Why on earth are hospital workers still forced to recycle N95 respirators when Detroit automakers with no aircraft experience were able to start turning out dozens of planes daily in less time than we’ve been dealing with the virus?

Most people would agree that the proverb, "The squeaky wheel gets the grease," is not meant to be taken literally. To them, the expression conveys the idea that the most important problems are the ones most likely to get attention.

Staking is ideal for assembling plastic parts. It's quick and inexpensive. It can join dissimilar materials. It eliminates the cost of fasteners and adhesives, and it allows engineers to loosen the tolerances for molded parts.

Most model railroad enthusiasts love to build custom layouts piece by piece. However, some hobbyists prefer to purchase a preformed layout that includes track and scenery, all they have to do is plug it in and start running their trains.

While the trend of autonomous driving is also catching on in off-highway vehicles, the use cases are very different compared to on-road vehicles where the main purpose is to move from Point A to Point B on their own with help of onboard sensors and systems.

This special roundup feature looks at recent OEM technology moves aimed at plugging in future transportation.

Traditional OEMs face a challenge in the coming years as new competitors and fresh approaches to personal transportation appear. Daimler and Volvo are two of the old-guard leaders preparing for the new battle. According to recent interviews, full assaults on the IT (information technology) and safety fronts are just two of the highlighted strategies being deployed.

The most important criterion for autonomous vehicles is safety. To ensure this, a completely safe perception of the surrounding environment must be the first step.

This year kicked off where 2018 finished when a huge number of developments were announced in autonomous and connected vehicles. The biggest platform for these reveals, demonstrations, and announcements was the CES 2019 Show in Las Vegas, which saw an unprecedented amount of automotive applications being showcased and a glimpse given to a world that is fast becoming a reality.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have become vital tools for the production of next-generation automated vehicles, particularly because of the need to recognize and react to the nearly infinite number of scenarios encountered on real-world roads.