Progress on autonomous, electric, connected vehicles

Issue #23, Oct 31, 2020

Mobility-as-a-service or sharing of vehicles has taken a hit due to the need for social distancing in the COVID-19 period. But the other aspects in the CASE trend are progressing - connected, autonomous and electric vehicles. Traditional auto giants continue to partner among themselves and with the digitally native Silicon Valley czars and startups to not miss the bus. Here are some recent developments in the past week, as reported in media.

The Silicon Valley-Detroit collaboration

Google's autonomous driving project Waymo is expanding its auto industry alliances by partnering with Daimler Inc.’s truck division to get self-driving technology the Alphabet unit has worked on for over a decade behind the wheel of Freightliner big rigs. The alliance between the companies will initially focus on installing software, computing system, laser lidar sensors, cameras and radar on Freightliner Cascadia trucks operating on U.S. highways. - Forbes

EVs and green horsepower

If gasoline-fueled provocations aren’t enough, electric cars are smashing the 1,000-horsepower barrier. Most gasoline engines convert only about 20 percent of stored liquid energy to power at the wheels, with the rest wasted as heat. But E.V.s convert roughly 60 percent of grid electricity to forward motion. - NY Times

Harley-Davidson's e-bicycle

Born as a skunkworks deep inside Harley-Davidson's Product Development Center, the eBicycle project began with a small group of passionate motorcycle and bicycle enthusiasts working with a single focus to design and develop an eBicycle worthy of the Harley-Davidson name. - Economic Times

Toyota catching up on connected cars

After decades of focusing on making and selling cars, Toyota is increasingly turning to partners to help develop expensive new vehicle technologies as it tries to transform itself into a mobility services company. - Nikkei Times

A flying car

Slovakian company Klein Vision Ltd will be displaying its flying car, called the AirCar, in China this year. With wings on both sides, the flying car can change from vehicle mode to flying mode in a short time. The AirCar is a functional prototype which can be used both in the air and on the ground. - Economic Times

Moving beyond batteries to the supply chain

A proposed USD 4 billion production-linked incentive scheme aims to propel local battery manufacturing in India. But the big picture may still be missing. It will remain a half-baked effort unless the entire supply chain, not just the battery-cell suppliers are roped in. - Economic Times

Revenue from compliance to environmental regulations

Ford, seeking to avoid costly fines for falling short of European environmental regulations, is joining with Volvo Cars to comply with the rules limiting emissions from their vehicles. Volvo and its affiliate Polestar have overachieved in meeting the regulations and will sell its surplus to Ford for an undisclosed sum. - Bloomberg