[230919] #FAW #Hyperview #ThorDrive

1. FAW Group and Mobileye Forge Strategic Alliance in Autonomous Driving

• • FAW Group, a major Chinese automotive group, and Mobileye, a global leader in autonomous driving solutions, have formed a strategic partnership.
  • The partnership aims to leverage their expertise in software, hardware, and technology products to create new products based on Mobileye SuperVision™ and Mobileye Chauffeur™ platforms.
  • They will initially collaborate on FAW Hongqi brand vehicles, bringing advanced automated driving assist technology to key models.
  • The Mobileye SuperVision projects are expected to be deployed by the end of 2024, with Mobileye Chauffeur projects targeted for launch by the end of 2025.
  • Other brands within FAW Group are also expected to adopt Mobileye’s platform solutions in the future.
  • The cooperation aims to provide cutting-edge Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Autonomous Vehicle (AV) solutions in the Chinese market.
  • Both companies believe that this partnership has the potential to shape the future of autonomous driving, improving transportation safety, convenience, and accessibility.

2. California Senate votes to ban driverless trucks

• • The California Senate has voted 36-2 in favor of a bill (AB 316) that bans heavy-duty driverless trucks on state highways.
  • The bill requires autonomous trucks weighing more than 10,001 pounds to have human safety drivers in the cab.
  • Governor Gavin Newsom, who has not expressed his stance on the bill, will decide whether to sign or veto it.
  • The bill has faced criticism from the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association (AVIA), which argues that it undermines the oversight of expert regulators in California.
  • Supporters of the bill, including labor unions like the Teamsters, are demanding Newsom’s signature, citing concerns about job loss and public safety.
  • California is home to autonomous trucking startups and major freight routes, making it a significant state for autonomous vehicle development.

3. Autonomous driving tech firm Hyperview closes B+ funding round

• • On September 13, Hyperview, a Chinese autonomous driving solution provider, announced the completion of its B+ financing round, raising over one hundred million yuan.
  • Investors in this round include Hefei Industry Investment Group, Zhongan Capital, and Dianshi Capital, among others. Properity7 Ventures, an existing shareholder, also increased its investment.
  • This B+ round follows Hyperview’s Series B financing round disclosed in May, which was valued at nearly 500 million yuan, bringing the total raised in the Series B round to over 600 million yuan.
  • Hyperview plans to use the funds to enhance the research and development of its next-generation ADAS and autonomous driving solutions, expand its talent pool, and conduct pre-research on future autonomous driving technologies.
  • The company is actively working on high-level intelligent driving solutions and mass-producing intelligent driving systems.

4. ThorDrive and POSCO DX collaborate on autonomous driving-based logistics automation solution

• • ThorDrive, an autonomous driving solutions developer, has entered into a business agreement with POSCO DX to collaborate on autonomous driving-based logistics automation solutions.
  • The agreement focuses on utilizing ThorDrive’s autonomous driving technology and POSCO DX’s logistics automation solutions for applications in airport operations, manufacturing, material warehousing, and the logistics sector.
  • ThorDrive is a full-stack autonomous driving technology company founded by Seoul National University researchers with expertise in perception, judgment, control, positioning, and 3D high-precision mapping.
  • The company has previously applied its technologies to autonomous mobility services, including delivery, taxi services, and indoor autonomous passenger transportation, such as the ‘AirRide’ service at Incheon International Airport.
  • ThorDrive has also developed logistics Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) capable of transporting heavy materials weighing around 10 tons, suitable for indoor and outdoor environments.
  • The collaboration aims to synergize ThorDrive’s logistics AMR technology with POSCO DX’s digital twin and logistics automation solutions to provide value in the logistics market.

5. San José Airport Introduces BBGo Autonomous Mobility Vehicle for Enhanced Passenger Experience

• • San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) hosted a live demonstration of the BBGo Autonomous Personal Mobility Vehicle by Blueberry Technology, a San José-based tech start-up.
  • The BBGo vehicles are designed to assist passengers who prefer not to use wheelchairs, providing support for navigating the airport.
  • BBGo offers a user-friendly, multi-lingual interface, providing fully autonomous rides from a simple boarding pass scan to the passenger’s gate, with personalized stops at restrooms, restaurants, and shops. It is equipped with an automatic collision avoidance system for safety.
  • SJC Airport Director John Aitken expressed pride in being part of Silicon Valley’s innovation, supporting companies like Blueberry that use technology to address real needs and enhance the customer experience.
  • Blueberry Technology’s Founder and CEO, Dr. Rajeev Ramanath, highlighted BBGo’s potential to revolutionize airport mobility with passenger-centric innovation.
  • Passengers using BBGo start their ride by scanning their boarding pass and can choose from various modes of travel, including full autonomy, joystick control, or traditional pushing for rider comfort and convenience.