[230801] #Uber #Minus Zero #BMW

1. BMW initiates development of L3 autonomous driving in China

• • BMW’s China operation is developing Level 3 automated driving technology for the Chinese market.
  • The technology aims to allow users to watch live streams and play games using the in-vehicle information and entertainment systems.
  • BMW intends to globally release the autonomous system by the end of the year.
  • The company is currently validating the technology in China to comply with local regulations.
  • Level 3 autonomy, as per the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) rating, permits drivers to take their eyes off the road and hands off the wheel at low speeds to focus on other activities.

2. Volkswagen Group and Xiaopeng Motors Forge Groundbreaking Partnership in China’s Auto Industry

• • Volkswagen Group and Xiaopeng Motors have signed a long-term technical cooperation agreement in China’s auto industry.
  • Xiaopeng Motors will issue approximately 4.99% of Class A ordinary shares valued at about US$700 million to Volkswagen.
  • The collaboration aims to jointly develop two B-class electric vehicles based on Xiaopeng G9’s E/E architecture platform, with Xiaopeng providing intelligent driving software and hardware, and Volkswagen responsible for design, production, and manufacturing.
  • The partnership focuses on integrating smart driving capabilities and deploying them through over-the-air (OTA) updates.
  • Xiaopeng’s export of smart driving technology signifies China’s ability to develop cutting-edge tech independently, breaking away from traditional joint ventures and technology trade with European and American companies.
  • Xiaopeng plans to generate revenue through technical service fees for its technology, potentially expanding its customer base beyond Volkswagen and aligning with its ambition to sell cars based on self-driving capabilities.
  • The partnership indicates a growing trend in the industry, with other automakers also considering the external supply of autonomous driving technology.
  • Volkswagen’s choice to partner with Xiaopeng is influenced by the need for localization, strong vertical integration capabilities, and an opportunity to implement technology quickly.

3. Minus Zero, an autonomous mobility startup Takes a Nature-Inspired Approach to AI

• • Minus Zero, a Bengaluru-based startup, aims to enhance the adoption of autonomous vehicles (AVs) by incorporating a nature-inspired approach to artificial intelligence (AI).
  • The company’s CEO and Co-founder, Gagandeep Reehal, believes that AI needs to think more like a human to be effective for human use.
  • Minus Zero trains its AI models using a cognitive approach that allows them to make decisions based on multiple variables and correlations, similar to how the human brain prioritizes data.
  • In simulation testing, Minus Zero’s AVs outperformed existing AI models and demonstrated the ability to navigate real-world scenarios almost as well as a human, making safer decisions in some cases.
  • The company envisions a future where AVs can communicate with each other, sharing vital information to enhance overall safety.
  • Minus Zero partners with manufacturers to create a fleet of AVs, offering AI-powered software, dashcams, and sensors for safe navigation.
  • The startup has raised $1.7 million in funding and plans to launch in India, with potential expansion to other locations based on demand.
  • Minus Zero showcased their zPod, an all-terrain vehicle capable of achieving Level 5 autonomy, at an event.

4. Backup Driver in Autonomous Uber Death Pleads Guilty

• • The backup Uber driver of a self-driving vehicle involved in a fatal collision in 2018 pleaded guilty to endangerment in the first fatal crash with a fully autonomous car.
  • The judge sentenced the driver, Rafaela Vasquez, to three years of supervised probation for the collision that killed pedestrian Elaine Herzberg in Tempe, Arizona.
  • Vasquez had been charged with negligent homicide but pleaded guilty to an undesignated felony, which may be reclassified as a misdemeanor upon completion of probation.
  • Vasquez was streaming “The Voice” on her phone and looking down moments before the crash, and she claimed Herzberg “came out of nowhere.”
  • The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded Vasquez’s failure to monitor the road was the main cause of the crash.
  • The NTSB also cited Uber’s inadequate safety procedures, ineffective oversight of drivers, and deactivation of automatic emergency braking as contributing factors to the crash.
  • The death of Herzberg led to Uber pulling its self-driving cars out of Arizona, and the state’s governor prohibited further tests of self-driving cars.

5. Hyundai And Kia Will Use Rainwater To Keep LiDAR And Self-Driving Sensors Clean

• • Hyundai and Kia have jointly filed a patent for a compressor cooling system to clean exterior vehicle sensors, including LiDAR, using rainwater.
  • The system operates a water pump with a rain sensor that activates a wiper when it rains, collecting rainwater flowing down the front window.
  • The rainwater cools the air compressor, eliminating the need for a separate cooling tank, and is used to clean the sensor by ejecting liquid and/or air.
  • The system also considers appropriate cleaning times to avoid obscuring visibility, such as not cleaning the sensor while reversing.
  • LiDAR sensors are known for their accuracy in detecting hazards over long distances, and Hyundai’s luxury arm, Genesis, plans to launch a sedan with LiDAR sensors.