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Long-term Development Cooperation for Automated Driving between Daimler-AG and BMW Group

They’re arch-rivals in the global marketplace but when it comes to collaborating, it’s a different matter. Given how expensive R&D costs are, carmakers often decide to work with selected partners or even form consortiums so that the costs can be shared. Each one may bring certain areas of expertise to the collaboration as well, reducing duplication and cost.

Daimler AG and BMW Group have recently announced their cooperation on automated driving as a long-term strategic move. This will focus on joint development of next-generation technologies for driver assistance systems, automated driving on highways and automated parking (all to SAE Level 4).

In addition, further talks are planned to extend the cooperation to higher levels of automation in urban areas and city centres. This underscores the long-term and lasting nature of the undertaking, which will extend to encompass a scalable platform for automated driving. The non-exclusive cooperation is also open to other carmakers and technology partners, with results being made available to under license if they want to use the technologies.

Swift market launch
A key aim of the cooperation is the swift market launch of the technology, expected to feature in passenger car systems for private customers from 2024. The two companies will each implement the technologies in their respective products independently.

The cooperation will see more than 1,200 specialists working together, often in mixed teams based at locations of both companies. Efforts will focus on developing a scalable architecture for driver assistance systems, including sensors, as well as a joint data centre for data storage, administration and processing, and the development of functions and software.

Along with Aptiv, Audi, Baidu, Continental, Fiat Chrysler, HERE, Infineon, Intel and Volkswagen, the BMW Group and Daimler have published a white paper entitled ‘Safety First for Automated Driving’. As well as covering all relevant safety methods for Level 3/4 SAE automated driving, the paper introduces a traceability system, which extends from the primary goal – being safer than the average driver – right down to the individual safety objectives of the various components.

Current development by both companies
Daimler AG has been working on series development projects not only for specific Level 3 vehicles but also for Levels 4 and 5. Long a leader in active safety systems, it programmed its systems largely in-house right from the very beginning.This year will see the launch in San Jose, California, of its first pilot programme, with Bosch, on self-driving vehicles (Levels 4/5) in urban environments.

This will be the next milestone within the existing cooperation between both partners and the cooperation will continue as planned. Early in the next decade, Daimler will bring to the market not only highly automated (Level 3) vehicles but also fully automated (Level 4/5) vehicles. It is the only carmaker in the world to be so well-positioned to apply autonomous driving in every relevant context, from passenger cars and vans to buses and trucks, and is therefore relying on scalable solutions to deliver automated driving.

The BMW Group has developed technology with unique scalability from Level 2 – 4 that both enables a high level of flexibility and ensures it will be viable in the future. Around the world, more than 70 test vehicles are testing the latest technology, collecting data in order to improve machine learning with artificial intelligence through simulations. The generation of technologies that is currently under development will go into production as Level 3 automation in 2021 in the BMW iNEXT where it will also be Level 4-enabled for pilot projects.

All-electric Volkswagen ID. R breaks Goodwood Hillclimb record set by McLaren F1 racing car

The all-electric Volkswagen ID. R continues to set new records, adding the outright Hillclimb record at the Goodwood Festival of Speed to the records set at Nurburgring and Pikes Peak.

The new record in England comes 20 years after it was set by ex-F1 star Nick Heidfeld in a McLaren MP4/13 that, of course, used a conventional internal combustion engine. Heidfeld’s time was 41:60. By stopping the clock in a time of 41.18 seconds, the ID. R averaged 101.4 mph (163.2 km/h) along the challenging 1.16-mile (1.86 km) course.

Further development
With a further year of development behind it, the ID. R produces 500 kW (670 bhp) and 650 Nm of torque, and weighs less than 1,100 kgs with the driver on board. The remarkable Volkswagen can accelerate from 0 – 100 km/h 2.25 seconds, topping out at 270 km/h.

The biggest differences in the technical configuration of the ID. R compared to last year are the size of the lithium-ion batteries on board and the energy management. “The latest evolution of the ID. R has been optimised for a sprint,” explained François-Xavier Demaison, Technical Director at Volkswagen Motorsport. “In Goodwood, the only things that count are maximum power and minimum weight.”

EVs getting more powerful
“A change is taking place in the field of production vehicles and in motorsport. Electric cars are becoming increasingly more powerful and it’s great to see them now rivalling combustion engines on track. To get an idea of how far we’ve developed the car, in 2018, we did 00:43.86 – this year we were almost 3 seconds faster,” noted Volkswagen’s Motorsport Director, Sven Smeets.

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2020 Audi R8 LMS for the new GT2 class on sale now for RM1.6 million

The most powerful Audi racing car in the company’s 11-year history of its customer racing program makes its debut at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend. With a base price of 338,000 euros (around RM1.6 million), deliveries of the new Audi R8 LMS GT2 will start from December.

From the 2020 season on, they will be able to compete in the new GT2 class that will open up a new stage in racing to the world’s most beautiful super sportscars.

“This sportscar with its emotive high-performance V10 engine marks the top end of our customer racing program. The legendary event at Goodwood is the ideal venue for unveiling such a fascinating sports car,” said Oliver Hoffmann, CEO of Audi Sport GmbH.

Created for the new GT2 category
The racing car has been created for a future racing category which will come to life in Europe and North America in 2020. It will fill a gap between the existing GT3 and GT4 categories and specifically feature cars with high longitudinal dynamics.

Consequently, this type of car addresses gentleman drivers who have been the backbone of GT racing for decades. It is the fourth model for customer racing from Audi Sport.

Pushing the performance envelope with the Ford GT Mk II [w/VIDEO]

When Ford Performance first developed the modern Ford GT, the focus was on giving customers a street-legal GT supercar which would also be capable on the race track. Now, with the GT Mk II, the full performance potential of the car is available – without any artificial performance limitations dictated by racing sanctioning bodies.

The GT Mk II is a limited-edition, track-only GT that represents the next stage in Ford GT performance. With a 700 bhp 3.5-litre EcoBoost engine, race-proven aerodynamics and competition-oriented handling, it has been co-developed by Ford Performance and Multimatic based on competitive learnings from Ford’s successful FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship campaigns with the GT racing car.

“It’s the closest GT owners can get to the Le Mans-winning performance and exhilarating feeling of crossing the finish line in the Ford GT race car,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford Chief Product Development and Purchasing Officer.

Only 45 cars at almost RM5 million each
Limited to just 45 cars, with a starting price of US$1.2 million (almost RM5 million), the GT Mk II joins the GT racing car that won the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Ford GT supercar.

“The true off-the-hook performance capability of the GT hasn’t yet been fully showcased,” said Multimatic’s Chief Technical Officer, Larry Holt. “The road car is obviously limited by the many global homologation requirements that it must comply with, and the race car suffers from the restriction of the dreaded Balance of Performance, resulting in it being 150 bhp down to the road car. The Mk II answers the regularly asked question of how would the car perform with all the limitations lifted: the answer is ‘spectacularly’!”

Originating from a standard GT
The Mk II begins life at the main Ford GT plant before being transferred to a specialist facility at Multimatic Motorsports where it is crafted into the Ford GT Mk II. The GT Mk II is focused around aerodynamic and engine improvements and shares key features with both the street-legal GT supercar as well as the GT racing car. Many of its components have been track-proven in the world’s most challenging endurance racing events.

The large dual-element rear wing exceeds what the Ford GT race car offers in terms of downforce. An all-new front racing splitter and diffuser have been incorporated along with new fender louvres and dive planes, which help balance out the extra rear downforce.

These aggressive aerodynamic changes enable the GT Mk II to generate over 400% more downforce than the Ford GT while fixed aerodynamic elements along with its race-proven suspension and Michelin Pilot Sport racing tyres enable the car to pull more than 2g of lateral grip.

The GT Mk II is also lighter and more agile. The street car’s adjustable ride height and drive modes have been removed, providing weight savings of over 90 kgs while 5-way adjustable DSSV shock absorbers work with a lowered and fixed ride height to improve handling and keep the Mk II as aerodynamically efficient as possible.

Unrestricted EcoBoost engine development
The 3.5-litre EcoBoost engine is not limited by any racing sanctioning body and is able to generate 200 bhp more than the racing car, making this the most powerful version of the Ford GT. The 3.5-litre EcoBoost is paired with the same 7-speed dual-clutch transmission from the Ford GT but specially calibrated for this track-exclusive application.

To add stamina to power, the GT Mk II adds innovative engine cooling technology, including a high capacity air-to-air outboard mounted charge air cooler with water spray technology. The water spray automatically activates in high temperature situations to provide cooling by applying atomised water on the charge air cooler allowing a consistent level of power at high temperatures.

A roof-mounted intake reminiscent of the race car engine air intake has been added for the Mk II to feed auxiliary engine, clutch and transmission coolers, giving the Mk II optimal cooling for the most extreme track day duty.

Increased engine power is paired with improved stopping power. The Mk II features braking performance beyond that of the GT race car by utilising the street car’s carbon ceramic brakes, including 15.5-inch front and 14.1-inch rear Brembo brakes. Unique forged aluminium 19-inch wheels cover the massive brakes with race-proven Michelin Pilot Sport GT tyres.

Joining a winning GT family member
The Ford GT production car, which made its first Goodwood appearance in 2017, is the most advanced and exclusive Ford road car ever, limited to volumes of no more than 250 a year, globally. Built for the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, the Ford GT racing car has been a great success for Ford, winning the GTE Pro class at Le Mans on its first attempt in 2016, exactly 50 years on from the first of 4 successive Le Mans victories for the original GT40 at Le Mans.

*The production Ford GT. Although the original plan was to make 500 cars, 1,350 cars will be produced over 6 years from 2017 to 2022.*

Topless Lexus LC confirmed for production this year

Lexus has confirmed that it will soon offer a convertible version of the LC flagship coupe. The open-top model was shown as a concept car at the North American International Auto Show in January this year to gauge its potential as a production model.

When displaying the concept model, Lexus said the design goal was to express ‘Ultimate Beauty’, and it provoked an enthusiastic response from both industry experts and the public. Like the LC itself, the concept car was honoured on its debut with a prestigious EyesOn Design Award.

In action at Goodwood Festival of Speed
The first public viewing will take place this weekend in England. Visitors to this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed will be able to see a LC convertible prototype in action when it appears on the famous hill course. Nick Cassidy, who competes for Lexus in the GT500 class of the Japan Super GT series, will be behind the wheel.

Though camouflaged, the public will be able to see that the car is long, low and lean. It will share the coupe’s athletic proportions but project its own distinct identity.