Airbus, Local Motors Partner on Printed Cars, Drones
European aerospace Airbus SE and Phoenix-based Local Motors Inc. are launching a joint venture to use 3D printing techniques to make passenger drones and self-driving vehicles.
European aerospace Airbus SE and Phoenix-based Local Motors Inc. are launching a joint venture to use 3D printing techniques to make passenger drones and self-driving vehicles.

Their 50:50 venture, called Neorizon, plans to set up a “microfactory” in Munich, the Financial Times reports. The partners have worked together less formally since 2016.
LMI has been striving since 2007 to develop a high-speed 3D printing process for vehicles. The company has been touting its technology with Olli, a self-driving electric shuttle designed for use on campuses and urban areas. The vehicle can carry 12 occupants at speeds of 25 mph (40 kph) or less.
Neorizon envisions customers using small local plants to “print” vehicles on demand, according to FT. LMI Founder Jay Rogers says his company’s technology is proven and ready for commercialization.
RELATED CONTENT
-
Cobots: 14 Things You Need to Know
What jobs do cobots do well? How is a cobot programmed? What’s the ROI? We asked these questions and more to four of the leading suppliers of cobots.
-
On Fuel Cells, Battery Enclosures, and Lucid Air
A skateboard for fuel cells, building a better battery enclosure, what ADAS does, a big engine for boats, the curious case of lean production, what drivers think, and why Lucid is remarkable
-
GM Develops a New Electrical Platform
GM engineers create a better electrical architecture that can handle the ever-increasing needs of vehicle systems