> CARMAKERS, TECH FIRMS TAKE STEPS TOWARD A SELF-DRIVING WORLD
Self-driving cars stole the show at the annual CES tech-fest in Las Vegas this week. Here are four things we learned about the future of autonomous cars.
General Motors Corp.
America’s largest automaker announced it would invest $500 million (U.S.) in ride-booking service Lyft, the leading U.S. competitor to Uber. The two companies said they would work toward developing a fleet of self-driving cars. In the meantime, GM will become the preferred provider of Lyft vehicles for rent. GM also unveiled its 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, an electric vehicle priced at $30,000 with twice the range of Nissan’s Leaf. The Bolt was also designed with ride-sharing in mind, leading to speculation it could become part of a future Lyft fleet.
BlackBerry Ltd.
The tech firm unveiled a slew of new software for the driverless car in a race with Apple, Google and Tesla Motors for a share of this rapidly evolving market. The company’s QNX software division already builds the in-car navigation and entertainment systems used in more than 60 million vehicles built by Ford, General Motors, Hyundai and Volkswagen. Now, BlackBerry is creating a platform for self-driving features. The Waterloo-based tech giant showcased demo cars that can scan for obstacles, avoid straying out of their highway lanes and communicate wirelessly with other cars on the road to avoid accidents. The new software is scheduled for release this year.
Ford Motor Co.
The carmaker announced it would triple the size of its fleet of fully autonomous Ford Fusion Hybrid test vehicles from 10 to 30. More immediately, the automaker said it had brought Amazon’s Alexa voice-activated assistant into its vehicles, allowing drivers to interact with smart home features — for example, opening a garage door and turning on porch lights on the way home. Ford also announced it was adding Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto connectivity to all 2017 models equipped with its Sync infotainment system, allowing drivers to use their mobile phones through the vehicle’s dashboard.
Faraday Future
A secretive electric-vehicle startup backed by Chinese billionaire Jia Yueting and stacked with former Tesla Motor executives, Faraday Future made its Consumer Electronics Show debut this year. However, its futuristic concept car, the FFZero1, a single-seat, Batmobilestyle vehicle, raised more questions than answers about the company’s actual game plan. The U.S.-based firm has said it will build a three-million-square-foot assembly plant in North Las Vegas, where it will produce a premiumpriced car that might also come with a new business model, either shared ownership by several people or a product that drivers can subscribe to.