Research Articles

Tesla's recent recall could have cost it billions of dollars, but instead, an over-the-air software update was all that was required to fix an issue affecting over 2 million vehicles.

Living near a building site will no longer mean being woken up at the crack of dawn by such loud revving engines thanks to the electrification of construction vehicles. Future operators will soon be utilizing screens to control machines in a safer, calmer environment, and one day, machines could dig holes themselves as the industry advances and moves closer towards automation.

Due to rising labor costs and labor shortages, coupled with the surge in e-commerce and logistics demands, the mobile robotics market is rapidly expanding. IDTechEx's forecast indicates that the annual market size for mobile robotics in logistics and delivery is set to approach US$150 billion, marked by a robust double-digit compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next two decades.

Gas sensor technology makes the invisible - visible. This technology has the potential to identify a huge range of gaseous sources, allowing users to quantify air quality and smells. In this article, IDTechEx explores the variety of applications within the environmental gas sensor market.

Variable renewable energy (VRE) penetration is expected to continue increasing across the globe, and with this will come increasing variability and uncertainty in energy and electricity supply. Energy storage systems will be needed to dispatch energy over longer timeframes when energy from VRE sources is not available.

Copper is a key mineral for the automotive industry, used ubiquitously across the wiring harnesses market. Its demand is set to grow due to electric vehicle and autonomous vehicle megatrends. IDTechEx's brand new report "Copper Demand for Cars 2024-2034: Trends, Utilization, Forecasts" finds the automotive copper demand will reach 5MT (1MT = 1 billion kilograms) of annual demand in 2034.

Driver monitoring systems (DMS) have gained considerable momentum, driven by the escalating SAE autonomous driving levels and regulatory frameworks in key regions like the USA, Europe, China, Japan, and others.

Thursday 14 December 2023 - The definition and classification of SDVs, and how they differ from traditional vehicles; The key features and benefits of SDVs, such as over-the-air updates, in-vehicle payments, AI-powered digital assistants, and infotainment; An introduction to Connected Vehicle technologies and terminologies. Key regional regulations related to V2X technology for China, the US, Europe, Japan, South Korea, and India; The main players and partnerships in the V2X ecosystem; An insight into current and forecasted market size and penetration of Connected and Software-Defined Vehicles

Could cars with perfect night vision one day be a possibility? With a more heightened awareness of their surroundings in low visibility conditions thanks to short wave infrared (SWIR) image sensors, vehicles are on the road to visualizing beyond what the human eye can see. The powerful combination of new SWIR sensors with radar technology will allow cars to think fast and accurately to determine their surroundings, keeping passengers safe any time of the day.

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are used ubiquitously in daily life, and the demand for Li-ion batteries has continued to increase over the last decade, including in consumer electronics and portable devices, electric vehicles (EVs), and stationary energy storage systems.

In the ever-evolving landscape of visual technologies, one innovation shines brilliantly - MicroLED displays. These remarkable displays are poised to disrupt the industry, and IDTechEx are going to delve into the incredible potential of MicroLED technology. The journey through this transformative landscape is guided by the insights from IDTechEx's extensive report, "Micro-LED Displays 2024-2034: Technology, Commercialization, Opportunity, Market and Players".

Computers on wheels. That's how people currently see cars. Practically everything that happens in a vehicle is being monitored and actuated by a microcontroller, from opening windows to calculating the optimal fuel-air mixture for the current torque demand. But the surface has only just been scratched in terms of how much computing power is making its way into vehicles.

Tuesday 12 December 2023 - Material Innovations in Electrolyzers for Green Hydrogen Production - Introduction to the hydrogen economy and water electrolyzer technologies; Overview of incumbent electrolyzer materials and components; Key innovations needed in electrolyzer materials and components; Electrolyzer component market outlook

On the 28th November 2023, a plane flew from London to New York. For the first time in history, this transatlantic flight was 100% powered by sustainable alternative fuels. This rounds off a promising year for sustainable fuels in aviation. Earlier in 2023, ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation was adopted by the European Union, mandating a 70% sustainable aviation fuel blending obligation by 2050.

The vast majority of new trucks produced today are powered by diesel engines, but this is expected to change, as with other on-road vehicle sectors. The magnitude of greenhouse gas emission reductions required to reach national targets necessitates a total decarbonization of the truck business over the next 30 years. This will only be possible if zero-emission powertrains are widely deployed.

Flytrex is one of the leading companies in autonomous drone delivery. In 2022, the company reported a 765% increase in deliveries after achieving regulatory approval from the Federal Aviation Agency to begin its automated drone delivery services in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Founded in 2013, Flytrex has made significant efforts in developing their autonomous drones for delivery services. However, as a common barrier for the drone industry, it takes Flytrex a long time before they get the green light from regulatory bodies.

Wednesday 13 December 2023 - The current state of the zero-emission truck market; What zero-emission trucks need to deliver for commercial rollout; Key enabling technologies: batteries/motors / charging infrastructure; Battery vs fuel cell powertrains; IDTechEx's outlook for zero-emission truck deployment

The battery deservedly takes the major focus when it comes to technology development in EVs. But an EV's powertrain has to act holistically to operate with optimal performance and interact with the passenger cabin's conditioning system. This means that the thermal management of the motors, power electronics, and how this all interacts is just as important as the battery.