All posts by Francis Mitterrand

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GM stopped funding Cruise robotaxis

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After a series of accidents, the American self-driving car company Cruise, which became a subsidiary of General Motors, has suspended operations at the end of 2023. In May, it returned its vehicles to public roads, but now the company’s survival is in question, as GM has suspended financing.

Since taking over Cruise in 2016, GM has invested almost $10 billion in the company and now intends to reach agreements with shareholders and increase its stake from 90 to 97 percent. The company has also decided to end funding for robotaxis at a time when Waymo, backed by Alphabet, is expanding to more cities, and Tesla plans to start its robotaxis business in 2026.

General Motors’ primary goal is autonomous vehicles for personal use, and keeping the robotaxis project alive is financially unsustainable due to the enormous costs. In 2023, Cruise lost $3.48 billion, which could lead to large-scale layoffs.

“Given the time and cost required to scale up a robotaxi business in an increasingly competitive market, joining forces seems more efficient,” said Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors.

Source: Reuters; Photo: EPA-EFE

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2026 Aston Martin Valhalla

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It’s been five years since Aston Martin revealed the prototype of its new two-seater super sports car, the Valhalla, and now the production version is finally here. It’s a limited edition car that will be built in 999 units.

The car was created in cooperation with the Red Bull Formula 1 team, and the active aerodynamics of the carbon body, with which it is possible to change the level of grip in turns, will be very useful on the track. It is equipped with carbon-ceramic brakes, active suspension that is part of the IVC (Integrated Vehicle Dynamics Control) system, and 20 and 21-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. The cockpit features racing carbon seats and an F1-style multifunction steering wheel, as well as many carbon details.

When it comes to the powertrain, it was initially said that the car would be powered by a hybrid option with a V6 engine, but that is not going to happen. It will be powered by a 4.0-liter V8 biturbo engine supported by three electric motors with a total output of 1,078 hp (793 kW), of which more than 820 hp comes from the V8 engine. It accelerates to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 2.5 seconds with a top speed of 349 km/h (217 mph).

Production of the Aston Martin Valhalla will start in Q2 2025, and the company has not yet released a price.

Source: Aston Martin

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2026 Aston Martin Valhalla
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Porsche Charging Planner

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Charging Planner is a smart feature that can plan charging stops along a specific route so that the driver can reach their destination with the fewest possible short stops, and is now available in Porsche cars.

This feature is integrated into the My Porsche and Porsche Communication Management (PCM) apps and works by automatically adding suitable charging stations to the route, as well as the required charging time at each station, taking into account real-time traffic information.

During the journey, the system displays the name of the station planned for the stop, the battery charge upon arrival, the expected arrival time and the remaining distance to the charging station.

The system can also remember whether the driver likes to listen to music and travel in a heated interior, and will take this into account when calculating energy consumption. It should be noted that the driver can specify the desired remaining battery charge percentage upon arrival at a fast charger station or final destination.

Charging Planner manages the battery temperature to ensure optimal charging performance during stops. Upon arrival at a charging station, the Porsche Tycan can be charged almost instantly with up to 320 kW and the Macan with up to 270 kW.

Source: Porsche