Industry Layoffs Continue as Waymo Cuts Staff
Other location industry companies follow with cuts
Autonomous vehicle developer Waymo laid off employees earlier this week in a move that came after large cuts at parent company Alphabet and Google GOOG 0.00%↑ . The company is still forging ahead with its robotaxi operations in California and Arizona.
However, once thought to be the way autonomous vehicles would find mass rollout, companies focused on the trucking market are having a tough time. According to TechCrunch, Waymo is about to kill off its trucking program, called Via. Autonomous trucking competitor TuSimple recently laid off 25 percent of its staff.
Such companies as Mapbox, Microsoft MSFT 0.00%↑, Ford F 0.00%↑ and others have made major employee reductions this month. Outside of social media posts from former employees, Mapbox was quiet about its layoffs, even rolling out new products the same week.
Autonomous Vehicle Companies Receive Nearly $100 Million in Funding
While there have been layoffs across the autonomous vehicle and associated industries, companies focusing on such niche market segments as agriculture, industrial and commercial are still grabbing venture capital. Last week, Golden, Colo.-based Outrider raised $73 million, led by FM Capital, for its autonomous electric trucks that work in distribution centers.
The potential market is pretty big as there are more than 400,000 distribution yards in the United States, according to reports.
Another company, which received $13.8 Series A funding this week, has a product that won’t even see the road. Boulder, Colo.-based Skythe offers a Roomba-like autonomous lawnmower for commercial markets.
In addition to cameras, the mower features more than a dozen sensors that include accelerometers gyroscopes, magnetometers, GPS, ultrasonics and wheel encoders. The unit plots out maps of its area with simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM).
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Activity Tracking Company Strava Acquires Fatmap
Outdoor tracking company Strava has acquired European 3D mapmaker Fatmap for an undisclosed amount. Founded in 2009 and used by more than 100 million people worldwide, Strava offers GPS-based tracking services for cyclists and runners.
For its part, Fatmap, which offers a $30 per year premium subscription, wants to be known as the Google Maps of the great outdoors, according to published reports. Fatmap said that in the coming months they will accelerate the evolution of their product with the help of Strava’s active audience.
“Where other map platforms have been designed for navigating streets and cities, we wanted to build a map designed specifically to help people explore. Joining forces with Strava opens up new exciting possibilities and will accelerate our progress to enable millions more people to explore the world’s wild places, safely and sustainably,” said Misha Gopaul, Fatmap founder and CEO, in a statement.
Fatmap said it will continue to operate as usual, emphasizing that their customers will have access to the same tools and benefits. In addition, premium members won’t see any changes to their subscriptions, including price.
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Verizon, Centech Startup Hub Features Tracking Companies, 5G Tech
Verizon VZ 0.00%↑ and Centech recently announced the results from the first cohort of startups and scaleups in the 5G Development Hub. Of the seven startups in the program, Peytec is an industrial IoT and AI company that builds and sells location tracking and sensing solutions.
Peytec specializes in inventory tracking, asset management and real-time quality control. Peytec mainly serves industrial sectors including mining, manufacturing and agriculture, the company said.
Peytec’s 5G applications uses MEC and 5G to reduce hardware costs for asset tracking, easier deployment and maintenance, the company said.
Launched in May 2022, the 5G Development Hub works to unlock innovation in multiple industries including manufacturing, supply chain, transportation, smart cities, energy and utilities, the company said. “These programs enable startups to test, explore and create the products and ecosystems of tomorrow,” said Jeff Frantz, Verizona’s executive director of ecosystem development, in a statement.
Another company, SmartCone, is an IoT connected products for intelligent transportation systems, asset tracking and mining. SmartCone has created an open architecture system integration platform which includes the hardware and software components, the company said.
Contact: Erica Dilk, (720) 483-4341, erica.dilk@verizon.com.
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Other Location News:
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Top News:
✔ Galileo’s High Accuracy Service Is Now Operational. “Galileo is now the first GNSS providing free-of-charge, high accuracy Precise Point Positioning (PPP) corrections worldwide both through the Galileo signal in space (E6-B) and via the Internet.”
🛰 Lockheed Martin Eyes International Customers for GPS Augmentation Systems. While nothing in this article is new, it highlights the SBAS market opportunities Lockheed Martin LMT 0.00%↑ is going after.
😮 Nissan-Renault Deal on Alliance Could Come as Early as Feb. 1, Report Says. “The deal would see Renault cut its stake in Nissan to 15 percent, equalizing the automakers' holdings in each other, sources previously told Reuters.”
Maps:
🗺 Why Are There So Few Global Mapmakers? “The correct answer is four. Not hundreds. Four. There are only four truly global companies making maps of the world designed for commercial applications.”
🤔 Waze Leads to Brain Haze? Here's Why Using Real Maps Instead of GPS Could Prevent Dementia. “Turning off Waze or your favorite GPS app and using an old-fashioned map may be the best way to fight Alzheimer’s disease, a new study reveals.”
Connected and Autonomous Vehicles:
👍 Automotive LiDAR - Still Alive & Kicking. Comprehensive overview of lidar companies and the market at CES 2023.
🚗 Volvo CEO Argues Truly Autonomous Cars Are a Long Way Off. “According to Volvo CEO Jim Rowan, fully autonomous cars are still a ‘long way off,’ despite the maturity of the technology. He also said that the current system of classifying self-driving cars into five levels is ‘nonsense,’ and that unsubstantiated claims around driverless vehicle development no longer inflate share value as they did a few years ago.”
Drones:
🛩 Amazon's Drone Delivery Unit Hit With Layoffs Just as 10-Year-old Project Finally Launches. “The program, which has struggled to get off the ground due to a series of crashes and other safety concerns, now faces internal cost-cutting measures.”
Tracking:
🙂 Glass Maker Euroglas Takes Sigfox Solution From Citymesh to Track Stillage Racks in Belgium. “HeronTrack’s ‘tag-and-go’ IoT sensors were fitted to all 1,100 stillages by the Euroglas warehouse team.”
Financial:
✔ Lockheed Martin Profit Outlook Disappoints as Supply, Labor Squeeze Persists.
✔ Tive Adds 250+ New Customers & Achieves 80% Year-Over-Year Growth in 2022.
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Location Industry Briefs
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Geotab Reports 200,000 Subscribers in Latin America
Telematics giant Geotab has announced that it exceeded 200,000 connected vehicle subscribers in Latin America. The company said, despite economic challenges, growth continues to accelerate in the region as it now has one of the largest telematics footprints there.
Contact: Geotab, geotabmx@edelman.com, www.geotab.com.
Topcon Provides GNSS Correction Services for California Emergency Response
Topcon Positioning Systems is offering free access to its GNSS correction services network to emergency response agencies and personnel in designated California disaster areas. “During major disaster response and recovery, local utilities and municipalities, local FEMA and Army Corps of Engineers, essential emergency services such as utility and construction companies have to go out and find out what's broken, what’s been wiped out, and they need the ability to utilize positioning technology,” said Jason Killpack, director, business development, emerging business, Topcon Positioning Systems, in a statement.
Contact: Staci Fitzgerald, Topcon Positioning Group, (925) 245-8610, corpcomm@topcon.com.
Inertial Labs Launches Upgraded INS-U GPS INS
Inertial Labs has announced the release of an upgraded version of its INS-U GPS-Aided Inertial Navigation System to include an extended version of the Differential Pressure Sensor & Embedded Air Data Computer. This allows the unit to measure airspeed up to 600 knots.
The INS-U is a fully integrated, combined Inertial Navigation System (INS) + Attitude & Heading Reference System (AHRS) + Air Data Computer (ADC) high-performance strapdown system that determines position, velocity and orientation, the company said.
Contact: Inertial Labs, https://inertiallabs.com.
STMicroelectronics Joins NextNav Certified Barometer Program
NextNav NN 0.00%↑ has announced that semiconductor giant STMicroelectronics will join its NextNav Certified barometer program. NextNav Certified validates the performance of sensors in real-world operating scenarios, the company said. ST's sensors use MEMS technology to ensure accurate pressure resolution in ultra-compact and thin packages, enabling accurate floor detection, enhanced location-based services, precise dead-reckoning calculations, advanced weather monitoring, and accurate water-depth sensing, the company said.
Contact: NextNav, media@nextnav.com, www.nextnav.com.
The deadline for submitting abstracts for the Institute of Navigation (ION) Joint Navigation Conference (JNC) 2023 is Friday, February 3. Submit your abstract at ion.org/jnc.
Navigine Partners With Noccela
Navigine has partnered with Finland-based Noccela in the global industrial market. Navigine software will be integrated with Noccela UWB’s positioning capabilities in challenging industrial sites, the company said. Real-time location services built on Ultra-Wideband (UWB), and offered by Noccela, enable a higher level of sports analytics, modernize industrial operations and alert people of COVID-19 exposure through accurate contact tracing, the company said.
Contact: Noccela, 358 2 0735 1180, info@noccela.com, www.noccela.com.
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TNEDICCA and Archenia Partner
TNEDICCA has partnered with Archenia to offer insurers with location information. The partnership combines Archenia’s leads with TNEDICCA’s Location Risk Score. TNEDICCA uses its crash database of more than 30 million crashes to generate the Location Risk Score. The database is created from police reports and includes accurate crash location data using geolocation, the company said.
Contact: Travis Fairchild, Archenia, tfairchild@archenia.com.
Phunware Launches Experience Optimizer
Phunware PHUN 0.00%↑ has launched its Experience Optimizer to allow customers to contextually engage users based on location, persona or brand. Phunware's Experience Optimizer enables a single mobile application to autonomously deliver experiences by configuring and launching a unique JavaScript Object Notation (JSON).
Experience Optimizer also gives customers additional features such as its location-based services.
Contact: Phunware, (512) 693-4199, press@phunware.com.
PACCAR and Platform Integrate Telematics Solution in Big Rigs
PACCAR and Platform Science have announced that they will integrate Platform Science's Virtual Vehicle in Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks. Virtual Vehicle is an OEM platform that enables fleets to access telematics, software solutions, real-time vehicle data and third-party applications, the company said. The Virtual Vehicle platform will deploy in Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks beginning in 2024.
Contact: Platform Science, www.virtualvehicle.io.
Webfleet Named 2022 European Commercial Telematics Company of the Year
Frost & Sullivan has recognized Webfleet, as part of Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, with its 2022 European Commercial Fleet Telematics Company of the Year Award. Frost highlighted the company’s electric vehicle solutions as well as new apps for professional drivers. were specifically highlighted, as well as new app solutions that support professional drivers.
Contact: Webfleet, press@webfleet.com, www.webfleet.com.
People
GeoConnexions has named industry veteran Neil Vancans a consultant for its geospatial markets. Vancans held executive positions at Septentrio.
Philip Hughes has been named president, automotive sales and business development at Luminar.
Ericsson ERIC 0.00%↑ has appointed Jenny Lindqvist senior vice president, head of market area Europe and Latin America, as of Feb. 1. Lindqvist currently is the company’s vice president and head of Northern and Central Europe.
Amazon robotics leader Siddhartha Srinivasa leaves to join self-driving vehicle venture Cruise.
ITS America Announces 2023 Committee and Working Group Leadership.
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