Important Innovations

  Japanese Automaker Investing $45 B in R&D                              Sources:  Honda. Space image NASA Focus:  Robots, Rockets & Flying Taxis Honda is expanding into new forms of mobility and significantly increasing its R&D spending on 3, highly innovative and disruptive business lines: robots, rockets and flying taxis or eVTOLS.  The Japanese based auto giant is investing $45 billion in R&D money over the next 6 years.  Interestingly, Honda as a mobility company sees the 3 areas as an extension of and synergistic with its primary business of making cars.  They say that the research and development efforts could lead to a greatly advanced electric vehicle platform, among other new technologies.  Honda's strategy is to create prototype robots, rockets and eVTOLs to determine if the products are viable for successful commercial market development.   Robotics Honda is a pioneer in robotics.  It created Asimo which was one of the world's first robots to walk. C

  VW Pumping $86 Billion into Electric & Autonomous Mobility                                                  Source:  VW  Leading the Way in Green Mobility Over the next five years, Volkswagen will pump $86 billion into electric and autonomous technologies. VW seeks to remain the world's largest automaker as the world shifts toward green, no emissions cars.   Half of VW's investment budget is going into electric vehicles, autonomous technology, hybrids and what it calls seamless software-based vehicle operating systems.  VW is also doubling its spending on digitalization to develop new self-driving systems and new vehicle operating systems. Tighter Emissions Standards in Europe and Elsewhere  With the European Union and many countries around the world toughening their regulations to reduce carbon emissions, VW is re-shaping the company and its brands with a strategic focus on green, electric, autonomous clean mobility.  Just in the EU, VW needs to increase its hybrid and E