UBER and Volvo collaborate to utilise driverless cars in San Francisco, USA.

Uber, the ride-sharing technology company, is expanding its self-driving pilot to San Francisco, California, using specially converted self-driving Volvo XC90 premium SUVs.

The move marks the next phase in a deepening alliance between Volvo and Uber after the two companies signed an agreement in August 2016 to establish a jointly owned project to build base vehicles that can be used to develop fully autonomous driverless cars. These cars were initially tested in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The latest cars to be used in San Francisco have been built by Volvo and sold to Uber, after which Uber’s own self-driving hardware and software package has been added, most visibly in the roof-mounted control apparatus.

These cars will drive around the streets of San Francisco autonomously, but as part of the pilot programme they will at all times have an Uber technician on board to supervise the car’s operation.

“The promise of self-driving ride sharing is becoming a reality,” said Mårten Levenstam, vice president product planning at Volvo Cars. “Volvo is proud to be at the forefront of the latest developments in the automotive world alongside our partners at Uber.”

The alliance with Uber forms one part of Volvo’s three-part plan to develop autonomous driving (AD) technologies.

In January 2017, Volvo will begin a project entitled Drive Me, which will be the world’s largest autonomous driving test in which up to 100 AD cars will be given to members of the public to be driven on real roads around Gothenburg, Sweden. Their experiences will be used to co-develop Volvo’s AD cars.

The second part is a joint venture with Autoliv, the leading automotive safety technology company, to set up a new jointly owned company to design and manufacture separately branded AD and driver-assistance software technology packages for sale to third-party OEMs. The new company will have its headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, and an initial workforce taken from both companies of around 200, increasing to more than 600 in the medium term. The company is expected to start operations in the beginning of 2017.

The third part is the ongoing relationship with Uber to build and co-develop base vehicles for AD cars. This deal reduces Volvo’s development costs, gives it a chance to develop cutting-edge technology and could ultimately boost sales significantly.

The base vehicles are manufactured by Volvo and then purchased from Volvo by Uber. Volvo Cars and Uber are contributing a combined USD300m to the project. Both Uber and Volvo will use the same base vehicle for the next stage of their own autonomous car strategies.

The cars to be used in San Francisco are developed on Volvo Cars’ fully modular Scalable Product Architecture (SPA). SPA is one of the most advanced car architectures in the world and is currently used on Volvo Cars’ top-of-the-line multiple-award-winning XC90 SUV, as well as the S90 premium saloon and V90 premium estate.

SPA has been developed as part of Volvo Cars’ USD11bn global industrial transformation programme, which started in 2010, and has been prepared from the outset for the latest autonomous drive technologies as well as next-generation electrification and connectivity developments. It is these capabilities that attracted Uber to Volvo.

Bentley takes the biggest picture in the world of a longwheelbase Mulsanne going over the Golden Gate Bridge.

• Bentley unveils world’s most extraordinary car photograph
• ‘Gigapixel’ image features new Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase on San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge
• Zoom from 700 metres out to exquisite individual interior stitches
• 53 billion-pixel image created using space exploration technology

Today Bentley is unveiling a groundbreaking ‘gigapixel’ image, featuring the new Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase in Rose Gold over Magnetic duo-tone crossing San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate bridge.

The image was created using technology originally developed by NASA to enable Mars rovers to take exploratory panoramic photographs. Viewers can use an innovative, interactive zoom function to travel from 700 metres out all the way into the Mulsanne’s cabin – right down to the 4,500 individual stitches in the embroidered ‘Winged B’ headrest logo.

An incredible 4,425 times larger than a typical smartphone image, this extraordinary photograph is made up of approximately 53 billion pixels (or 53,000 megapixels). It was created by taking 700 individual shots from the same location and ‘stitching’ them together digitally. The result, if reproduced in standard print format, would be the size of a football field.

Kevin Rose, Bentley’s Board Member for Sales and Marketing, said: “Nowhere is Bentley’s famed attention to detail better demonstrated than with our new Mulsanne. We wanted to commission this shot to capture both the exquisite detailing of the Mulsanne and the epic scale of our brand’s ambitions. We believe the result is truly extraordinary.”

Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase: Rear Passenger Comfort Redefined

Designed for customers with a preference for being driven, the Bentley Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase featured in the gigapixel shot offers a first-class air-travel experience for the road.

The 250 mm extension of the Mulsanne’s wheelbase (from 3,266 mm up to 3,516 mm) is entirely to the benefit of rear-seat passenger legroom. This significant increase in interior space makes the Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase the most generously proportioned pinnacle luxury limousine in the world, and by far the most comfortable way to travel on four wheels.

To make the best use of the additional rear legroom, Bentley has developed airline-style electronic legrests which are integrated into the bases of the two rear seats. These extend outward and pivot, affording rear-seat passengers the luxury of choice between upright, relaxed and reclined seating positions.

A beautifully appointed console separates the two rear seats in the Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase. Ornate and functional, the console is appointed in the finest handcrafted veneer, metal, glass and leather and houses practical features such as USB ports, pen holders, cup holders and a glass-covered stowage area.

For those passengers who wish to work on the move, both rear seats can also be specified with a deployable, folding table. For privacy, electric curtains at the rear are standard fitment and can be tailored with either a black or champagne coloured interior lining.

Rear-seat passengers also benefit from a large-format sunroof over the rear cabin. Controlled by the passengers or the driver, the tilting and sliding glass panel (with Alcantara sun blind) allows natural light to flood into the Mulsanne’s beautifully appointed cabin and clearly reinforces the Extended Wheelbase’s focus on the rearward passenger.

For additional differentiation and choice, customers are able to specify their cars in a wide range of duo-tone exterior paint combinations, such as the Rose Gold over Magnetic seen in the gigapixel image, and with a beautiful new 21” wheel.

USA - Nissan now offers free charging in Chicago for LEAF customers.

Chicagoans can now add free public charging to the long list of benefits of buying an all-electric Nissan LEAF. Nissan today launched its "No Charge to Charge" promotion that provides two years of no-cost public charging with the purchase or lease of a new LEAF from Nissan dealers in the Chicago market. This includes complimentary access to fast chargers that can charge a LEAF battery pack from zero to 80 percent in about 30 minutes.

"Nissan LEAF is an attractive option for Chicago car buyers for a number of reasons, such as the available Illinois Alternative Fuels Rebate of up to $4,000* and significantly lower operating costs than a gas-powered car," said Brendan Jones, director, Nissan Electric Vehicle Sales and Infrastructure Strategy. "Adding free public fast charging in Chicagoland gives Nissan LEAF an even greater competitive edge over other vehicles, regardless of their fuel source."

With "No Charge to Charge," new LEAF buyers can enjoy added range confidence with free access to fast chargers** spread throughout Chicagoland at retail stores, tollway oases and other convenient locations for drivers. As part of the promotion, LEAF drivers will also enjoy free one-hour charging sessions at more than 140 level 2 (240 volt) charging stations**.

Nissan now offers "No Charge to Charge" in 12 of the top markets for Nissan LEAF sales, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Nashville, Phoenix, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston and Washington, D.C. In the next year, Nissan plans to offer the "No Charge to Charge" program at LEAF dealers in at least 13 additional U.S. markets.

"No Charge to Charge" will launch at Nissan LEAF dealers in the Chicago market on Nov. 14. LEAF owners who purchased or leased their vehicle on or after Nov. 1, in the Chicago market will receive entry into the "No Charge to Charge" program retroactively.

For more information on the "No Charge to Charge" promotion, visit https://www.ez-charge.com/faq/.

*Buyers of a new Nissan LEAF are eligible for a rebate of $0 to $4,000 from the Illinois Alternative Fuels Rebate Program. Lessees are not eligible. For more information on terms of the rebate program, visit:  www.illinoisgreenfleets.org/rebates/index.

**Consumers can find chargers eligible for "No Charge to Charge" at www.ez-charge.com/stations,PlugShare.com or via the PlugShare app for iOS or Android.