Mike Millikin

Ford also named Google Cloud its preferred cloud provider to leverage Google’s expertise in data, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML). As part of this new, six-year partnership—and beginning in 2023—millions of future Ford and Lincoln vehicles at all price points will be powered by Android, with Google apps and services built-in. As its preferred cloud provider and starting later this year, Google will help Ford leverage Google Cloud’s AI, ML and data analytics technologies to accelerate the automaker’s digital transformation, modernize operations, and power connected vehicle technologies with Google’s trusted, secure, and reliable cloud. Beginning in 2023, Ford and Lincoln customers globally will start to benefit from unique digital experiences built on top of the Android operating system and with Google apps and services built-in, which include world-class map and voice technology: •

Toyota Motor Corp., DENSO Corporation and the SoftBank Vision Fund (SVF) will invest $1 billion in Uber Technologies Inc.’s Advanced Technologies Group (Uber ATG). Under the terms, Toyota and DENSO will together invest $667 million and SVF will invest $333 million, valuing the new Uber ATG entity at $7.25 billion on a post-money basis. Toyota invested $500 million in Uber in August 2018, when the two companies announced their intention to bring pilot-scale deployments of automated Toyota Sienna-based ridesharing vehicles to the Uber ridesharing network in 2021, leveraging the strengths of Uber ATG’s self-driving technology alongside the Toyota Guardian™ advanced safety support system. Leveraging the strengths of Uber ATG’s autonomous vehicle technology and service network and the Toyota Group’s vehicle control system technology, mass-production capability, and advanced safety support systems, such as Toyota Guardian, will enable us to commercialize safer, lower cost automated ridesharing vehicles and services.

Developed in China, with future production planned there, the new unit is designed to meet the particular conditions of the Chinese market and the requirements of vehicle manufacturers there. The new electric central drive was developed by a local ZF development team to meet the specific requirements of the Chinese market in terms of safety, performance and cost-effectiveness. Designed for city and shuttle buses with a length of 10~12 meters as well as medium-duty trucks up to 12 tons, it meets all the necessary standards for integration into established vehicle platforms. As a permanent magnet motor, it is highly efficient even at low speed range, making it particularly suitable for stop-go traffic typical of urban areas, while enabling greater range per battery charge.

RoboSense has teamed up with partners Horizon Robotics, Cainiao Network, Sensible 4, and AutoX to launch the Smart Sensor System (SSS) designed for four key smart transportation vehicle applications: autonomous passenger cars; low-speed autonomous vehicles; high-speed RoboTaxis; and V2R (Vehicle to Road infrastructure). The RoboSense Smart Sensor System combines new LiDAR hardware, AI point cloud algorithms, and an IC design for a one-stop Smart Sensor System strategy that collects and interprets environment information, distinguishing itself from traditional lower resolution LiDAR hardware suppliers. The new Smart Sensor System combines the RoboSense RS-LiDAR-M1 MEMS-based smart sensor with the RS-Bpearl super-wide-angle blind-spot LiDAR; RS-Ruby super high-resolution LiDAR; and RoboSense AI perception algorithms. RoboSense’s new Smart Sensor System for RoboTaxis provides an environment perception solution that employs one RS-Ruby LiDAR as the core sensor on top of the vehicle to cover the 360° overall perception, and two RS-Bpearl LiDARs on the sides of the car’s hood to detect blind spots.