Mercedes drives itself off production line
With the start of production of the 2018 S-Class sedan, the Mercedes-Benz flagship is the first car to start and drive itself off the assembly line to a marshalling area to await shipping. “Without anyone behind the wheel, the 2018 S-Class fires up and sets off to a predetermined loading area within the assembly plant,” located in Sindelfingen, Germany. Altogether, the car travels 1.5 kilometres “on its own accord,” parking itself prior to shipment, reports automotive lifestyles website Motor Authority. The car can automatically adjust its speed based on various road conditions and is able to handle highway exits, junctions, roundabouts and tollbooths by itself, Mercedes said.
Cummins goes beyond diesel with electrified powertrains: The industrial-engine builder will offer a variety of electrified truck powertrains by 2019, including ones that run on biofuels, synthetic fuels and diesel. The company is also spending on exploratory projects focused on hydrogen technology, according to Charged Electric Vehicles Magazine. “As a global power leader for the commercial and industrial markets,” said Cummins CEO Tom Linebarger, “we are better positioned than any other company to win in new and emerging technologies.” Cummins will provide “a range of power technologies from diesel and natural gas to fully electric and hybrid powertrains to ensure they always have the best solution for their application.”
Short takes: • The French government said July 6 it will end sales of most fossil fuel-powered cars by 2040. France’s Minister of Ecological Transition Nicholas Hulot said it won’t be an easy target to reach, but automakers have “enough ideas in the drawer” to make it happen.
• Uber is partnering with Yandex, “the Google of Russia.” They’ll begin a new company that merges their respective ride-hailing expertise to expand their service not just across Russia but also Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia and Kazakhstan. • Seventy years after building its first electric vehicle in Japan, Nissan took centre stage at the 2017 Goodwood Festival of Speed in England to show its newest electric vehicle. The BladeGlider sports car saw action at the famed hillclimb event.