Core themes announced for ACT Expo: Organizers of the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo announced the core themes for this year’s event, to be held April 30-May 3 at the Long Beach Convention Center. The six core agenda themes planned 
for the 2018 ACT Expo are: trucking efficiency for reducing the cost burdens of a trucking fleet; connected vehicle technologies; commercial electric vehicles; alternative fuels; urban mobility through congested, polluted cities; and goods movement. Keynote speakers and panelists will explore issues such as fuel efficiency improvement strategies and drivetrain electrification will be key focal points, set against the backdrop of increased use of alternative fuels, innovative powertrain solutions and economic and environmental fleet sustainability. The ACT Expo show floor will give attendees hands-on access to the wide range of advanced clean transportation solutions available.
BYD SkyRail: BYD has launched an autonomous driving system for its monorail – BYD SkyRail in the city of Yinchuan in northwest China. The system, a BYD creation, is combined with Huawei’s proprietary 4.5G eLTE technology to offer seamless connectivity that allows data to be transmitted securely, while ensuring a safe ride for passengers. It signifies an upgrade for the SkyRail which was first made public in October 2016. At level 4, the vehicle is now fully autonomous and capable of performing safety critical driving functions.
Ford accused of cheating on emissions report: Ford’s F-250 and F-350 Super Duty diesel pickups sold from 2011 to 2017 are releasing emissions as much as 50 times the legal limit of nitrogen oxide pollutants, according to a lawsuit filed by drivers. This took place after Ford rigged at least 500,000 of the pickup trucks to cheat on emissions test, according to the suit. German supplier Robert Bosch GmbH has also been named in the suit. Bosch has been accused to covering up the actual emissions while working with partner Ford Motor Co. “The vehicle’s own on-board diagnostic software indicates emission control system to be operating as Ford intended, even though its real world performance grossly exceeds the standard,” attorney Steve Berman, a managing partner at Hagens Berman, said in the complaint.
VW e-mobility division: Volkswagen announced that it’s creating an e-mobility division that will be part of the company becoming the leader in mass-production electric 
vehicles. Thomas Ulbrich will head the new division as he moves over after having been the brand’s production chief. The German automaker has named five core electric vehicle models as the first wave in its ambitious EV strategy. The I.D. hatchback will go on sale in Europe in 2020. The I.D. Crozz crossover will start sales in the U.S. the same year. The MEB platform will also be used by VW’s Audi, Seat, and Skoda brands.
