[240312] #Pony.ai #SOSLAB #Baidu

1. Luxembourg and Pony.ai Sign MoU to Advance Autonomous Mobility in the Country

• Pony.ai and the Government of Luxembourg signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance autonomous mobility in Luxembourg.
• The MoU aims to foster research, development, and deployment of autonomous vehicles in Luxembourg.
• Pony.ai plans to set up a regional hub in Luxembourg with support from Luxinnovation and local stakeholders.
• The hub will focus on research and development of autonomous vehicle technology tailored for the European market.
• The partnership aims to develop a strong local network to support operational capabilities in Luxembourg.
• Pony.ai intends to build strong local partnerships to support its efforts.
• Luxembourg aims to become a pioneer in autonomous driving in Europe, focusing on promoting research, job creation, and sustainable economic growth.
• Pony.ai operates in the Robotaxi, Robotruck, and Personally Owned Vehicle (POV) business units, aiming to develop the safest autonomous driving capabilities globally.
• Pony.ai has engaged in conversations regarding robotaxi deployment with local stakeholders in Luxembourg over the past year.

2. Intel, Concept Reply Unveil AI Innovation for Autonomous Vehicle Safety

• Concept Reply and Intel have partnered to develop an AI-driven solution for autonomous vehicles aimed at revolutionizing how they perceive and react to traffic lights, with a focus on enhancing road safety in urban settings.
• The initiative utilizes CARLA, a platform for simulating car sensor functionalities, enabling accurate simulations of various driving scenarios, including challenging conditions like nighttime and adverse weather.
• Intel’s expertise in creating innovative hardware, software, and services, combined with Concept Reply’s AI-driven solution, has resulted in a powerful platform that seamlessly integrates with cloud instances optimized by Intel, enabling scalability and sustainability.
• The collaboration addresses GPU shortages by leveraging Intel’s expertise in embedding AI across computing devices, resulting in a flexible platform capable of adjusting to varying traffic volumes efficiently.
• The AI-driven solution aims to set new benchmarks in vehicle safety, benefiting not only autonomous vehicles but also individuals with color blindness or color vision deficiencies, thus making roads safer for everyone.
• This collaboration demonstrates a commitment to enhancing urban road safety through technological advancement and expert partnership, with the potential to pave the way for safer and more efficient autonomous driving experiences.

3. Lotte’s logistics wing to demonstrate autonomous trucks and delivery robots

• Lotte Corporation’s logistics wing and Robotis, a robotics company, are collaborating to accelerate the commercialization of fully-autonomous parcel delivery systems in South Korea.
• South Korea has over 1,500 logistics centers, but operational costs and round-the-clock operations are driving demand for automated logistics systems with autonomous trucks, delivery robots, and automated centers.
• A government-led demonstration project for autonomous logistics systems began in 2023, with Lotte Global Logistics and Robotis completing the first stage successfully.
• For the second stage, Lotte Global Logistics is partnering with Mars Auto, a self-driving truck startup, to deploy autonomous trucks on expressways covering 590 kilometers.
• Robotis will focus on testing robots for “last mile” delivery, transporting parcels from delivery trucks to customers’ doorsteps, aiming to deliver directly to homes in the second stage.
• The collaboration aims to evaluate and advance last-mile delivery systems, building on the success of the first stage where robots transported parcels to apartment building lobbies.

4. Pablo Air signs MOU with SOSLAB

• Pablo Air and SOSLAB have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a strategic technology partnership at the Drone Show Korea 2024.
• The collaboration aims to develop a safe and efficient vertiport system by combining SOSLAB’s solid-state LiDAR technology with Pablo Air’s UAM integrated control technology.
• SOSLAB will contribute its core technology in LiDAR measurement data and data-driven object perception results, while Pablo Air will focus on developing a mobility integrated control platform, vertiport, and ground MaaS-integrated operation system.
• Kim Young-joon, CEO of Pablo Air, expressed optimism about advancing the development of their mobility integrated control platform and expanding growth potential in the air mobility industry through collaboration with SOSLAB.
• Ji-Sung Jeong, CEO of SOSLAB, highlighted the expectation to develop a safe and efficient drone system by combining their core technologies, aiming to open new horizons in the air mobility market.

5. Baidu Launches China’s First 24/7 Robotaxi Service

• Baidu announces a significant operation upgrade for Apollo Go, its autonomous ride-hailing service platform, offering 24/7 autonomous driving service in selected areas of Wuhan.
• This expansion marks a milestone for Apollo Go, providing continuous autonomous driving services to cater to a wider range of needs and users, including nighttime travel.
• Baidu achieved several operational milestones in China, including fully driverless rides across the Yangtze River and driverless airport transportation services in Wuhan and Beijing.
• Wuhan is at the forefront of implementing intelligent transportation, with over 3,378.73 kilometers of test mileage run by autonomous vehicles by the end of 2023.
• Apollo Go operates 300 fully driverless vehicles in Wuhan and has introduced a special campaign for female users offering priority service during late-night hours.
• Apollo Go has received over 5 million cumulative rides as of January 2024 and aims to expand its fully autonomous ride-hailing services to more locations and users.