Smarter, leaner cars

Issue #39, Dec 13th, 2020

Cars are becoming smarter and leaner. Electric vehicles have far fewer moving parts when compared to their predecessors - the internal combustion driven ones. Within EVs, solid state batteries can make them leaner. Embedded software on vehicles with the necessary sensors and hardware makes cars 'intelligent' - taking decisions, understanding human voices and gestures. This newsletter covers some of these aspects reported in the past few days. Did the creators of Herbie "The Love Bug" envision such a car when they made the movie series in the late '60s?

Neuromorphic computing in cars

Experimental computer chips that try to mimic the way human brains work could accelerate the use of voice and gesture commands in automobiles, researchers at Intel Corp. and Accenture PLC say. The cutting-edge technique, known as neuromorphic computing, could use significantly less energy than traditional computer- and graphic-processing units that connect wirelessly to a car via the cloud. Today’s cars don’t have the AI capabilities to recognize many speech and gesture commands, in part because of the energy requirements necessary to make those functions work. - WSJ

Ford's bet on solid state battery

Solid Power, a battery startup backed by Ford, said it’s on track to begin testing solid-state batteries for automotive production in early 2022. Taking a battery from the lab to mass vehicle production requires years of testing to make sure it meets automotive standards before the manufacturing process can begin. This type of battery uses solid materials instead of flammable liquids to enable charging and discharging. They could potentially pack more energy than lithium-ion batteries to extend driving range, lower costs, improve safety and cut recharging times. - Bloomberg

Hyundai Motors buys robot firm Boston Dynamics

Boston Dynamics sent out a media release recently, confirming that Hyundai Motor Group has acquired a controlling interest in the company. How Boston Dynamics will help the car making firm in its journey of making autonomous cars needs to be seen. -

The Nordic push from green cars to planes

The Nordic region’s pace-setting push into green transport is set to extend from cars to the air-travel market. Iceland this month signaled plans to move toward carbon-free domestic flights by the end of the decade, while Sweden’s Heart Aerospace aims to deliver an electric plane specifically designed to ply routes linking remote Scandinavian settlements within six years. Coordinating the region’s initiatives is the Nordic Network for Electric Aviation, founded last year and tying together airport authorities and five airlines. - Bloomberg

Audiophiles and cars

Fifty years ago, “exotic” audio in cars might include an FM radio, a technology that promised (and sometimes delivered) an advance over static-fueled AM. Throughout the lengthy era B.B. — Before Bose — the choices for a music-loving car buyer ranged from primitive to over the top. The coming Jeep Grand Wagoneer will feature an audio system from McIntosh, the high-end brand’s first car system in nearly two decades. Seventeen speakers, meticulously engineered? That can be just the start in luring audiophile car buyers with plenty of cash to spend. - NY Times

Audi's futuristic concept for e-car

The e-tron GT is Audi’s first fully battery-electric gran turismo. The polished design of this pinnacle performance car veils an awful lot of cutting-edge technology, namely expertise gained from sister brand Porsche and the electric Taycan project. The design, an evolution of the 2018 concept, is largely directed by the electric drive system beneath. 

When the car is autonomous, you can move in the interior. So how do you operate the car when you’re not in a fixed position? And what about safety when you’re not in a fixed seating area with airbags? The Audi team is working on all these elements which will change the car completely. - Forbes