Companies in Connected Car News (Not Only Auto Industry)

General Motors received quick regulatory approval of its acquisition of Cruise Automation, the three-year-old start-up that has developed a “highway autopilot” product that could accelerate GM’s quest for a fully autonomous car. Read more…

Toyota, looking to gain an edge in the auto industry’s race for technology talent, has recruited the staff at a small Massachusetts-based autonomous-vehicle company to work on its advanced projects. The move reflects a trend among auto industry companies, including car-hailing and other fast-growing startups, to rapidly build their research & development skills by taking over small & specialized companies. Read more…

Ford is going the extra mile with its autonomous car fleet by putting autonomous vehicle entertainment systems into its self-driving cars. Just like an in-flight movie can distract plane passengers from long, boring flights, Ford thinks movie projectors in its autonomous cars could benefit and entertain its passengers while they ride. Read more…

The move, disclosed by Baidu’s chief scientist Andrew Ng in an interview late Tuesday, is a significant step for the company, which is trying to get ahead in the race to build autonomous cars and is now calling on the resources of its Silicon Valley tech center to advance the effort. At the same time, Baidu is advocating for better coordination with the U.S. government. Read more…

Pizza giant Domino’s has unveiled an autonomous pizza delivery robot that is being trialled in New Zealand. The vehicle’s development started in 2015 and was pushed towards commercialisation by Domino’s Australia-based skunkworks DLab. This feature has been incorporated in DRU, which according to Domino’s can dodge hurdles thanks using on-board sensors. Read more…