Autonomy in the Aftermarket
If you want to know how close we are really getting to an at least semi-autonomous driving future, consider that the capability is made its way to the aftermarket: that’s right, it is no longer something that is strictly within the purview of OEMs but technology that you’re probably going to be able to access at your local electronics store or via Amazon for the car that you bought two or three years ago and didn’t opt for the additional tech.
Gary S. Vasilash
Editor-in-Chief, Automotive Design & Production
Porsche, Hyundai Invest in Augmented Reality Developer
WayRay SA, a Lausanne, Switzerland-based developer of holographic augmented reality head-up display systems, has raised $80 million in its latest funding round.
Toyota to Drop Denso as Nav System Supplier
Toyota Motor Corp. is phasing out Denso Corp. as one of its suppliers of in-car navigation systems, according to The Nikkei, which cites no sources.
Microsoft's Next Generation
There's a good reason why Microsoft (www.microsoft.com; Redmond, WA) just released the latest version of its automotive-grade software platform—Windows Automotive 5.0—first in Japan rather than anywhere else in the world. "There is a night and day difference between the current status of Japanese navigation system development and that of the U.S. and Europe," says Peter Wengert, group manager, sales and marketing, Microsoft Corp.'s Automotive Business Unit.
Honda's Compact & Clever New Hybrid Powertrain
The powertrain for the 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid is small. And by this we mean the internal combustion engine, transmission and the 10-kW electric motor/generator that's fitted between the two.
Gary S. Vasilash
Editor-in-Chief, Automotive Design & Production
