Almost one in seven of the world’s children, 300 million, live in areas with the most toxic levels of outdoor air pollution—six or more times higher than international guidelines set by the UN’s World Health Organization (WHO)—according to a new UNICEF report. The report, “Clear the Air for Children”, uses... Read more →

FMC Corporation announced a new long-term supply agreement with Nemaska Lithium, Inc. Under the agreement Nemaska will provide FMC with 8,000 metric tons per year of lithium carbonate beginning in mid-2018. Based in Quebec, Canada, Nemaska Lithium, Inc. is constructing new lithium production capabilities of 28,000 metric tons of lithium... Read more →

Toyota Motor Corporation will establish a Mobility Services Platform (MSPF) to collaborate with various service providers, as well as telematics insurance. Given on the proliferation and popularity of mobility services, such as car-sharing, the MSPF will have various functions to support these mobility services, and to leverage the Toyota Smart... Read more →

HARMAN International and Airbiquity, a provider of connected vehicle services, announced the first automotive grade end-to-end intrusion detection system (IDS) for connected vehicles at TU-Automotive Europe 2016 in Munich, Germany. With the increasing dependency on software to power vehicle systems and features, cybersecurity has become a threat to connected vehicles... Read more →

Volvo Group CEO Martin Lundstedt, in his role as co-chair of the High-Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport, submitted a report to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon containing ten recommendations on how sustainable transport can advance sustainable development. The report calls for increased international development funding, supportive legislation and incentives... Read more →

Flint, Michigan’s Mass Transportation Authority recently unveiled a Proterra Hydrogen Fuel Cell bus prototype; the vehicle is in Flint for a year and is on a pilot/test program. Part of the study will be to see how the bus tests in a cold environment as it has only been run... Read more →

A new white paper published by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), in collaboration with Eaton, Ricardo, JCI, BorgWarner, Honeywell, and the ITB Group, analyzes current turbocharged, downsized gasoline engine technology developments and trends. The assessment, which relies on data from publicly available sources and data and information from... Read more →

A regional interdisciplinary team led by Montana State University has received $6 million from the National Science Foundation to address questions about whether biofuels and carbon capture technologies can be sustainably introduced into the Upper Missouri River Basin. The main project goal is to develop a framework for evaluating proposals... Read more →

Microchip Technology Inc., a provider of microcontroller, mixed-signal, analog and Flash-IP solutions, has introduced the first automotive-grade Local Interconnect Network (LIN) System-in-Package (SiP) solution including a microcontroller with integrated touch hardware support. LiN systems are used throughout the automobile in comfort, powertrain, sensor, and actuator applications. The SAMHA1GxxA microcontroller family... Read more →

JILA physicists and colleagues have identified a long-missing piece in the puzzle of exactly how fossil fuel combustion contributes to air pollution and a warming climate. Performing chemistry experiments in a new way, they observed a key molecule that appears briefly during a common chemical reaction in the atmosphere. JILA... Read more →

Following the launch of the new Mercedes-Benz four-cylinder OM 654 diesel engine in spring 2016 in the E 220d (earlier post), 2017 will see the addition of four more members to the all-new family of engines: six-cylinder in-line engines in both diesel (OM 656) and gasoline (M 256) versions; a... Read more →

Earlier this week, the Québec National Assembly unanimously adopted Bill 104, a zero-emission vehicle standard. Automakers that sell or lease a yearly average of more than 4,500 new vehicles (all light models combined) will be subject to the ZEV standard. In its 2015-2020 Transportation Electrification Action Plan, Québec set a... Read more →

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), the air pollution control agency for Orange County and major portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties, is partnering with researchers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) on a demonstration of highly sensitive hydrogen... Read more →

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the regulatory authority for international shipping, decided to implement a global sulfur cap of 0.50% m/m (mass/mass) (5,000 ppm) on fuel oil starting 1 January 2020 during its Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), meeting for its 70th session in London. The cap represents a significant... Read more →

Australia-based Tritium, developer and manufacturer of the Veefil 50 kW DC fast charger for electric vehicles, will open its first overseas premises in Torrance, California in early 2017. The US facility will focus on technical customer support, assembly, manufacturing and R&D. The vast majority of our Veefil fast chargers are... Read more →

Qualcomm Incorporated and Lumen Australia, a leading global supplier and integrator of electrical and electronic systems, entered into a Wireless Electric Vehicle Charging (WEVC) license agreement. Lumen will include Qualcomm Halo WEVC technology in its product portfolio and will commercialize WEVC systems for Plug in Hybrid (PHEV) and Electric Vehicles... Read more →

China-based GAC Motor introduced its first 7-seat SUV, the GS8, at Hangzhou International Expo Center, the main venue of the G20 summit. During the launch, GAC Motor’s General Manager Yu Jun announced that GAC Motor will strive to make GS8 its hottest model, with sales amounting to 100,000 units annually.... Read more →

Shanghai OnStar has upgraded its key service portfolio by rolling out four innovative new service packages covering mobile apps, security and safety, smart fleet management and telematics data reports. It has also introduced a first-of-its-kind B2B service platform in China that allows corporate users to enjoy onboard telematics services. OnStar... Read more →

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) has launched a new program—Power Nitride Doping Innovation Offers Devices Enabling SWITCHES (PNDIODES) (DE-FOA-0001691)—to fund transformational advances and mechanistic understanding in the process of selective area doping in the III-Nitride wide band gap (WBG) semiconductor material system.... Read more →

At the 2016 SAE-China Congress & Exhibition from October 26-28 in Shanghai, General Motors teamed up with the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), Tsinghua University, Chang’an Auto, Yanfeng Visteon and Shanghai International Auto City to demonstrate the interoperability of the emerging China connected vehicle (V2X) application layer... Read more →

Volkswagen unveiled the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas SUV at an event on the Santa Monica Pier. Built in Chattanooga alongside the Passat, the seven-passenger Atlas offers a full slate of available driver assistance and technology features—including Volkswagen’s first Digital Cockpit in a vehicle for the US—a spacious interior and a choice... Read more →

Eliminating particulate matter (PM10) from underground car parks in the city center of Eindhoven could result in local reductions in the concentration of these particles of up to 50%, according to a study by researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). The team based its fingings on air flow models... Read more →

Qualcomm Incorporated will acquire NXP Semiconductors with an equity offer worth some $38 billion; including debt, the deal is worth roughly $47 billion. The boards of directors of both companies unanimously approved the definitive agreement. NXP is a leader in high-performance, mixed-signal semiconductor electronics, with innovative products and solutions and... Read more →

Mercedes-Benz will build the first production model of the new electric EQ product brand (earlier post) in Bremen by the end of this decade. The production model will be based on the EQ show car—an 500-km (311-mile) range electric vehicle in the look of a sporty SUV Coupé—that was presented... Read more →

Researchers led by a team from Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering in China has developed ultrastable all-solid-state lithium batteries (421 mAh g−1 at 1.27 mA cm−2 after 1000 cycles) with high energy and power densities of 360 Wh kg−1 and 3823 W kg−1 at current densities of 0.13... Read more →

Electric bus manufacturer Proterra and professional services firm JLL announced the first commercial agreement to provide commuter shuttle services via a fleet of 10 electric buses. The service will operate between Chicago’s commuter train stations and two of the city’s tallest buildings, the iconic Prudential Plaza and Aon Center, both... Read more →

True Zero, which operates the world’s largest network of hydrogen charging stations, has powered two-million miles of zero-emission driving on California roads 60 days after reaching its first million miles. By comparison, it took nine months for the company to reach the first million miles, reflecting the ramp up of... Read more →

France-based Chronocam SA, a developer of biologically-inspired vision sensors and computer vision solutions for automotive, IoT and other applications requiring vision processing, raised $15 million in Series B financing. The funding comes from lead investor Intel Capital, along with iBionext, Robert Bosch Venture Capital GmbH, 360 Capital, CEAi and Renault... Read more →

At the Volkswagen Group’s PhD Event 2016, some 600 specialist visitors informed themselves about current research work. 108 young researchers presented the topics of their doctoral theses at the MobileLifeCampus in Wolfsburg. The project is focused on topics such as e-mobility, connectivity and new mobility concepts. The Volkswagen Group currently... Read more →

MAHLE Engine Components has developed an innovative lead-free bearing system combining highly engineered polymeric coatings with robust lead-free bearing linings for heavy-duty truck engines. The new system delivers improved performance compared to existing bearing linings that include lead. Our new bearing system provides a great combination of proven cast-bronze bearing... Read more →

Borgward Group AG, the reincarnation of the German automaker that ceased operations in 1961 (earlier post), will be returning to Bremen and building a production facility there. Bremen was the former home of Borgward, and the German automotive company produced around 1.2 million Borgward, Lloyd, and Goliath brand vehicles here... Read more →

Hitachi Metals will invest approximately ¥18 billion (US$172 million) in innovative production lines for Neodymium-Iron-Boron magnets and ferrite magnets at its Kumagaya Works in Japan with the aim of satisfying surging demand for automotive-related motors as well as various electric motors for hybrid and electric vehicles. The lines are scheduled... Read more →

A new report produced by the American Lung Association concludes that over-reliance on petroleum-based fuels for transportation costs the 10 ZEV states in the US (California and nine other states that have adopted the California Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program) an estimated $37 billion in health expenses and climate costs... Read more →

Tesla Motors reported Q3 GAAP net income of $22 million on total Q3 GAAP revenue of $2.30 billion, which was up 145% from Q3 2015. Total Q3 automotive revenue was $2.15 billion on a GAAP basis, up 152% from Q3 2015. The quarterly profit is the company’s first in more... Read more →

Audi of America is piloting the new service “Audi shared fleet” at a technology incubator in Durham, North Carolina ahead of a national rollout of the corporate car-sharing service in 2017. The test fleet will be housed at American Underground, a 115,000 square-foot technology incubator created on the former American... Read more →

GKN is developing a new intelligent electromagnetic all-wheel drive (AWD) coupling for SUVs and crossovers that will help make future AWD vehicles even more responsive and controllable on low-grip surfaces in low temperatures. The technology is expected to enter production during 2018. The fourth generation of GKN’s GKN’s Electro-Magnetic Control... Read more →

Intel is developing a new processor series dedicated for automotive applications. The A3900 series will enable a complete software-defined cockpit solution that incudes in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), digital instrument clusters and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS)—all in a single, compact and cost-effective SoC. Intel announced the new automotive processor family along... Read more →

Audi is realigning its motorsport strategy. The brand will terminate its FIA WEC commitment, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, at the end of the 2016 season. Instead, Audi is taking up a factory-backed commitment (earlier post) in the all-electric Formula E racing series. Speaking to 300 employees of... Read more →

Fine particulate matter air pollution (PM2.5) may be associated with blood vessel damage and inflammation among young, healthy adults, according to new research in Circulation Research, an American Heart Association journal. Air pollution is known to contribute to cardiovascular disease and related deaths. In 2004, the American Heart Association released... Read more →

General Motors and IBM are partnering to bring the power of OnStar and IBM Watson together to create OnStar Go, the auto industry’s first cognitive mobility platform. Starting in early 2017, OnStar is expected to give millions of GM drivers the ability to connect and interact with their favorite brands.... Read more →

Daimler held its first 24-hour Open Hackathon in Bangalore, India on 21-22 October. A total of 65 participants were selected to develop creative ideas and code prototypes related to digitalization within 24 hours. The event was aimed at students from the fields of IT, software engineering and computer science from... Read more →

MINI has officially unveiled the MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4, the brand’s first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, as one of the three variants of the new MINI Countryman. (Earlier post.) All three of the new MINI Countryman variants will make their World Premiere at the Los Angeles International Auto... Read more →

NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang told the WSJD Live conference that he envisions cars using artificial intelligence to customize the driving experience, so vehicles automatically adjust themselves to each individual’s preferences. Huang said that AI will become a co-pilot that can also effectively see around corners and warn drivers of risks... Read more →

Ballard Power Systems has closed its joint venture transaction with Guangdong Nation Synergy Hydrogen Power Technology Co. Ltd. (Synergy) for the establishment of an FCvelocity-9SSL fuel cell stack production operation in the City of Yunfu, in China’s Guangdong Province. (Earlier post.) As of closing, Ballard received initial payments totaling $10.9... Read more →

On November 8, Washington will vote on the US’ first revenue-neutral carbon tax. If approved, Initiative 732 would establish a tax on carbon emissions at $15 per metric ton of emissions in July 2017; $25 in July 2018, and then 3.5% plus inflation each year until the tax reaches $100... Read more →

Researchers at the Materials Function Control Laboratory at the Toyohashi University of Technology and the Nagoya Institute of Technology have successfully synthesized a new thermoelectric material, CaMgSi, an intermetallic compound. The key to this development was the synthesis procedure; bulk CaMgSi intermetallic compound was synthesized by combining mechanical ball-milling (MM)... Read more →

The 2017 Audi A3 Sedan and Cabriolet models in the US are now available with Audi’s more efficient Millerized 2.0-liter TFSI engine (earlier post) and seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission. The A3 sedan with 2.0-liter engine replaces the 1.8-liter engine previously offered on A3 front-wheel drive models. This new 2.0-liter... Read more →

Mercedes-Benz Vans unveiled two design variants of the Concept X-CLASS, previewing the coming X-Class pickup, in Stockholm. The introduction of the one-ton pickup with seating for up to 5 people will make Mercedes-Benz the first premium manufacturer to account for the changing customer requirements in the global segment of mid-size... Read more →

Judge Charles R. Breyer of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California has granted final approval to the settlement agreement between Volkswagen and private plaintiffs represented by a Court-appointed Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee (PSC) to resolve civil claims regarding eligible Volkswagen and Audi 2.0L TDI vehicles in... Read more →

V2X company Savari Inc. signed an agreement with SAIC USA, a fully owned subsidiary of Chinese automaker SAIC Motors, to manufacture and distribute the Savari V2X communications solutions in the Greater China and selected ASEAN countries. The companies are already working to fulfil a substantial order from two customers (Shanghai... Read more →