Toronto, Ontario — In this weekly electric and autonomous vehicle report, Luvly describes how its EV models come flat-pack delivered; and BMW announces that legal self-driving will arrive in 7 Series vehicles in 2024.
DIY driving
An early-stage Swedish automotive company called Luvly reveals its Ikea-esque approach to automotive production through the development of the Luvly O EV model.
The Luvly O is a small battery-electric two-seater characterized as a “light urban vehicle” (LUV).
What sets this model apart from other EVs is that the car is shipped in a flat-pack box to third-party microfactories where it is then assembled.
For Luvly, the flat-pack method aligns with the company’s goal of making car production more environmentally friendly.
According to the company’s founder and CEO, Håkan Lutz, flat-pack “massively reduces emissions. Compared with electric cars, energy consumption from LUV production, shipping and distribution is up to 80% lower and this also means that mass production can be made exceptionally cost-effective and fast.”
Flat-pack shipping and production, alongside giga casting and 3D printing, is just one way that the automotive industry continues to see continued technological development in the manufacturing process.
Leisure at level three
In a recent announcement, BMW has revealed that it is introducing the next level of self-driving standards into its 7 Series vehicles with the “Personal Pilot L3” program which will be deployed beginning in March 2024.
This update means that from March 2024 onwards, German drivers will legally be able to go hands-free while on the road.
There are, however, caveats to this upcoming launch. Cars equipped with L3 capabilities will only be enabled to self-drive at a top speed of 60km/h on motorways. Another condition is what BMW refers to as a ‘structurally separated carriageway’ which aims to help maintain models at safe distances from other vehicles.
For BMW, this feature is necessary because the L3 self-driving features are capable of being used at night, claims the automaker.
This ability for ‘night vision’ is a product of a combination of ultrasonic sensor tech, LiDar and radars.
