How will we move in 50 years? How well connected will our transportation be? What is essential for seamless integration?
MOVE America‘s keynote panel Connectivity and Integration: How we move and how we groove shed some light into the critical solutions and aspects of these very questions and more.
The panel was moderated by John Kwant, executive director of 5G Automotive Association. Kwant was joined by Jeffrey DeCoux, chairman and autonomy fellow at the Autonomy Institute, who emphasised the need for infrastructure and investment in connectivity and 6G, suggested that investors should continue to invest in the development of smart cities.
DeCoux said:
“If we really want 6G+ networks and more connectivity, we need a new infrastructure and investment, investors spend billions on enabling smart cities”.
Jason JonMichael, transportation specialist at the United States Department of Transportation, added to the discussion by emphasised the longevity of new infrastructure beyond our lifetimes. He also highlighted the importance of avoiding heterogeneity.
JonMichael said:
“It’s up to us to figure out how to make the new infrastructure to carry on past our lives, the bills and investments are the activators that will drive it forward and keep it moving for 50 years, heterogeneity is something we need to stay away from”.
Also in the panel, we saw Sylvano Carrasco, VP of connected cars and partnerships at Getaround, who brought attention to the economic landscape of autonomous vehicles (AVs).
Carrasco said:
“Autonomous vehicles will be more expensive and will be more likely shared as they cause less accidents and are costly”.
Lastly in the panel, Michele Mueller, senior project manager for connected and AVs at the Michigan Department of Transportation, provided a vision of a safer future with AVs while still being committed to sustainability.
Mueller added:
“In 10 years’ time, I think AVs will be safer but we need to take an active interest in sustainability”
Importantly, the discussion carried on questioning the impediments in achieving a safer transportation system. Jason mentioned the regional disparities that challenge electrification and consumer adoption, while Jeff addressed the scepticism about AVs. Michele also jumped in added the importance of articulating a clear vision.
Overall, the panel’s discussion concluded that the transition of decades-old transit systems will require regional cooperation, adapting to innovative technologies like 6G and autonomy with sustainability as its priority. This necessity, though, begs for way more regional and federal partnerships and legislation to provide much-needed funding to facilitate this transition.
In the wake of challenges while dealing with real-time mobility data, Zeliot, a deep tech company founded with a vision to create revolutionary products in the connected mobility ecosystem, is all set to introduce Condense, a verticalised mobility cloud platform, at MOVE America 2023.
This platform-based solution is poised to transform the landscape of mobility data orchestration, further helping enterprises to tailor their mobility solutions for more efficient and safer operations.
Condense, a Verticalised Connected Mobility Platform
Zeliot’s Condense addresses the complex conundrum of real-time mobility data with a comprehensive, one-stop solution. The platform’s innovative architecture seamlessly manages the diverse streams of mobility data originating from heterogeneous sources including Brokers, Databases, IOT sensors and Telematics Devices. By offering out-of-the-box connectors and production-ready data pipelines, Zeliot’s Condense streamlines the otherwise arduous process of data ingestion and transformation.
Helping the Mobility Giants to Drive the Future of Mobility Data with Faster GTM Strategies
Zeliot’s Condense is a low code no code LCNC, click-to-deploy IoT platform that’s live on various cloud marketplaces (currently live on Microsoft Azure and soon to launch on AWS and Google Cloud). This robust IoT platform is re-inventing the future of connected mobility ecosystem, further helping enterprises to minimize Go-to-Marketplace time. Here are some other good things about Condense:
Works smoothly with all the after-market IoT devices
Offers predefined mobility-specific off-the-shelf modules for data transformation
Supports the incorporation of new devices in a matter of minutes, allowing direct processing of the data streaming from Telematics Hardware in the enterprise-owned cloud, enhancing security, saving costs, and optimizing customizations
Scales up automatically to handle the load, further optimizing costs and bringing down manual intervention
Experience the Future of Mobility at MOVE America 2023
At MOVE America 2023, mobility giants will witness how Zeliot’s Condense seamlessly automates the process of data transformation into valuable business insights. Leveraging the capabilities of these valuable business insights, enterprises can always make informed decisions in real-time. Some of the platform-based mobility solutions that enterprises can build on Condense include route optimization, fleet management, Remote diagnostics, EV battery-swapping applications, etc.
Zeliot invites attendees to explore how Zeliot’s Condense is powering real-time mobility data at Booth No. 1245. In an era when data reigns supreme, Zeliot’s Condense stands as a beacon of innovation, simplifying complexity and ushering in a new era of intelligent mobility data management.
Day two at MOVE America 2023 is well and truly underway! Some fascinating discussions were held in the keynote theatre this morning between the biggest experts in the industry. Here’s what you missed…
The keynote panel The strategic supply chain that took place this morning, hosted by Liz Kerton, executive director at Autotech Council. Kerton guided the panel with questions for conversation, all with an overarching focus on the issues in the electric vehicle (EV) supply chain including a designated discussion on battery supply.
The panel was joined by a diverse range of experts to offer reliable and technical insight to the supply chain issue, including: Genevieve Cullen the president of the Electric Drive Transportation Association, Amir Tirosh the COO of StoreDot, and Ryan Castilloux the managing director of Adamas Intelligence.
The front-running question which loomed over the talk was how? when? and will? we get the vehicle industry to turn fully electric?
Genevieve Cullen said:
“0-100 is not what we’re solving for. We need to be continually innovating in this space to address battery chemistries and we need so much more infrastructure and the completion of all these steps in the middle to make it easier for consumers to adopt.”
It became apparent over the course of the discussion that the rate of EV adoption in America is at a less than favourable speed and that the European rate is significantly bigger.
Ryan Castilloux said:
“A bigger challenge for us is the long charging time for DVS. Even fast charging stations some can take upwards of 40 minutes to charge and when you factor in minus 30 temperatures and the reduction in rain to get that makes it challenging to go and see family of 500 kilometres away.”
The panellists bounced between ideas of increased infrastructure, localisation of of battery manufacturing plants, and refinement of operations in order to create a seamless supply chain and increase in EV adoption.
Amir Tirosh added:
“The supply chain is now changing, in the beginning everybody ran fast in a cylindrical way and now the EV makers are more mature that they understand more of what is they require. They’re starting to deal with new changes and advancements in EVs and we are going to have some kind of uniformity but it’s not there yet.”
The keynote talk wrapped up with an opinion round-up of whether the panellists are optimistic about the future electrification in America, which received a positive response from each panellist.
Tirosh perfectly summed up the talk about EV adoption, he said: “It’s not if we are going to get there, it’s how fast”.
Brandy Mayfield, SVP and managing director or digital economy at AON, caught up with MOVEMNT to discuss all-things risk.
AON are coming back to MOVE in Austin this week to give more insight on how to best understand risk in insurance. In this interview, Mayfield provides exclusive insight to her talk that will be taking place at MOVE America, named “What are your peers saying about risk?”
If you would like to meet Brandy and the rest of the team at AON, join them tomorrow at MOVE America in the Austin Convention Centre. Buy your tickets to the event here.
Meet Paul Smith, COO and co-founder of DigiSure; a technology platform that enables data-driven insurance for OEMs, shared economy companies, and modern transport businesses.
DigiSure utilise their industry expertise and advanced technology to optimise processes within the entire insurance ecosystem; including screening and risk, policy administration, claims handling, and insurance program management.
In this interview Smith chats about which symptoms of insurance can arise in your company and its vehicles, what these symptoms look like, and how DigiSure aims to combat these risk symptoms before it’s too late. Smith also discusses the loss ratio concept – cost of claims relative to generated insurance premium – and how the company can help to keep this to a safe balance.
Exclusive insight is also given on what we can expect to see from DigiSure at MOVE America and what Smith’s panel “Making shared mobility profitable” will converse on in the Business Models theatre next week.
We can finally say it – only 1 week ‘till MOVE! We’re gearing up for an incredible two days of talks, networking, experience and much more. MOVE has become the critical meeting place for buyers and sellers across the mobility value chain. OEMs, transport operators, tech companies, energy companies, fast growing startups and policymakers gather every year to discover the next generation technologies being brought into the market place. This is where we partner…where we launch…where we connect…where we create…
Check out some last bits of important info, like who’s joining our tracks. With 24 tracks across 2 days, there is much to look forward to. Our tracks include:
Electric Vehicles – Smart Cities and Infrastructure – Autonomous Vehicles – Energy and Charging – Last Mile Delivery – Regulation – Liability & ESG, Fleet Management – Bus Trans – Truck Tech – Business Models – Autonomous Vehicles – Micromobility & Ability – Mapping, Navigation & Routes – MaaS – Ticketing, Revenue & Payments – Hydrogen & Alternative Fuels – Connectivity & 5G – V-Commerce & Dealerships – Tech, Data & Innovation – Battery Tech – Air/Drones.
Here is just a taster of what is to come…
Panel: The car-as-a-device: how OEMs are becoming the new software companies
Moderator – Steve Tengler, Senior Contributor, Forbes
Sachin Raviram, Senior Group Manager, Software Defined Vehicle, General Motors
Jana Breikopft, CEO, Mercedes Pay
Frank McCleary, Partner, Porsche Consulting
Panel: Is non-ownership the vehicle model of the future?
Moderator – Grayson Brulte, Founder and CEO, Road to Autonomy
Jesal Trivedi, Product Lead, New Mobility Platforms, Ford
Charlie Guo, Product Manager, Nissan
Curtis Scott, Global Future Mobility Leader, AON
Matthew Kovisnky, Head of OEM and Mobility Partnerships, TURO
Panel: Building out American charging and what it means for all players
Moderator – Ben Prochazka, Executive Director, Electrification Coalition
Britta Gross, Director of Transportation, EPRI
Sean Ackley, Head of Charging and Energy, VinFast US
Lauren Skiver, COO, Transdev
Daniel Keh, Senior Managing Director, Guggenheim Partners
Panel: Autonomous now
Moderator – Grayson Brulte, Founder and CEO, Road to Autonomy
Suman Kharbanda, Vice President Advanced Technology & Innovation, FedEx
Sarah Searcy, Deputy Director of Innovation, NCDOT
Srinivas Gowda, VP of Autonomous, Navistar
Panel: Driving innovation across the mobility ecosystem
Moderator – Steve Tengler, Senior Contributor, Forbes
Steve Greenfield, CEO, Automotive Ventures
Andrew Glass Hastings, Executive Director, Open Mobility Foundation
Neil Brooker, COO, BMW Designworks
Panel: The strategic supply chain
Moderator – Pete Bigelow, Editor, Automotive News
Amir Torish, CBO, StoreDot
Genevieve Cullen, President, Electric Drive Transportation Association
Ryan Castilloux, Managing Director, ADAMAS Intelligence
Panel: Connectivity and integration: how we move and how we groove
Moderator – John Kwant, Executive Director, Americas, 5GAA
Jason JonMichael, Transportation Specialist (OSC), USDOT Research and Technology
Michele Mueler, Senior Project Manager, Connected and Automated Vehicles, Michigan Department of Transportation
Sylvano Carrasco, VP of Connected Cars, GetAround
Panel: The latest in MaaS subscription models
Moderator – Roger Lanctot, Director, TechInsights
Charlie Guo, Product Manager, Nissan
Jayesh Patel, SVP, Corporate Strategy Hertz
Matthew Iommi, CEO, Fetii
Panel: Circular batteries: how recycling programs are driving a sustainable battery ecosystem
Moderator – Emily Dreibelis, Reporter, PCMag (Moderator)
Steve Christensen, Executive Director, Responsible Battery Coalition
Megan O’Connor, CEO, Nth Cycle
Ganesh Iyer, CEO, NIO US
Albert Lipson, Principal Materials Scientist, Argonne National Laboratory
Written by Max Nurse-Bosley, GTM Analyst, Worldpay
Worldpay is the world’s global leading acquirer with 30+ years of experience in payments across 146 countries. As a Platinum Sponsor at MOVE America 2023, their team of vertical experts examines the trends and drivers for growth impacting the world of urban mobility today and identifies how an effective payment strategy can generate more revenue for businesses across the globe.
The highlighted insights below give us a sneak preview from their latest Future of EVC Payments white paper and upcoming Urban Mobility Payments Report. The report is based on their recent study conducted in the US and U.K. to understand the payment habits and preferences of 2000+ regular and frequent transport users across multiple forms of transport.
Industry Growth
Electric vehicle (EV) sales are estimated to rise to 20% of total car sales globally by 2025, with a staggering 59% projected by 2035. The rapid growth of the EV market has fuelled an equally rapid expansion of electric vehicle charging (EVC) infrastructure, with its global market value reaching $26 billion in 2022 and further expected to soar to an impressive $222 billion by 2030. This growth has been largely triggered by the escalating global environmental crisis putting an increased focus on sustainability across various industries. This is particularly important in the automotive sector, which despite its historical contribution to pollution is now positioning itself as a leader in driving positive change. EVs and the subsequent development of EVC infrastructure are at the forefront of this transformation.
Regulatory Change
In addition to environmental concerns, the growth of the EVC industry is also propelled by legislative measures aiming to promote EV adoption. For instance, several North American states and EU member countries have committed to prohibiting the sale of new fossil fuel vehicles by 2035. Additionally, numerous governments in the EU and US have implemented initiatives to enhance the accessibility of EVCs for customers and improve the overall customer experience provided by EVC suppliers. For example, the US government has promised to implement 500,000 EV chargers before 2030. Another notable initiative involves the implementation of card-present terminals throughout Europe. This initiative seeks to address one of the major barriers to public EVC usage, which is the inconsistency and unreliability of payment methods, by establishing a standardized payment experience across the market for users.
Consumer Expectations
In a highly competitive market with numerous mobility service alternatives, delivering a seamless user experience is paramount for operators looking to drive demand and foster customer loyalty. The payment process holds significant importance in the customer journey and Worldpay’s recent study strongly indicates that ‘convenience’ is the top priority for consumers when it comes to their payment experience. It was also found that 43% of US consumers and 50% of UK consumers have at times chosen not to charge their vehicles due to the lengthiness of the payment process. This highlights the damage that is caused to EVC businesses when their payment experience does not match their customer expectations.
A Lack of Brand Loyalty
The research also examined the preferences of customers regarding their choice of EVC brand. When asked whether they opted for a specific EVC brand, it was revealed that the vast majority, 77% US consumers and 88% UK consumers, leaned towards using whatever brand was available (these findings exclude Tesla drivers). For EVC suppliers, this absence of brand loyalty poses challenges such as unpredictable demand and a higher likelihood of customer churn. However, it also presents an opportunity for EVC suppliers to break this pattern by addressing customer pain points, such as lengthy payment processes, by providing a seamless and consistent payment experience.
To learn more about EVC trends and how your business can seize the opportunities these create, read our latest insights on The Future of EV Charging Paymentshere.
Zeelo have announced a partnership with DigiSure in the hopes accelerating its transit-tech expansion across the United States.
The collaboration will enable Zeelo, commuting solutions provider, to automate existing procedures to monitor driver compliance certification and thereby scale its operations across the country in transport-poor areas where there are gaps in public mass transit.
DigiSure’s risk management technology intends to help Zeelo in recording certifications in driver-screening procedures and onboarding compliant bus transportation operators. Zeelo’s system manages live vehicle tracking, booking, and ticketing, as well as automated boarding with digital bus passes.
Sam Ryan, co-founder and CEO at Zeelo, said:
“Being able to automate driver screening and ensure our operator partners are meeting our strict safety and risk assessment criteria, is a complete game-changer for our US expansion.
“We can now rapidly increase our supply of available fleets to serve more clients, more sites, much faster without compromising on our very high quality of service and our ability to design bespoke programs optimized with our technology to create the most efficient travel routes for the daily work commute.”
The integration of DigiSure’s risk management system into Zeelo’s existing technology stack, hopes to increase Zeelo’s operations and services in the United States accelerate the onboarding of bus operator partners onto its system.
Mike Shim, CEO at DigiSure, expressed his excitement at the partnership. He said: “Zeelo’s innovative approach to transportation, its commitment to sustainability, and dedication to ensuring a superior customer experience perfectly align with our mission to enable fast, efficient, and safe onboarding processes for modern transportation and mobility companies.”
Would you believe it if I told you that your behaviour whilst driving could actually help inform road layouts? Or that the data collected from your driving behaviour could help transportation much safer?
Well, it’s true! Meet Jeff Schlitt, solution engineering director at Arity. Schlitt outlines how mobility and driver data are collected by the company and converted into meaningful behavioural insights. The consultancy then leverages telematics to make transportation smarter, safer, and more useful for everyone.
The data collected is also used by the company to provide solutions to help with infrastructure and is given to municipalities to aid city and town developments.
Watch the full interview with Arity with an exclusive sneak peek of what we can expect to see from the Arity team at MOVE America 2023 next week!
High-speed charging times are now just as crucial to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, as the deployment of high power charging infrastructure, said StoreDot.
With most drivers still naming charging anxiety as the major decision factor in transitioning from petrol to electric, infrastructure rollout is often seen as the main catalyst to mass EV adoption. However, StoreDot has suggested that extreme-fast charging (XFC) could change this.
With the recent deployment of high-power chargers, the need for XFC battery technology in EVs on the road has increased. These two components – battery technology and high-power charging infrastructure – could help to unlock the mass adoption of EVs.
StoreDot is now shipping samples of its 100in5 silicon batteries capable of delivering 100 miles, or 160 km of charge in just five minutes. With global OEM partners testing and validating its technology, mass production readiness is now on track and the company anticipates widespread uptake of its battery cells starting in 2025.
Dr Doron Myersdorf, StoreDot CEO, said:
“Charging anxiety remains a key barrier to mass adoption of EVs. Nevertheless, the ability of the vehicle to charge fast is just as crucial to prospective EV users as the availability of high-power charge points.
“Deployment of infrastructure must be paired with innovation of XFC technology since most EV battery solutions on the market currently cannot accept high power charging rates. With long lead times required to introduce new vehicles, we are urging global automotive manufacturers to adopt XFC battery technology that can safely accept the much-needed high power charging rates, to enable our industry to achieve the ambitious goal of zero-emission transport for a cleaner world.”
Geotab has announced their new partnership with German car manufacturer BMW Group, adding another partner to its growing OEM network.
The telematics software company hopes to provide fleet operators with a turnkey connectivity solution from their collaboration with BMW.
The partnership also hopes to enable valuable analytics to feed into sustainability efforts as well as the CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) report, which will be mandatory for certain companies in the EU from 2024 onwards.
The Geotab platform processes the collected data sets into useful information, providing fleet managers with all the insights they need to better understand the performance of their fleet. It also provides fleet operators with a single point of access to make informed decisions and provide connectivity solutions for fleets of all sizes.
The software integrates fully electric vehicles (EV) and plug-in hybrids (PHEV) as well as conventional internal combustion engines (ICE) and takes the relevant data points for each powertrain into account.
Christoph Ludewig, Vice President OEM Europe at Geotab, said:
“Cooperating with a major globally renowned and leading brand like BMW Group marks an important milestone in our strategy to become a trusted partner for OEMs.
OEMs do not have to build their own infrastructures for data analysis and visualisation but can rather feed their data into the telematics platform via the cloud using modern APIs. Customers still receive all OEM-specific data pointsㅡ optimally processed and integrated with other fleet data to provide a rounded, 360-degree view of their fleet operations.”
The MyGeotab platform can now integrate proprietary OEM data from a range of manufacturers, including BMW, Renault, Ford, Peugeot, Citroen, Opel / Vauxhall, DS, and Mercedes-Benz.
Have you ever wondered how green is the electricity you are using the charge your electric vehicle? Or where do the minerals that were used to make your car battery come from? Or how big is your company’s carbon footprint as a whole?
Well, SAP can answer those questions for you! As leading company in enterprise application software, SAP help companies of all sizes and in all industries run better by redefining ERP and providing software solutions to aid companies to do better.
The director of the automotive industry unit, Moncombu Raju, discusses how mobility can leverage SAP’s data to help drive sustainability and reduce their carbon footprint.
Raju will be discussing this topic further in his talk on “Achieving carbon-neutral mobility with intelligent data exchange” in the Tech, Data & Innovation I theatre at MOVE America 2023.
Autoworkers at GM, Ford, and Stellantis could soon be going on strike as wage negotiations fail to reach a settlement.
Members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) Union have threatened to walk out on the job at 11.59pm on 14 September if a deal is not reached by that point, equating to around 150,000 workers leaving the big three automaker’s assembly lines.
The strike was announced by the UAW president, Shawn Fain, after the union rejected GM’s latest proposal.
Fain said that the automaker’s resolution “doesn’t come close to an equitable agreement for America’s autoworkers.”
UAW union has requested at least a 40% increase in wages, an end to two-tier wage systems (which limits pay for new hires), an increase to benefits for retirees, reinstatement of cost-of-living adjustment raises, a 32-hour workweek, and protections for workers affected by plant closures.
Click here to see the union’s full list of requests.
U.S. Senator for Vermont, Bernie Sanders, commented on the potential strike with a video released today on X (formerly Twitter).
Written by Bobbi Nunes and originally published in Intelligent Transport
It’s not breaking news that the planet is in trouble. It would be fair to point a (very accusatory) finger at the transportation sector for being responsible for a large part of global warming: excessive GHG emissions; air pollution; noise pollution; and land consumption. But, we also acknowledge that mobility has a vital role in both society and the economy. So, here poses the problem: what can be done?
This is where MOVE America comes in: positioned as America’s number one tech mobility and start-up show, the event sheds light on the disruptive technologies within the mobility ecosystem. The Austin-based show is driving genuine change across the entire value chain by holding industry-leaders to account. Held at the Austin Convention Center from 26 September 2023 to 27 September 2023, the two days will see over 4,000 attendees come to experience talks and technologies that are both promoting and developing sustainable urban transport.
Haven’t been to MOVE America before? Here’s what you can expect
Electric scooters zooming around the test track as investors shake hands with brogrammers on the next unicorn. On our stages, electric vehicle (EV) and energy giants encourage the audience to step into the future with them. And, as you reach for your third breakfast taco from one of our many food trucks, you can see the newest truck tech innovation from the corner of your eye. That is exactly what MOVE America is all about: a hub to link all things mobility.
Metaphorically and literally, the floor will be charged with an impressive selection of the latest mobility products. Just like our flagship event in London, every stand will be showcasing their latest designs: EV charging stations, electric mini car racetracks, screen displays and so much more.
With as many as 24 stages across the two days, the event will be hosting a wide range of talks, all led by experts in the industry who will all be delving into their own individual mobility-related discussions on trending topics including: EVs, Energy & Charging, Smart Cities, Battery Tech, Autonomous Vehicles, Mining, Hydrogen & Alternative Fuels… The list goes on and on.
Joining our speaker line-up this year are a selection of impressive names, including: Mercedes-Benz, General Motors, Ford, Hyundai, Navistar, City of Austin, Uber, Lime, Lyft, Amtrak, LA Metro, Getaround, Zipcar, FedEx, Penske, US Department of Energy and many more. And, after a day of hearing inspiring chat and walking around our sponsor saturated floor, the night will continue into the MOVE GROOVE drinks reception, with a DJ and bar crawl to follow.
MOVE America comes at a time when the U.S. continues to face the ever-increasing necessity of sustainable transportation solutions. We are proud to be an unparalleled platform for all players in the mobility ecosystem as a space to connect and network.
We would love to have you join us this month! We’re very proud to be in partnership with Intelligent Transport. Want to grab a ticket? Use code: IT50 to get 50% off!
Toyota and VDL Groep have collaborated to launch their first hydrogen fuel cell demonstration truck.
Toyota aims to help decarbonise its European logistics operations by integrating its fuel cell technology into VDL’s heavy duty trucks.
VDL Groep is preparing four more fuel cell trucks, which will be used by Toyota’s logistic providers VOS Transport Group, CEVA, Groupe CAT and Yusen.
These transportation companies will contribute to the project by using the hydrogen trucks on their daily routes in Belgium, France and Netherlands. The four routes each have at least one hydrogen refuelling station.
The cooperation between all parties is expected to consolidate learnings on how to deploy fuel cell trucks on public roads and contribute to Europe’s ecological energy transition.
The five-year trial is expected to stimulate the further development of a sustainable hydrogen infrastructure across Europe meeting Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation requirements and allow for more carbon-neutral hydrogen mobility solutions to emerge.
Toyota aims to decarbonise logistics and to become carbon-neutral by 2040.
Beyond the electrification of passenger cars, the Toyota has been working with multiple partners to accelerate the transition to a sustainable and accessible zero-emission hydrogen economy.
Battery technology company StoreDot has issued a warning over long-term battery health concerns amidst extreme fast charging (XFC) claims.
The company’s announcement is in response to recent industry claims touting fast charge times and extended ranges, which often overlook the potential long-term impact on battery health and the resulting degradation in vehicle’s driving range.
Without proper battery chemistry frequent fast charges can lead to reduced overall battery lifespan, due to degradation as a result of power charging which can compromise the integrity of battery cells.
Dr Doron Myersdorf, storedot CEO, said:
“At storedot we put battery safety at the top of our agenda, ensuring that cells can accept high charge rates without compromising their lifespan.
“Even though battery deterioration and a decline in the state of health over the lifetime of the battery are inevitable, EV owners shouldn’t have to sacrifice lifespan and vehicle’s driving range for convenient daily use. A driver should be able to confidently charge at a consistently high rate, every time and regardless of how full the battery is when they arrive at the charging station.”
Addressing this concern, StoreDot emphasised the importance of transparent communication from battery developers around critical factors associated with XFC such as battery health, cycle life, performance under extreme temperatures, safety parameters, and costs.
StoreDot recently reported outstanding battery performance feedback for the A-Samples testing phase of its XFC electric vehicle battery cells.
£18.5 million is being made available to UK companies in government funding to strengthen the capabilities of the UK’s connected and automated mobility supply chain.
Thirteen projects will improve the safety and security of self-driving vehicles, by filling specific technology gaps in the UK and globally.
The grants, part of the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles Connected and Automated Mobility programme, will complement £81 million investment for CAM technology.
The grants will help 43 British companies across 13 projects to seize early opportunities to develop self-driving technologies, products, and service ready for the connected and automated mobility market.
In August 2022, the government announced its approach to supporting the safe deployment of self-driving vehicles to deliver societal and economic benefits. To actualise this, CCAV launched the Commercialising Connected and Automated Mobility (CCAM) programme to target early commercial self-driving vehicle opportunities and support the UK supply chain to grow and fill technology gaps necessary for their deployment.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, said:
“From farm tractors fuelled by hydrogen to rapid-charge first responder motorcycles, these projects receiving funding today show we are not short of innovators in this country.
“By supporting growth in the industries of the future, including through better regulation, we are delivering on our plan to get the economy growing and make the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a business.”
The joint government and industry funding winners include project AIM-DBW which will be receiving £400,000 and aims to deliver a drive-by-wire system that replaces traditional mechanical linkages with electronic ones, enabling automation of the throttle, steering, braking, gears, and ancillary systems of a vehicle.
Phillip Ironside, Head of Innovation & Programmes at Zenzic, said:
“Zenzic is proud to support and facilitate these Supply Chain projects that are critical to delivering the UK government’s vision for Connected and Automated Mobility. Our vision foresees the early commercial deployment of self-driving vehicles by 2025 to improve the movement of people and goods. This is only possible with a vibrant and sustainable UK-based CAM supply chain, which can secure the UK’s position as a world-leading exporter of CAM services.”
FlixBus, a UK travel tech company, is celebrating carrying its two millionth passenger in the UK.
The lucky customer received free tickets to travel on FlixBus’s UK network, which covers more than 60 destinations, for the next 12 months, as well as a luxury spa day.
The passenger, Juanita Kani, aged 22, from London, took her journey between the capital and Birmingham earlier this summer. She had been making trips between the two cities while completing her degree at Birmingham City University.
Juanita said:
“I’ve travelled with FlixBus so much over the past year while studying. It was a lifesaver because the prices are so affordable, I don’t think I could have done my degree without them! “I never imagined I’d be the two millionth customer, and I’m so excited to use my prize to travel around the country, especially now my degree is complete. There are so many destinations to choose from, I can’t decide where to go first.”
Flix officially launched its UK services in 2021, providing sustainable and affordable travel to everyone, and has sinceexpanded to include a dedicated Scottish network in 2022.
FlixBus UK Managing Director Andreas Schorling said:
“We’ve been delighted to see the way our popularity has grown since launch and we are very proud to have reached our two millionth passenger this summer, because it’s a significant milestone for Flix in the UK. “Meeting happy customers like Juanita makes us even more determined to deliver on our mission to become the largest coach travel network in the UK over the next five years.”
Flix UK is part of the wider Flix group, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, operating in 41 countries around the world, and reported record passenger numbers of 60 million in 2022. The company has also announced plans to launch in Chile and India.
Errol Musk, the father of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, recently shared his concerns that his son’s life could be at risk due to his influence over Ukraine war policy in the US government.
Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, Elon Musk has supplied Starlink satellites to the Ukrainian military. The satellite internet system, operated by Musk’s rocket company SpaceX, provides mission-critical communications throughout the country.
This support consequentially means that the US government relies on the billionaire for key communications and updates in the momentous war. Without Musk’s satellites, the US’ connections and telecommunications with Ukrainian troops would likely be severely limited.
Due to this unique connection to the Ukrainian army, Musk has reportedly been favoured in US war discussions, despite his lack of governmental position.
During previous deliberations over the war Colin Kahl, then the under-secretary of defence for policy at the Pentagon, told the New Yorker “Even though Musk is not technically a diplomat or statesman, I felt it was important to treat him as such.”
Musk’s Starlink plays such an important role that federal officials are reportedly granting Musk influence in proceedings so as not to upset him and potentially jeopardise US support in Ukraine.
The same article from the New Yorker was the smoking gun that Musk’s father needed to voice his concerns for his son. Errol Musk told the U.S. Sun that he feared his son could be at risk of assassination due to the article’s portrayal of key role in the US support of Ukraine.
“It’s a hit job, a shadow government-sponsored opening salvo on Elon,” said the elder Musk, complaining that the New Yorker article has put a target on his son’s back.
As the CEO of one of the world’s most successful automotive companies, boasting a market capital of almost $770 billion, as well as his treatment as an “unelected official” in the US government, Musk has a major influence in both US politics and the nation’s economy.
All of these factors combined are clearly creating a cause for concern over the billionaire’s well-being. Are Errol Musk’s vocalised concerns just a dramatic call for safety, or could Elon’s influence in the Russia-Ukraine war put him at an elevated risk of assassination?
