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VW, Kuka to cooperate on robots that help EV owners

MS
By:
Maria Sheahan
July 07, 2017 05:00 AM

FRANKFURT -- Volkswagen Group and robot maker Kuka are expanding a cooperation to develop ways that robots can help drivers of electric and autonomous vehicles, the automaker said in a statement on Friday.

Europe's biggest carmaker last year announced a multi-billion-euro shift to embrace electric cars and new mobility services as it battles to overcome its diesel-emissions cheating scandal.

Among other things, VW and Kuka, which was recently bought by Chinese home appliance maker Midea, are working on a system to hook up electric cars to charge points with the help of robots, VW said in its statement.

"The driver simply has to position the electrically powered automobile in a designated parking space. The robot takes care of connecting up the charging cable for the driver," it said, adding the two companies were also making plans to develop other concepts.

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