Latest news with #R2
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
How Rivian is using software to compete with rivals
Rivian (RIVN) is expected to start delivering its R2 SUV in 2026. One of the big things the company is focusing on with both the R2 and its existing fleet is software. In the video above, Rivian's chief software officer, Wassym Bensaid, shares the importance of software to the next generation of vehicles. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Asking for a Trend here. I lead the software team at Rivian. And my team is responsible for the entire technology stack that underpins Rivian vehicles. And then the end-to-end user experience that we provide to our customers. In parallel, and then since November, I'm the co-CEO of the joint venture that we have with the VW Group, which is delivering reference platforms to Rivian to the VW brands and then eventually, our goal is to have that for other brands as well. Wassim, you mentioned, you know, software, software-defined vehicles, VW, right? Is that what that deal is all about? Is basically Volkswagen saying, Hey Rivian, you guys have great software. You know, we're talking about a vehicle that they were able to update the software to make the suspension better, believe it or not. Is that what we're talking about here when we talk about software-defined vehicles? That's exactly it. I mean, when you look at the technology trends in automotive technologies, like electrification, autonomy, connectivity, they are resulting in much bigger amounts of software. And customers now have very high expectations in terms of the end-to-end experience. And modern architecture require a lot of software to really power and unlock that experience. The R2 prototype, Wassim, is on the streets. It's been It's being tested. What do you love about it? Give me Give me the feedback. I love it. First of all, you have seen that wrap. I mean, it's it's so awesome. We have it. Yeah. I think we have it. We have it here. But R2 is a program we're extremely excited about the R2. R2 brings the essence of the Rivian brand, great design, great interior, great drive dynamics, great technology, but then into a price point that will be accessible by a much broader set of customers. So, there's no day where we don't get requests from customers, when can I get my R2? It's really the culmination of a long journey in terms of building our technology, so that we can get it into a vehicle that many more customers can now access. So talk to me about your also the co-head, you mentioned like you mentioned of the JV between Volkswagen and Rivian. What does that entail and are we going to see that R2 technology kind of flow into VW vehicles, for instance? Yeah, exactly. I mean, think about it as the R2 is the platform that will underpin actually all future EV products at VW. So, it's really that modular, scalable technology stack that we will take into VW brands. And we will do it in a way where we will still allow each of the brands to express their own identity. Each brand will have their own UI, look and feel. Each brand will have their own suspension tuning, as you mentioned, but underneath, the guts of the vehicle will be optimized based on the same technology and software architecture. There are questions out there, Wassim, about R2 scalability. Walk me through how you're thinking about that dynamic. Scalability, you mean, from which standpoint? Well, the ability to get as many of those many of them out there as people want. Yes. I mean, everybody is waiting for the R2. Everybody is exciting about the R2. It's the absolute number one priority for the customer. And I think what we are really excited about is when you look at from the technology standpoint, the R2 is an evolution of the architecture that we introduced with our gen two vehicles. And there's a ton of lessons learned that went into how we make the R2 from a technology standpoint, from engineering, from manufacturing. And that is allowing us to really not only make progress, but we're extremely happy with the maturity of R2 compared to where R1 was at the same time from a program standpoint. With the R2, you're going after the Model Y. So walk me through why your product is superior, Wassim. What is setting you apart? I mean, first of all, the the Model Y is a great product, and I think kudos to Tesla who have designed and built a fantastic product. R2, as I mentioned, brings really like everything which is beautiful about the Rivian DNA. That great design, that great interior, great storage, great drive dynamics, the Rivian drive dynamics and then all this technology content into the same price point as the Model Y. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
How Rivian is using software to compete with rivals
Rivian (RIVN) is expected to start delivering its R2 SUV in 2026. One of the big things the company is focusing on with both the R2 and its existing fleet is software. In the video above, Rivian's chief software officer, Wassym Bensaid, shares the importance of software to the next generation of vehicles. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Asking for a Trend here. Sign in to access your portfolio
The Citizen
a day ago
- The Citizen
Benoni Flying Squad officers back in court for kidnapping, extortion case
Three members of the Benoni Flying Squad, who face charges of kidnapping and extortion, made another brief appearance in the Kempton Park Magistrate's Court this morning. Kempton Express reports that the case was postponed to July 8 for the docket and further investigation to be completed. This follows a previous delay on April 8, when it was revealed in court that the investigating officer was attending training and had yet to finalise the investigation. The accused officers were arrested by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) on December 2 last year, just days after an alleged incident involving the extortion of a salon owner at Norkem Mall on November 24. According to IPID, the three officers approached a 38-year-old salon owner and began questioning her about her business documentation. She reportedly indicated that all required papers were displayed on the premises. The officers then requested her ID, which she handed over. It is further alleged that the officers demanded to search her residence. Once there, they insisted on accessing a safe and demanded cash, reportedly extorting a total of R42 000, although they allegedly demanded R60 000. The incident was later reported to IPID, which launched an investigation and subsequently arrested the officers. During their initial court appearance on December 3, each officer was granted R2 000 bail, which was extended again today. The trio has not yet entered a plea. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Daily Maverick
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Maverick
Understanding shingles: Risks, vaccination gaps, and the quest for better health solutions
The only shingles vaccine on the market in South Africa was discontinued in 2024. A newer and better vaccine is being used in some other countries, but has not yet been registered in South Africa, though it can be obtained by those with money who are willing to jump through some hoops. Shingles is a common and painful condition that mostly affects the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. It generally appears with a telltale red rash and cluster of red blisters on one side of the body, often in a band-like pattern. 'Shingles is pretty awful to get – it's extremely painful, and some people can get strokes, vision loss, deafness and other horrible manifestations as complications,' said infectious disease specialist, Professor Jeremy Nel. 'Shingles really is something to avoid, if at all possible.' One way to prevent the viral infection is to get vaccinated. But while two vaccines against shingles have been developed and broadly used in the developed world, neither is available in South Africa. Two vaccines Zostavax, from the pharmaceutical company MSD, was the first vaccine introduced to prevent shingles. It was approved for use in the US in 2006 and in South Africa in 2011. It is 51% effective against shingles in adults over 60. A more effective vaccine, Shingrix, which is more than 90% effective in preventing shingles, was introduced by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in the US in 2016. It is not yet authorised for use in South Africa, but GSK has submitted paperwork for approval with the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra), said company spokesperson Kamil Saytkulov. The superior protection offered by Shingrix compared with Zostavax quickly made it the dominant shingles vaccine on the market. As a result, MSD discontinued the production and marketing of Zostavax. MSD spokesperson Cheryl Reddy said Zostavax was discontinued globally in March 2024. Before then, the vaccine was sold in South Africa's private healthcare system for about R2,300, but it was never widely available in government clinics or hospitals. No registered and available vaccine Since Zostavax has been discontinued and Shingrix remains unregistered, the only way to access a vaccine against shingles in South Africa is by going through the onerous process of applying to Sahpra for a Section 21 authorisation – a legal mechanism that allows the importation of unregistered medicines when there is an unmet medical need. 'Access will only be available to those who are able to get Section 21 approval' and 'this is a costly and time-consuming process, requiring motivation by a doctor,' said Dr Leon Geffen, director of the Samson Institute for Ageing Research. The cost of the two-dose Shingrix vaccine imported through Section 21 authorisations is currently about R15,600, said Dr Albie de Frey, CEO of the Travel Doctor Corporate. People who seek Section 21 authorisation typically have to pay for this out of their own pockets. 'Shingrix is not covered [by Discovery Health] as it is unregistered in South Africa and is therefore considered to be a General Scheme Exclusion,' Dr Noluthando Nematswerani, chief clinical officer at Discovery Health, told Spotlight. The Department of Health did not respond to queries about whether Section 21 processes are being pursued for priority patients in the public sector or whether there has been any engagement with GSK on the price of this product. People who receive organ transplants, for example, should be prioritised to receive the shingles vaccine since the medications they are given to suppress their immune system puts them at high risk of developing shingles. Why is the price of Shingrix so high? Unlike South Africa, where companies must sell pharmaceutical products at a single, transparent price in the private sector, the US has no such requirement. Even so, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) pays $250 (R4,600) for the two-dose Shingrix vaccine through CDC contracts. This is less than a third of the charge when Shingrix is imported to South Africa. Equity Pharmaceuticals, based in Centurion, Gauteng, is importing GSK's Shingrix for patients who receive Section 21 authorisations to use the unregistered vaccine. It is unclear what price Equity Pharmaceuticals is paying GSK for Shingrix to be imported under Section 21 approvals, or what its mark-up on the medicine is. Asked about the price of Shingrix in South Africa, Saytkulov told Spotlight: 'Equity Pharmaceuticals is not affiliated with GSK, nor is it a business partner or agent of GSK. Therefore we cannot provide any comments with regards to pricing of a non-licensed product, which has been authorised for importation through Section 21.' Equity Pharmaceuticals also said it was difficult to comment on the price. 'The price of a Section 21 product depends on a number of fair considerations, including the forex rate, the quantity, transportation requirements, and the country of importation. Once the price and lead time are defined for an order, the information is shared with the healthcare provider to discuss with their patient and the medical aid,' the company's spokesperson, Carel Bouwer, said. Nematswerani pointed out that 'Section 21 pricing is not regulated' and that the price can change due to many factors including supplier costs, product availability and inflation. What causes shingles? Shingles is caused by the same highly infectious virus that causes chickenpox. Most people are infected with the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) during childhood. Chickenpox occurs when a person is first infected by VZV. When a person recovers from chickenpox, the VZV virus remains dormant in their body but can reactivate later in life as the immune system weakens. This secondary infection that occurs, typically in old age when the dormant virus reactivates, is called shingles. People who were naturally infected with chickenpox, as well as those vaccinated against chickenpox with a vaccine containing a weakened form of the VZV virus, can get shingles later in life. But, people who were vaccinated against chickenpox have a significantly lower risk of developing shingles later in life compared with those who naturally contracted chickenpox, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The chickenpox vaccine is available in South Africa's private sector but is not provided in the public sector as part of the government's expanded programme on immunisation. Chickenpox is usually mild in most children, but those with weakened immune systems at risk of severe or complicated chickenpox should be vaccinated against it, said Professor James Nuttall, a paediatric infectious diseases sub-specialist at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and the University of Cape Town. Who should be vaccinated against shingles? South Africa does not have guidelines for who should receive the shingles vaccine and when. The US CDC recommends that all adults older than 50 receive the two-dose Shingrix vaccine. It also recommends that people whose immune systems can't defend their body as effectively as they should, like those living with HIV, should get the vaccine starting from age 19. While Shingrix works better than Zostavax at preventing shingles, it has other advantages that make it a safer and better option for people with weak immune systems. The Zostavax vaccine contains a weakened live form of the VZV virus and thus poses a risk of complications in people with severely weakened immune systems. 'In the profoundly immunosuppressed, the immune system might not control the replication of this weakened virus,' explained Nel. The Shingrix vaccine does not contain any live virus and therefore does not present this risk. In March 2025, the WHO recommended that countries where shingles is an important public health problem consider the two-dose shingles vaccine for older adults and people with chronic conditions. '[T]he vaccine is highly effective and licensed for adults aged 50 and older, even if they've had shingles before,' according to the WHO. It advised countries to weigh up how much the vaccine costs with the benefits before deciding to use it. The cost of not vaccinating against shingles The cost of not vaccinating against shingles is high for people who develop the condition, as well as the health system. '[T]he risk of getting shingles in your lifetime is about 20 to 30%… by the age of 80 years, the prevalence is almost 50%,' said Geffen. 'Shingles is often a painful, debilitating condition, with significant morbidity. It can result in chronic debilitating pain which affects sleep, mood and overall function,' he added. Beyond preventing shingles and its complications, new evidence suggests that getting the vaccine may also reduce the risk of developing dementia and heart disease. In April, a large Welsh study published in Nature reported that people who received the Zostavax vaccine against shingles were 20% less likely to develop dementia seven years after receiving it compared with those who were not vaccinated. In May, a South Korean study published in the European Heart Journal reported that people vaccinated against shingles had a 23% lower risk of cardiovascular events, such as stroke or heart disease, for up to eight years after vaccination. DM
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Staff and management at Mbombela school at loggerheads over alleged mismanagement
A whistleblower close to the school says management has created a toxic workplace, but the department have given the school their backing. The working conditions at a high school in Mbombela have some questioning the methods of the new administration. Information shared from those close to the school depicts a tense atmosphere, characterised by alleged favouritism and intimidation. However, the department has backed the school's management, saying that matters have improved considerably since the full-time appointment of a new principal less than two years ago. Whistleblower concerns Since the start of the year, a source inside Lowveld High School has documented several major concerns they shared with The Citizen. The whistleblower, who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal, said concerned staff members feel trapped as all avenues of complaint involve officials with aligned interests. Principal Elmon Thela officially took office in January 2024, but the whistleblower noted concerns over the appointment, which was signed off by an official currently facing accusations of tender irregularities. Mpumalanga head of department Lucy Moyane was this week placed on precautionary suspension for her alleged role in a R2 million laptop procurement deal. The source said that approaching the highest office in the province's education structure, the MEC, would be futile, as management claims to have the department's backing. 'Management is creating a toxic environment where they are suggesting that they can harm people,' the source said, explaining that staff are allegedly threatened with reminders about the province's high level of unemployment. Staff absenteeism The source explained that heavy workloads and assigned tasks, some outside their core responsibilities, were causing staff to feel dejected. Attendance registers provided to The Citizen show a high level of absenteeism, which the whistleblower attributes to a decline in mental health. 'Staff morale is at an all-time low, with teachers especially being absent from school. 'An air of viciousness and toxicity reigns, and this translates to at least seven teachers being absent from school daily. 'Management has created an environment where there is fear. If you are seen not to be doing what they want you to do, you are targeted. If you raise issues, you are targeted,' they explained. Complaints are directed not only at the principal and his management team but also at the SGB chairperson, who has been blamed for enabling the current situation. 'We need a thorough investigation. Things are not right at the school,' the source said. Unions sidelined Recruitment is another area of concern, with the source alleging that interview processes are compromised due to the lack of an interview committee. The whistleblower claimed that a minority union is given preferential access, while the two unions with the largest staff representation are kept in the dark. 'There have been numerous interview processes this year. We are aware of three currently where there has been no union involvement. As a consequence of this, appointments are being made irregularly,' the source stated. This preferential treatment, the sources said, is visible in general human resources issues where the absenteeism and dress code of some staff are ignored, while others are closely scrutinised with snide remarks. Full support from the department The Mpumalanga education department has fully supported the school's management, stating that results have drastically improved. 'The information at the disposal of the department states to the contrary the allegations levelled against the school in question,' department spokesperson Gerald Sambo told The Citizen. 'Since the introduction of the current principal, there has been impressive stability in the school. Almost all stakeholders are satisfied with the positive inroads that the school is making,' 'The results of the school are improving, as well as the conditions for learning and teaching. The challenges which were there are now a thing of the past,' Sambo explained. The spokesperson noted that the school's matric results had improved from 89.6% in 2022 to 96.4% in 2024, the principal's first full year in charge. 2024's matric class featured 253 students, 85 of whom earned passes that would allow them to study at a tertiary facility. 'To suggest that this is outstanding will be an understatement. All that is needed is to support the principal and his management,' said Sambo. 'Any person who has a different view or challenge is encouraged to contact the Department,' Sambo concluded. NOW READ: R2 million laptop saga triggers disciplinary action in Mpumalanga education department
