Qualcomm recently launched an autonomous vehicle communication research and testing program on 3miles of San Diego road. The goal of the program is to demonstrate the potential to improve safety and traffic efficiency over cellular vehicle to everything communication or C-V2X. Jim Misener is the project lead and the go to guy at Qualcomm for everything V2X, so Don and I divided to have a call to learn about the project and where Qualcomm stand on Vehicle to Vehicle Communication since the standards are still emerging.
Daimler and NVIDIA will team up to build an in-vehicle computing system and AI computing infrastructure. In 2024 Mercedes Benz will start rolling out a next generation fleet that will come with upgradable automated driving functions.
Daimler is going all in with NVIDIA pausing their partnerships with BMW to create a Level 4 & 5 autonomous fleet. The work with Bosch on Robotaxi’s also appears to be on the back burner in favor of this new relationship.
This is a significant announcement because it may signal a change in the way OEMs like Mercedes develop their autonomous vehicles. NVIDIA is not a new player in automotive but has yet to announce a large volume partner like Mercedes since Tesla opted to create their own competing autonomous drive platform. Like Tesla NVIDIA’s platform is based on a central computer, which none of the other manufactures have.
This is just the tip of the iceberg as to why the automotive industry should take note. Nicole Scott and Don Dalhmann unpack the announcement and look at what this means for the future of automotive.
The effect of the Corona crisis on the automotive and mobility industry is considerable. It could cause massive shifts in the market.
If you want to watch a video version of the podcast we’ve got one here for you!
If you look at the market pre-corna, you couldn’t say that car manufacturers were doing particularly well. The switch to e-mobility was expensive, the diesel scandal and digitalisation have put companies under pressure for a few years now. Although all German manufacturers still reported a profit for the fiscal year, it was significantly lower than in recent years. After production and sales in China stopped for January and February, Europe is now following suit. The production lines for all manufacturers have come to a halt and car dealerships have closed their doors.
The losses that now arise will be difficult to cope with. Especially as it also looks at the moment as if the crisis in Europe will last longer. The production losses are immense. In Germany alone, 4.7 million vehicles are produced every year. That is around 390,000 vehicles per month. Many of them have already been ordered and cannot be delivered now and thus paid for in full.
Since the OEMs are no longer producing, production at the suppliers also comes to a standstill. Although some components can be produced on stockpile, just-in-time supply chains are not designed to store large quantities of components temporarily. In total, 14 million jobs in Europe are affected by the standstill and small suppliers in particular will quickly run into financial problems.
However, there is one small ray of hope for the manufacturers: China.
There, where the crisis originated, things seem to be getting under control so slowly. The city of Wuhan is still completely quarantined, but in the rest of the country industrial production is starting up again. Since German manufacturers generate between 30 and 40 percent of their sales in China, this is a silver lining.
If the situation is already extremely difficult for car manufacturers, it is almost desperate for almost all mobility providers. The providers of e-scooters in particular are facing major problems. In Europe, many states and cities have imposed strict exit restrictions, and on top of that, many people work in their home offices. Some providers have therefore already taken their scooters off the road.
The problem of most start-ups is scarce financing. So far, the companies live on the financing and the operating costs are higher than the revenues. The time for further financing is very bad. Therefore, it can be assumed that at the end of the crisis some providers will have to close down.
Not much, but at least things are looking a little better for ride and car sharing providers. Their business is also down, but not as much as with others. Uber has recorded a decline of almost 30 percent in bookings in the USA, but the figures are from last week. The situation is similar with car sharing, where bookings have also collapsed. However, the large providers either have sufficient cash reserves of their own (Uber, Lyft) or are on the manufacturers’ drip (ShareNow).
After all, there is one area that is currently growing. Providers of rental bicycles are experiencing a boom. This is partly due to the slowly rising temperatures, but also because many commuters are now doing without public transport. So it’s not all bad.
Bosch announced a plan for the future of automotive whose green solutions are accompanied by combustion engines and diesel.
Don and Nicole sit down with Dr Stefan Hartung CEO of Bosch Mobility and a member of the board to learn about how Bosch thinks this strategy could be the quickest way to become carbon neutral.
When Sony launched the Vision S at CES it got us thinking about the potential of Tier 1 automotive manufactures. As car sales decrease and the automotive industry opens up to new types of industries, it is becoming clear that Tier 1’s have a great deal of potential. Don and Nicole discuss which industries they see partnering with Tier 1’s to potentially bring cars to market.
Mercedes launched the Vision AVTR at CES 2020, even though the car it self is very cool, we were left with question: Why did they launch this at CES? The consumer electronic show is about companies setting intentions for the year to give us an idea of their overall direction. Don and Nicole dive into the AVRT and the Daimler CES 2020 keynote to unpack their vision for the year, and talk about the car!
Nicole took a little time before the Christmas holidays – and embarked on a bold experiment. She drove an Audio E Tron long distance between Berlin and Denmark. How does an EV handle a 700km road trip in Europe?
Hyundai is one of the few brands pushing forward with Fuel Cell technology. Don took at test drive with the Nexo X and learned about their Fuel Cell strategy. Filled with jealousy Nicole gets all the details of Don’s drive in Switzerland and the two discuss what should be one of the next big technologies in automotive.
Audi showed off the ETron Sportback in LA last week and it’s the perfect evolution of Audi’s first all electric vehicle. Shedding it’s SUV design the ETron Sportback is more aerodynamic, offers a more aggressive one pedal driving experience and slightly more range.
It also has projectors in its headlights! Find out everything there is to know about the Audi ETron Sportback with Don Dahlmann and Nicole Scott.
We’re not saying we love the Tesla Cybertruck, but we do have to recognize that there are some lessons for the German car industry in the launch of this electric pick up truck. Don & Nicole dive into what exactly Elon did that worked and debate what place the Cybertruck has in automotive.
Audi showed off the A1 Citycarver in Hamburg and instead of just bringing us on a traditional drive they took us to visit 4 different start ups to learn about the different features of the car. Learning about the B&O sound system took place at a recording studio/longboard shop, lighting from a Parkour troupe who needs lighting to be right so they can see the ground during their tricks, design took place at a design studio who made sneaker boxes, and the connectivity features at a trend scout.Looking at the Audi A1 citycarver and these start ups we can discuss its relationship to the automotive industry.
Nicole and Don speaking about the new Audi A1 Citycarver. The Citycarver is basically a normal A1 Sportback with a two-inch lift and a bit of SUV styling thrown in. You’ll find a bit of asthetic ruggedness with black wheel arch protections, an octagonal front grill which is usually found on Audi’s SUVs and a blacked-out badge. The Audi A1 is modified for city living, the slightly higher profile and narrow body make is a good choice for tight streets and tough parking spots. The strong connectivity features make it ideal for early adopters and urbanits.
Autonomous Drive is for more than just cars, and Zf knows it Nicole Scott took a ride in a Zepplin with Arnold Schlegel, Project lead for various aI and autonomous drive projects at ZF to discuss the potential of autonomous drive outside of just the car.
ZF & other Tier 1 automotive suppliers have to adapt to the rapid changes in mobility. They face the struggle of becoming a hardware supplier to a company that has to embrace AI & Software. Don interviews Dr Walliser, head of R&D of ZF Group to find out how they’re managing that shift.
Don Dahlmann talks to Jörg Grotendorst Head of E-Mobility at ZF Group. The two dive into changing usage patterns, evolving current technology to electric and tackling urban mobility.
Volkswagen has finally officially announced the ID3, it’s first all electric car. The industry has been waiting for VW to get into the fully electric game for quite sometime. We’ve been hoping that the car maker with the ability to produce high quality mass market cars would come out with a game changer for the EV category.
At IAA the camouflage is off and we get a look at the futuristic interior! We can help but wonder if it might be a little too futuristic for today’s market.
Don Dalhmann and Nicole Scott recorded this weeks Mobile Geeks Mobility Podcast inside the VW ID3.
The A4 historically is a very important car for Audi, when it was first released in 1994 the demand was unexpected high. In the midst of a global economic recession Audi managed to sell 120,000 cars in Germany alone. Last year the Audi A4 had very disappointing sales which is a problem for the manufactur since the A4 is one of their top selling car, it has become the rock on which Audi is built.
Taking action Audi has updated the design in hopes of bringing back the struggling sedan. Nicole Scott and Don Dalhmann talk about the changes to the 2020 A4 and if it’s worth the 50,000EUR price tag Audi has given it.
