[단독외신] Tesla ‘very close’ to next step in self-driving, Elon Musk says
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Tesla is “very close” to bringing its self-driving car tech to the next level, chief executive Elon Musk said Thursday.
In remarks made via video message at the opening of Shanghai’s annual World Artificial Intelligence Conference, Musk said that he is “confident” that Tesla will achieve “the basic functionality for level 5 autonomy” this year, meaning that vehicles will be able to navigate roads without any driver input.
The distinction would continue to put Tesla at the forefront of the autonomous driving industry, a space where it is competing with Uber and Alphabet-owned Waymo, who are both investing billions of dollars in self-driving efforts.
Tesla currently builds cars with an Autopilot driver-assistance system, which helps Tesla drivers steer, accelerate and brake automatically in their lane, but asks them to keep their hands on the steering wheel at all times.
The Palo Alto, Calif.-based Tesla has been criticized for the name of its Autopilot tech, with Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) calling it “an inherently misleading name” because the cars cannot actually fully drive themselves.
Tesla Autopilot has been involved in five fatal crashes since 2016, including a grisly accident in Mountain View, Calif., just 15 minutes away from the company’s headquarters, which left the driver dead after his Model X hit a highway divider.
Musk also said Thursday that Tesla is also developing new heat-projection or cooling systems to enable more advanced computers in its cars.
Shares of Tesla were up 2.4 percent Thursday morning, trading at $1,398.99. It is now the most valuable automaker on earth with a market cap of $259 billion.
[단독외신] Hollywood production craters as coronavirus halts most filming
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"Wonder Woman 1984" starring Gal Gadot is one of the huge Hollywood releases postponed because of the coronavirusAP
Movie and TV production screeched to a halt last quarter as stay-at-home orders brought filming to a standstill in Tinseltown, according to a new report.
Unsurprisingly, production in Los Angeles plummeted 97.8 percent, to just 194 shooting days, compared with the April to June year-ago period, a FilmLA study said.
The stark report, which called the second quarter “a near total loss for on-location filming,” said the period marked the “lowest filming levels on record.” That’s linked to the fact that production remained shut from March 20 to June 15 due to the coronavirus.
“The first shutdowns we saw in March were voluntary, and it was hoped they could be temporary. Looking back, it was hard to imagine the impact the pandemic would have on entertainment projects in progress, and the economic security of local cast, crew, and production vendors,” said president of FilmLA Paul Audley.
During the second quarter, television production was down 98.2 percent, to 52 shoot days, as commercial production slid 95.5 percent, to 58 shoot days, and feature film production declined 99.7 percent, to 3 shoot days.
Even as Hollywood has been given the green light to go back to work, the report described the return to work as “gradual and cautious.”
“The good news is that production is starting to responsibly return, with advertising shoots, commercials, and limited television production now coming online,” offered Audley. “All permitted filming must comply with health orders as issued by county authorities. The measure of compliance we’re seeing is a real help in keeping the industry on the road to recovery.”
[단독외신] Harley-Davidson cuts 500 jobs in latest round of layoffs
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Harley-Davidson on Thursday said it will lay off 500 employees this year as part of new Chief Executive Jochen Zeitz’s efforts to revive the struggling motorcycle maker.
As part of the overhaul, Chief Financial Officer John Olin will leave the company effective immediately. Darrell Thomas, treasurer, will become interim chief financial officer, it said.
Harley-Davidson’s sales have been declining for the past five years in the US, its largest market, as its baby-boomer customer base ages. The economic pain caused by the coronavirus pandemic has further dented retail demand.
In response to weak sales, the Milwaukee-based company has cut production, leading to 140 job cuts last month at its factories in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
The latest cuts are in addition to those layoffs, a company spokeswoman said.
Zeitz, who took over in February, is hailed for turning around the Puma brand’s near-bankrupt business.
His restructuring strategy, dubbed The Rewire, is aimed at making Harley a leaner and more nimble organization. It seeks to reset product lines, focus on the company’s core strengths and prioritize profitable markets.
“Significant changes are necessary, and we must move in new directions,” Zeitz said.
Harley said the measures announced on Thursday will lay the foundation for a five-year strategic plan to revive sales that the company expects to share in the fourth quarter.
In all, the restructuring will eliminate 700 positions globally. It will result in a $50 million restructuring charge in 2020, including $42 million in the second quarter.
While the overhaul is expected to be completed by the end of the year, Harley said it will likely cause additional restructuring charges in 2021.
The company will provide more details of the financial impact in its second-q
[단독외신] Muji files for US bankruptcy in latest coronavirus casualty
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A man walks in front of a Muji store closed by the coronavirus in New York City.
Trendy Japanese retailer Muji’s US business filed for bankruptcy Friday, making it the latest corporate casualty of the coronavirus crisis.
The minimalist home-goods chain plans to close some unprofitable stores and renegotiate rents in the US after the pandemic forced its 18 American locations to shut down in March, according to its Tokyo-based parent company, Ryohin Keikaku.
Muji USA started the Chapter 11 restructuring despite announcing plans in May to reopen a handful of stores, where it sells simply designed dishes, beauty products and other items. The business has liabilities of $50 to $100 million, according to its bankruptcy filing.
Muji is the latest chain to fall victim to the COVID-19 crisis that has pushed several major retailers into bankruptcy in recent months, including J.Crew, JCPenney, Neiman Marcus and Brooks Brothers.
Ryohin Keikaku said the US bankruptcy won’t affect its business in other markets. It has 975 stores around the world under the Muji and IDÉE banners, including more than 400 in its home base of Japan.
The company has nevertheless suffered as the pandemic shut retail stores worldwide and shut consumers in their homes to stop the virus from spreading. Ryohin Keikaku reported a net loss of about 4.1 billion yen ($38.5 million) for the quarter that ended May 31, compared with a net profit of roughly 6.6 billion yen ($61.7 million) in the year-earlier quarter.
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