Toyota to Use Advanced Self-Driving Tech in Commercial Vehicles First
December 18, 2019 | ReutersEstimated reading time: Less than a minute
Toyota Motor Corp’s automated driving R&D unit on Tuesday said it planned to deploy advanced self-driving capabilities in mobility service vehicles before it does so in personal-use vehicles.
“Level 4 (driving capabilities) is really what we’re striving for to first appear in mobility as a service,” James Kuffner, CEO of Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development, told reporters at the opening of its new offices in Tokyo.
“It will take more time to achieve Level 4 for a personally owned vehicle,” he added, referring to the automation level at which vehicles can drive themselves.
Toyota next year will release its first so-called Level 2 autonomous car capable of driving itself on the highway, as part of its strategy to develop self-driving cars over the next few decades.
Testimonial
"Our marketing partnership with I-Connect007 is already delivering. Just a day after our press release went live, we received a direct inquiry about our updated products!"
Rachael Temple - AlltematedSuggested Items
Defense Speak Interpreted: If CHIPS Cuts Back, What Happens to Electronics Packaging Funds?
09/02/2025 | Dennis Fritz -- Column: Defense Speak InterpretedIn my May column, I examined the topic of the CHIPS Act and its current status as a U.S. government program. I found that CHIPS activities continue, but some corporations have delayed or canceled them because of budget cuts or corporation-specific problems. However, CHIPS integrated circuits—mostly administered by the Department of Commerce—don’t fully drive the electronics interconnection activity being funded by the government. Let’s cover the progress/status of other programs:
Kopin Announces $9 Million Follow-On Contract for Defense Thermal Imaging Assembly
08/14/2025 | BUSINESS WIREKopin Corporation, a leading provider of application-specific optical systems and high-performance microdisplays for defense, training, industrial, consumer and medical products, today announced the award of an approximate $9 million follow-on production contract in support of a custom thermal imaging assembly build for a major U.S. defense prime contractor.
Smart Automation: Pick-and-place Machines—What Matters in 2025
08/12/2025 | Josh Casper -- Column: Smart AutomationWhen people talk about placement technology, they often zero in on speed: How fast can a machine place components? What's the quoted components per hour (CPH)? How many nozzles are on the head? While these metrics matter, on most production floors, the fastest machine on paper isn’t always the most productive.
Elementary Mr. Watson: Closing the Gap Between Design and Manufacturing
07/23/2025 | John Watson -- Column: Elementary, Mr. WatsonModern PCB designers are not merely engineers or technicians. I believe that PCB design, at its core, is an art form, and modern PCB designers should be considered artists. Beyond the technical calculations and engineering rules lies a creative process that involves vision, balance, and a passion for what we do. Like any artist who works with brush and canvas or chisel and stone, a PCB designer shapes invisible pathways that bring ideas to life. Each trace, layer, and component placement reflects thoughtful decisions that blend form, fit, and function.
VeriSilicon’s AI-ISP Custom Chip Solution Enables Mass Production of Customer’s Smartphones
06/09/2025 | BUSINESS WIREVeriSilicon recently announced that its AI-ISP custom chip solution has been successfully adopted in a customer’s mass-produced smartphones, reaffirming the company’s comprehensive one-stop custom silicon service capabilities in AI vision processing.