Technology can blur the borders between different sectors. Take for example technologies for lightweighting, or for UX/UI. The automotive industry has benefited from the sharp approaches towards lightweighting in the aviation industry, and more recently is learning and adopting a thing or two in UX/UI from the smartphone industry.
An EV with airplane tech
Now, imagine the technology prowess of autopilot, the technology which allows even huge jumbo jets to fly on their own. Could there be a thing or two to pick for automotive engineers developing Autonomous Vehicles? Whether that’s happening or not, what is definitely happening is an electric truck trying to get autonomous driving power using the basic airliner controls of an A350. Find out why in the story below.
Read More: Airbus fits electric truck with airliner cockpit to study safer taxiing
GM keeps alive it bet on Autonomous Driving
Accident-free mobility is the ultimate goal, and Autonomous Driving (AD) technology was expected to be the silver bullet to fix the problem of accidents. However, with multiple incidents involving robotaxis, and some personal cars equipped with the technology, it looks that the technology still needs some maturing. Even so, why is Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, which has invested around $10 billion in AD tech start-up Cruise, still bullish about Autonomous Vehicles? Here’s why.
Read More: CEO Barra backs GM’s push for autonomous vehicles
Collaboration for digital mobility infra
The mobility sector stands as a leading example of an increasingly disruptive and innovative age. And, India has a good chance to be a base for the development of many new technologies for adoption globally. The MInT (Mobility and Intelligent Transportation) initiative by IIT Madras, to develop the mobility digital infrastructure (Bharat Multimodal Mobility Stack or BM3S) to enable ‘holistic system solutions’ is a key move that is fuelling collaborations.
Read More: ZF Commercial Vehicle, IIT Madras join hands to build global mobility digital infrastructure
Hydrogen set to gain traction
In the evolving scenario of the energy mix for the automotive industry, Hydrogen is being bet as the cleanest option. The Indian Army can play a key role in the adoption of Hydrogen-run vehicles, as well as help in the production infrastructure.
Read More: Indian Army ties with Indian Oil Corporation to receive hydrogen fuel cell bus
Hydrogen is also a key bet for many companies as part of their sustainable growth plan. Here’s an example of a Hydrogen-run 4X4 from British major Ineos. Is it a car of tomorrow?
Read More: Ineos drives towards hydrogen car future
A 10-minute EV charging tech
It may be hard to argue against the merit of the tailpipe-emission free EVs, but what’s a significant hurdle for mass adoption is the time taken to charge one (if the user finds a charging station easily). This technology development by an Indian-origin researcher and his teammates could hold the answer to that challenge.
Read More: Indian-origin researcher discovers new tech that can charge electric car in 10 min
That’s all we have in this week’s edition of the ETAutoTech newsletter. We hope you found the content mix useful. Please do share your feedback, suggestions on sumantra.barooah@timesinternet.in
And, to learn about all the key major automotive technology trends of today, and tomorrow, join us at the 5th ETAuto Tech Summit, in Bengaluru, on 20th and 21st June. To register, click on ETAuto Tech Summit
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