Transportation
The latest news and reviews on EVs, self-driving cars and ride-hailing.
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Water purification could be the key to more electric cars
Humanity is going to need a lot of lithium batteries if electric cars are going to take over, and that's a problem when there's only so much lithium available from conventional mines. There may be an oddball solution for that, however: turn the world's oceans into eco-friendly mines. Scientists have outlined a desalination technique that would use metal-organic frameworks (sponge-like structures with very high surface areas) with sub-nanometer pores to catch lithium ions while purifying ocean water. The approach mimics the tendency of cell membranes to selectively dehydrate and carry ions, leaving the lithium behind while producing water you can drink.
Uber is reportedly preparing to sell its Southeast Asia business
Late last year Uber sold off its business in China to a competitor, and now it looks like the Southeast Asia region could follow a similar path. CNBC reports that it's preparing to make a deal with Grab, a company that claimed to have 95 percent of ride-hailing business in the region last year. Grab was in the middle of raising a $2.5 billion round of investments from sources including (recent Uber investor) Softbank when it made that claim, and the rumored deal would give Uber a "sizable" stake in its competitor. If this happens, it could, like the company's settlement with Waymo over trade secrets, help Uber pave the way for an IPO soon.
Smart Fortwo EV Cabrio is the tiny car for the big city
There are cars out there that fill a need in someone else's life. Maybe you live in a large city and don't have the room or desire for a truck with a powerful diesel engine. Or you're part of a couple that has no need for an SUV with seats for eight. For me, the Smart Fortwo Cabrio EV seemed to fit the bill of cars that would be good for someone, just not me. I like electric cars, but I also need something large enough to haul gear and, well, I like going fast. Then I spent a week with the tiny EV.
Elon Musk promises Model 3 safety changes after crash report
Tesla has an excellent reputation for safety and it looks like the Model 3 is just as solid as its other EVs -- but it still needs a few tweaks. Reddit user "Model 3 Crash Dummy" managed to walk away from an accident that totaled his car, despite the fact that "the paramedics said I should be dead," he wrote. However, he also reported that his passenger's arm hit the center display, breaking it and cutting her arm, while also de-activating the glove box. Elon Musk heard about this, however, and promised hardware and software updates to fix the problem.
Uber hopes to win back London with a 24/7 helpline
When Transport for London (TfL) refused to renew Uber's operating license last September, issues with safety were among the primary reasons for the regulator's decision. Specifically, TfL wasn't enamored with how Uber reported serious offenses and conducted driver backgrounds checks, showing a lack of corporate responsibility. Since then, Uber's been keen to win TfL over, recently imposing limits on how long drivers can work without taking a break -- forced downtime of a similar nature has just been implemented for US drivers, too. Today, Uber has announced another raft of changes intended to make its service safer and curry favor with London's transport regulator.
Authorities deactivate transit pass implanted in biohacker's hand
Meow-Ludo Disco Gamma Meow-Meow couldn't just toss away his New South Wales transit pass even after he found out that it got deactivated while he was on a trip to the US. See, Meow-Meow (yes, that is his legal name) cut the chip out of the travel card, encased it in biocompatible plastic and had it implanted under the skin on his left hand. The biohacker now plans to file a lawsuit against New South Wales' transport authorities, not just to fight the decision, but also to help create laws around body-hacking tech. In addition to the transit pass chip, Meow-Meow has two other implanted electronic components in his body, including one that can store his important documents.
Lyft's Baltimore deal turns bike sharing stops into pickup points
Uber isn't the only ridesharing outfit with an interest in bike sharing. Lyft has formed a partnership with Baltimore Bike Share that will launch hybrid pickup points and bike sharing hubs across the Maryland city. The aim, of course, is to help you switch transportation methods with a minimum of fuss. You could take just one Lyft trip downtown and pedal around for the rest of the day, or bike to a stop if you only occasionally need more than human-powered transport.
London may force Uber to introduce women-only UberPools
Out of the blue, Transport for London (TfL) has issued a "policy statement" on ride-sharing services in the capital. Most of it isn't new — the bulk of the six-page document recaps older policy announcements, such as the controversial English language test for Uber drivers — but there is one idea that hasn't been communicated before. "Operators should provide mechanisms to allow passengers to choose who they share vehicles with (e.g. women-only vehicles) and establishing how passengers might be able to decide on this before accepting a ride." That would affect UberPool and similar services that offer discounts if you share a ride with a stranger.
Dyson's debut EV might not showcase its next-gen battery tech
Though it had been rumored for some time prior, it was still somewhat surprising when Dyson formally revealed it was getting into the EV game. Even for a company that takes research and development to an excessive level to make some of the best vacuum cleaners (and more recently, hairdryers) around, a car is a different league of machine. The Financial Times has learned a little more about Dyson's progress from several anonymous sources -- namely that the current roadmap consists of not one, but three cars. Crucially, little birdies also said the company was considering using a lithium-ion battery to power its first EV, the same tech every automaker uses in their electric cars now. In other words, not particularly innovative for an EV set to hit the road several years from now.
Thermal cameras could be key to safer self-driving vehicles
The typical self-driving prototype is outfitted with a barrage of sensors, from cameras to LiDAR and radar to ultrasonic sensors. All of these are watching the road, other vehicles, pedestrians and, frankly, anything that could disrupt a leisurely drive. But are all of these eyes on the roadway enough? Adasky doesn't think so.
Faraday Future may have received a $1.5 billion lifeline
To say Faraday Future has had a rough time would be an understatement between its financial crisis, executive exodus and CEO troubles. However, things might be looking up for the electric car maker. A Business Insider source has claimed that an unnamed Hong Kong backer has promised a $1.5 billion investment, $550 million of which is "already in the bank." That only goes so far with an automaker, but it's reportedly enough to speed up development of the FF91 and get it on the market by the end of 2018.
Uber is forcing six-hour rest breaks on busy US drivers
With its latest app update, Uber is forcing US drivers to take a six hour break after working 12 straight hours. The company implemented a similar feature in the UK earlier this year, but lets American drivers work two hours longer. The app will issue three warnings, starting after 10 hours of straight driving, before going offline and forcing drivers to stop. The aim is to put a halt to drowsy driving that causes 4,000 accidents a year, the company said in a statement.
MIT CSAIL’s drone is never quite sure where it is
The current generation of autonomous drone navigation and flightpath planning systems are almost too precise, demanding hundreds of measurements be taken so that the UAV knows exactly where it is in space at any given moment. And if those readings are off by even a little, then the drone is in for an impact. What's more, all that data collection is computationally intensive -- especially for smaller drones where the space and weight capacities are limited.
Porsche and Audi will share an electric car platform
Porsche and Audi are no stranger to sharing car innards (the Cayenne and Macan use the same basic chassis as the Q7 and Q5, for instance), and that's holding true in the electric era. Porsche's Oliver Blume and Audi's Rupert Stadler told Stuttgarter Zeitung in an interview that the two Volkswagen-owned brands will jointly develop a common EV platform that will find its way into several models from 2021 and beyond. Audi is already expecting two sedans and two SUVs, while Porsche could build its first vehicle on the platform at the same factory as the Macan. This doesn't mean you'll see an electric Macan, but that suggests it isn't an electrified coupe.
Uber settles with Waymo over allegations of stolen trade secrets
The case between Uber and Waymo is over, and Uber is settling with Waymo over claims that the former stole trade secrets. The payout is a 0.34 percent equity stake in Uber to Waymo which totals around $245 million, according to CNBC. Waymo's accusation was that Uber stole trade secrets (some 14,000 files, allegedly) after engineer Anthony Levandowski left Uber to start Otto, the self-driving truck company that was then purchased by Uber in 2016 for $680 million.
Dream Chaser's first ISS resupply mission launches in late 2020
After years of testing, Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser cargo spacecraft has a launch window. NASA has given the go-ahead to the vehicle's first mission, which is now slated for late 2020. Appropriately, it's a straightforward resupply trip for the International Space Station. The company received the all-clear after hitting a slew of key NASA-approved design milestones.
Tesla targets 2,500 Model 3s a week while posting largest quarterly loss
After its CEO launched one of its Roadsters into space yesterday, Tesla posted its largest quarterly loss while simultaneously posting a jump in revenue. Meanwhile, the company is still working towards its earlier goal of producing 5,000 Model 3s a week.
Renault-Nissan and Didi plan self-driving ride service in China
Didi, the company that purchased the rights to Uber in China, plans to build an electric, autonomous ride-sharing service with Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi and other automakers. The two companies are currently in the exploration stages, but Renault said it will launch "robo-vehicle ride-hailing services" with Didi as part of its Alliance 2022 strategic plan.
Mercedes will build an electric version of its popular Sprinter van
It's all well and good to drive your own electric car, but what about the companies delivering your mail or fixing your water heater? They could stand to benefit from EVs, too -- and Mercedes-Benz is happy to help out. It's launching a refreshed Sprinter van that will, for the first time, include an eSprinter electric version. Details on the range and performance aren't available, but that's likely to vary widely as Mercedes customizes the eSprinter based on individual companies' demands. It's mainly aimed at "city centers," so we wouldn't expect hundreds of miles of driving.
Embark’s self-driving semi completes trip from California to Florida
Last year, autonomous trucking company Embark announced that it would begin using its Level 2 autonomous semis to deliver refrigerators from Texas to California. Now, TechCrunch reports, the company has taken it a step further as one of its trucks has now completed a 2,400 mile trip from Los Angeles to Jacksonville, Florida. The trip took five days, which included scheduled rest breaks for the driver that was on board, and TechCrunch says that Embark's team is now assessing all of the trip's data. While there's no word yet on just how often the system required the driver to step in, those on board said that the truck went "hours at a time with no disengagements, and when they did occur they were usually only a few seconds," according to Embark CEO Alex Rodrigues.
