. Olli
The company Local Motors from Arizona created an electric shuttle that’s 3D-printed and partly recyclable. And it’s the first vehicle to use IBM’s Watson cognitive platform for automobiles.
The amazing thing about this vehicle is that it was a revolutionary concept that was just printed out! The idea isn’t just to make a new vehicle and make some extra money – but to reshape the car-making business top to bottom. Since it’s made of 3-D printed materials, it will lower production cost significantly. Olli is a minibus that can – “read the road”. It uses a laser-sensing system, known as “lidar” - which is also used by Google’s driverless cars. It also has additional sensors for remote supervision and can measure and track its speed, and take safety precautions. One of the best safety improvements on it is the so-called “got-to-stop” haptic sensor. This sensor allows Olli to stop as soon as it makes contact with anything in its way, preventing accidents. And thanks to modern technology, it can even communicate with its passengers. Through voice commands, passengers could tell Olli where to take them.
The manufacturers plan to have it ride on campuses and airports, but also in urban areas. Some US states, such as Michigan, are opening up to driverless vehicles, and passing laws to allow it. So, the future looks bright. You might see Olli very soon!



watch the video below


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoJd-jfNxL8


Nikola One
This is a futuristic vehicle from the Nikola Motor Company. Many important people from the industry consider it a game-changer, and it probably is.
This truck has six electric motors and can reach 60 mph in just 30 seconds. But its fantastic features do not end here. Apart from being one mean machine, it’s also a luxury apartment! It has two full-size beds, a 40-inch TV, as well as additional appliances such as a microwave, freezer and refrigerator. And now, listen to this: it also has several high-definition cameras, radar and sonar. With this state-of-the-art equipment, the driver can have an aerial view of both the truck and the trailer. Therefore, there will be no more blind spots, and the overall safety will be increased.
Technically speaking, Nikola One is a hybrid: it uses a 320-kilowatt battery and a 300-kilowatt fuel cell. It weighs 2,000 pounds less than a classical semi-truck, and its cruising range is up to 1,200 miles – with all the benefits of electric propulsion.
Since fuel can be a problem, especially for long distances, the Nikola One Company came up with a brilliant idea. They will make a network of hydrogen stations across the USA and Canada, and the construction is scheduled for January 2018! This is a pretty massive plan, with Nikola One and the string of gas stations, but it’s definitely doable. Some experts predict that it will take a couple of years to make all those stations. But this string of hydrogen stations will benefit other vehicle manufacturers as well. Companies such as Toyota or Honda could use that infrastructure to power their own vehicles. All in all, if everything goes according to plan, Nikola One is about to change the whole trucking industry.

Navya Arma
This is a self-driving bus with 15 seats, which can be programmed for a variety of short-distance trips. All it needs is an inductive charging station, and it’s ready to roll.
This mini bus, or shuttle – as it’s also called – has top-notch sensor technology: LiDAR, GPS, RTK, odometer and camera stereovisions. This enables it to identify road and traffic signs, to detect objects in its path and map out its surroundings. The only downside to Arma is its speed. It isn’t designed to go very fast, as its maximum speed is just 45 km/h. But the speed will probably be limited to 30 km/h, due to the nature of the vehicle.
Arma is meant to be a complement to public transport, for distances that are too far to go on foot, but too short to go by car.
At the moment, there is a lot of testing going on in France, and engineers expect everything to go on as planned. Early next year, a five-year trial will start. If the whole testing process goes well, we can expect this handsome devil on our roads in the near future.





cc: lalasticlala