Technology

Plus Together with TRATON GROUP Brands Scania, MAN, and International Launch Global Release of Level 4 Autonomous Trucking Software in Europe and the U.S. and Move to Next Phase of Commercializing Autonomous Trucks

Published

2 months ago

October 30, 2024

SANTA CLARA, Calif. and MUNICH, Oct. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Plus together with the TRATON GROUP brands Scania, MAN, and International marked the successful completion of their initial phase of collaboration to bring driverless trucks to the world. The milestone was achieved by the release of the Beta 5.0 version of Plus’s Level 4 AI-based autonomous driving software, SuperDrive™, which is now operational in TRATON autonomous trucks in Europe and the U.S. and after months of public road testing on both continents. The companies have also mapped hub-to-hub routes for phased commercial deployment in Texas.

“Deploying a global product requires seamless integration across people and technology. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made in our Level 4 autonomous trucking program with Plus, and excited to move to the next phase of our collaboration, which will include continued technology development in addition to fleet trials in Texas in the coming months,” said Peter Hafmar, Vice President and Head of Autonomous Solutions at Scania, leading the coordination of Autonomous Solutions for the TRATON GROUP.

The achievement highlights the commitment to excellence from the TRATON GROUP brands and Plus, as well as the power of international collaboration. Teams in Sweden, Germany, and the U.S. worked in close partnership to ensure seamless deployment of the autonomous driving software. This included establishing a well-defined process for software release and testing, which now features a structured cadence: offline testing, closed-course evaluations, and extensive public road testing in both Europe and the U.S.

With Texas being a strategic transportation hub in the U.S. and home to a number of major trucking routes, International and Plus plan to use it as the start of their autonomous hub-to-hub transport operations in the U.S. and expand the route to other states and eventually cover the U.S.

Shawn Kerrigan, COO and Co-founder at Plus, said: “Today’s milestone exemplifies Plus’s ability to quickly deliver a safe and scalable AI-centric autonomous driving system that can already operate on two continents for the TRATON GROUP. The next phase of fleet pilots will help fleets gain a practical understanding of how to integrate our autonomous trucks into their operations, and the safety and efficiency benefits these trucks bring.”

The software was meticulously developed with global deployment in mind, necessitating a high level of coordination between the European and American teams across multiple brands and locations. The approach included:

A Defined Testing Process: Implementing a regular and thorough testing regimen to ensure reliability and performance.Feature Metrics and Autonomy Readiness: Developing a robust system to track key feature metrics and assess overall system readiness for autonomous operations.Global Product Alignment: Aligning on a global product roadmap while architecting software that accommodates differences in sensor placement and low-level actuation for different vehicle designs.Feature Consistency Across Platforms: Ensuring that all features perform effectively on both EU and U.S. platform variants, including compatibility across localization, perception, planning, and control layers.

Deployment of the common autonomous driving software is made possible by Plus’s cutting-edge generative AI technology and months of public road testing and validation. The autonomous trucks can now operate under different weather conditions from snow in Sweden to extreme heat in Texas. SuperDrive™ also dynamically adjusts to the behavior differences of road users and diverse driving conditions on both continents.

About Plus
Plus is an AI company whose mission is to build driving intelligence to power a safer and greener world. Plus’s autonomous driving solutions span from driver-out SuperDrive™, to highly automated PlusDrive®, next-gen safety technology PlusProtect™, and model-based perception software PlusVision™. Headquartered in Silicon Valley with operations in the U.S., Europe, and Australia, Plus is named by Fast Company as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies. Plus’s large AI models are already powering vehicles in commercial use today. Partners including Bosch, dm-drogerie markt, DSV, Hyundai Motor Company, IVECO, Luminar, Nikola, Scania / MAN / International of the TRATON GROUP, and Transurban are working with Plus to accelerate next-generation transportation solutions. For more information, visit www.plus.ai or follow Plus on LinkedIn and YouTube.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/plus-together-with-traton-group-brands-scania-man-and-international-launch-global-release-of-level-4-autonomous-trucking-software-in-europe-and-the-us-and-move-to-next-phase-of-commercializing-autonomous-trucks-302290975.html

SOURCE PlusAI, Inc

Technology

XTransfer and OCBC Jointly Announce Comprehensive Partnership

Published

11 minutes ago

December 23, 2024

“Global Multi-Currency Accounts” Empowers SMEs with New Market Opportunities

SHANGHAI, Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — XTransfer, the World’s Leading & China’s No.1 B2B Cross-Border Trade Payment Platform, and OCBC, the second largest financial services group in Southeast Asia, jointly announced the comprehensive partnership. OCBC China will leverage the OCBC Group’s extensive regional network and resources in its key markets of Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, Malaysia and Indonesia to collaborate with XTransfer to provide small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) engaging in international trade with one-stop innovative cross-border financial solutions, including payment, FX, risk control and wealth management. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on 18 December 2024 by Bill Deng, Founder and CEO of XTransfer, and Ang Eng Siong, CEO of OCBC China.

Bill Deng, Founder and CEO of XTransfer, stated, “This collaboration marks a significant milestone for XTransfer, greatly enhancing our global payment capabilities. By leveraging OCBC’s extensive global payment network, XTransfer saves a substantial amount of market costs and accelerates our business expansion in Southeast Asia, saving on local expansion efforts. XTransfer looks forward to expanding its business with OCBC in the future in a variety of areas, including wealth management and lending, and is looking forward to working with them to capture the vast opportunities in Greater China and ASEAN.”

Ang Eng Siong, CEO of OCBC China, said, “OCBC uses Singapore and Hong Kong as our twin-hubs, radiating out to Greater China and ASEAN regions. XTransfer’s business development plans in these areas align closely with our network layout. As XTransfer’s global account manager, OCBC China will support XTransfer and its clients in facilitating cross-border settlements through close collaboration with various business subsidiaries of the group. This will help meet the growing demand for cross-border development and business growth, helping them achieve their aspirations in Greater China and ASEAN.”

XTransfer and OCBC collaborate in several areas of cross-border business. In particular, XTransfer leverages the strong banking networks and service capabilities of OCBC to offer its customers the “Global Multi-Currency Account” provided by OCBC Hong Kong, allowing clients to make payments and collect funds globally. The Global Multi-Currency Account supports not only major currencies, such as the Renminbi, US Dollar, British Pound, Euro, etc., but also currencies from ASEAN and various countries and regions. This will benefit SMEs in foreign trade settlement in the corresponding countries and enhance global cross-border trade efficiency. The partnership will provide XTransfer’s over 550,000 clients and their buyers with more payment and collection options. Additionally, clients can make payments and collect funds through CHATS or FPS, the local clearing network in Hong Kong, offering convenience similar to local bank transfers.

In recent years, trade exchanges between China and ASEAN have become increasingly close. According to data from XTransfer, from January to September 2024, the amount received by small and medium-sized foreign trade enterprises on the XTransfer platform from ASEAN grew by 80% compared to the previous year. The partnership between XTransfer and OCBC will address this growth in international trade by SMEs, and help them capture opportunities in trade and capital flow between China and ASEAN.

XTransfer continues to build its global payment infrastructure for foreign trade through partnerships with renowned international banks and financial institutions. This partnership with OCBC brings XTransfer a new upgrade in its global payment infrastructure, offering substantial benefits to global cross-border traders. By utilising the Global Multi-Currency Account provided by OCBC Hong Kong, buyers can easily make payments in various currencies to overseas suppliers and collect funds from worldwide customers. This partnership is expected to enhance cross-border trade by significantly broadening the payment methods and scope for SMEs.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/xtransfer-and-ocbc-jointly-announce-comprehensive-partnership-302338240.html

SOURCE XTransfer

Technology

TECHTRONIC INDUSTRIES JOINS THE UN GLOBAL COMPACT

Published

11 minutes ago

December 23, 2024

DEMONSTRATES TTI’S COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS AND PRACTICES

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Global cordless power tool, outdoor power equipment and floorcare company Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd. (“TTI” or the “Company”) (stock code: HK:0669, ADR symbol: TTNDY) today announced that it has joined the United Nations Global Compact, reaffirming its dedication to sustainability and social responsibility. With over 25,000 signatories in over 160 countries, the UN Global Compact is the world’s largest voluntary corporate sustainability reporting initiative. By joining, TTI is committing to communicating its progress to stakeholders annually through our ESG Report and UN Global Compact’s website.

TTI’s CEO Steve Richman remarked: “As the industry pioneer in lithium-ion battery-powered, energy efficient power tools and outdoor power equipment, TTI’s commitment to sustainable products and business practices has long been a fundamental part of the way we do business. We began publishing ESG reports in 2015 and we aligned our goals and targets with the UN Sustainable Development Goals in 2018. Every year we make progress in areas including safety solutions, noise reduction, supply chain traceability, decarbonization, and governance. While we have demonstrated our commitment, by joining the UN Global Compact, we have officially aligned our sustainability strategy with the Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption.”

As part of TTI’s ongoing sustainability efforts, our objective is to implement initiatives that deepen our support of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace culture. We are dedicated to advancing our sustainability journey, setting measurable goals, and continuously monitoring our progress.

Learn more about TTI’s efforts by reading our latest ESG publications here. Our 2024 ESG report will be published in March 2025.

About TTI

Techtronic Industries Company Limited (“TTI” or the “Company”), founded in 1985 by German entrepreneur Horst Julius Pudwill, is a world leader in cordless technology. As a pioneer in Power Tools, Outdoor Power Equipment, Floorcare and Cleaning Products, TTI serves professional, industrial, Do It Yourself (DIY), and consumer markets worldwide. With more than 50,000 employees globally, the company’s relentless focus on innovation and strategic growth has established its leading position in the industries it serves.

MILWAUKEE is at the forefront of TTI’s professional tool portfolio. With global research and development headquartered in Brookfield, Wisconsin, the historic MILWAUKEE brand is renowned for driving innovation, safety, and jobsite productivity worldwide. The RYOBI brand, headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, remains the top choice for DIYers and continues to set the standard in DIY tool innovation. TTI’s diverse brand portfolio also includes trusted brands like AEG, EMPIRE, HOMELITE, and leading floorcare names HOOVER, ORECK, VAX, and DIRT DEVIL (based in Charlotte, North Carolina).

TTI’s international recognition and renowned brand portfolio are supported by a strong ownership structure that underscores the company’s global reach and stability. The Pudwill family remains the company’s largest shareholder, with the remaining ownership held largely by institutional investors at North American and European-owned firms. TTI is publicly traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and is a constituent stock of the Hang Seng Index, operating globally with a strong commitment to environmental, social, and corporate governance standards. For more information, visit www.ttigroup.com.

All trademarks listed other than AEG and RYOBI are owned by the Company. AEG is a registered trademark of AB Electrolux (publ.) and is used under license. RYOBI is a registered trademark of Ryobi Limited and is used under license.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/techtronic-industries-joins-the-un-global-compact-302338242.html

SOURCE Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.

Technology

New 2025 ezPaycheck Paycheck Payroll Software Is Now Available from Halfpricesoft.com

Published

11 minutes ago

December 23, 2024

REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Halfpricesoft.com has just announced the release of 2025 ezPaycheck payroll software for support for small businesses, freelancers, and sole proprietors as well as many other clients. The new ezPaycheck includes 940, 941, W2 and W3 forms and 2025 tax tables.

Clients can still acquire the 2024-2025 bundle version at a cost reduction for a limited time. For those utilizing the 2024 ezPaycheck please note:

Do NOT install this new version before you complete 2024 paychecks. ezPaycheck 2025 installation will update the tax tables. With ezPaycheck 2025, you can still access your 2024 paychecks, view reports and print 2024 W2 forms.

Dr. Ge stated, “The software, ezPaycheck 2024 and 2025 is still available for purchase to those clients that need to process year-end tax forms.”

Priced at just $169 per installation for a single installation of 2025 ezPaycheck software. The bundle 2024-2025 version is $199 for a limited time. ezPaycheck payroll software is affordable for any business. With paycheck software, business owners can easily calculate taxes, deductions, and other payroll-related tasks. Potential clients are welcome to download ezPaycheck free demo version with no obligation and no risk at halfpricesoft.com

Despite its cost and ease of use, Accountants, CPA and Tax Professionals should not assume ezPaycheck 2024 runs short on features. ezPaycheck 2025 is packed with all the features a business needs to run payroll quickly and easily, including:

Supports daily, weekly, biweekly, semimonthly and monthly payroll periods. Features report functions, print functions, and pay stub functions.Automatically calculates Federal Withholding Tax, Social Security, Medicare Tax and Employer Unemployment Taxes.Includes built-in tax tables for all 50 states and the District of ColumbiaEasily calculates differential payPrints miscellaneous checks as well as payroll calculation checksPrints payroll checks on blank computer checks or preprinted checksCreates and maintains payroll for multiple companies, and does it simultaneouslyPrints Tax Forms NEW 943 Form, 940, 941, W2, and W3 (Copy A preprinted form required)Supports multiple accounts at no additional chargeSupports network access to share data from different computers and locations (additional cost)30 day no cost trial. No registration required and absolutely no obligation

ezPaycheck is compatible with Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, and other Windows systems. We also sell a MAC version separately.

ezPaycheck payroll software is affordable for any size business. Customers seeking a way to simplify payroll processing with more accuracy to start the no-obligation 30-day test at https://www.halfpricesoft.com/index.asp

About halfpricesoft.com

Halfpricesoft.com is a leading provider of small business software, including online and desktop payroll software, online employee attendance tracking software, accounting software, in-house business and personal check printing software, W2, software, 1099 software, accounting software, 1095 form software, and ezACH direct deposit software. Software from halfpricesoft.com is trusted by thousands of customers and will help US Business owners simplify payroll processing and streamline business management.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-2025-ezpaycheck-paycheck-payroll-software-is-now-available-from-halfpricesoftcom-302332837.html

SOURCE Halfpricesoft.com