Here are some of the trending news topics in the automotive and mobility markets from around the world. We will be curating three interesting pieces of news from the automotive industry and providing insightful summaries to give our readers a better understanding of the latest developments in this field.

By presenting the most significant information in a concise and accessible format, we aim to provide an engaging and informative reading experience.

So, sit back, relax, and enjoy learning about the exciting happenings in the world of automotive technology!

1. When Will Cars Be Fully Self-Driving?

It was several years ago that we predicted that the era of fully automated driving to reach our destinations safely could be realized in the near future. However, despite billions of dollars spent on research and development, fully automated driving technology has not yet advanced far enough to replace human drivers. As a result, some car companies and technology start-ups are busy adjusting their schedules. For example, in October, Ford Motor and Volkswagen AG shut down their driverless car company, Argo AI, and Ford CEO Jim Farley admitted that fully automated driving has a long way to go.

SAE International is tasked with achieving human-level artificial intelligence to achieve Level 5 fully automated driving, but there is currently no general theory to achieve this goal.

It is expected that in the near future, it will be difficult to expect full autonomy from automobiles, and instead, more limited solutions will be deployed sooner rather than later. At the same time, while the level of technology for self-driving cars is advancing, cost remains a key issue.

While artificial intelligence is essential for automating driving functions, it cannot cover all edge cases in unexpected situations, such as a dog running in front of a car or a lane shift in a construction site. ai cannot reason, and neural networks require millions of examples to minimize the error margin. millions of cases.

While the future of fully automated driving is promising, there is still a long way to go to fully replace human drivers, and incremental development and limited solutions will be the norm.

2. Toyota’s new CEO adjusts EV plans but sticks to a hybrid approach

Mr. Koji Sato, Toyota’s newly elected CEO, is on a mission to take the automaker from the past back to the present, announcing plans to sell 1.5 million electric vehicles by 2026 and introduce 10 new EV models on Friday.

Toyota, which sold more than 10.5 million vehicles last year, has overtaken Volkswagen for the third consecutive year to maintain its position as the world’s largest automaker. Toyota has long been a proponent of hybrid vehicles, but the introduction of BEVs has been slow, and Sato revealed that he plans to introduce a new business structure and strategy when he takes office in February to boost Toyota’s EV efforts, “Now is the time to accelerate BEV development with a new approach.” He asserted.

As an intermittent goal, Toyota announced that, based on 2019, it will reduce CO2 emissions from vehicles sold worldwide by 33% by 2030 and by at least 50% by 2035. In addition, Vice President Mr. Hiroki Nakajima explained the company’s new electrification strategy, which includes the introduction of 10 new battery-electric vehicles by 2026, equivalent to 1.5 million EVs sold annually.

He also hinted at the possibility of a new EV platform after claiming that a new generation of BEVs, “completely different from what we have today,” will double the range.

Toyota, on the other hand, is sticking to its “multi-pathway approach,” which includes hybrid and fuel cell vehicles.

The company stated that it will increase the battery efficiency of plug-in hybrid vehicles and extend the EV driving range to 124 miles (200 km) or more. As for fuel cell vehicles, Toyota is moving forward with mass production, mainly of commercial vehicles.

3.Panasonic teams with Amazon, Stellantis on car cabin systems

Panasonic has partnered with Amazon and Stellantis, the world’s fourth-largest automaker, to develop a new in-car system that uses Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant technology, which will be available in new Stellantis vehicles starting in 2024, allowing drivers and passengers to use voice commands to control various functions of the car, including air conditioning, navigation, and entertainment.

Panasonic has long been a major supplier of automotive batteries and other components, but is now looking to diversify into other areas, such as automotive electronics and software, and this alliance is an important move in the company’s market expansion in the automotive industry.

For Amazon, this partnership is another step in expanding Alexa’s reach beyond the home to other environments such as the car and workplace.

For Stellantis, the partnership with Panasonic and Amazon is part of a broader effort to embrace new technologies and remain competitive in the rapidly changing automotive market. The company plans to invest heavily in electric and autonomous vehicles over the next few years and is also exploring new business models such as car sharing and subscription services.