Posted on 07/12/2019 6:33:01 PM PDT by Olog-hai
Volkswagen will invest $2.6 billion into a Pittsburgh autonomous vehicle company that’s mostly owned by Ford as the automakers who were once rivals deepen their partnership to develop driverless and electric vehicles in an ultra-competitive landscape.
The two automakers will become equal owners of Argo AI, and they plan to put autonomous vehicles on the roads in the U.S. and Europe as early as 2021, the companies said Friday.
The deal also includes a plan for Ford to use VW’s electric vehicle platform to build zero-emissions cars for the European market starting in 2023.
Auto companies have been teaming up with each other as well as with big technology firms over the past few years to try to spread out the enormous costs of developing self-driving and electric vehicles. Ford CEO Jim Hackett expects the large crowd of players to be narrowed down.
“The stakes are high here,” Hackett said at a news conference Friday. “There’s only going to be a few winners who create the leading platforms for the future. We cannot be late, Ford can’t be late, and we have to be great.” …
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
Having owned all the big name German vehicles during my life, I am currently under the impression that the son of Lucas went to Germany and currently designs their electronics.
Danger, Will Robinson, Danger.
Danger, Will Robinson, Danger.
I drive a 2017 Audi A4 with 52k miles. It is a tech dream. It has been rock solid.
Level 4 is years away. Level 5 two decades away.
i guess flying cars were too hard ...
After owning 12 Hondas and liking them, I was recently sold on two different Volkswagon vehicles, a Tiguan and a Passat sedan. They are of such amazing high quality, roomy, powerful, and run quieter than any cars I have driven, including three Mercedes Benz cars I drove in the 60s and 70s. I also drove three different Volks cars in the 70’s and didn’t like them much. They have really improved since then.
The new Passats are nice. One of the few new cars that I might consider replacing my great old BMW with.
VW, Ford team up to make autonomous, electric vehicles, meanwhile environmentalists team up to close efficient on-demand electrical generating plants ...
Zero-Emission = Walking
If one manufactures something most likely you have emissions.
I manufacture chili on occasion, so your point is not lost on me.
Flatulence notwithstanding.
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