http://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/yet-another-autonomous-car-startup-receives-millions-in-funding/ Yet another autonomous-car startup receives millions in funding [2016/05/24] Andrew Krok
[images / nuTonomy https://cnet4.cbsistatic.com/hub/i/r/2016/05/24/88efa243-6cc7-4c67-95fa-774cca5267e4/thumbnail/1600x900/52d7f353697913aeb3b2096dda7c0c39/nutonomy-team-photo.jpg (team shot) https://cnet1.cbsistatic.com/hub/i/2016/05/24/990dcf25-a9b4-4d47-91c7-b952c1d8810a/88d28d611b25e61e85bcd4a8ade8d418/nutonomy-car-2.jpg (modified iMiev) There's motion blur, and then there's too much motion blur video https://youtu.be/H47oNtawodk nuTonomy | Tomorrow's car, today nuTonomy May 23, 2016 ] nuTonomy plans to launch autonomous taxis later this year as it attempts to go up against some big-name competition. Do you want to end up with millions of dollars in your hands? If so, you should find some engineers and start a self-driving-car company, because it seems like investors will just heap money onto anyone looking to create the future of transportation. One recent startup, nuTonomy, just received $16 million in funding to expand its programs. nuTonomy isn't coming out of Silicon Valley. Instead, it's starting in Singapore. In fact, The Wall Street Journal reports that Singapore's economic-development arm contributed to nuTonomy's recent round of funding, which follows a $3.6 million investment round in January. Using modified versions of Mitsubishi's i-MiEV electric car, nuTonomy is developing its software for eventual use in autonomous taxicabs. Singapore is soon to be a connected-car haven of sorts, as the wealthy state plans to invest heavily in alternate methods of transportation. WSJ says that nuTonomy joins Uber and BMW in pitching its services to Singapore's government. That said, nuTonomy is also operating in Michigan, one of the US states to embrace autonomous vehicle testing, and it's already completed a pilot program that studied human behavior while "behind the wheel" of a self-driving car. Being in Michigan is good, because if nuTonomy really wants to bring its services head to head with industry titans like Google, Uber and General Motors, it's going to need to lay down some operations in the US. [© CBS Interactive] ... http://nutonomy.com/ nuTonomy http://www.wsj.com/articles/self-driving-car-startup-nutonomy-raises-16-million-in-funding-1464062524 Self-Driving Car Startup nuTonomy Raises $16 Million in Funding May 24, 2016 MIKE RAMSEY [image https://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/BN-OD721_nutono_J_20160523234400.jpg A Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric vehicle being tested by nuTonomy. PHOTO: NUTONOMY ] Highland Capital and Singapore’s government among investors An autonomous vehicle startup backed by Ford Motor Co. Chairman Bill Ford raised $16 million in additional funding with an eye on launching autonomous taxis in Singapore this autumn. One of the leading developers of self-driving technology, Cambridge, Mass.-based nuTonomy is racing heavyweights—including Uber Technologies Inc., General Motors Co. and Alphabet Inc.—to further testing of autonomous cars on public roads. The company was spun out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2013, and counts Highland Capital Partners LLC and Singapore’s economic development arm among its investors. In January, it raised $3.6 million from a group of investors that included Mr. Ford’s venture-capital firm, Fontinalis Partners. NuTonomy Chief Executive Karl Iagnemma said the latest round is “going to let us accelerate our progress—more people and more cars.” It plans to launch a commercial autonomous taxi service in 2018. Singapore is widely expected to lead the way in public testing of autonomous cars. It plans to invest heavily in creating infrastructure for self driving cars, and promises to ease regulatory headaches for auto companies and other firms looking to break ground. “We are inviting companies and research institutions to test-bed their technology and concepts here, in real-life, mixed-use traffic conditions,” Singapore’s Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport Kin Keong Pang said in a statement. “We are contributing financial resources in these partnerships and we are able to fast-track regulatory and other administrative approvals, and get the trials and test-beds up and running quickly and with minimum fuss.” NuTonomy was one of eight companies including Uber and BMW AG that submitted proposals to the country to run autonomous-driving projects. There are similar efforts under way in other nations, including the U.S. GM, for instance, aims to launch an autonomous taxi service in partnership with Lyft Inc.’s ride hailing service within a year; Uber, a Lyft rival, and Alphabet’s Google car program also aim to use public roads for similar pilots. Questions about regulatory hurdles and infrastructure are among the list of challenges that need to be addressed, say industry experts. NuTonomy is using retrofitted Mitsubishi iMiev electric cars and is expected to add Renault Zoe EVs in its autonomous cab service later this year. The firm specializes in developing the brain of the car—how it acts—leveraging others technology for sensing. NuTonomy also is testing autonomous vehicles in Michigan. In 2014, nuTonomy ran an autonomous shuttle in a park that could be summoned by an app. The effort provided insight into how people would act in autonomous cabs, it said. “The first few minutes are shear terror that amazingly, quickly transitions from acceptance to boredom,” Mr. Iagnemma said. “We found that people would mess with the steering wheel to see what would happen—there was almost reckless behavior that people would engage in.” [© wsj.com 2016 Dow Jones] http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=355176 Ford seeks partnerships as it looks beyond car-making May 25, 2016 Reuters ... Some of Mr Ford's rivals, notably ... GM earlier this year invested $US500M ... has outlined a plan to develop autonomous electric vehicles for use by Lyft. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV this month said it would work with internet search leader Alphabet Inc's Google self-driving cars unit ... ... http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/05/24/toyota-teams-up-with-uber-what-it-means.aspx Toyota and Uber Join Forces: What It Means [May 24, 2016] ... For Toyota, it's a big strategic move. Nearly all of the big automakers have been talking up the idea of "future mobility," a general term that seems to include ride-sharing, ride-hailing, electric … ... [dated] http://gas2.org/2016/02/05/nutonomy-recieves-3-6m-to-advance-autonomous-technology/ nuTonomy Recieves $3.6M To Add Autonomous Advancements Feb 5, 2016 The investments will go to funding continued autonomous vehicle testing in the USA and Singapore, where the governments are working alongside nuTonomy ... 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