US local time on July 5, GM's autopilot Cruise Company announced that the US National Security Council approved a $ 2.25 billion for the Softbank investment companies.
The two sides in May 2018 reached investment intentions, but due to the escalating before the Sino-US trade friction, Softbank as the two countries have a large number of investment projects of Japanese companies, faced with the US Committee on Foreign Investment (CFIUS) review of numerous .
According to informed sources, the investment can be approved, because both the Softbank and commitment to the US authorities Cruise Cruise autopilot technology will not be used to Softbank. In other words, the complete works of investment capital level, the two sides is difficult to cooperate in the technical aspects of the follow-up (unless the end of the Sino-US trade war)
But no matter what, this will be the largest single investment sum autopilot field development has got to get after the investment, Cruise became a common back, Softbank, Honda Big Three auto pilot companies.
Softbank investment by good news, Friday's close, GM shares rose 0.89% to $ 38.5, market capitalization of $ 54.608 billion.
Autopilot largest single investment in the field of birth
, Reuters reported Friday, GM's autopilot Cruise company announced more than a year the company reached an agreement with Softbank long investment finally passed the US Committee on Foreign Investment in review. The investment amounted to 2.25 billion US dollars, it is the largest single investment in a single field of development so far autopilot harvest.
The two sides reached in May last year investment intentions, but escalating trade war between China and the US, so Softbank company in China and the US have a large number of investment projects by the US National Security Council scrutiny.
Since Softbank and Chinese companies such as Tencent and pieces have extensive cooperation, the United States worried that the company's investment in Cruise, will make autopilot technology flows to the Cruise drops.
Therefore, the US Committee on Foreign Investment approved by the premise of this investment is to communicate autopilot technology prohibited between Cruise and Softbank, the cooperation is limited to the capital level.
Softbank spokesman for the prohibition of technology flows declined to comment on the issue, the US Treasury official leading the US Committee on Foreign Investment also did not respond to interview requests Reuters.
However, investment by Softbank will to fight within the board Cruise to a seat, to participate in the company's daily operations.
The investment will be divided into two steps, Softbank'll be starting a Cruise invest $ 900 million, the remainder of the investment will expand the scale of deployment when autonomous vehicles in the Cruise. It is understood that the second part of the investment will be subject to a rigorous examination of regulatory authorities again. After completing the two-part investment, Softbank will receive a 20% stake in Cruise companies, with October last year, Honda's investment in Cruise, Cruise's market value will move up to $ 14 billion.
Cruise CEO Dan Ammann optimistic about the investment, he said:. "This investment is the realization of our large-scale development and deployment of autonomous vehicles is an important step."
In reaching investment intentions last year, Cruise has said that once the investment is reached, the company will probably be landing autopilot commercial projects in 2019.
Who Cruise that? General unmanned carry handle
By 2016, GM to heavily rumored $ 1 billion (then disclose earnings prove the acquisition cost of capital of 580 million US dollars) to acquire the autopilot startups Cruise Automation.
Subsequently general route on autopilot clear: General Internal mainly autopilot technology R & D L3 level and below, and has achieved "SuperCruise" super cruise function on Cadillac's flagship model CT6, can liberate in the US high-speed road driver hands ( but we must keep the focus on the road ahead)
The Cursie Automation was originally founded in 2013, its founder Kyle Vogt who worked on the Audi driver assistance modules. After the takeover by GM, Cruise to become more responsible in the general system L4 level autopilot research and development of core strength.
Cruise Automation founder and CEO Kyle Vogt
Chevrolet Bolt EV electric vehicle based on GM's own, Cruise established in California reached 94 large unmanned test fleet. Cruise technically route selected multi-sensor fusion, which is also multi-lidar pieces scheme lidar coupling low harness. Up to now, no general car Cruise AV has iterated to the fourth generation, the installation of the ordinary radar 21, the camera 16 and the laser radar 5, and cancels the steering wheel and accelerator pedal brake.
Cruise unmanned vehicle long-term road test in San Francisco USA. In August last year, Cruise open its internal staff in San Francisco autopilot network of about vehicle testing, the user is able to download a reservation APP Cruise unmanned vehicles, although the car still has engineers monitoring.
According to the California DMV DMV published on autopilot drive test results, GM Cruise 2019 Nian test 447,641 miles throughout the year, during which only appeared 86 times autopilot function Exit / out, each with an average of 5205 miles only once required human intervention situation will arise. On every thousand of miles from the reference measure autopilot capabilities, universal Cruise score after Google Waymo.
To seize the high ground unmanned application
has been above L4 unmanned, because high technical requirements and implementation costs, are considered in a short time can not be commercialized. The valley in which the song leader, during the trial operation finally began commercial projects after 10 years of research up, and the car still left security officer.
Prior to the commercialization of last year, Google Waymo CEO John Krafcik has frequently sound to indicate Waymo will achieve unmanned commercialization. Prior to this, Google's one hundred unmanned Pacifica has opened a trial run in the Phoenix area. And earlier, Google also reached a cooperation with Jaguar Land Rover, which will be pure electric car I-Pace introduced into their unmanned fleet.
Although passenger car OEMs believe that unmanned nowhere in sight, but in Google's plan, unmanned network about cars become high-grade autopilot can be the first landing scene.
It is also common Cruise view. When launched the third generation Bolt AV, Cruise said they would realize unmanned commercialization in 2019. According to Francisco Cruise trial run, the form will be driverless taxi.
Daikin the main investment, Softbank, has been traveling the layout of the field on a global scale. Softbank is also the largest shareholder with a bit Uber, and Softbank investment autopilot has reached nearly home is huge. By astronomical investment, Softbank is gaining future travel industry dominance.
The Uber Softbank investment, after its CEO expressed its willingness to cooperate on autopilot and Waymo. In the current, Cruise and Waymo is competition. Analysis, Softbank investment Uber existence of strategic cooperation reached with GM and Cruise next to net about possible mass deployment of unmanned vehicles in the Uber platform. And because Cruise backed by GM, Cruise Waymo stronger than the ability of large-scale deployment of unmanned vehicle. Softbank investment in its statement, has expressed this point. This switched the car something of: Bear, Cover: Oriental IC