CES has increasingly become defined by what automakers and other mobility-focused companies bring to Las Vegas, and CES 2024 has been no exception.
Honda’s 0 series EVs, Saloon and Space-Hub concepts debutIf you’re tired of “thick, heavy” EVs, Honda has an alternative vision for you.
The carmaker showcased a more sleek design for its Saloon concept, while the Space-Hub takes a more family-friendly van approach.
Though like its standard form factor, the voice-powered ChatGPT could still be tricked, as we learned in a hands-on demo.
Kia’s modular EV lineup is revealedModular phones may have come and gone, but Kia hopes modular vehicles will have a bit more success.
Honda is dunking on the ‘thick, heavy’ electric vehicle trend in an attempt to build buzz around its upcoming 0 series EVs.
Honda also didn’t say specify if it plans to use such materials when it commercially launches its first 0 series electric vehicles.
Honda has lagged in the switch to electrics, and it recently called it quits on a plan to co-develop “affordable” electric vehicles with GM.
Though Honda plans to launch an electric Prologue this year, the automaker intends to launch 30 EVs by 2030.
That’s why the 0 series launch will be a big moment for Honda.
Burro has been on our radar since early 2020, when the company (then Augean) participated in a TechCrunch Robotics pitch-off.
The wonderfully named Burro Grande is — as the name suggests — a big new member of the family.
“In simple terms, Burro Grande is a bigger Burro,” says Andersen.
This Burro Grande is “Pallet-scale”, which means it can carry 1,500 lbs and tow 5,000 lbs.
Burro Grande, includes several safety features, including 3D LIDAR, and all Burro Grandes come with Burro Operating System Software v 5.0 which includes a Lidar-based SLAM algorithm, which enables GPS denied navigation.”The Grande can be ordered starting today.
Kia is following up a strong year for its passenger EVs by sharing what it wants to do for businesses looking to go electric.
The Korean automaker just unveiled at CES 2024 a forthcoming lineup of electric vans and other similar vehicles all set to be built on a new modular platform.
What that looks like in practice, according to Kia, are vehicles with fixed driver cabs that can have the rest of the vehicle’s cabin swapped out.
These cabins (Kia calls them “life modules”) connect to the chassis using both mechanical couplings and electromagnets, though Kia was light on the details about how that will work.
The first model to be made will be the Kia PV5, a three-row van with futuristic styling.
Waymo is about to start testing its driverless passenger vehicles on the highway later this month, a critical milestone for the company that, if successful, will unlock expanded commercial operations.
Bringing its autonomous cars to the highway is just the latest in a series of big steps for Waymo, especially in the Phoenix area.
Just a few months before that, Waymo made its autonomous vehicles available in the Uber app.
The GM autonomous vehicle subsidiary recently slashed a quarter of its staff and pushed out a number of executives after a crash in October where one of its robotaxis dragged a pedestrian.
Last year, the company backed away from its autonomous trucking effort in order to focus more on ride-hailing.
EV sales remained strong in Q4.
They could have been stronger All automakers, including Tesla, are at a crossroadsIf you’ve only been reading headlines these past few months, you’d think demand for electric vehicles has fallen off a cliff.
In some countries, like Norway, where 82% of new vehicles are electric, it has already landed.
That jibes with other forecasts that predict EVs will make up around 25% of the market in 2026.
The demand will be there, but to make the most of it, automakers have some work to do.
Autonomous delivery startup Nuro has struck a deal with safety-focused software company Foretellix to help with virtual testing of its automated driving system, in a bid to cut R&D costs while still pushing the technology forward.
The partnership, which the companies are set to announce later Thursday, comes in the wake of a tumultuous stretch for Nuro.
Many companies developing automated vehicles have their own simulation software; Foretellix specializes in generating millions of scenarios to test autonomous software, lowering the burden on the in-house teams.
Foretellix’s software is able to “automatically analyze” driving logs from Nuro test vehicles and re-run those drives in simulation many times over.
This allows Nuro’s automated system to encounter many different versions of a drive without the hardship – and most importantly, time – required to run all those variations in the real world.
The EV tax credit is about to get better, and also harder to findThe federal tax credit for electric vehicles is about to change in one particular way that will make it far more attractive to buyers.
Vehicles qualify for a $3,500 credit if the automakers follow certain guidelines on where they source battery materials, and another $3,500 provided they stick to similar rules for battery components.
As a result, General Motors said this week only its Chevy Bolt will qualify for the full tax credit starting January 1.
Ford, meanwhile, said only its F-150 Lightning will qualify for the full $7,500 credit.
The Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring SUV will be eligible for half of the credit, while the Mustang Mach-E, Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring plug-in hybrid and E-Transit van won’t.
Cruise spokesperson Erik Moser confirmed the departures and shared a statement, but declined to comment on whether these employees were fired.
“Today, following an initial analysis of the October 2 incident and Cruise’s response to it, nine individuals departed Cruise.
A video, which TechCrunch viewed a day after the incident, showed the robotaxi braking aggressively and coming to a stop over the woman.
Morale at Cruise has been low since the October 2 incident, with employees pointing the finger at poor management that didn’t prioritize safety at the company.
Initial layoffs affected contract workers who had jobs cleaning, charging and maintaining the vehicles as well as answering customer support inquiries.
Cruise spokesperson Erik Moser confirmed the departures and shared a statement, but declined to comment on whether these employees were fired.
“Today, following an initial analysis of the October 2 incident and Cruise’s response to it, nine individuals departed Cruise.
A video, which TechCrunch viewed a day after the incident, showed the robotaxi braking aggressively and coming to a stop over the woman.
Morale at Cruise has been low since the October 2 incident, with employees pointing the finger at poor management that didn’t prioritize safety at the company.
Initial layoffs affected contract workers who had jobs cleaning, charging and maintaining the vehicles as well as answering customer support inquiries.
