George Frangeskides, Exec-Chair at Alba Mineral Resources, discusses grades at the Clogau Gold Mine. Watch the full video here.
Ford's all-electric Explorer was due to launch in Europe in the last quarter of 2023, but hit delays with the introduction of new EU battery certification. Now, after tweaking the formula, the American marque is finally ready to put its competitive SUV on sale in the region.
Starting at €45,000, or £39,875 in the UK (around $42,000 minus Europe's taxes/ AU$65,000), this base level electric model, which will go on sale after more expensive versions, features a single 168bhp motor mounted to the rear axle and takes power from the smaller 52kWh battery pack.
Predictably, all-electric range (expect around 230 miles) isn’t anywhere near the whopping 374-miles touted by Ford in its more potent, Extended Range rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive versions, which start at £45,875 (around $46,000 minus VAT/ AU$71,000).
https://www.techradar.com/vehicle-tech/hybrid-electric-vehicles/all-electric-ford-explorer-finally-launches-in-europe-promising-up-to-374-miles-of-range
March 26 (Reuters) - Top executives of General Motors (GM.N), opens new tab and Ford (F.N), opens new tab gave upbeat outlooks for the U.S. auto market and their profit plans on Tuesday, saying U.S. consumer demand remains strong.
GM Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson said auto sales in March were "looking really strong" after a strong February as GM incentives come down.
"All in all, a really, really good start to the year and we feel good about where we're trending," Jacobson said. GM had assumed a 2-2.5% price reduction but this year GM has not seen any drop in prices. "Demand is actually hanging in pretty strong," Jacobson said.
https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/ford-reaffirms-annual-core-profit-outlook-2024-03-26/
Another model goes on sale. Good seller usually aswell.
https://www.topgear.com/car-news/electric/ford-explorer-does-lap-planet-celebrates-going-sale
For more than three decades, Explorer has helped define SUV comfort, performance and functionality. The new 2025 Explorer lineup – from well-equipped Active to stylish ST-Line to high-performance ST and top-of-the-line Platinum – continues that legacy with a more refined cabin that features sophisticated new color, texture and material choices, and introduces the new Ford Digital Experience infotainment system.
And for the first time, Explorer drivers who opt for ST-Line, ST and Platinum models can enjoy the convenience of Ford BlueCruise2 hands-free highway driving.
“For nearly 35 years, families have chosen the Ford Explorer, making it America’s all-time best-selling SUV. We have refined almost every part of the new Explorer – focusing on a redesigned interior, additional technology like BlueCruise hands-free highway driving and special editions like the 400 horsepower Explorer ST. It’s the right combination of delivering what the next generation of customers want and love in a large SUV."
https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2024/02/01/the-new-ford-explorer--its-all-in-the-name.html
Some studies report that as many as 75% of pilots admit to having fallen asleep while flying.
The recent aviation incident involving pilots sleeping during a Batik Air flight has raised the question: How often do pilots actually fall asleep inflight? The answer might be shocking to many people, as some studies report that as many as 75% of pilots admit to having fallen asleep while flying.
We’re all aware of the dangers of falling asleep behind the wheel of an automobile. When it comes to flying an airplane, however, many experts believe that catching a few minutes of shut-eye might actually be more beneficial than harmful. Fatigue is widely recognized as a major risk to flight safety, and more crashes result from fatigue than from sleeping pilots.
In light of this, most countries use various fatigue mitigation techniques for pilots that range from minimum rest requirements to medical countermeasures (in the military). The effectiveness of these techniques can be questioned, however, when faced with the results of various studies showing that anywhere from 56-75% of commercial pilots surveyed admitted to having fallen asleep inflight.
https://simpleflying.com/how-often-do-pilots-fall-asleep-inflight/
Collins has demonstrated its pilot support system, which uses flight deck sensors to capture objective data on pilot alertness. “This is a big frontier in all the segments we service,” Evanschwartz said. “It starts with the concept of a fatigue risk-management system (FRMS) and the view that this is important to have in place, but heavily reliant on subjective reports by individuals to assess their fatigue state.”
He explained that a need exists for more objective data on crew alertness so operators and flight crews can make better decisions about stage lengths, crew pairings, or even whether it’s safe to fly a repositioning flight after a long charter leg. Flight deck sensors would be similar to those found in high-end cars, which offer a way to detect and classify drowsiness and alertness.
Sensor-based systems could also feed information to a FRMS although it would need to be de-identified. However useful information such as location and the time of day when fatigue happens could help drive risk mitigation. “If the system can detect and classify drowsiness, it can also detect sleep or incapacitation if the eyes are closed," he explained. "If you have a pilot support system in one of those uncommon but not unheard-of events where both flight and flight crew members fall asleep, there's an additional layer of safety, to alert and wake them up.”
Evanschwartz said he expects to see pilot support system products—useful not only for single-pilot jets but also for controlled rest-in-seat operations—reach the market around 2025. “It’s better to arrive at a mechanism to support safe rest and enable pilots to be alert at the end of a flight, he said, than to ignore the problem. “Worse yet from a safety perspective is uncontrolled rest without a plan," he explained. “We’re looking to address all of those and relieve pressure on the aviation safety system caused by pilot fatigue.”
Collins is working on advanced sensor systems that either replace antiquated systems such as air data computers relying on pneumatic pressure inputs and dissimilar inputs that provide another layer of redundancy. Instead of relying on pilots to detect when an input is bad, the system evaluates the quality of the dissimilar inputs and chooses the best.
https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aerospace/2024-02-15/avionics-manufacturers-explore-new-interface-and-safety
Seize
Check the volume, theres no constant seller. Total volume on HL is 1.2m trades (Maybe £30k buys/£30k sells) so its very low volume.
Infact its Ultra low volume. I dont think the £2.35 sell and the 15p Buy ive seen today move markets lol
Distraction or Drowsiness must be on the list for investigation?
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/key-bridge-collapse-baltimore-maryland-b2518594.html
One of their RNSs last Year pointed to grabbing some future GM. If they selling at $3 could be dual sourcing?
But in this game its all about delivering to get to SOP and then keeping the contract by tech or price, or a mixture of both.
I never did get the complete understanding of how even after SOP BMW changed suppliers?
With over 7,500 uk Fleets lets hope :)
CANBERRA, Australia, March 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Seeing Machines Limited (LSE: SEE), the advanced computer vision technology company that designs AI-powered operator monitoring systems, and the UK's leading fleet operator accreditation scheme, FORS (the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme), have joined forces to support companies in promoting driver safety and wellbeing.
https://markets.ft.com/data/announce/detail?dockey=600-202403260400PR_NEWS_EURO_ND__EN70624-1#:~:text=Together%2C%20FORS%20and%20Seeing%20Machines,Guardian%2C%20as%20an%20exclusive%20offering.
Seeing Machines logo
Together, FORS and Seeing Machines will work with FORS accredited operators to implement a new programme: FORS Drive Safe. Through this exclusive collaboration, Seeing Machines will be offering FORS operators its world-leading driver fatigue and distraction solution, Guardian, as an exclusive offering. The solution is based on Seeing Machines' automotive grade safety technology – driven by decades of Human Factors research – with monitoring and intervention by people. Used by more than 800 fleets globally, Guardian combines artificial intelligence with computer vision to monitor a driver's state and intervene when necessary to prevent the potentially devastating consequences of fatigue and distraction.
In January 2024, new car sales in Europe increased by 11% with Volkswagen the top-selling brand in Europe and the Dacia Sandero Europe’s favorite car model.
https://www.best-selling-cars.com/europe/2024-january-europe-car-sales-and-market-analysis/#:~:text=The%20top-selling%20car%20brands,up%20by%20nearly%20a%20fifth.
When your Mcap is $25b & you turnover over $500m per Qtr & expected to grow next few years $40m is peanuts in the aftermarket space.
A business division that is 2% of your turnover with 130 staff, which most are based in Israel in a global market place is obviously looked at as a waste of time. They are sticking to at manufacture and know this will grow and aftermarket will shrink for them.
With trucks lasting Upto 10-15yrs and legislation coming in SEE will be in the aftermarket for a long time still Iam sure. But slowly will be built in at manufacture.
ZF have set up a ADAS aftermarket division & Iam sure SEE will find new partners to work along with in the future. SEE will do ok with what we do now for many years to come.
Looking forward to the next 3 TPIs to see how the Fleet business doing.
Munich. Strong products, strong demand, strong results: Following a successful 2023, in which the Automotive Segment reported its highest-ever operating result, the BMW Group aims to continue on its profitable growth course in the current financial year. Fully-electric vehicles (BEVs) and models from the upper premium segment should remain the main growth drivers again in 2024 – including the BMW 7 Series models, the BMW X7 and the Rolls-Royce model family, with the fully-electric Rolls-Royce Spectre*.
In both segments, the BMW Group expects to see significant double-digit growth in the current financial year. In addition, the BMW 5 Series models, including the BMW i5*, which will also be available for the first time as a fully-electric Touring model this year, plus vehicles from BMW M GmbH, will contribute as well.
Overall, the BMW Group expects to see a slight increase in deliveries in the Automotive Segment in 2024.
“The more challenging the framework conditions become, the more important it is to implement a consistent strategy. As a result, strong products and a high degree of responsiveness will remain our key success factors in 2024. This will continue to make us a reliable partner for customers, investors and stakeholders in the future,” said Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, on Thursday.
R&D spending and capital expenditure to peak in 2024, as planned
The company will maintain its strategic course, as planned, in 2024, with extensive investment in its plants, its range of premium vehicles and innovative technologies. This is seen in the construction of the plant in Debrecen (Hungary) and high-voltage battery assembly facilities in Shenyang (China), Woodruff (USA), San Luis Potosì (Mexico) and Irlbach-Straßkirchen (Lower Bavaria). With extensive expansion at Plant Munich and electrification of the MINI plant in Oxford, capital expenditure is set to peak in 2024. Digitalisation of the company and its products also necessitate higher spending.
https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/global/article/detail/T0440518EN/strong-today-strong-tomorrow:-bmw-group-maintains-course-for-successful-future-building-on-strong-2023?language=en
The automotive industry is gearing up for a major shift toward hands-free driving. While current vehicles offer basic driver-assistance features such as lane-change assist, autonomous emergency braking and adaptive cruise control, the future promises a true hands-off experience. However, the current sensor suite, relying mainly on cameras and low-resolution radar, simply doesn’t cut it.
https://www.wardsauto.com/industry-news/path-toward-truly-safe-hands-free-driving
Today’s drivers are still required to keep their hands on the wheel in most situations. However, companies including BMW and Mercedes-Benz already offer limited hands-free options under specific conditions, and Chinese automakers also are pushing for more advanced features to gain a competitive edge in the market. Analysts predict 30% of new vehicles will boast hands-free capabilities within four years. The key hurdle? Building trust. Drivers need to have complete confidence in the system's reliability to truly relinquish control. Any misstep could shatter consumer confidence and stall progress.
The Role of Advanced Sensors
While crucial for providing data in challenging situations such as poor weather and long distances, current radars suffer from limitations. Their low-resolution struggle to accurately pinpoint smaller objects, detect the boundaries of vehicles and map free space, in addition to high false alarm rates due to few physical channels, hinder their effectiveness.
Likewise, cameras – despite their inherent resolution and color sensitivity – lack the ability to understand object materials and can be susceptible to weather and lighting variations. They may even require cleaning systems for volatile environments, highlighting the need for redundancy in the sensor suite. Additionally, optical sensors such as cameras and lidars fall short in providing crucial information like doppler (object speed and angular direction), long range and depth, limiting their effectiveness for 360-degree sensing.
Next-Gen Radar Technology
Perception radar is built based on a high channel count enabling both high resolution and a very low false alarm rate. This combination provides detailed and reliable information that enhances the safety of advanced ADAS features, including hands-free and eyes-off features. Perception radar provides real-time speed and depth data for all objects in the scene and is the only sensor that can detect small objects, like lost cargo at a 325-yard (300-m) range.
A synergy of cameras and high-resolution imaging radar is ideal. By addressing each other's weaknesses, these two technologies offer a combined sensing capability crucial for reliable hands-free driving. The combination of perception radar and cameras in the sensor suite will enable OEMs to make the leap to hands-free driving that is reliable, consistent and, of course, safe.
Smart Eye just announced that we have completed a directed share issue. We were pleased to see great interest from investors, resulting in oversubscription and a low discount.
We realize some people may wonder why we have decided to raise capital at this point.
There are 3 main reasons behind this:
1. This was a smart way to raise capital. After weighing different financing alternatives, we concluded that a directed share issue at this time was our best option. This capital raise comes from position of strength, and we believe the timing was ideal.
2. This capital raise allows us more strategic flexibility. By increasing the financial robustness of the company, we are de-risking Smart Eye as an investment case. After taking this action, we can feel very comfortable with our funding going forward.
3. We have had success beyond any expectations. The last six months have been incredible successful for Smart Eye, with multiple groundbreaking automotive deals won – both as a Tier 2 and Tier 1 supplier. Just this week we announced a major contract with one of the world’s largest truck manufacturers for our AIS #DriverMonitoring System (#DMS). On top of this, we have started winning business for our Automotive #InteriorSensing AI. In order to both catch up with our recent success and to keep winning future business, we want to strengthen our financial situation.
In the video below, Smart Eye’s CEO and Founder Martin Krantz and CFO Mats Benjaminsson offer more detail on the share issue, the reasons behind it, and Smart Eye’s financial strategy.
At 15.00 CET / 10 am ET today, Martin and Mats will participate in a Q&A hosted by Redeye AB to answer questions from investors. The link to the live stream will be posted shortly.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/smart-eye_smart-eyes-ceo-cfo-comments-on-the-directed-activity-7176842333840162817--CyL?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios
I do admire their RNS writer though. Delivers good news great & even makes bad news sound appealing. We should head hunt them.
Background and reasons for the Issue
The market for both of Smart Eye’s business areas, Automotive and Behavioral Research, remains very strong. During 2023, Smart Eye achieved an organic growth of 33 per cent and the organic growth for the fourth quarter of 2023 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2022 was 50 per cent.
The Company’s net sales during the first quarter of 2024 are expected to be in line with that of the fourth quarter of 2023. Behavioral Research net sales are expected to decrease slightly during the first quarter of 2024 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, largely explained by seasonal variation in demand amongst customers, where the first quarter is generally relatively weaker due to the customers’ budget cycles. Automotive net sales are expected to increase slightly during the first quarter of 2024 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, with the reservation that the Company does not have full insight into production volumes or license revenues before its customers report them, which occurs 4-6 weeks after the end of each quarter.
Furthermore, the Company assesses that the cash flow during the first quarter of 2024 will be more negative than that of the fourth quarter of 2023, primarily as a result of extraordinary items as well as accrual effects in the Company’s working capital, of which the latter is expected to have the opposite effect on the cash flow in the second quarter of 2024.
The EU’s Technical Committee on Motor Vehicles (TCMV) met behind closed doors this week and approved two ‘hands-off’ level 2 driver assist systems from Ford (‘BlueCruise’) and BMW for use across the EU. These systems do not meet current EU safety regulations but will now be permitted under an exemption procedure.