[230425] #LG Innotek #Tesla #Hyundai Mobis

1. LG Innotek acquires patents from defunct Argo AI

• • LG Innotek has acquired 77 patents related to lidar (light detection and ranging) technology from defunct autonomous driving startup, Argo AI.
  • Argo AI, which focused on lidar sensor technologies, had filed 13 patents in South Korea as well, which are likely family patents that it transferred to LG Innotek in the US.
  • The patents acquired by LG Innotek include those for polarization filtering in lidar systems, and this acquisition will help the South Korean component maker in fostering its camera module and lidar businesses for automobiles.
  • LG Innotek had considered working with Argo AI in the past but the startup closed its business before this could happen.
  • Argo AI transferred 113 patents in the US to Ford Global Technologies in March 2022, and Ford founded its own company called Latitude AI in March, which included members of Argo AI.

2. Driver who claimed Tesla’s Autopilot caused a crash that left her with facial injuries loses what’s believed to the first such case to go to trial

• • Tesla is facing a lawsuit over a fatal crash in Los Angeles that occurred while the vehicle was reportedly in Autopilot mode.
  • The lawsuit was filed by the family of the deceased driver, who was killed when their Tesla Model S collided with a parked fire truck on a freeway.
  • The lawsuit alleges that the Autopilot system failed to detect the parked fire truck and failed to brake before the collision.
  • The lawsuit also alleges that Tesla made false and misleading statements about the safety of its Autopilot system and failed to adequately warn drivers about its limitations.
  • This is not the first time Tesla has faced legal action over accidents involving its Autopilot system. In the past, the company has been criticized for promoting the system as “self-driving” and for failing to adequately warn drivers about its limitations.

3. Jaguar Land Rover accelerates autonomous driving investment

• • Jaguar Land Rover has announced plans to invest £15 billion over the next five years in autonomous driving, AI, and vehicle electrification.
  • The investment will include transitioning the company’s Halewood plant in Merseyside to producing all-electric vehicles, with production for an electric Range Rover launching in 2025.
  • The company will also rename its Engine Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton to the Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre, shifting production to electric drive units and battery packs.
  • Jaguar Land Rover aims to achieve net cash positive by FY25 and a double-digit EBIT by 2026.
  • The company has also invested in vehicle heads-up displays startup Envisics’ £42m round, and recently announced plans to open three self-driving hubs and hire 100 engineers.

4. Innoviz’s autonomous vehicle tech wins Edison Award for Smart Mobility

• • Innoviz, an Israeli startup focused on lidar technology, was awarded the Edison Award for technology in the “Smart Transportation” category.
  • The award recognizes Innoviz’s contribution to autonomous vehicle technology, which has been a hot topic in the automotive tech industry for the last decade.
  • Israel is home to many startups and organizations working on autonomous driving technology.
  • Self-driving vehicle safety levels are a way to categorize the degree of automation in self-driving vehicles and to indicate the level of human intervention required in different driving scenarios.

5. Hyundai Mobis to simplify parking with 90-degree four-wheel steering

• • Hyundai Mobis has demonstrated its self-driving technology, called e-Corner System, on public roads for the first time.
  • The technology involves in-wheel motors, rotational steering, and electronic braking in one module installed in the car wheels.
  • Crab Walking is one of the key features, which allows the car to move sideways like a crab by rotating its wheels 90 degrees.
  • Another feature, Zero Turn, enables the car wheels to spin up to 360 degrees and turn at different angles, helping the driver easily rotate the car and drive forward.
  • Diagonal Driving allows the car to pass ahead of the proceeding vehicle more smoothly, while Pivot Turn helps the car turn around at any position or angle.
  • Hyundai Mobis is speeding up its business for EVs, and recently unveiled the Electric Complete Chassis Platform Module, an all-in-one electrification solution.
  • The company plans to develop a wider range of mobility solutions ranging from autonomous driving to purpose-based vehicles.