StradVision, a company developing AI-powered computer vision technology for autonomous vehicles and advanced driver assist systems (ADAS), announced today that German automotive technology supplier ZF Friedrichshafen AG ("ZF") has acquired a 6% stake in the company. As part of the investment, the two companies will expand their portfolio of perception and safety technology for autonomous vehicles. ZF is one of the world's largest automotive component suppliers. The company's products are found in many vehicles from the world's top automakers, including BMW and Toyota Motor Corp. ZF offers a full portfolio of components and systems for active and passive safety technology, which more recently focuses on the four fields of autonomous driving, electromobility, integrated safety and vehicle motion control, including steering systems. ZF's autonomous driving technology also includes the ZF ProAI high-performance processor and vehicle software supporting ADAS and self-driving functions.

To help make the process faster and cheaper, Ford recently sought the help of a four-legged robot dog made by Boston Dynamics, a subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate SoftBank Group Corp. "It's a huge breakthrough for us," said Mark Goderis, digital engineering manager at Ford. The robot, nicknamed "Fluffy" by one of Ford's digital engineers, weighs 70 pounds and is equipped with five cameras that give it 360-degree vision, letting it observe what's in front of it and avoid obstacles. It can climb stairs and stabilize itself on slippery surfaces and metal grates using optimization algorithms. It can also access hard-to-reach areas within the plant, as long as they are at least 2 feet wide. The robot dog, officially called "Spot" by Boston Dynamics, costs $74,500.

To help make the process faster and cheaper, Ford recently sought the help of a four-legged robot dog made by Boston Dynamics, a subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate SoftBank Group Corp. "It's a huge breakthrough for us," said Mark Goderis, digital engineering manager at Ford. The robot, nicknamed "Fluffy" by one of Ford's digital engineers, weighs 70 pounds and is equipped with five cameras that give it 360-degree vision, letting it observe what's in front of it and avoid obstacles. It can climb stairs and stabilize itself on slippery surfaces and metal grates using optimization algorithms. It can also access hard-to-reach areas within the plant, as long as they are at least 2 feet wide. The robot dog, officially called "Spot" by Boston Dynamics, costs $74,500.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles FCAU 0.92 % NV Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne said Friday he is open to deepening a new partnership with Alphabet Inc. GOOGL 1.46 % 's Google autonomous-car team, but said it is unclear if the Silicon Valley tech giant is willing to forge stronger ties. Mr. Marchionne, speaking at factory in Canada, said Fiat Chrysler is seeking collaborations with tech companies instead of independently funding significant bets on projects that might not pan out. "We are exploring with people who are willing to explore with us," he said, referring to deepening ties to the point of codeveloping new, autonomous vehicles from the wheels up. The company has said in the past it wants to partner with many auto makers. Fiat Chrysler earlier this week said it would supply dozens of Chrysler Pacifica minivans to Google, and the two companies will collaborate on integrating self-driving technology so the vehicles can be tested on public roads.