Robotics and Automation News, July 2019

ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION NEWS

Issue 27 July 2019

T he m ont hl y m ag az i ne for t he roboti cs and autom at ion indus t r y

Ready to roll:

EV charging gathers momentum

A listing of the leading electric vehicle charging companies

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Robotics & Automation News

Future power

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Editorial

Contents Space travel: NASA has chosen its first three Moon-landing technology suppliers

Abdul Montaqim, Editor

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By 2040, many of us will probably not be here.

But future generations will be able to finally live in cleaner cities, free of exhaust fumes coming from motor vehicles.

il and gas have long been the foundations of the modern industrial economy, and – let’s not fool ourselves – will continue to be so in the future.

But a fundamental change is happening in the automotive market which will inevitably mean the way the world uses oil and gas will change.

According to the International Energy Agency, there will be between 300 million and 400 million electric vehicles on the road in the next 20 years, which is a short time in the context of the Industrial Age, or since the Industrial Revolution, beginning with steam power in the late 1700s.

400 million is still a minority proportion of the 1 billion cars on the world’s roads now, but it’s not insignificant. What’s more important is that electric vehicles is a very fast growing market, whereas petrol-driven cars seem to have reached a peak.

Petrol, referred to as gas in the US, is derived from crude oil. So, obviously, if electric vehicles sell in large numbers, sales of crude oil-derived products directly to the automotive consumer market will decrease.

Oil and gas will still be used for generating electricity and for other heavy industry, but they will be pushed back, away from consumers and the places they tend to live.

That is the prediction, the expectation, which consumers and governments appear to be planning around. Already, many governments, at least at local level, have banned diesel vehicles.

Proponents of diesel argue that it is actually cleaner than regular petrol, but the trend is going against both of them anyway, so the argument is academic, or it will be in the future.

But still, it’s a long road, if you’ll forgive the pun, to the future electric universe. By 2040, many of us will probably not be here. But future generations will be able to finally live in cleaner cities, free of exhaust fumes coming from motor vehicles.

And it is with this in mind that we have produced a feature about electric vehicle chargers, which in all likelihood will mostly, if not totally, replace all the petrol pumps in your neighbourhood and everyone else’s. Shame some of us won’t be around to see them. l

editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

Supersonic flight Boom Supersonic and Dassault Systèmes have partnered to advance development of a new supersonic plane EV charging stations: Companies developing EV charging technologies

News: Sepro and Universal agree new robots partnership

News: 355 welding robots at new Byton car plant in China Automotives: Hyundai takes elevation off-road

Tugger trains: Taking the strain away from tugger trains Arts: Popular TV show ‘Humans’ cancelled

Manufacturing: Engineer-to-order undergoes visual sales revolution Cleaning: iRobot launches advanced robot vacuum and mop Flying taxis: Flying taxis are set for take-off, it is claimed

Flying cars: Lilium has launched an air taxi. Flying cars could be next

Robotics and Automation News

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News

News

HPE to acquire supercomputer manufacturer Cray

Hewlett Packard Enterprise has reached an agreement to acquire Cray, the manufacturer of supercomputing systems.

HPE says the acquisition will cost $35 per share, in a transaction valued at approximately $1.3 billion, net of cash.

Antonio Neri, president and CEO, HPE, says: “Answers to some of society’s most pressing challenges are buried in massive amounts of data.

“Only by processing and analyzing this data will we be able to unlock the answers to critical challenges across medicine, climate change, space and more.

“Cray is a global technology leader in supercomputing and shares our deep commitment to innovation.

“By combining our world-class teams and technology, we will have the opportunity to drive the next generation of high-performance computing and play an important part in advancing the way people live and work.”

The explosion of data is driving strong HPC growth

Airbus and Siemens collaborate on hybridelectric propulsion

Representatives of Airbus and Siemens attended the recent Bauhaus Luftfahrt Symposium “Ambition 2050”, bringing together science, industry, and politicians to tackle how to meet the EU Flightpath 2050 goals, aviation’s challenging environmental targets.

Topics explored included operations, alternative fuels, as well as energy technologies and power systems, which are at the heart of the work being carried out within the Airbus E-Aircraft Systems Programme in Taufkirchen/Ottobrunn near Munich.

editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

Partnerships

Sepro and Universal agree new robots partnership

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epro Group, a provider of robotics and industrial automation for the plastic industry, and Universal Robots, a maker of collaborative robots, have signed a partnership agreement enabling Sepro to offer its Vision Control System with UR cobots.

Under the terms of this partnership between Sepro and UR, Sepro Group will integrate its Visual Control System with cobots supplied by UR. The Visual Control Platform was developed by Sepro especially for robots used in plastics injection-molding machines.

All Sepro products, including co-branded lines, are controlled by Visual, providing the same user interface regardless of the type of robot.

Jean-Michel Renaudeau, CEO of Sepro Group, says: “I am enthusiastic to announce this partnership, which will expand our already extensive portfolio.

“Moreover, I believe that the combination of Sepro Group’s know-how and the groundbreaking collaborative technologies developed by Universal Robots will allow our customers even greater flexibility and choice in how they approach automation in the

Jürgen von Hollen, president, Universal Robots (left), and Jean-Michel Renaudeau, CEO of Sepro Group.

plastic injection process.”

Jürgen von Hollen, president, Universal Robots, adds: “I am very excited about our new partnership with the Sepro Group targeting the plastic injection automation market.

“Sepro has extensive experience and knowledge about how to automate the manufacturing processes and Universal Robots is the market leader in collaborative robots.” l

Honda Aircraft Company to invest in US production facility

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onda Aircraft Company says it plans to expand its global headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina by investing an additional $15.5 million in a new 82,000-square-foot facility on its 133+ acre campus in Greensboro.

This will bring the company’s total capital investment in its North Carolina facilities to more than $245 million.

Scheduled to break ground in July 2019, the building will house a new wing assembly process for the HondaJet Elite.

Honda says the new facility will allow for more wings to be assembled concurrently, resulting in a major increase in

production efficiency.

Additionally, this expansion will add more storage for service parts for the growing fleet of HondaJets around the globe. The facility is expected to be completed in July 2020.

Michimasa Fujino, president and CEO of Honda Aircraft Company, said: “As the HondaJet’s popularity and presence continue to increase around the world, it is necessary for our facility to meet our production and service needs while operating at the highest level of efficiency.

“We are proud that Honda Aircraft Company is expanding its footprint in North Carolina and in the aviation industry.” l www.roboticsandautomationnews.com

Automotives

News

News

355 welding robots at new Byton car plant in China

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yton, the electric vehicle maker, has announced it will complete its Round C fundraising in mid-2019 with support from multiple investors and shared further details of its Nanjing factory.

Construction of the plant, which started in September 2017, is nearing completion and trial production of the M-Byte SUV will start in the third quarter of 2019.

The installation and commissioning of key equipment has already begun in the five major workshops: stamping, paint, welding, battery, and assembly.

The plant is built to industry 4.0 standards using global leading manufacturing equipment and technology.

The stamping shop completes one panel every three seconds on average. It will be one of the fastest stamping production lines in China.

The welding shop incorporates 335 welding robots supplied by leading manufacturing equipment provider Kuka with an automation rate of 99 percent.

The paint shop uses cutting-edge painting technologies such as the transverse EcoIncure oven technology – a first in China.

The battery shop will produce and assemble battery packs that are designed

independently by Byton. Leading battery maker CATL provides the battery cells and modules, while aluminium maker Constellium supplies the aluminium battery tray.

“Our plant in Nanjing leverages the world's best equipment and production processes, and follows the highest standards in safety and environmentally responsible production, together which allows us to deliver on our promise of quality,” said Dr. Daniel Kirchert, CEO and Co-Founder of Byton.

“As we move toward the start of series production of our first car at the end of this year, our dream of reshaping the future mobility will soon become a reality.”

The Byton M-Byte is scheduled to debut in Q3 2019. l

Houston Mechatronics unveils underwater transforming robot

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ouston Mechatronics (HMI) unveiled Aquanaut at the NASA Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, one year after the announcement of the platform concept.

Aquanaut is a revolutionary multi-mode transforming all-electric undersea vehicle.

The vehicle is capable of efficient longdistance transit and data collection in ‘AUV’ (autonomous underwater vehicle) mode.

After transforming into ‘ROV’ (remotely operated vehicle) mode the head of the vehicle pitches up, the hull separates, and two arms are activated so that Aquanaut may editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

manipulate its environment.

Aquanaut is now undergoing an extensive validation and maturation process and will be exposed to increasingly dynamic conditions before being deployed in Q4 2019/Q1 2020.

“This has been a whirlwind of a year,” said Nic Radford, CTO of HMI. “Our team has delivered in every respect.

Aquanaut was remarkably functional upon final assembly. So much so that we started demonstrating the system to potential customers just one week after final assembly.” l

Techman Robot signs up Accu Tech USA as distributor

Accu Tech USA, a provider of automation and motion solutions in the US, has signed a distribution agreement with Techman Robot, a provider of collaborative robots and vision technologies.

Under the agreement, Accu Tech USA will provide the complete range of collaborative robots offered by TM Robot to its US customers. Products have been available to order from Accu Tech USA. Ed Lee, president of Accu Tech USA, says: “Accu Tech USA has a longstanding history of delivering affordable, cutting edge automation and motion technology to the US market.

“This expansion to include collaborative robots in our product portfolio aligns with our goal to meet consumer needs with innovative, best-inclass solutions. TM Robot has a compelling vision for the future, and we are proud to partner with them.”

Collaborative robots working safely alongside people has become increasingly important in manufacturing facilities to increase productivity, reduce injury and streamline flexible production lines.

TM Robot features innovative technology, including a built-in intelligent vision system for seamless integration, a user interface where users without coding experience can easily deploy TM Robot, and enhanced safety features for optimal human-robot co-operation.

Judy Chang, global sales director at Techman Robot, says: “Accu Tech USA’s distribution of TM Robot’s collaborative robots is a crucial step towards expanding our technologies into the US market.

“Accu Tech USA has a solid reputation of providing quality products paired with value-added services and support, making them one of the uniquely positioned distributors of our collaborative robots in select states across the US.” www.roboticsandautomationnews.com

Features

Automotives

Hyundai takes elevation off-road Automotives: Hyundai has unveiled a walking car concept for the 'first responder' industry

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Imagine a car stranded in a snow ditch just 10 feet off the highway being able to walk or climb over the treacherous terrain, back to the road...

John Suh, Hyundai Cradle

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ny first responder will tell you that the first 72 hours following a natural disaster are the most crucial to saving lives.

However, often times due to the nature of the disaster (forest fire, earthquake, hurricane, or flood), it can be difficult for search-and-rescue and humanitarian aid missions to reach and get immediate help to those in need.

The need for efficient, rapid, resilient transportation for disaster assistance is what led Hyundai to develop the first-ever vehicle with moveable legs.

Blending technologies Elevate is the first Ultimate Mobility Vehicle (UMV), blending technology found in electric cars and robots, which allows it to traverse terrain beyond the limitations of even the most capable off-road vehicle.

“When a tsunami or earthquake hits, current rescue vehicles can only deliver first responders to the edge of the debris field. They have to go the rest of the way by foot. Elevate can drive to the scene and climb right over

editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

flood debris or crumbled concrete,” said John Suh, Hyundai vice president and head of Hyundai Cradle.

“This technology goes well beyond emergency situations – people living with disabilities worldwide that don’t have access to an ADA ramp could hail an autonomous Hyundai Elevate that could walk up to their front door, level itself, and allow their wheelchair to roll right in – the possibilities are limitless.”

The Elevate concept is based on a modular EV platform with the capability to switch out different bodies for specific situations. The robotic leg architecture has five degrees of freedom plus wheel hub propulsion motors and is enabled by the latest in electric actuator technology.

This design is uniquely capable of both mammalian and reptilian walking gaits, allowing it to move in any direction. The legs also fold up into a stowed drive-mode, where power to the joints is cut, and the use of an integrated passive suspension system maximises battery efficiency.

This allows Elevate to drive at highway speeds just like any other vehicle. But no other can climb a five foot wall, step over a five foot gap, walk over diverse terrain, and achieve a 15 foot wide track width, all while keeping its body and passengers completely level.

Faster walking speeds Further, the combination of wheeled motion with articulating legs provides a new paradigm of mobility by enabling faster walking speeds, unique dynamic driving postures and torsional control at the end of each leg.

“By combining the power of robotics with Hyundai’s latest EV technology, Elevate has the ability to take people where no car has been before, and redefine our perception of vehicular freedom,” said David Byron, design manager, Sundberg-Ferar.

“Imagine a car stranded in a snow ditch just 10 feet off the highway being able to walk or climb over the treacherous terrain, back to the road potentially saving its injured passengers – this is the future of vehicular mobility.”

Inside the Elevate, passengers would experience a vehicle fully engineered to tackle the roughest terrain comfortably. Engineering enhancements include: lRobotic legs with five degrees of freedom plus in-wheel propulsion lAbility to walk in mammalian and reptilian style gaits for omnidirectional motion lCapable of climbing a five foot vertical wall lStep over a five foot gap lNon-back drivable motors enable the legs to lock in any position lModular electric vehicle platform “We have been working with Sundberg-Ferar on the Elevate Concept for almost three years now,” added Suh. “Elevate is part of our various ‘Last-Mile’ technologies and solutions and it also has ‘Last-100 Yards’ capability too.” l www.roboticsandautomationnews.com

Space travel

Features

NASA chooses Moon-landing suppliers Space travel: Three companies have been awarded a total of $250 million to develop lunar technology

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ASA has selected three commercial Moon landing service providers that will deliver science and technology payloads under Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) as part of the Artemis program.

Each commercial lander will carry NASA-provided payloads that will conduct science investigations and demonstrate advanced technologies on the lunar surface, paving the way for NASA astronauts to land on the lunar surface by 2024.

Jim Bridenstine, NASA administrator, says: “Our selection of these US commercial landing service providers represents America’s return to the Moon’s surface for the first time in decades, and it’s a huge step forward for our Artemis lunar exploration plans.

“Next year, our initial science and technology research will be on the lunar surface, which will help support sending the first woman and the next man to the Moon in five years. Investing in these commercial landing services also is another strong step to build a commercial space economy beyond low-Earth orbit.”

As part of their submissions, each partner proposed flying specific NASA instruments to the lunar surface. By the end of the summer, NASA will determine which payloads will fly on each flight.

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Investing in these commercial landing services is another strong step to build a commercial space economy beyond lowEarth orbit.

Jim Bridenstine, NASA

The potential payloads The potential payloads include instruments that will conduct new lunar science, pinpoint lander position, measure the lunar radiation environment, assess how lander and astronaut activity affects the Moon, and assist with navigation precision, among other capabilities.

The selections are: lAstrobotic of Pittsburgh has been awarded $79.5 million and has proposed to fly as many as 14 payloads to Lacus Mortis, a large crater on the near side of the Moon, by July 2021. lIntuitive Machines of Houston has been awarded $77 million. The company has proposed to fly as many as five payloads to Oceanus Procellarum, a scientifically intriguing dark spot on the Moon, by July 2021. lOrbit Beyond of Edison, New Jersey, has been awarded $97 million and has proposed to fly as many as four payloads to Mare Imbrium, a lava plain in one of the Moon’s craters, by September 2020.

Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington, says: “These landers are just the beginning of exciting commercial partnerships that will bring us closer to solving the many

editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

scientific mysteries of our Moon, our solar system, and beyond.

Each partner is providing end-to-end commercial payload delivery services to NASA, including payload integration and operations, launch from Earth and landing on the surface of the Moon.

These early missions will enable important technology demonstrations that will inform the development of future landers and other exploration systems needed for humans to return to the lunar surface. They also will help prepare the agency to send astronauts to explore Mars.

NASA collaboration Chris Culbert, CLPS program manager at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, says: “This announcement starts a significant step in NASA's collaboration with our commercial partners. NASA is committed to working with industry to enable the next round of lunar exploration.

As additional science, technology demonstration, and human exploration requirements for payloads develop, a request for task order bids will go to all current CLPS contractors.

All nine companies initially selected in November 2018 for CLPS will be eligible to bid on subsequent task orders.

Charged with returning astronauts to the Moon within five years, NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration plans are based on a two-phase approach: the first is focused on speed – landing astronauts on the Moon by 2024 – while the second will establish a sustained human presence on and around the Moon by 2028.

NASA says it will use what it learns on the Moon to prepare to send astronauts to Mars. l www.roboticsandautomationnews.com

Features

Tugger trains

Taking the strain away from tugger trains Tugger trains: The automation of tugger trains both improves safety and increases productivity, explains Andy Legut of FlexQube

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oo often automation and robotics are characterized by sensors driving Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

There are ways to efďŹ ciently automate material flow and lean manufacturing principles today. It starts with automating into a fork truck free environment.

Ultimately the reason for automation is to capture improved productivity. Cesar Jimenez, a Toyota Material Handling, USA employee shared that a forklift can only carry up to two loads at a time.

A tugger with multiple heavy-duty carts can be pulled editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

and moved at the same time. The result is improved safety and productivity.

The ergonomic design of tow tractors is beneďŹ cial to workers. With the help of tow trucks, people can move heavy carts without strain.

Workers no longer experience the same fatigue they get from using forklifts. The stay alert and productive for a longer period.

Unlike forklifts, tugger trucks are easy to use so anyone can operate them. They allow more flexibility in workstations since the products can be moved from one location to another by anyone who is available.

The products are also safer since the loads are simply attached to carts. The truck allows visibility for drivers. It can maneuver around tight turns and does not tip over.

The latest OSHA statistics indicate there are more than 100 forklift fatalities and 34,900 serious injuries each www.roboticsandautomationnews.com

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Arts

Migrating to an automated material flow process means that maintenance, repairs, and fuel costs can curb a significant expense from a company’s budget.

– Andy Legut, FlexQube, Inc

year, with 42 percent of the forklift fatalities from the operators being crushed by a tipping vehicle. Automating to a tugger pulling carts saves lives.

The safety of heavy-duty carts has a positive impact on overall productivity and cost. There are no known major accidents caused by tugger train systems.

The ergonomic design reduces injuries and musculoskeletal disorders; workers experience less fatigue and fewer injuries. There are fewer absences and lower workers’ compensation insurance claims.

The fork truck free trend The automation and safety benefits explain the developing trend towards reducing forklift usage and even ultimately going completely fork truck free (FTF).

Operational costs for fork trucks define an expensive piece of equipment on the plant floor.

Migrating to an automated material flow process means that maintenance, repairs, and fuel costs can curb a significant expense from a company’s budget.

Additionally, the salary paid to forklift operators who undergo specialized training and certification before authorized to operate fork trucks explains the FTF trend.

Tugger trains consume less energy and save time. A train can move more than one load at a time by linking multiple carts to a single tugger. Tugger trains are less expensive than forklifts and tugger train operators are paid less than forklift operators.

Automating a process needs justification. Tugger trains are justified by improved safety and increased productivity. l Author profile: Andy Legut is the Midwest Sales Manager for FlexQube, Inc. and the longest running North American employee for FlexQube. He has years of experience working alongside different manufacturing facilities and providing ergonomic, efficient, and safe FlexQube solutions. Legut is from Grosse Ile, MI (not far from Detroit) so he has grown up with the automotive industry in his blood. Legut can be reached at (734) 624-2121 or andy.legut@flexqube.com. editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

Features

Popular TV show ‘Humans’ cancelled

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ne of the few television shows we watch when it’s on is Humans.

It’s a science-fiction drama about humanoid robots or androids – referred to in the show as “synths”, short for synthetic humans, which are virtually indistinguishable from actual humans.

It’s set in a parallel world, not necessarily in the future or the past or whatever, which probably made the show more intriguing and relevant.

And in the make-believe world of the show, the androids are used like any other machine – to help around the house with domestic chores, fix things, be bodyguards, or whatever.

If they were human, the androids could be said to be “slaves”. And this is the central conflict examined in the show.

Because the androids are increasingly badly treated by humans, they rebel. The synths are highly intelligent and become conscious and aware that they are being badly treated – and they don’t like it. They make what might be considered “value judgments” in the way humans do, valuing their own safety and security and so on.

This consciousness, and demand for rights and so on, causes the androids to go on strike and creates

an epic conflict between the androids and humans.

It’s a very interesting show, well acted and skillfully filmed.

It’s not quite as epic as Westworld, but we liked it.

But now, after three seasons, the show is being cancelled because it can’t find any backers. Originally produced by the UK’s Channel 4, and subsequently in collaboration with AMC, the show looked expensive, but not extravagant, which is why it’s rather confusing why it’s been cancelled.

Prospects This may be a temporary situation and the show may find some funding to continue, but we’re actually surprised that it’s even an issue. Maybe it’s just a ruse to drum up even more interest. Or maybe the show didn’t get enough viewers or make enough money.

Or maybe the makers just ran out of ideas for directions in which they could take the story.

Whatever the reason, it’s gone for now.

However, one of the people behind the show posted a message on Twitter suggesting that there might be a chance Humans will return, but probably only “if there’s someone out there with a few million quid”, quid meaning pounds sterling. l

www.roboticsandautomationnews.com

Features

Manufacturing

Engineer-to-order manufacturing undergoes visual sales revolution Manufacturing: New best practice technologies have finally allowed the quoting process to capture every permutation and cost consideration prior to submitting a proposal or request for quote, explains By Thomas R. Cutler

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he most immediate and critical impact on the bottom-line can be found in the sales process. Over the past decade more manufacturers have become understandably enamored with the margins which exists in the ETO (engineer-to-order) space. Sadly, until now poor job quoting processes have consumed the competitive margins, even generating an unprofitable manufacturing project.

Nearly two-thirds of global manufacturers are now ETO. Due to customer demand for customization there has been a significant increase in demand for custom editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

manufacturing versus repetitive manufacturing.

New best practice technologies have finally allowed the quoting process to capture every permutation and cost consideration prior to submitting a proposal or request for quote (RFQ).

ATLATL’s QuoteBooks VCPQ platform provides the more efficient way to configure and sell manufactured products.

Quote generation made easy for ETOs Due to the complex engineering schematics, numerous client iterations, and project changes, ETO quoting has often taken months. Costly and no guarantee of a PO, customer acquisition costs consume time and erode margins (even if the quote is accepted). Purchasing managers, IT professionals, and engineering sales executives have longed for a shortcut. Fast and easy quotes have been impossible until now. www.roboticsandautomationnews.com

Cleaning Thanks to an open API (Application Programming Interface) with mobile-friendly access, unlimited storage per user, and a secure cloud-based platform, these new technologies are reducing project quoting time by 90 percent. Enterprise-wide manufacturers are now able to interact with vendors, suppliers, engineers, and purchasing managers to construct complex project quotes in real-time.

Whether using a rules-based 2D configurator with prerendered drawings or a 3D product configurator with dynamic drawings, there are no products nor engineering rules too complex for the best-in-class patented rules engines.

Since this sales quoting process can easily integrate with most CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), there is no need for double data entry (saving time and eliminating the introduction of new error introductions). Integration with CAD solutions is part of these new quoting technologies.

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The number one reason manufacturing and industrial engineers leave their positions is the frustration in the sales quote process.

Intuitive quoting platforms The number one reason manufacturing and industrial engineers leave their positions is the frustration in the sales quote process. New technology uses rules-based and step-guided processes to speed past the bottlenecks of ETO quotes, eliminating frustration.

These easy-to-use quoting platforms are agile because all data can be accessed using a simple, intuitive mobile app. When all involved in a project quote are able to visualize the product they are buying real-time in 3D on mobile devices, the idea of waiting for hand-drawings is simply unacceptable. The time saved in real-time quotes creates a very rapid ROI for these solutions.

The visual sales revolution is now the industry standard in ETO manufacturing. Atlatl’s QuoteBooks Cloud is the only platform capable of meeting the complex rules-based needs of manufacturing sales. In fact, a Forrester survey revealed that the Visual CPQ leader had customers reduce annual cost of order mistakes by more than a million dollars. The average return on investment per customer was 304 percent in one year.

To learn more about Atlatl Software Visual CPQ, go to www.atlatlsoftware.com. l Author profile: Thomas R. Cutler is the President & CEO of Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based, TR Cutler, Inc., (www.trcutlerinc.com) Cutler is the founder of the Manufacturing Media Consortium including more than 6000 journalists, editors, and economists writing about trends in manufacturing, industry, material handling, and process improvement. Cutler authors more than 500 feature articles annually regarding the manufacturing sector and is the most published freelance industrial journalist worldwide. Cutler can be contacted at trcutler@trcutlerinc.com and followed on Twitter @ThomasRCutler. editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

Features

iRobot launches advanced robot vacuum and mop

iRobot Corp. is launching two new robots that work together to provide what it claims is the deepest clean possible in the home.

The Roomba s9+ robot vacuum with Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal is the most intelligent, powerful, and deepest cleaning Roomba robot to date.

The Braava jet m6 robot mop tackles multiple rooms and large spaces with advanced navigation and mapping capabilities.

Together, the two robots can use Imprint Link Technology to talk to each other, automatically vacuuming and then mopping, without any effort from the user.

Colin Angle, chairman and CEO of iRobot, said: “With the launch of the Roomba s9+

and Braava jet m6, iRobot has achieved another automation milestone for home robots.

"Not only can customers forget about vacuuming for weeks at a time, but their robot vacuum and mop can now work together – automatically vacuuming then mopping – without any effort from the user.”

Mr Angle will be a keynote speaker at re:MARS, Amazon’s AI and robotics event taking place from June 4 – 7, 2019 in Las Vegas, NV, where he will present his vision for robotic automation in the home.

The Roomba s9+ and Braava jet m6 robots, as well as the forthcoming Terra robot mower, will be on display at re:MARS in the Alexa & iRobot Smart Home. l

www.roboticsandautomationnews.com

Features

Aviation

Reviving the dream of supersonic travel Aviation: Boom Supersonic and Dassault Systèmes have partnered to advance development of a new supersonic plane

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oom Supersonic is implementing Dassault Systèmes’ 3DExperience platform to accelerate the design and development of Overture, its Mach-2.2 commercial airliner, with an aim to make supersonic travel mainstream and affordable.

Boom Supersonic is using Dassault Systèmes’ “Reinvent the Sky” industry solution experience based on the 3DExperience platform to support product development from concept through manufacturing and certification.

By using this solution, Dassault Systèmes says Boom Supersonic can cut development time of its first prototype in half and improve product quality by reducing program complexity, inefficiency, costs and resources, lowering the barriers to market entry.

Revolutionizing long-haul travel Joshua Krall, co-founder and VP, technology, Boom Supersonic, says: “Overture takes new advances in aerodynamics, materials, and propulsion and uses them to revolutionize long-haul commercial airline travel.

“We need powerful design tools to deliver our vision of a supersonic future, and that is exactly what Dassault Systèmes provides.

“As a startup, we aren’t constrained by legacy software systems and aim to keep IT costs low.

“We quickly and easily deployed Dassault Systèmes’ editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

3DExperience platform and expect to scale up to hundreds of users as our project matures.”

In response to increasing passenger travel and demand for new products and services, aerospace startups, new market entrants and small original equipment manufacturers are shaking up traditional aviation industry dynamics with new and emerging aircraft design concepts that aim to overcome technical challenges of the past.

Scalable access Tailored for product innovation by small OEMs and startups, “Reinvent the Sky” offers scalable access to digital design and simulation applications in a single, secure, and standards-based environment.

Boom Supersonic’s engineers, program managers and chief test pilot can collaborate in real time to define requirements, access and reuse common processes and parts with full traceability.

David Ziegler, vice president, aerospace and defense industry, Dassault Systèmes, says: “Aerospace companies are working to deliver faster, lighter, more efficient aircraft without sacrificing passenger comfort.

“Smaller innovators need tools for their product development programs that offer them the infrastructure of more established companies yet allow www.roboticsandautomationnews.com

Aviation

Features

“ them to stay nimble and incur minimal IT-related expenses.

“The 3DExperience platform delivers this support.

Boom Supersonic can create the next generation passenger experience with digital applications that have long been at the core of the industry’s major milestones.”

Boom Supersonic is currently building XB-1, its twoeditorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

seat demonstrator aircraft, to prove key technologies for supersonic flight.

Once operational, the company’s flagship airliner, Overture, will become the fastest commercial airplane in history, flying Mach 2.2 from New York to London in 3.25 hours and from Tokyo to San Francisco in 5.5 hours. l

Boom Supersonic can create the next generation passenger experience with digital applications that have long been at the core of the industry’s major milestones.

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Features

Flying taxis

Flying taxis set to take-off Flying taxis: People around the world will take 1 billion flights in air taxis in 2030, once sharing services have also established a presence on fixed routes above the ground, according to Boston Consulting Group

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The first flying taxis are set to take off in major cities starting in 2023, at the latest. Bosch plans to play a leading role in shaping this future market,”

Harald Kröger, Bosch Automotive Electronics

W

ith traffic jams a common occurrence in the world’s cities, frustrated drivers sometimes find themselves looking to the heavens for a little help from above. A few years from now, the skies could in fact offer a tangible solution.

The Boston Consulting Group predicts that people around the world will take 1 billion flights in air taxis in 2030, once sharing services have also established a presence on fixed routes above the ground.

What is more, most of those air taxis will be capable of operating without a pilot.

Bosch is working on state-of-the-art sensor technology to make these flights especially safe, comfortable, and convenient.

“The first flying taxis are set to take off in major cities starting in 2023, at the latest. Bosch plans to play a leading role in shaping this future market,” says Harald Kröger, president of the Bosch Automotive Electronics division.

To help it achieve this goal, Bosch has discovered a gap in the market. Conventional aerospace technology is too expensive, bulky, and heavy to be used in autonomous flying taxis.

However, modern sensors that are also used for automated driving or in the ESP anti-skid system could have the potential to bridge this gap. That is why a team of engineers has combined dozens of sensors to create a universal control unit for flying taxis.

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Featuring Bosch sensors already in use in production vehicles, the universal control unit is designed to ensure the ability to determine the position of the flying taxis at all times, allowing them to be controlled with precision and safety.

Acceleration and yaw-rate sensors that accurately measure the flying vehicles’ movements and angle of attack, for example, provide the necessary data.

Unlike current sensor systems in the aerospace sector, some of which cost tens of thousands or even several hundred thousand euros, Bosch can make use of its solution for a fraction of the cost.

That is because the company uses production-tested sensors that Bosch has already been developing and manufacturing for the automotive industry for many years.

Bosch sensors are especially small and lightweight.

Flying taxi manufacturers can easily install the Bosch sensor box into their air vehicles using the plug-and-play principle.

Test flights The market for flights using electric air taxis in cities is set to see substantial growth in the years ahead. Test flights are scheduled to begin in cities such as Dubai, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Singapore in 2020.

Experts expect commercial operations to begin in 2023. Although pilots will probably be on board at first, the light aircraft could start flying autonomously over the roofs of major cities as early as 2025, controlled by staff on the ground.

By that time, roughly 3,000 flying taxis will be in operation worldwide, according to Roland Berger. That number will increase to 12,000 by 2030, with just under 100,000 flying taxis taking to the skies by 2050. l

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Features

Flying cars

Flying cars on the horizon Flying cars: Lilium has launched an air taxi. Flying cars could take to the skies next

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The first flying taxis are set to take off in major cities starting in 2023, at the latest. Bosch plans to play a leading role in shaping this future market,”

Harald Kröger, Bosch Automotive Electronics

F

lying cars have been around a long time, but only as test vehicles, often engineered and built by tinkerers who may have been seen as somewhat eccentric for even dreaming up such a machine.

But in the past couple of years, these “eccentric tinkerers” have been usurped by corporate bigwigs who maybe see a big market for the technology.

In the most recent development, a German company called Lilium has completed a successful test flight with its all-electric flying car.

However, it looks more like a small plane than a car, and to be fair to the company, Lilium itself does not describe it as a car, but it does use the word “taxi”, which implies an ease of use comparable to road-going vehicles.

Having said that, companies like Lilium could pave the way, no pun intended, for hybrid machines that are equally at home in the air or on the roads.

The technology and talent to build such multi-modal machines – some might even be able to go to sea, or even submerge, who knows? – are available, but the main issue is the politics of airspace control.

For all sorts of reason, mostly to do with security, airspace in most countries is highly controlled and opening it up to what could be tens of thousands of small vehicles would cause an administrative and logistical night, not to mention security vulnerabilities.

This is something that manufacturers of drones, who

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want to use them for e-commerce deliveries, have found out in the past several years. The authorities are not keen on giving many people the freedom of the skies, perhaps because once it allows small drones to deliver parcels, there would be a clamour to allow larger drones to carry people from place to place.

For right behind the e-commerce drones are the air taxis, which are being developed by companies such as Airbus and Audi, which together worked with ItalDesign to demonstrate a concept in which flying taxis are used in combination with autonomous cars, sometime in the near future.

Flying and driving prototype Audi, Airbus and Italdesign presented their flying and driving prototype of “Pop.Up Next” at last year’s Drone Week, in Amsterdam. This innovative concept for a flying taxi combines a self-driving electric car with a passenger drone. In the first public test flight, the flight module accurately placed a passenger capsule on the ground module, which then drove from the test grounds autonomously.

“Flying taxis are on the way. We at Audi are convinced of that,” says Dr Bernd Martens, Audi board member for sourcing and IT, and president of the Audi subsidiary Italdesign.

He adds: “More and more people are moving to cities.

And more and more people will be mobile thanks to automation.

“In future senior citizens, children, and people without a driver’s license will want to use convenient robot taxis.

“If we succeed in making a smart allocation of traffic

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Flying cars

Features between roads and airspace, people and cities can benefit in equal measure.”

Uber, the giant ride-sharing app company, has also done some work in the flying taxi market. Its “Elevate” concept imagines a future in which people share vertical take-off and landing aircraft from rooftops to avoid the congestion of city streets.

Uber plans to launch fleets of electric flying taxis in Dallas, Los Angeles and other international cities.

These are not the only air taxi companies, but most of the rest use long-established technologies such as conventional planes and helicopters.

Back then to Lilium, because it’s the latest development in this emerging market, if it can be called that. The ambitious Munich-based company says its “revolutionary on-demand air taxi service” is a five-seater prototype – the first of such vehicles.

The new all-electric Lilium Jet and its makers

Pictured below: The Airbus-AudiItaldesign system, wherein the passenger compartment of the vehicle is transferred from the drone to the autonomous car

Maiden flight The unveiling of the new Lilium Jet came as the allelectric aircraft completed its maiden flight in the skies over Germany earlier this month.

The full-scale, full-weight prototype is powered by 36 all-electric jet engines that allow it to take-off and land vertically, while achieving remarkably efficient horizontal, or cruise, flight.

The simplicity of the aircraft design, with no tail, no rudder, no propellers, no gearbox and only one moving part in the engine not only contributes to the safety and affordability of the aircraft, but it has also allowed the design team to focus their efforts on creating a magical customer experience in the cabin, from panoramic windows to gull-wing doors.

Celebrating the landmark, Daniel Wiegand, co-founder and CEO, says: “Today we are taking another huge step towards making urban air mobility a reality.

“In less than two years we have been able to design, build and successfully fly an aircraft that will serve as our template for mass production.

“Moving from two to five seats was always our ambition as it enables us to open up the skies to many more travelers.

“Whether its friends or families flying together or

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business travelers ride-sharing into the city, having five seats delivers an economy of scale you just can’t achieve with two.

“The Lilium Jet itself is beautiful and we were thrilled to see it take to the skies for the first time.

“With the perfect balance of range and speed, our aircraft has the potential to positively impact the way people choose to live and travel, all over the world.”

With a top speed of 300 km/h and a range of 300 km, the Lilium Jet is capable of completing much longer journeys than the majority of its competitors.

This is, in part, thanks to the fixed wing design of the aircraft. While drone-based aircraft consume much of their energy keeping an aircraft in the air, the Lilium Jet can rely on the lift generated by the fixed wing to do this, meaning it will require less than ten percent of its maximum 2000 horsepower during cruise flight.

This efficiency, which is comparable to the energy usage of an electric car over the same distance, means the aircraft would not just be capable of connecting suburbs to city centers and airports to main train stations, but would also deliver affordable high-speed connections across entire regions.

The Lilium Jet first took to the air at 08.03 local time on 4th May 2019, having completed extensive ground testing at Lilium’s HQ in Munich, Germany.

The prototype aircraft, which is controlled remotely from the ground, has since begun a rigorous flight test campaign that will prove its capability and lay the foundations for certification of the aircraft to safety standards comparable to those of large commercial aircraft.

Flight performance Commenting on the successful first flight, Leandro Bigarella, head of flight test, says: “While a maiden flight is always a moment of truth for a business, the Lilium Jet performed exactly as expected and responded well to our inputs.

“Our flight test program will now continue with increasingly complex maneuvers as we look towards our next big goal of achieving transition flight, which is when the aircraft moves seamlessly from vertical to horizontal flight.”

Lilium plans to manufacture and operate the Lilium Jet as part of a revolutionary on-demand air taxi service.

At the push of a button, passengers will be able to use the Lilium app to locate their nearest landing pad and plan their journey with ease.

Choosing from a network of pads across cities and regions, passengers will enjoy journeys that are comparable in price with a taxi, yet four times faster.

Lilium expects to be fully-operational in various cities around the world by 2025, although trial services will start earlier than this in several locations.

Commenting on Lilium’s vision for urban air mobility, Wiegand adds: “We dream of a world where anyone can fly wherever they want, whenever they want.” l www.roboticsandautomationnews.com

Top 20 Features

Electric vehicle charging

electric vehicle charging station companies Electric vehicle charging: A listing, in no particular order, of some of the companies prominent in developing EV charging technologies or are already supplying them to the market

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lectric cars lost their image of being flimsy, slow and perhaps slightly embarrassing a long time ago.

The public’s priorities have changed. A lot of people, especially the younger generations, consider looking after the environment more important than roaring down the freeway in a fantastic muscle car.

The second option sounds good though.

But even there, newer electric cars have a turn of speed that would leave many muscle cars flapping in their exhaust fumes – if they emitted any.

And while the radical tree-hugging types among us might have relished the prospect of seeing fossil fuel companies suffer an erosion of their mountains of money and oodles of power, diminished by the clean energy sector, it looks like they’re not going to be outfoxed again.

Oil and gas companies are apparently adopting the well-known business motto, “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em”, and look set to integrate electric charging points at fuel stations as standard – it seems only a matter of time.

Meanwhile, all the top automakers have been developing electric cars and, unlike in the past, taking them much more seriously because, whereas in the past, the huge question of infrastructure remained unanswered, now, the political, social and technological environment is such that there is already a large number of charging stations all across the US and in many other countries in the world.

And there are more on the way. These past few weeks and months, Robotics and Automation News has reported on numerous new developments in electric vehicle editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

charging technology.

So it seemed a good idea to collate them in this article, and present them in the form of a list, which is not really ordered in a strict way – just 20 companies that are either developing EV charging technologies or are already supplying them to the market.

We’ve decided to concentrate more on commercial or public EV charging points, but we have also included some that are meant for private household use.

It’s not meant to be exhaustive, if you’ll pardon the pun, but we hope you find it informative and useful.

It’s estimated that there are more than 1 billion cars on the world’s roads. Of these, around 2 to 3 million are pure battery-electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, according to the International Energy Agency, which forecasts that there may be 300-400 million EVs on the road out of approximately 2 billion vehicles by 2040.

Nanalyze suggests that the US alone needs about 2 million EV charging stations for the 40 or more electric car models that are likely to be on the roads in their multitudes.

Right now, according to the Open Charge Map, there are almost 150,000 charging stations across about 75,000 locations around the world. This sounds like an

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Electric vehicle charging

under-estimation, but at least someone’s counting. The countries with the highest number are: l United States ~ 21,000 charging stations l Germany ~ 12,000 l Netherlands ~ 8,000 l United Kingdom ~ 7,000 l Italy ~ 4,000 And even though home-installed chargers can be bought for $500 to $1,000, there will still be a demand for public chargers because electric vehicles don’t go very far on a single charge – they need to be topped up regularly.

So, a gigantic market in the making, whichever way you look at it.

1. ChargePoint ChargePoint – previously called Coulomb Technologies – claims to manage the world’s largest network of electric vehicle charging points.

In 2017, it took over General Electric’s 10,000 charging stations, which added to its pre-existing 35,000. Latest figures suggest the company has around 60,000 in total.

ChargePoint says its public and private stations are dotted across the US, Canada, Mexico, and other countries.

The company, which was established 12 years ago, raised $240 million last year for its expansion plans, and editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

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currently reports annual revenues in the region of $42 million.

2. ABB We report a lot on ABB’s activities in the robotics sector – the company is one of the largest industrial robot manufacturers in the world. But a much larger part of ABB’s business is power generation equipment.

So it’s probably inevitable that it will become one of the leading suppliers of “downstream” power equipment, and ABB has unveiled a range of charging solutions for fast charging of buses and cars.

However, it is not yet among the leaders in EV charging stations market, although its recent partnership with Porsche – to develop EV chargers – will inevitably raise its profile.

3. BP The famous energy giant is probably more interested in electric power than is good for its oil and gas business, especially as some people think the apparent societal shift to electric vehicles will negatively affect the fossil fuels sector.

Nonetheless, BP claims to be the largest provider of charging points in the UK through its ChargeMaster subsidiary, acquired for £130 million last year, with almost

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ChargePoint – previously called Coulomb Technologies – claims to manage the world’s largest network of electric vehicle charging points.

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Features 7,000 units. It followed the acquisition with a £25 million investment in fast-charging technologies.

More recently, BP invested in a Chinese EV charging platform provider in China called PowerShare. Other initiatives include a $5 million investment in FreeWire, which makes mobile charging stations.

4. Shell Another energy giant, along with BP, Shell also appears keen to get in the electric vehicle charging market and is doing so through its GreenLots business unit, which it acquired at the start of this year for an undisclosed amount.

Shell claims to be investing $200 million a year in alternative energy solutions and says it will increase that to $1 billion a year by 2020.

In 2017, it acquired EV charging specialist NewMotion, which has more than 30,000 points across Europe, and access to 50,000 more, according to Green Tech Media.

Shell also took part in the investment round of a company called Ample, which says it offers an alternative to conventional charging by using proprietary autonomous robotics technology.

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Hyundai has partnered with another car manufacturer, Kia, to develop a wireless electric vehicle charging system.

5. Webasto Moving away temporarily from the commercial or public charging points segment, or at least big oil, Webasto is a diversified technology company which provides a mix of home and on-the-road charging solutions.

The company spent $35 million acquiring the “efficient energy systems” business of Aerotech, another diversified technology company whose products also include EV systems.

Webasto, which claims to be among the world’s top 100 suppliers to the automotive industry, has an online shop, through which EV charging points can be bought for around €700.

6. Hyundai Hyundai has partnered with another car manufacturer, Kia, to develop a wireless electric vehicle charging system.

It appears to be part of the two companies’ integrated autonomous car offering, which they plan to launch commercially in a couple of years.

For now, what they have demonstrated is an

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ABB’s recent partnership with Porsche, to develop EV chargers, will inevitably raise its profile

Electric vehicle charging autonomous electric car parking itself over an EV charging point.

Wireless charging is being looked into by other companies as well. Among them is Daimler MercedesBenz.

Although not the same technology, another of Hyundai’s innovations is probably worth mentioning here: a solar charging system for cars, whereby the solar panel is integrated into the car roof.

7. RWE Daimler has been developing electric cars for some time, and is looking to bring them to market when the time and conditions are right – some time this year.

And rather than wait for others to develop the infrastructure, the automotive giant has partnered with RWE to construct 500 EV charging points across Germany and Europe.

RWE is a European energy giant and has many divisions. The one which is building the EV charging infrastructure is called RWE Effizienz.

RWE claims to be the only company in Europe to manufacture various types of charging stations in-house, to install these stations in both public and residential spaces and operate them using a custom software solution as well as supply them with eco-electricity.

RWE is a good example of an energy company or a utility company entering the electric vehicles market.

8. Daimler Mercedes-Benz As well as its partnership with RWE, through which it will effectively own or at least have access to 500 EV charging stations, Daimler is partnering with other companies.

One of those is another European energy company, EnBW, which is working with Daimler to set up 700 charging points in south-west Germany.

Daimler has also reached an agreement with NewMotion – the company mentioned above as having been acquired by Shell – through which the two companies will develop charging solutions for fleet customers.

So, although it will only have a couple of hundred electric cars in operation, mainly for testing purposes in the near future, Daimler is already creating an ecosystem in which they will likely flourish.

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Electric vehicle charging

9. Siemens Europe’s largest engineering company has been giving its employees free top-ups for their electric vehicles for the past couple of years through its own charging stations.

Siemens has demonstrated a number of charging solutions, both for standard and fast charging, for the home as well as public roads.

The company was an investor in ChargePoint a couple of years ago, and has since installed hundreds of charging points across Europe.

Siemens claims it has established a leading position within this growing market and is prioritizing fast charging solutions as well as extensive technical support.

10. EVgo EVgo claims to operate the largest network of public electric fast-charging stations in the US. It recently partnered with ABB to establish what it says is the first “high-power” fast charging station in Fremont, California.

The difference appears to involve going from 150 kW to 350 kW with an upgrade. Put more simply by EVgo, its systems go like this: l Level 1 charging: up to 2 miles, 30 minutes; l Level 2 charging: up to 10 miles 30 minutes; and l Direct current fast charging: up to 75 miles, 30 minutes.

EVgo says it has so far installed a total of 1,050 chargers in more than 66 metropolitan areas across the US. editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

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ABB is one of the largest industrial robot manufacturers in the world. But a much larger part of ABB’s business is power generation equipment.

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EVgo claims to operate the largest network of public electric fast-charging stations in the US.

11. EVBox This is another company which could claim to operate the world’s largest network of EV charging points, with approximately 60,000 installed across the globe. The company also has 700 fast charging stations which it acquired through the takeover of EVTronic last year.

Specializing in electric vehicle charging systems, EVBox provides a range of hardware and software solutions which include home and public chargers.

A startup founded in 2010, EVBox has partnered with many companies, including energy and utility companies such as Engie and Eon. 12. G2Mobility French oil and gas giant Total last year acquired fastcharging solutions provider G2Mobility for an undisclosed sum at around the same time as it bought clean energy supplier Direct Energie for $1.7 billion.

G2Mobility not only develops charging points but is also developing an electric vehicle ecosystem. Although more recent figures are not immediately available, it managed 10,000 charging points about 18 months ago.

13. Pacific Gas and Electric Back to big energy again for another example of traditional fuel merchants edging into the clean energy space and becoming more like utilities.

As noted already, a large number of utilities are entering the electric vehicle market, and we could fill a list www.roboticsandautomationnews.com

Features of 20 with just those.

In the US, as well as Pacific Gas and Electric, other utilities such as Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric are among the many partnering with electric car companies to create networks of charging stations.

Quartz reports that Pacific Gas and Electric is installing “thousands” of fast-charging stations in the state of California.

14. Blink Things change fast in the world of advanced technology at the best of times, and in new markets like electric vehicles and related infrastructure, things are even more dynamic.

Blink was a company that was tipped by analysts to become the biggest in the market. Now that title probably belongs to ChargePoint.

Nonetheless, Blink Charging is a sizeable company with a market capitalization of almost $70 million. It has around 150,000 registered members and has installed somewhere in the region of 15,000 charging stations in the US. And Blink’s recent partnership with Tauriga is in line with its plans to install another 5,000 by the end of this year.

15. Renault Big oil could probably fill up this list of 20. Utilities certainly could. And so could car companies.

Automotive companies are, of course, at the heart of this new emerging ecosystem. It’s their vehicles that charging station technology needs to be compatible with.

And in terms of technology, Renault is offering an innovative solution it calls “vehicle to grid charging”. What this means is that the station and car would modulate the charging and discharging of electric vehicle batteries.

According to Renault, this will mean that the electricity grid optimizes the supply of local renewable energy and reduces infrastructure costs.

16. Phihong Probably not one of the better-known companies, but Phihong contacted Robotics and Automation News directly with information about their new AC32 electric vehicle charger.

And we always appreciate even a tiny amount of acknowledgment of our existence.

Certified for the North American market, Phihong’s EV charger is said to be suitable for locations such as residential, parking lot, gas or service station, as well as commercial fleet operators.

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Blink Charging is a sizeable company with a market capitalization of almost $70 million. It has around 150,000 registered members and has installed somewhere in the region of 15,000 charging stations in the US.

Title uninterruptible power supply units – which keep the servers running if the grid goes down.

Schneider has a range of electric vehicle charging solutions which are designed for home and public applications.

The company is tipped to have a significant presence in this nascent market in the future.

18. Efacec And going from less well-known to possibly obscure, Efacec is a Portuguese energy, engineering and mobility company. Actually, it’s claimed to be the largest such enterprise in the country, with annual revenues of approximately €500 million.

Efacec’s electric vehicle charging stations encompass “quick charging” to “ultra fast charging”, and are available for private as well as public use, although the public segment is emphasized by the company itself.

Data on the number of Efacec’s installations are not immediately available, but Portugal is estimated to have a total of fewer than 1,000 public EV charging points, so it’s probably a potentially good market.

19. Eaton This company is very well known in the industrial space, but perhaps not many knew it produced an electric vehicle charging station.

It’s said to be designed for home or commercial use, and the company appears to be offering customized solutions to suit the client.

EVgo says it has so far installed a total of 1,050 chargers in more than 66 metropolitan areas across the US.

20. Ample Looks like a brand new startup, but worth mentioning because it’s been of interest to many investors, including Shell, as mentioned above.

In all, Ample has raised more than $31 million in funding so far.

What’s particularly interesting to this website is that Ample reportedly plans to use an autonomous, possibly mobile robot to charge the electric car.

And it’s also talking about smart battery technology,

17. Schneider Electric Another name that is recognized within its sector but not a household name, Schneider Electric is probably best known for its data center solutions, such as

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Title

which could refer to the ongoing innovations some companies are making in that field.

Who knows? More as we get it.

Silently roaring down the freeway of the future It’s taken a long, long time for electric vehicles to gain acceptance in the minds of the public or consumers, and a lot of that is probably down to the industry’s reluctance to build the infrastructure. And governments may have been too beholden to big oil in the past.

There was a perception that electric cars would be poor choice of vehicle, unfashionable, geeky at a time when geeks weren’t cool. But that still doesn’t explain why trucks and other functional vehicles didn’t switch to electric.

It’s probably a combination of lack of infrastructure, shortcomings in technology, and the challenges therein.

But now, it seems the whole world is waking up to electric vehicles and their growth will probably mirror that of automatic cars, which have all but replaced manual cars in many countries.

And on the subject of automatic, another interesting aspect of electrification is, of course, that it makes sense to integrate more electronics into vehicles – meaning, more autonomy.

But that’s a whole other article.

Even in this article, we haven’t been able to include editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

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Renault is offering an innovative solution it calls “vehicle to grid charging”.

“

One interesting aspect of Bosch’s activities is that the company also develops fuel cell technologies, which are sort of in competition with electric.

something on all the companies we looked into. But worth mentioning are: l Alfen l Allego l Clipper Creek l Continental l Leviton l Magna l Semaconnect l Tgood l ZF Most of these companies are from a report by Research and Markets, which forecasts the electric vehicle charging stations market will grow from $5.3 billion in 2018 to more than $30 billion in 2023.

And last but not least, Bosch, one of the world’s largest suppliers of automotive technologies, also makes EV chargers.

We probably should have included them in the top 20, but they get plenty of publicity anyway, especially on this website.

One interesting aspect of Bosch’s activities is that the company also develops fuel cell technologies, which are sort of in competition with electric.

It will be interesting to see which “new energy” wins out and becomes the main alternative to petrol over the next few years. We’ll be covering it as much as we can. l www.roboticsandautomationnews.com

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