Tech Rushi

Amazon acquires self-driving start-up Zoox for over $1.2bn Deal is ecommerce group’s biggest investment in autonomous vehicle sector JUNE, 28, 2020 Zoox technology could be used to expand Amazon’s delivery fleet, though one person familiar with the deal expects the ecommerce group to push into ride-hailing Also, Twitter says about Amazon will acquire self-driving start-up Zoox for more than $1.2bn, marking the ecommerce group’s biggest investment into the autonomous vehicle sector. Amazon intends to work with Zoox to create a fleet of self-driving taxis, in competition with Alphabet’s Waymo, said one person familiar with the deal. But analysts also suggested that Amazon may use Zoox to build self-driving delivery vehicles. Amazon has also bought smaller stakes in electric truckmaker Rivian and the self-driving start-up Aurora. Zoox will operate as a standalone business, Amazon said, with its leadership unchanged. “Zoox is working to imagine, invent, and design a world-class autonomous

1. “E-CARS DON’T HAVE A LONG ENOUGH RANGE” There are countless half-truths making the rounds about the range of electric cars. You hear people saying all the time that when the temperature drops, you won't get very far in an EV. While that may have been the case with earlier electric cars in winter, it no longer applies.  The e-car batteries of today are much improved, and pre-conditioning of the battery and vehicle interior via app on departure is now standard, as are intelligent heat management systems.  This makes it possible to significantly optimize the overall range in everyday life – even when using power-intensive systems such as air conditioning and seat heaters.  Ultimately, electric car range still depends on driver behavior, explains Karin Krüger, Product Manager Onboard Portfolio at BMW Charging. The everyday range of a BMW i3 is up to 160 miles. The days when electric cars had to stop every 60 miles to recharge are long gone. Range serenity has replaced range anxiety.