving cars safe
https://horizon-magazine.eu/article/five-things-know-about-making-self-driving-cars-safe.html#utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=self-driving
Self-driving cars, or connected and automated vehicles (CAVs), are closer than ever to becoming a mainstay on our roads. Already, many modern cars have self-driving capabilities – now the next step is full automation.
Before that is allowed, however, considerable testing still needs to be done. On 18 September, the European Commission published an independent expert report that looks at some of the outstanding safety and ethical issues still to be addressed and how we might tackle them.
Tomi Engdahl says:
#OTW – “FLYING CARS” ARE HERE!!! The technology may make an appearance in rural areas – similar to regulations around quad bikes – in three to four years though, Bayraktar added. “We will make more advanced prototypes in the upcoming process, and perform flights with a human [on board],” he added. “After smart cars, the revolution in automotive technology will be in flying cars. So from this point of view, we are preparing for tomorrow’s races, rather than today’s.” The current protoype only has room for one passenger, Daily Sabah reported, but future versions will make room for more.
https://english.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2020/9/16/turkish-drone-company-successfully-tests-flying-car
Tomi Engdahl says:
The German auto giant, which has worked on hydrogen technology for decades, is developing a fuel-cell semi with a range of up to 600 miles (1000 kilometers) per fueling and a next-generation battery truck.
Daimler Shows Off Long-Range Hydrogen Semi, New Battery Truck Amid Nikola Uproar
http://on.forbes.com/6183GvW6P
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://semiengineering.com/week-in-review-auto-security-pervasive-computing-33/
MIPI Alliance published MIPI A-PHY v1.0, a long-reach SerDes physical layer interface targeted for automotive applications such as ADAS and IVI.
MIPI Alliance Releases A-PHY SerDes Interface for Automotive
First industry-standard asymmetric long-reach physical layer interface enables ADAS, IVI and other surround-sensor applications; A-PHY v1.0 forms foundation of comprehensive MIPI Automotive SerDes Solutions
https://mipi.org/MIPI-Alliance-Releases-A-PHY-SerDes-Interface-for-Automotive
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nikola’s chairman steps down, stock crashes following allegations of fraud
https://tcrn.ch/32P9FBh
Nikola Corp. founder and Executive Chairman Trevor Milton is stepping down from the electric truck company effective immediately. This comes in the wake of a report from a noted short-selling accusing the company of fraud. Milton is succeeded by Stephen Girsky, a former General Motors executive who was already on the company’s board.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Pääkirjoitus: Onko sähköauto ainoa mahdollisuus?
https://www.iltalehti.fi/paakirjoitus/a/42f45416-1b64-4460-882c-4ba62886d9b1
Vihreät näkevät autoilun sähköistämisen keskeisenä keinona ilmastotavoitteiden saavuttamiseksi. Tämä on käynyt selväksi niin hallituksen budjettiriihessä kuin myös vihreiden puoluekokouksessa. Tuntuu siltä, että vihreät pitävät sähköautoa varsin ongelmattomana ratkaisuna. Tosiasiassa sähköauton tekniikassa, varsinkin sen tarvitsemien akkujen osalta, on monia vakavia ongelmia erityisesti ympäristön kannalta.
Sähköautojen akut tarvitsevat metalleja, joiden louhinnasta ja jatkojalostuksesta aiheutuu hiilidioksidipäästöjä ja ympäristöhaittoja. Suomeen on povattu laajenevaa kaivostoimintaa lupaavien sähköakkujen tuotannossa tarvittavien litium-, koboltti- ja nikkelilöydösten perusteella. Jos sähköautot yleistyvät nopeasti, se voi tuoda Suomeenkin runsaasti uutta kaivostoimintaa.
Vihreiden kritiikitön suhtautuminen sähköautoihin herättää kysymyksiä, sillä puoluekokouksessaan vihreät suhtautuivat puolestaan kielteisesti kaivostoimintaan.
Sähköauton heikoin lenkki on edelleen akku. Akun valmistus, siihen tarvittavine raaka-aineineen on yhä ongelma. Samoin vanhojen akkujen kohtalo. Akkujen kapasiteetti rajoittaa edelleen täyssähköautojen käyttöä. Akkuteollisuudessa saavutetaan varmastikin tulevaisuudessa ratkaisuja, jotka poistavat ainakin osan nykyisistä ongelmista. Ympäristö- ja ilmastoystävällinen suuren kapasiteetin akku olisi tietysti iso läpimurto.
Sähköauto on edelleen kallis vaihtoehto tavalliselle keskivertoautoilijalle. Sähköautojen vaatima infrastruktuuri latausverkostoineen on myös kallis ratkaisu koko yhteiskunnalle. Satsauksia autoilun sähköistämiseen tarvitaan, mutta muitakaan toimivia tai lupaavia vaihtoehtoja ei saa pudottaa pois kuvasta. Aika näyttää mitkä vaihtoehdot ovat kehityskelpoisimpia.
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Swiss research team has recently developed a novel a machine learning algorithm that harnesses measurements from more simple sensors to help keep autonomous race cars from going sideways through curves.
A New Way For Autonomous Racing Cars to Control Sideslip
https://spectrum.ieee.org/cars-that-think/transportation/self-driving/get-a-grip-a-new-way-for-autonomous-racing-cars-to-avoid-sideslip
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/10997-autojen-ohjelmisto-paivitetaan-pian-ilmateitse
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/10989-robottiauto-vaatii-valtavasti-testaamista
Tomi Engdahl says:
Cops chased a Tesla Model S that appeared to have no one in it
https://www.digitaltrends.com/news/cops-chased-tesla-model-s-that-appeared-to-have-no-one-in-it/
Highway police in the Canadian province of Alberta chased a Tesla Model S that appeared to have no one in it. But when they eventually got to look inside, they saw two occupants apparently fast asleep, with the seats fully reclined.
The sergeant said that the Model S appeared to be driving using the car’s Autopilot feature as the 20-year-old driver and his passenger apparently slept.
“We believe the vehicle was operating on the Autopilot system, which is really just an advanced driver safety system, a driver assist program,” Turnbull told CBC News, adding, “You still need to be driving the vehicle.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Autonomous Rover Navigates The House With LIDAR
https://hackaday.com/2020/09/22/autonomous-rover-navigates-the-house-with-lidar/
To do the job, a Raspberry Pi 3 was put in charge, and kitted out with a LIDAR for mapping. Pololu Roboclaw motor controllers are then used to allow the Raspberry Pi to drive the robot’s individual wheel motors, giving the four-wheeled bot skid steering capability.
An Autonomous Rover
https://www.instructables.com/id/An-Autonomous-Rover/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Audi Plots the Future of its Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles
Saying that plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles are not an interim technology, Audi outlines its specific plans for such vehicles.
https://www.designnews.com/automotive-engineering/audi-plots-future-its-plug-hybrid-vehicles?ADTRK=InformaMarkets&elq_mid=14464&elq_cid=876648
Tomi Engdahl says:
Otonomo Follows ‘App Store Model’ for Car Data
https://www.eetimes.com/otonomo-follows-app-store-model-for-car-data/
Otonomo, an Israeli startup that collects car data generated by more than 22 million connected vehicles around the world, this week rolled out a cloud-based platform whose data layer is now exposed to its customers via API.
Matan Tessler, product vice president at Otonomo, called the platform “a neutral place” designed to “democratize [car] data sets.” The self-serve cloud data platform lets users — ranging from car OEMs, AV startups and fleet managers to service [app] developers, insurance companies, city planners and data consumers — extract the data they need and pay for it. The data available includes not only historical aggregated data, but also real-time data.
Otonomo, which has raised $82 million, expects hundreds of app and service developers to spring up and build a large ecosystem around its car-data platform.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Maserati MC20 Supercar Debuts in Gas and Electric Versions
https://www.designnews.com/automotive-engineering/maserati-mc20-supercar-debuts-gas-and-electric-versions?ADTRK=InformaMarkets&elq_mid=14471&elq_cid=876648
The Maserati MC20′s innovative Nettuno twin-turbo V6 will be joined by an available battery-electric drivetrain option.
Maserati’s MC20 is an unorthodox supercar, with its twin-turbocharged Nettuno V6 engine that we detailed previously. Aerodynamics dictates a perhaps more conventional approach to the car’s design, but chief exterior designer Giovanni Ribotta still enjoyed significant latitude in infusing appropriately distinctive style.
“This is the Maserati everyone was waiting for: we needed a model that would take us back to our roots, our ancestral soul. Maserati was founded to build racing cars: developing and designing a supercar is part of our identity, as the marque’s history tells us”
What was the main challenge when designing a supercar?
“The challenge in designing a supercar was to achieve the right trade-off between the performances fundamental for a car of this type and elegant proportions. For Maserati, and I’d say for the whole Italian design world, proportions signify elegance and sporty prowess. So we tried to strike the right balance by designing a very pure form, with no excesses, that would perfectly match the constraints, the package, the engineering.”
With MC20, is Maserati creating a concept for other cars in the future?
“This supercar is a milestone: it’s our opportunity to create a real concept, rather like the Alfieri, that provided the basis for generating a whole family of cars. MC20 is the concept for cars to come, but it even enabled us to create a concept in terms of form: what we call sculpted engineering, implemented for the first time with MC20, which is an approach to surfaces we’re intending to use again in the future.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
How Lamborghini Returned to Building Supercars
https://www.designnews.com/automotive-engineering/how-lamborghini-returned-building-supercars
Lamborghini shut down when Italy was hit by COVID-19, but the supercar manufacturer has come back strong thanks to rigorous safety procedures.
Tomi Engdahl says:
California will require all passenger vehicles sold in the state be zero-emission by 2035
https://techcrunch.com/2020/09/23/california-will-require-all-passenger-vehicles-sold-in-the-state-be-zero-emission-by-2035/?tpcc=ECFB2020
California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order on Wednesday requiring sales of all new passenger vehicles be zero-emission by 2035.
The new order would be a huge boost for electric vehicles, and vehicles using alternative fuels like hydrogen, and could boost a sector that’s already surging in California.
As an announcement from the California governor’s office indicates, the transportation sector is responsible for more than half of all of California’s carbon pollution, 80% of smog-forming pollution and 95% of toxic diesel emissions.
“This is the most impactful step our state can take to fight climate change,”
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/tekniset-artikkelit/11194-ajoneuvon-sisaisen-verkon-kapasiteetti-kasvaa
Tomi Engdahl says:
General Motors Slashes Battery Wiring by 90 Percent
The SmartMesh wireless industrial device management technology from Analog Devices, Inc. lets General Motors eliminate much of the wiring in Ultium battery packs.
https://www.designnews.com/automotive-engineering/general-motors-slashes-battery-wiring-90-percent?ADTRK=InformaMarkets&elq_mid=14492&elq_cid=876648
As General Motors Co. gets closer to the production launch of electric vehicles employing the company’s next-generation Ultium batteries, it is revealing additional technical details about these upcoming batteries.
The latest revelation is GM’s partnership with Analog Devices, Inc., to incorporate a wireless battery management system into the Ultium battery packs. This solution not only eliminates 90 percent of the wiring in the packs, it also provides for increased efficiency and flexibility of those packs.
Additionally, because eliminating wires in packs leaves more space inside for additional cells, it can create additional driving range. An important factor is that not only does the wiring occupy space, but its installation and connection is a manual process, and there has to be space provided for workers to do the installation, pointed out Analog Devices technical director for automotive, Gina Aquilano. “There is manual assembly where you have to leave room for someone to go in and make the connections,” she said.
The ability to install additional cells in the same size battery pack is an example of “a tangible outcome for the end-user,” of the use of wireless management technology, Aquilano continued.
Tomi Engdahl says:
An Italian Supercar, the 2021 Maserati MC20
https://www.electronicdesign.com/markets/automotive/media-gallery/21142506/an-italian-supercar-the-2021-maserati-mc20?utm_source=EG+ED+Auto+Electronics&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS200918059&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
The new supercar from Maserati indicates the car company wants to get back into racing, as well as pleasing deep-pocketed auto enthusiasts.
Italian carmaker Maserati is coming out with its first high-end sportscar in 15 years, the $243,000 MC20. The MC stands for Maserati Corse (Maserati Racing), and the 20 for 2020. But eager buyers will have to wait until about the middle of next year before they can buy one.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/markets/automotive/media-gallery/21142506/an-italian-supercar-the-2021-maserati-mc20/slideshow