POWER
key component to enable this kind of product design.
• The movement from lead acid to lithium ion batteries will lead
to declining battery costs and the development of smaller,
lightweight, energy-dense batteries that will pair with GaN
technology-based converters and inverters to lead the revolution
in ESS.
• Interest in local micro-grids for both business and residences
will grow as individuals look to increase their energy security
and leverage a collective of individuals ESSs.
Chargers
In 2019, GaN transistors drove a range of smaller, lighter, and
higher power adapters/chargers in the aftermarket. In 2020,
GaN Systems predicts:
• Growing momentum for USB-C and USB-PD products which
can be used to charge any compatible product. The days of
one charger for one piece of electronics will quickly disappear
and the days of one charger for all consumer electronics
will begin to dominate. A single adapter/charger that handles
every device regardless of varying voltages for a phone (5V),
tablet (12V), or laptop (19V).
• In-box GaN adapters/chargers (shipping inside the box with
the computer or with the mobile phone) will start to become
common. Pressure will build on computer and phone makers
to deliver higher power levels for Fast-Charging.
• In the aftermarket, one GaN-powered adapter with two “type
C” ports will be capable meeting the high-power needs of
multiple device charging in a small form factor.
• USB-PD will garner increasing commercial interest across
industries besides mobile phones and computers with its spec
for higher power (100W) applications. Industrial markets will
also demand a new generation of smaller and more powerful
chargers for uses in portable test equipment, industrial equipment,
medical and supply chain applications.
Daimler, Bosch launch pilot project for automated ride sharing
FBy Christoph Hammerschmidt or some time, the car manufacturer Daimler (Mercedes)
and the technology supplier Bosch have been jointly developing
technologies for automating driving. The partners
have now launched a pilot project for an automated ride sharing
service. To this end, they have gained the Californian city of San
José as a further partner. For some time, the car manufacturer
Daimler (Mercedes) and the technology supplier Bosch have
been jointly developing technologies for automating driving. The
partners have now launched a pilot project for an automated
ride sharing service. To this end, they have gained the Californian
city of San José as a further partner.
As part of the project, automated Mercedes S-Class sedans
will be commuting between West San José and the city
center. The two partners expect the project to provide further
insights into automated driving technologies. Monitored by an
on-board security driver, the self-steering cars drive back and
forth on a fixed route along San José’s main thoroughfare, San
Carlos Street/Stevens Creek
Boulevard,. With an app developed
by Daimler Mobility
AG, users can book the
vehicles, board them at a
defined pick-up location and
be driven to their destination.
The test operation will
also provide Mercedes-Benz
and Bosch with further valuable
insights for the development
of their automated
driving system according to
SAE Level 4/5. The partners
also expect to find out how
self-driving cars can be
integrated into an intermodal mobility system with, for example,
local public transport and car sharing.
In mid-2017, San José invited private companies to test
automated driving in practice and to analyze the increasing
challenges in road traffic. Especially in dense urban traffic,
self-steering cars with their permanent 360-degree environment
monitoring can potentially increase safety and improve the flow
of traffic through a smooth driving style, the developers hope.
“We want to learn more about how automated vehicles can
help the city make its traffic flows smoother and safer, make
mobility more integrated, and increase its availability and
sustainability. The Bosch and Mercedes-Benz project follows
on from the comprehensive goals set by San José in the area
of “Smart City” technologies. It will also help us to develop
guidelines for dealing with new technologies and prepare for the
transport system of the future,” says Dolan Beckel, Director of
Urban Innovation for the City of San José.
Daimler and Bosch have been working together for over two
and a half years on automated driving in the city. The goal of the
cooperation is a SAE Level 4/5 driving system for fully automated
and driverless vehicles, including software for vehicle
control. The focus is not on prototypes, but on a system suitable
for series production that can be integrated into different
vehicle types and models.
In the development of the control software for vehicle movement,
the partners are not
only relying on artificial intelligence
and gathering test
kilometers. Rather, the engineers
use simulations and
special test tracks to look
specifically at driving situations
that are extremely rare
in road traffic. The engineers
at the test and technology
centre in Immendingen (Germany)
have at their disposal
a 100,000 square metre test
track specially designed for
automated driving. Here,
complex traffic situations
can be reproduced with high precision and as often as necessary.
Daimler and Bosch have brought another partner on board
specifically for the pilot project for their automated ride-sharing
service: Daimler Mobility AG is developing and testing a fleet
platform belonging to the pilot operation. This enables potential
ride-hailing partners to integrate self-propelled cars into their
services.
www.eenewseurope.com eeNews Europe January 2020 News 11
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/www.eenewseurope.com
