Automotive

Tested in demanding NASCAR and Touring Car racing environments, an Australian brake rotor innovation is ready for the market, according to the company behind it. Brent Balinski spoke to OzBrakes’ Colin Lagoon about the road ahead.

Daimler has announced it will use 3D printing to help localise production of spare parts for its trucks. Reuters reports that the world’s biggest truck maker and parent company of Mercedes Benz will begin the initiative in September, for parts “including spring caps, air and cable ducts, clamps, mountings and control elements.” It has experimented on … Continue reading Daimler to begin 3D printing truck parts →

LG Electronics and Volkswagen AG have entered into a memorandum of understanding signaling their commitment to cooperate on the research and development of a next-generation connected car service platform. The two companies will work together to develop Volkwagen’s Cross-Over-Platform to enhance vehicle connectivity and convenience. Using the latest in cloud technology, the goal of the new … Continue reading LG and Volkswagen commit to connected car platform →

The South Australian government has announced a grant scheme, offering SMEs in the state – which has the country’s worst unemployment rate – $10,000 per each job created.

In early May, the driver of a Tesla S sports car died after a collision, prompting an investigation into Tesla’s self-driving technology. This has come months after Australia’s first-ever automated car trials in South Australia.

With a growing appetite for technology, quality and performance, India’s auto sector has been cited as an area of opportunity for Australian companies. It’s also very tricky regarding what it expects, Professor Peter Hodgson told Brent Balinski.

Toyota has issued two recalls this week, cumulatively affecting 3.37 million cars worldwide.

The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said it was encouraged by today’s strategic decision to bring together the planning, coordination and operation of Victoria’s transport system under the new body, Transport for Victoria. Victorian Chamber Chief Executive said that a highly integrated infrastructure system was vital to supporting long term economic growth and liveability … Continue reading New body to help meet transport needs of Victorian business →

Volkswagen executives have addressed a general meeting of shareholders for the first time since the September “defeat device” scandal broke, apologising for the company’s behaviour.

Japan’s Daihatsu has teamed up with designers and 3D printing company Stratasys to develop mass-customised car decorations.

Imported Toyota HiLux sales have led the way for Toyota Australia, which managed an increase of 22 per cent in net profit after tax for the year ending March 31.

The mere mention of ‘automotive’ in Australia typically triggers an allergic reaction, so we won’t be talking about it … much.

Argon has introduced its 21.3-inch rugged display, designed for command and control applications where maximum viewable surface area is needed in the smallest mounting possible. The ARD21 has a small bezel size, flexible mounting configurations, configurable I/O and universal AC/DC power supply. This makes it a suitable solution for mission critical applications. The product’s display … Continue reading New rugged display →

The use of very large lithium-ion battery packs has become increasingly common, much more so than it was ten years ago. For example, on ships where there were once no such batteries, there are now lithium-ion banks of 1-5MWh. Autonomous underwater vehicles, mining trucks and buses are also now sporting batteries of up to 350kWh. … Continue reading Growing use of very large lithium-ion batteries →

Former World Bank president and top US diplomat Robert Zoellick is warning Australia’s business leaders not to “bet the house” when it comes to China. Zoellick said he first sensed complacency about China from Australia’s business leaders when he was here last year to celebrate 10 years of the US-Australia trade agreement, a deal he himself … Continue reading Don’t bet the house (or much else) on China warns US diplomat →

Any new technology is bound to have its share of challenges and barriers — for example the initial security concerns around cloud computing — and the Internet of Things (IoT) is no different. With smart devices adding billions of new access points into enterprise systems and communicating with the network, IoT security will be key. A number … Continue reading IoT and security: Hype, hysteria or cause for concern? →

Catastrophic failure of machinery or structures is usually expensive to repair and can pose a threat to the health and safety of workers and the public. Remote Visual Inspection (RVI) of materials, components and structures can give inspectors and technicians warnings of many potential failures before they cause problems. A videoscope is an inspection instrument … Continue reading Industrial videoscope being touted as the new ‘gold standard’ →

According to IDTechEx, significant growth is predicted for the electric vehicle market, which will result in almost one trillion dollars in sales at ex-factory prices in 2026. Approximately half of this is predicted to be the 48V mild hybrids that are launching in 2017, but by 2026, sales will consist of completely electric vehicles with … Continue reading Battery shortage worries amid electric vehicle growth →

Former ALP leader, defence minister and Ambassador to the United States Kim ‘Bomber’ Beazley has been appointed to the board of Lockheed Martin Australia which is developing the F35 joint strike fighter for the Australian Air Force. At a price tag of $AUD18 billion, the F35 deal is to date Australia’s most expensive defence acquisition … Continue reading ‘Bomber’ Beazley lands a job with strike fighter maker →

A group of Australian Volkswagen owners are accusing the German company of ignoring them, asking why US drivers have been offered a buy-back.