Android Assistants: BMW will put humanoid robots from Figure in U.S manufacturing facilities
Toronto, Ontario — Robotics startup Figure has announced a signed partnership with BMW Manufacturing to deploy its humanoid robots in the automaker’s facilities in the United States. This new partnership marks the first commercial deal that Figure has signed since it was first founded in 2022. While the company did not disclose how many robots […]
Putting On the Brakes: Car rental firm Hertz selling electric vehicles in the United States in favour of ICE vehicles
Toronto, Ontario — Global vehicle rental firm Hertz has announced that it will sell about 20,000 EVs from its U.S. fleet, citing higher collision and damage expenses as reasoning. Hertz had originally said that it would order 100,000 Tesla vehicles by the end of 2022 but followed this statement with a decision to buy up to […]
Inhibiting Inflators: U.S. agency to watch unrecalled Takata inflators for safety risks
Toronto, Ontario — On Monday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that it is monitoring data from a group of mostly unrecalled Takata airbag inflators after recent incidents. Specifically, the NHTSA declared its continued investigation into Takata airbags after one exploded in a BMW and hurled metal fragments that seriously injured a driver […]
Stalling Speedster: The NTSB calls for more speed-limiting tech in new vehicles
Washington D.C.— The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) based in Washington, D.C. asked 17 automakers to add anti-speeding tech to new vehicles as a response to automotive and civilian deaths due to reckless driving. Specifically, the NTSB’s request comes in response to a crash in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2022 that killed nine people. The […]
EV/AV Report: EV’s come packaged; while self-driving cars see in the dark
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 […]
Structuring Access: BMW expands structural parts restrictions to include aluminum
Toronto, Ontario – In a recent bulletin made by the OEM last Thursday, BMW said that it has expanded its structural parts restrictions and will only sell certain aluminum parts to authorized repairers or facilities that have undergone special training and acquired the right tools. In the bulletin, BMW highlighted the news additions to its […]
Customer Consultation: BMW cars get an artificial intelligence (A.I.) upgrade that preemptively tells drivers of possible problems
Toronto, Ontario – BMW has recently started a rollout upgrade to existing cars that can assess automotive issues and give drivers suggestions on how to fix their vehicle before they register as a problem. The program, known as “Proactive Care,” makes use of A.I. systems and in-car data to serve as what BMW refers to […]
EV/AV Report: VinFast’s first North American shipment recalled; Ford to use Supercharger-compatible ports in future models
Toronto, Ontario — VinFast’s entry into the U.S. market meets some bumps on the road, while Ford EV drivers gain access to Tesla’s Supercharger network. This is the latest in electric and autonomous vehicles. Slow start for VinFast Bad news for early adopters of breakout EV automaker VinFast, as the company’s very first shipment of […]
The Takata Toll: BMW issues ‘Do Not Drive’ order for 38,000 early-00’s models
Toronto, Ontario — As Takata airbags continue to rear their defective heads, BMW made the call on Thursday to issue a “Do Not Drive” order for approximately 38,000 models sold in Canada between 2000 and 2006. First announced in a news release from the U.S.’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which identified an additional […]
Robotic Reassurance: Automated paint inspection procedures at BMW’s Regensburg plant an industry first, OEM says
Regensburg, Germany — In what is being considered an industry-first move from the German automaker, BMW announced Tuesday that its Regensburg, Germany plant has cemented an end-to-end automated process for inspecting painted vehicle surfaces. The company says it has been using AI-controlled robots to process each vehicle individually to quality standards and has ultimately resulted […]
