What’s happened? A research laboratory in Sweden – The Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE) – built AstaZero, the first proving ground for connected vehicles, and has now given more information about what it’s trying to do.
Gizmodo has gained further information on the goals of the lab. The CEO, Peter Janevik, outlined how it believes the facility will use 6G and other advanced connectivity tech to have a significant impact on the deployment of vehicles. This can dramatically reduce road fatalities and provide advanced disaster relief during emergencies.
He has also highlighted how the scenarios might work. This includes a drone that can scan an accident site, creating a map of potential obstacles and dangers that can be deployed in real time to vehicles and allow safe management of future situations.
What are the risks? The facility also allows brands to mitigate risks through the testing, such as ensuring the security of the connection to stop hackers from disrupting communication between devices. Drones tracking in urban environments could also create privacy or surveillance concerns.
6G deployment will require massive investment, so making sure it’s done correctly and in a cost-effective and useful manner is key.
What’s next? The facility will expand further into AI-powered testing, to allow it to understand the situations contextually, as well as greater understanding of how these components will work in times when connectivity is degraded. 6G is slated for release within the next decade, and regulatory frameworks will need to be created to ensure its safe use, especially in the sphere of connected vehicles and drones.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?
Update (October 22 23:54 PT): In response to our query, GM clarified that offline recording support is already available on eligible vehicles. Like Tesla's Sentry Mode, it requires owners to connect a USB drive to save incident recordings, which can be viewed on the vehicle's infotainment screen. The upcoming Connected Cameras feature will build on this by giving owners remote access to these recordings via the revamped OnStar app, allowing them to check footage without walking out to their car.
General Motors has announced plans to add a new Connected Cameras feature to its OnStar service starting next year, giving drivers a way to monitor parked vehicles remotely and capture footage of certain incidents.