Track research & development news alongside market analysis, provider activity, and connected mobility intelligence from PAVE Insight.
ZF Unveils Safety and Motion Systems for Commercial Vehicles
ZF has presented integrated safety, electrification and software-defined vehicle solutions for commercial vehicles, highlighting scalable E/E architectures, ADAS, electrified drivelines and trailer-integrated systems designed to improve efficiency, safety and lifecycle value for OEMs and fleets.
GM, Lockheed Martin to scale munitions manufacturing
General Motors has announced a partnership with Lockheed Martin, which has been facilitated by the US Department of Defence, to scale munitions manufacturing, strengthen supply chains and expand high-rate production capacity under a memorandum of understanding.
Cummins to Supply Natural Gas Generators for Circe Campus
Cummins has agreed to supply high‑horsepower natural gas generator sets and integrated microgrid controls to Circe Energy’s West Texas AI campus, and has scheduled deliveries from 2026 to 2030 to support behind‑the‑meter prime power.
Nissan halves vehicle development cycle to 26 months
Nissan has halved its vehicle development cycle to 26 months, has attributed the acceleration to AI-driven practices learned in China, has validated the approach with the next-generation Skyline, and has planned a broad rollout in fiscal 2026.
Rivian CEO launches separate humanoid robotics firm
Rivian CEO Scaringe has founded Mind Robotics, which has raised over US$1bn and has been established as a separate entity with Rivian as minority shareholder and launch customer; the firm has indicated a product reveal within a year.
Control of the SDV technology stack
The industry has shifted as software-defined vehicles have emerged, and OEMs have faced decisions over architectural control, adopting in-house, hardware-led or collaborative partnership models while emphasising clear strategic direction to preserve long-term ownership.
Dongfeng to mass-produce solid-state batteries in H2 2026
Dongfeng has scheduled mass production and vehicle integration of solid-state batteries for H2 2026, has reported an energy density of 350Wh/kg and has reported test results showing enhanced safety, 30% lighter packs and a potential driving range exceeding 1,000 km.
Modular construction in Australian mining projects
The industry has adopted off-site modular fabrication to address remote locations, labour shortages and schedule pressures, and has reported improved safety, quality and schedule certainty while requiring early engineering and logistics planning.
GMV at Q-EXPO 2026 on scaling quantum technologies
GMV has presented its work on scaling and industrial adoption of quantum computing, communications and post‑quantum cybersecurity at Q‑EXPO 2026, and has highlighted initiatives such as QuKee and Q‑MIND and its participation in the European Quantum Industry Consortium.
Chinese EVs may enter United States via local manufacture
China has expanded its electric-vehicle exports and production capacity worldwide, and exports to North America have risen. US policymakers and automakers have imposed tariffs and regulatory constraints, while industry participants have explored US manufacturing and joint ventures as market-entry routes.
Renault Trucks introduces DE13 R powertrain
Renault Trucks has introduced a DE13 R engine and next‑generation Optidriver gearboxes across its T, T High, C and K ranges, which have delivered up to 4% reductions in fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions and support renewable fuels.
Tierra Demonstrates AI-Driven Fleet Management on AWS
Tierra S.p.A. has presented AI-driven enhancements to its fleet management platform at AWS Summit 2026. It has reported production deployment that has improved user experience, system efficiency and cost metrics through collaboration with AWS.
PySAF develops fractionation to convert bio‑crude to SAF
PySAF has developed a fractionation process that separates fast‑pyrolysis bio‑crude into PyXCrude (for SAF precursors) and PyXSugra, has reached TRL5, and has begun supplying samples while seeking seed funding for UK labs and pilot modules.
Candera releases CGI Studio 3.16 for HMI development
Candera has released CGI Studio 3.16, which has expanded HMI development capabilities with AI-assisted tools, new automotive templates, glTF 2.0 support, iOS, Vulkan and software rendering, and has improved localisation and engine performance.
CATL opens Xiamen energy storage validation institute
CATL has opened a 10-hectare energy storage validation institute in Xiamen, backed by about 3 billion yuan, providing station-level testing across five specialised laboratories to support global certification, grid-integration assessment and asset bankability.
ZF connects Berlin Fire Department fleet
ZF has connected the Berlin Fire Department’s entire fleet of about 1,100 vehicles to its Rescue Connect platform, and has enabled integrated vehicle, crew and control-centre data flows, supporting increased operational transparency and further digitalisation initiatives.
BYD patents composite sulphide solid-state electrolyte
BYD has filed a patent for a composite solid electrolyte membrane and has described a polymer-inorganic fibre network that has been designed to improve ionic conductivity and mechanical strength; the filing has not disclosed commercialisation timelines or performance metrics.
China's patent position in solid-state batteries
An industry analysis has found China has led global solid‑state battery patent filings but has warned that the United States, Europe, Japan and South Korea have accelerated policy support and patent deployment, risking erosion of China’s comparative advantage.
Loop Global installs 64 EV chargers at Boston development
Loop Global has completed a Level 2 installation of 64 chargers at a multifamily development in Hyde Park, Boston, covering 25% of parking; utility incentives have covered about 70% of project costs.
Pilot confirms technical recovery of automotive plastics
The Global Impact Coalition has run a pilot that has demonstrated recovery of automotive plastics but has identified structural value chain barriers to commercial scaling; Phase 2 has engaged OEMs and suppliers to address economics, automation and design for circularity.
451.5 Wh/kg solid-state battery with three-minute charge
Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a solid-state lithium-metal battery achieving 451.5 Wh/kg and a three-minute charge, with 700-cycle stability (81.9% retention at 20C) and a pouch cell that has passed a nail-penetration safety test.
Tesla launches Full Self-Driving in China
Tesla has made its Full Self-Driving system available in China after regulatory delays, while domestic vehicle manufacturers and robotaxi firms have advanced their autonomous technologies, and Tesla has remained fourth in April electric-vehicle wholesales.
WBG Pilot Line to Advance Europe's Semiconductor Capacity
The EU has launched a distributed WBG pilot line to accelerate commercialisation of SiC, GaN and emerging UWBG semiconductors, aiming to strengthen Europe’s value chain, reduce costs and support electrification and telecom applications through lab-to-fab industrialisation.
Cummins raises 2030 targets, expands engine and power capex
Cummins has raised its 2030 financial targets and has announced expanded large-engine capacity and product investments to strengthen its position in mining and power generation markets, and has reaffirmed its strategy and capital allocation priorities.
FLO EV Charging Auburn Hills assets to be auctioned
FLO EV Charging has placed Auburn Hills manufacturing and testing equipment for timed online auction; lots have been scheduled to close at 10:00am ET on 28 May and the sale has been managed by CA Global Partners and BidItUp.
Trimble sponsors SkillsUSA with technology donations
Trimble has announced a sponsorship of SkillsUSA, donating software and training to CTE students and advisers and sponsoring national competitions to support workforce development in construction and related trades.
BYD hires ex‑Nissan engineer for Japan K‑Car launch
BYD has hired former Nissan engineer Hirohide Tagawa and has developed the Racco, an electric kei‑car engineered for Japan’s K‑Car regulations, and has set a summer launch with pricing aligned to mainstream K‑Car bands.
Integration of ELA Innovation Sensors with Ruptela
Ruptela has enabled the parsing of ELA Innovation BLE advertisements and has mapped extracted sensor values to IO parameters, delivering data into telematics records for real‑time monitoring and operational visibility.
Henkel Battery Application Centre in Michigan
Henkel has opened a Battery Application Centre in Madison Heights that has replicated production dispensing with six‑axis robotics and heated pump systems, has supported co‑engineering on adhesive and de‑bonding solutions, and has used digital twin modelling for scale‑up.
AI charging strategy extends EV battery life
Researchers have developed an AI-based rapid-charging strategy that has extended battery equivalent full cycles by 22.9% while keeping average charging time virtually unchanged; the method has used reinforcement learning and has required only software updates, pending physical validation.
ZF Aftermarket installs Euro 7 brake emission test rig
ZF Aftermarket has invested in an in-house brake emissions dynamometer in Spain and has developed the ZF dustIN platform, and has aligned testing capacity to support Euro 7 validation and aftermarket readiness for brake particulate regulations.
AROBS appoints Adina Suciu as Group Transformation Officer
AROBS has appointed Adina Suciu as Group Chief Transformation and Integration Officer to coordinate integration and operational transformation across recent acquisitions and to align processes, teams and governance to support international expansion.
Endeavour Awards 2026 supported by industry sponsors
Manufacturers’ Monthly has presented the 2026 Endeavour Awards, which have been supported by industry sponsors and a collaboration with Australian Manufacturing Week, and organisers have reported increased industry engagement and sold-out attendance in Brisbane.
Cummins Declares Quarterly Dividend of US$2.00
Cummins has declared a quarterly common stock cash dividend of US$2.00 per share, payable on 4 June 2026 to shareholders of record on 22 May 2026.
Inductive system enables at-sea charging for vessels
A Norwegian consortium has developed an inductive plug-and-play charging system enabling battery-powered service vessels to charge at sea, designed to withstand offshore conditions and integrate with wind-farm power, and has been tested under the Ocean Charger project.
Swedish C-ITS Paper Wins Technical Award
At the ITS European Congress in Istanbul, three awards have been presented: the technical paper prize has gone to a Swedish C-ITS safety study; the research prize to a DBSCAN study; and the session prize to a C-ITS deployment session.
University of Toledo awards first ERS research grants
The University of Toledo has awarded inaugural ERS grants to two teams, which have been funded to advance PFAS destruction and AI-driven aerodynamic modelling for eVTOL, and the society has raised $800,000 towards a $1m endowment.
HTS-110 and Stelar launch benchtop 3 T NMR system
New Zealand's HTS-110 and Italy's Stelar have launched a compact, cryogen-free benchtop NMR system with a 3 T variable-field superconducting magnet, which has reduced power requirements and has been offered for order; deliveries have been scheduled for H2 2026.
Q-Free publishes SOC 3 cybersecurity report
Q-Free has made its SOC 3 cybersecurity report publicly available, following its 2023 SOC 2 Type 2 attestation. The report has been published to provide wider assurance of the company’s security, availability and confidentiality controls.
Built and Wesfarmers form modular housing joint venture
Built and Wesfarmers have launched Built Living, an offsite manufacturing joint venture in Western Australia that has been established to scale modular apartment production, has aimed to reduce construction costs and has set initial output for 2028.
Ford's Universal Electric Vehicle platform unveiled
Ford has revealed the Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform, has prepared a roughly $30,000 midsize electric pickup, has opened a Long Beach centre and has said the UEV has been central to Model e reaching breakeven by 2029.
KATSANA and MARA Liner sign fleet digitalisation MoU
KATSANA has signed an MoU with MARA Liner to implement a unified fleet management and CMMS platform, aimed at enhancing visibility, preventive maintenance and operational efficiency across MARA Liner’s bus and heavy vehicle operations.