Some of today’s prototypes for fully autonomous systems consume two to four kilowatts of electricity — the equivalent of having 50 to 100 laptops continuously running in the trunk, according to BorgWarner Inc. The supplier of vehicle propulsion systems expects the first autonomous cars — likely robo-taxis that are constantly on the road — will be too energy-hungry to run on battery power alone. Engineers don’t have much time to resolve this, as companies are planning to deploy their first fully self-driving cars in the next couple of years. Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo, which started an experimental service ferrying people around in its self-driving cars in Phoenix earlier this year, has been using Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivans. “If you are trying to maximize your utilization” of an autonomous vehicle, a battery-electric car “is really restrictive for your business,” Jim Farley, Ford’s president of global markets, told investors on Oct. 3.

Source: thestar October 11, 2017 18:00 UTC