Improved carbon footprint thanks to the utilization of surplus electricity
MIT creates new atlas of oxygen-poor waters

SHORT NEWS

Autonomous driving: Trucks catching up

#autonomous driving #daimler truck #traton #truck #tusimple

Just a year ago, start-ups working on robotaxis were raising eight times as much money as companies interested in self-driving trucks. In the meantime, the gap has narrowed dramatically.

A test fleet of autonomous Daimler trucks has been on the road in the USA for about three years.

The deployment of self-driving trucks is getting closer. Here, the truck builders have their sights set primarily on long-haul transport. “For us, the clear goal is to achieve driverless driving, not in Europe, but in the USA,“ said Daimler Truck CEO Martin Daum. For about three years, a test fleet has been on the road in the south-west of the USA to collect data for a technology that is ready for series production and approval.

Remedy for driver shortage

The Volkswagen commercial vehicle subsidiary Traton is already testing its trucks in Sweden. Tests on the autobahn are also to start in Germany. “The big thing will be when the truck can drive autonomously without a safety driver on board,“ said Andreas Kammel, responsible at Traton for the strategy on autonomous driving and alternative drives. “Autonomous driving has to be significantly safer than the human factor.“

Traton is working with TuSimple in the field. The US company's technology should be available around the middle of the decade. Traton expert Kammel also points to regulatory hurdles: “By 2025, a legal framework could be in place that allows widespread use if the technology meets strict safety requirements.“

This is all the more important as truck builders want to start right away without humans at the wheel. The background to this is the shortage of drivers, which is giving hauliers worldwide a hard time.

Written by: sda

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November 22nd, 2019
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November 22nd, 2019
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December 16th, 2019
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May 8th, 2020
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July 14th, 2020
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September 7th, 2020
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December 11th, 2020
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March 22nd, 2021
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April 5th, 2021
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April 12th, 2021
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August 2nd, 2021
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September 6th, 2021
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November 29th, 2021
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January 17th, 2022
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January 24th, 2022
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February 21st, 2022
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April 4th, 2022
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April 25th, 2022
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May 30th, 2022
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July 25th, 2022
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Medical students learn on hologram patients

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September 12th, 2022
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A new type of "soft" robot from the University of Linz moves like a caterpillar - and ultra-fast. Thanks to its contractions, it can also overcome obstacles, swim or grasp things. In short: a system with potential, especially in the field of human-machine interaction.
October 10th, 2022
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A skin sensor developed at MIT is as thin as adhesive tape and sends signals - without a chip or battery. The device can vibrate in response to a person's heartbeat or the salt in their sweat, as well as generate a readable electrical signal.
October 17th, 2022
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October 31st, 2022
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Digital twins spur the metaverse to new heights

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November 4th, 2022
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Sensors and switches made of wood

Sustainable electronic elements can be made from wood. This is helped by a novel process that uses a laser to engrave electrically conductive tracks into veneers.
November 14th, 2022
Construction workers offroad: In areas that are difficult to access, drones could one day erect constructions in teamwork.

Building like bees

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November 21st, 2022
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November 28th, 2022
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December 12th, 2022
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December 19th, 2022
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December 26th, 2022
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January 3rd, 2023
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January 9th, 2023
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Paper-thin solar cell turns any surface into a power source

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January 23rd, 2023
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February 20th, 2023
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February 27th, 2023
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Robot reduces use of plant protection products

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April 3rd, 2023
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May 5th, 2023
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May 29th, 2023
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June 12th, 2023
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June 26th, 2023
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Artificial intelligence is speeding up the discovery of plants with anti-malaria properties. This is the conclusion reached by an international research team.
July 10th, 2023
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Swiss start-up achieves breakthrough in quantum encryption

Swiss start-up Terra Quantum has been able to transmit quantum-encrypted data 10,000 times faster and over a greater distance than ever before. This is shown by data published by the company.
August 7th, 2023
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August 21st, 2023
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Scientists in Chile have for the first time discovered the remains of a species of dinosaur with a duck's beak – the «Gonkoken nanoi».
August 28th, 2023
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People in Germany are now open to using self-driving vehicles. Almost three out of four respondents can imagine boarding driverless underground or suburban trains, taxis or buses.
September 18th, 2023
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The use of AI will "probably not" lead to the destruction of jobs, but rather to possible changes in the quality of jobs - especially with regard to work intensity and autonomy.
September 25th, 2023
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Autonomous drone beats world champion in drone races

A drone controlled by artificial intelligence (AI) has defeated the world champion in drone races. According to the developers from the University of Zurich, this is a milestone for robotics.
October 9th, 2023
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More than a tonne of vegetables and lettuce, positive effects on the psyche and valuable experience in terms of time-saving operation: after a five-year test in Antarctica, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) has expressed satisfaction with its "Eden ISS" greenhouse system.
October 23rd, 2023
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Copyright infringement: US authors sue ChatGPT

The writers accuse OpenAI of using their books to train AI without their consent.
October 30th, 2023
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AI to prevent wildlife accidents

Artificial intelligence (AI) could in future prevent wildlife accidents, which are particularly frequent in autumn. A project by Austrian researchers is testing a risk assessment of routes by drones.
November 6th, 2023
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Researchers develop trunk robot

Inspired by elephant trunks, researchers at EPFL have developed a new robot. Because the trunk robot is made of soft, pliable material, it is safe for interaction with humans.
November 13th, 2023
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Electricity from chicken feathers

Researchers want to use chicken feathers to produce green electricity. They use the keratin in chicken feathers to replace highly toxic chemicals in fuel cells.
November 20th, 2023
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Based on sounds: AI determines species diversity

According to a study, an automated analysis of animal sounds can provide a good indication of the development of species diversity in the area. The analysis was tested with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) on tropical reforestation areas.
December 4th, 2023
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December 14th, 2023
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AI detects plastic waste in the sea

A new artificial intelligence recognises plastic in the sea from satellite images. This could help to systematically remove plastic waste from the oceans using ships.
December 18th, 2023
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3D printer moulds robots without laborious assembly

Robotic hands with bones, ligaments and tendons straight from the printer: this is made possible by a new 3D printing technology developed by researchers in Zurich.
January 8th, 2024
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Smartphone makes us walk like cowboys

If you type on your smartphone while walking, your gait adapts to the demands of multitasking. What exactly happens during "text walking" has now been investigated.
January 29th, 2024
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AI recognises the briefest emotions better than therapists

AI can recognise emotions based on facial expressions. In one study, AI even performed better than trained therapists.
February 5th, 2024
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ETH Zurich has put an artificial sun into operation. In the room of a new laboratory, the sun shines at the push of a button, just as it does at midday in the Sahara or in January in Berlin.
February 21st, 2024
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This sensor detects organ failure at an early stage

A wearable ultrasound sticker could help to recognise the first signs of acute liver or kidney failure at an early stage.
February 28th, 2024
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Robot swings into unexplored treetops

It abseils from a height and swings through the canopy of the rainforest: A robot named Avocado is designed to collect research data in such a difficult-to-access and endangered habitat.
March 3rd, 2024
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Researchers want to detect blood poisoning earlier using AI

With the help of artificial intelligence (AI) a research team at the University Children's Hospital in Zurich has defined new criteria for the diagnosis of blood poisoning. This could improve the early detection of this dangerous disease.
March 10th, 2024
plastic waste in a garbage bin

Microplastics could promote cancer

According to a new study, tiny plastic particles can be passed on during cell division. This could potentially favour the spread of cancer.
April 15th, 2024
a baby in a newborn ward

AI diagnoses heart defects in babies

An artificial intelligence (AI) developed by Zurich researchers recognises a specific heart defect in newborns. According to the researchers, it has the potential to reduce the number of missed diagnoses of pulmonary hypertension.
April 29th, 2024
the new robot can mimic the softness of materials

Robot reproduces the softness of materials

A new robot can precisely mimic the softness of various materials. In future, medical students could use it to practise detecting malignant tumours or researchers could feel the softness of an object in space.
May 6th, 2024
PEBE

Are CO2 absorbers the saviors of the climate crisis?

In the fight against climate change, gigatons of carbon dioxide will have to be removed from the atmosphere over the course of the century - using so-called carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies are giving people new hope.
June 12th, 2024
pedestrians at a zebra crossing

New car camera detects pedestrians 100 times faster

A new type of car camera recognises obstacles 100 times faster than previous driver assistance systems. In future, this technology should help to brake cars in good time if a pedestrian suddenly runs into the road.
August 5th, 2024
Pedestrians walk on planks across a flooded square in Switzerland.

Climate change causes global economy to shrink significantly

According to a new forecast, the global economy is at risk of shrinking by around a fifth by the middle of the century due to climate change.
August 19th, 2024