Important Innovations

  AI System That Real-Time Forecasts Motion Around the Car                                                                                                                                                                           Source: MIT M21 Appears to be Most Accurate Autonomous Driving System  The next big thing in the automotive world is likely to be the spreading use of autonomous cars and trucks.  On the streets of Beijing, Chinese tech/AI company Baidu and California based autonomous car company Pony.AI have become the first robotaxi service in China to operate without backup human drivers. In the US, Alphabet's Waymo and GM's Cruise are also operating without human drivers in San Francisco and Arizona. The key to safety is the car's ability to predict the next movements of vehicles and people simultaneously around the vehicle.  Researchers at MIT may have a breakthrough system.  They have developed a new machine-learning system called M21 that helps driverless car

  LIDAR Standard Equipment in Electric XC90 SUV in 2022                              Source:  Volvo & Luminar Technologies                    Volvo's Long Standing Commitment to Life Saving Technologies Sweden based Volvo, now owned by China's Geeley, has a long history of being the first with life saving automotive technologies.  It was the first automaker to make side impact airbags standard equipment.  It was also the first to make 3 point seatbelts standard.  Now, it is the first to make LIDAR sensors standard, no extra cost equipment, starting with its next generation electric XC90 SUV in 2022.  This is a major commitment by Volvo to automated and autonomous driving.  LIDAR uses laser light pulses to provide precise images of the environment surrounding the car to avoid obstacles, pedestrians, other vehicles and potential collisions. The LIDAR is embedded into the roofline of the vehicle as seen in the above image. Strategic Safe Driving Decision The decision to includ

China's Burgeoning Ride-Hailing Industry Source:  Didi RoboTaxis Industry Leader in China - Didi Chuxing China's ride-hailing company Didi Chuxing has launched a test program for its RoboTaxi services on the streets of Shanghai. The tests started this weekend after the company installed V2X or Vehicle to Everything hardware throughout the area.  V2X enables the robotaxis to communicate with their surroundings and provides an extra layer of safety.  Didi Chuxing is a ride-hailing giant with financial backing from SoftBank. Free, On Demand Rides As part of the test program, customers can hail a free, on demand ride on Didi's robotaxis within designated areas of Shanghai.  Along for the ride are human safety drivers, should there be an autonomous issue. Didi is using Volvo, Lincoln and BYD models retrofitted with Didi's autonomous driving system for the testing.  China's RoboTaxis Elsewhere in China, Baidu is offering robotaxi rides in Changsha. And WeRid

Computing Center for Data Collection Source:  Image of BMW's Planned Center in China Partnering with Tencent BMW and Chinese gaming giant Tencent are opening a computing center in China to gather and process the data generated by self-driving cars on China's roads.  The automotive giant says this will enable them to develop and innovate self-driving technologies specifically suited for driving conditions in China.  This is the second facility of its kind for BMW.   In 2016, they opened a center in Munich specifically geared to German self-driving prototypes. BMW on the Road in China BMW is the only non-Chinese automaker that's been given permission to test autonomous technologies on public roads in China.  The computing center will be built in eastern China.  BMW says it will use cloud computing to quickly and safely gather the data.  BMW plans to launch its first Level 3 autonomous cars in 2021 including in China.