Author: Shaun Williams

At the Oracle CloudWorld conference in Las Vegas, former Tesla board member and co-founder of Oracle, Larry Ellison, unveiled a unique vision for the future of law enforcement vehicles—a Tesla Cybertruck designed specifically for police and public safety applications. Ellison, known for his forward-thinking approach, introduced the concept of a Tesla Cybertruck customized with police equipment and adorned with Oracle branding. This specialized law enforcement Cybertruck was showcased as part of Oracle’s initiative to bolster first responders’ capabilities. See also: Tesla Cybertruck Release Candidate Spotted at 50,000th Supercharger in California During his presentation, Ellison shared insights into the forthcoming next-generation…

In a groundbreaking move, NIO has introduced SkyOS, described as China’s inaugural operating system tailored exclusively for smart electric vehicles. The unveiling took place during the NIO IN 2023 innovation day event in Shanghai, where the company showcased its commitment to pioneering automotive technology. SkyOS stands as NIO’s comprehensive domain operating system, encompassing a broad spectrum of functionalities, ranging from vehicle control to intelligent driving, cockpit management, mobile connectivity, and more. The development aligns with NIO’s “1+4+N” technology framework, signifying its ambition to revolutionize the EV landscape. The “1” component of this framework is SkyOS-H, a hypervisor that extends support…

Aurrigo, an UK-based autonomous vehicle manufacturer, has unveiled its Auto-Shuttle as the designated autonomous vehicle for the Living Lab for Autonomous Electric Vehicles project. This collaborative initiative, funded by the European Union and led by University College London, seeks to assess the potential of driverless public transit in Europe. Initially, Aurrigo’s Auto-Shuttles will have human operators on board to take control in the event of errors or emergencies. However, Aurrigo’s ambitious plan is to gradually phase out human operators and replace them with remote supervisors, who will not be physically present on the bus but will have the capability to…

Hertz customers renting Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles can now enjoy the convenience of Tesla’s mobile app, enriching their rental experience. This update was shared by Tesla North America on their official communication platform, X (formerly Twitter). The integration of Tesla’s mobile app provides Hertz renters with a host of functionalities previously exclusive to Tesla owners. As stated in Tesla’s announcement, this includes keyless lock/unlock capabilities through the phone, remote cabin preconditioning, real-time charge status monitoring, and more. Furthermore, this integration offers an additional perk for users who have activated cloud-backed driver profiles in their personal Tesla vehicles.…

The New South Wales (NSW) government has announced its decision to discontinue a $3,000 subsidy for new electric vehicle (EV) purchases, along with exemptions for stamp duties, effective from January 1, 2024. This move is part of an effort to reallocate savings towards the expansion of EV charging infrastructure in commuter car parks and apartment complexes. Transitional arrangements have been put in place to ensure that individuals who have already purchased or placed a deposit on an eligible EV, regardless of whether the vehicle has been delivered by the specified date, will still be eligible for the incentives. The decision…

The team formerly behind the self-driving startup Argo AI has returned with a new venture called Stack AV, focusing on autonomous trucking. This announcement comes 11 months after Ford and Volkswagen withdrew their support for Argo AI, sending shockwaves through the autonomous vehicle industry. Stack AV, led by Founder and CEO Bryan Salesky, President Pete Rander, and Chief Technology Officer Brett Browning, is committed to harnessing the potential of self-driving trucks for commercial success. The company, which is also headquartered in Pittsburgh, has quickly grown to employ 150 professionals across multiple states. Notably, Stack AV has secured substantial funding from…

Jaguar is embarking on an innovative venture in collaboration with the prestigious apartment group MODA Living. The initiative aims to provide residents of two opulent apartment complexes in the UK, namely Angel Gardens in Manchester and New York Square in Leeds, with the exclusive opportunity to experience the electric I-Pace through an on-demand rental service. This visionary move underscores Jaguar’s commitment to redefining the client journey in anticipation of its transition to an all-electric luxury car company by 2025. The essence of this groundbreaking program lies in convenience and accessibility. Residents of the aforementioned apartment complexes can effortlessly book the…

Wang Chuanfu, Chairman and President of BYD, delivered a compelling message today at the 2023 ESG Global Leaders Conference in Shanghai. He called upon humanity to expedite its departure from fossil fuels, emphasizing the urgency of transitioning to sustainable energy sources to secure the future. Mr. Wang acknowledged the historical significance of fossil energy, which has fueled human progress for over 260 years since the first industrial revolution. Nevertheless, he stressed that this reliance has come at a considerable cost to society. According to Wang’s speech, humanity has already depleted almost half of the planet’s fossil energy resources. At the…

In a move that has sparked controversy, the European Commission has launched an investigation into the competitive landscape of Chinese electric vehicles (EVs). The probe comes in the wake of concerns raised by European automakers about their ability to produce affordable EVs and catch up with China’s dominance in this rapidly expanding market. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the investigation, which aims to evaluate the dynamics of the EV industry, just days after executives at Munich’s IAA mobility show voiced their apprehensions. They acknowledged the formidable challenge of narrowing the gap with China in terms of affordability…

German automaker BMW has announced plans to reduce the planning time for new factories by 50%. This strategic move was revealed by BMW’s production chief, Milan Nedeljkovic, ahead of the recent Munich Motor Show. Traditionally, the planning phase for a new production facility can span anywhere from 12 to 24 months, with construction taking an additional one to two years. Nedeljkovic highlighted that by reducing the planning duration from 24 to 12 months, the overall timeline could be condensed from three years to just two. See also: BMW manufactures its Next-Gen Electric Vehicles in Virtual Factory Using NVIDIA’s Advanced Technology…

Tesla’s Giga Berlin facility has introduced a dedicated employee shuttle train, marking a significant step in its efforts to streamline transportation for its workforce while also contributing to local traffic alleviation. The train commenced operations on Monday, connecting the town of Erkner to the Tesla plant, and it is expected to run approximately 60 times a day from Monday to Friday. This innovative initiative was celebrated with a grand event at the newly established train depot on the Tesla site in Grünheide (Oder-Spree). The train service is not only designed to efficiently transport over 1,500 Tesla employees to and from…

Leapmotor, a player in China’s electric vehicle (EV) market, maintained its impressive delivery figures in August, though slightly below the record-breaking numbers seen in July. According to the latest data released by the company, Leapmotor reported 14,190 vehicle deliveries in August, marking the second-highest monthly figure, just shy of July’s peak of 14,335 units. Despite the marginal dip, this represented a substantial 13.29 percent increase when compared to the same month the previous year when 12,525 vehicles were delivered. However, it also indicated a modest 1.01 percent decrease from July’s extraordinary performance. See also: JSW Group in Preliminary Talks with…