In 1913, Ford Motor Company changed the car-making game by installing moving assembly belts in its production facilities. The move made building automobiles quicker, cheaper, and more efficient than before, while also setting the tone for modern manufacturing in general. Since then, the industry has made leaps and bounds by automating much of the process, but Ford isn’t done innovating yet.
At an assembly plant in Cologne, Germany, the American brand is running a trial program where humans and robots work side by side. Called co-bots, these small machines help workers install shock absorbers onto Fiesta subcompact vehicles, but according to Ford, the co-bots can even be programmed to make coffee or give massages. Any takers?
Installing shocks can be a very arduous process, as it requires significant effort and precision to fit the dampers into cramped, dark spaces. The co-bots are exceptionally strong and dexterous though, which not only helps with back rubs, it takes a literal load off the employees’ backs as well.
“Working overhead with heavy air-powered tools is a tough job that requires strength, stamina, and accuracy.” said Ngali Bongongo, a production worker at Ford’s Cologne plant. “The robot is a real help.”
Any time robots and humans interact, safety is a huge concern, but Ford has worked hard to put any post-apocalyptic or mechanical uprising connections to bed. The co-bots are equipped with a bevy of high-tech sensors that halt operations immediately if anything blocks their path, and the company behind the machines, KUKA Roboter GmbH, has years of experience in the industry.
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“We are proud to show the capabilities of our new generation of sensitive robots that are supporting and collaborating with Ford workers by carrying out ergonomically difficult and technically challenging tasks,” said Klaus Link, a Key Account Manager at KUKA. “As part of our close partnership with Ford and based on the feedback from employees, we are looking forward to further challenges.”
Just what challenges could Link be referring to? Perhaps automotive design work or the preparation of more complex coffee drinks? Only time will tell.
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.