Automaker "frenemies" - CNBC

When you have a KEY bit of technical know-how in a space where bitter rivals are cooperating so they can get the technical job done... that's a good place to be.

A very small, very high resolution LiDAR for self-driving cars or ADAS.... that's a nice thing to have in your portfolio.

This article mentions nearly every automaker in the world.



From Ford to Volkswagen, rivals become frenemies to share the cost and risk of building self-driving cars -- CNBC

The sheer cost and technological burden of developing self-driving cars, electric vehicles and other advancements has companies that have historically been fierce competitors becoming, at the very least, frenemies. They're forming new alliances, joint ventures and agreements to help develop and build new technologies that may take years to get to market and even longer before turning a profit. While some Odd Couple alliances are more successful than others, all share a common cause.

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Volkswagen announced almost a year ago that it plans to spend $40 billion to develop autonomous and electrified vehicles through 2022. It is expected to invest billions more by 2025 when it hopes to have 50 all-electric vehicles filling out the product lineup of brands ranging from mainstream Seat, Skoda and VW to exclusive marques Audi, Bentley and Lamborghini. And the German automaker isn't alone.