2015-10-19
October 19, 2015
Self-Driving Cars Are Coming Right For Us
Stephen C. Oct 16 "... It seems like every billionaire
with a tech company is working on a self-driving car, so
they're coming whether you like it or not..." [See Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O05htLHWuE) Hmmmm....
Well worth watching. As well as [Video1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjxyBMA6lXI),
[Video2,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yCAZWdqX_Y)
[Video3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrwxEX8qOxA),
[Video4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY9oeCa4ATw),
[Video@night](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYBV9Dqmsxs):-) Alain
Tesla’s Cars Now Drive Themselves, Kinda
M. McHugh Oct 14 "TONIGHT, TESLA MAKES its cars
autonomous. Well, semi-autonomous. And it did it with an
over-the-air update, effectively making tens of thousands
of cars already sold to customers way better.
There are two things to talk about here. There's the small
story about the features and what the upgrade actually
looks like and how it works. That's a good place to start:
This is the biggest change to the visual display of the
Model S and X ever. There are new instrument panels, app
windows are larger and take up more of the 17-inch
touchscreen. Drivers will now get more information about
what their cars are doing when in Autopilot, they can lock
and unlock their car from the status bar. There's a new
clock!.." [Read more](http://www.wired.com/2015/10/tesla-self-driving-over-air-update-live/)
How human nature could foil Tesla’s new autopilot
M. McFarland, Oct 16 "When Tesla owners activate their
car's new autopilot feature, a warning appears in a small
box at the bottom of the dashboard: Always keep your
hands on the wheel. Be prepared to take over at any time"....
Early signs indicate that it's wishful thinking to expect
Tesla drivers to keep their hands on the wheel. You can
already find plenty of videos of drivers on YouTube
cruising around without holding the wheel. Perhaps
ironically, tech reporters given early access to test the
technology have been some of the worst offenders." [Read more](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2015/10/16/how-human-nature-could-foil-teslas-new-autopilot/) Hmmmm... All part
of getting started. We
are going to need to get through this early phase. (No
other way to get to a later phase!) Alain
Tesla Autopilot First Ride: Almost as Good as a New York Driver
R. Sorokanichash, Oct 15 “We got to take a brief spin behind the wheel of Tesla’s new semi-autonomous Autopilot feature in the thick of New York City traffic…..”Read more
Mercedes-Benz’s self-driving big-rig proves that autonomous vehicles are coming sooner than we think
B. Logan, Oct 6 "A Mercedes-Benz big-rig just made history
by driving itself on a public road. It's the first time a
production-model big-rig has been driven semi-autonomously
in traffic, on an open highway. ..."[Read more](http://uk.businessinsider.com/mercedes-self-driving-big-rig-on-a-public-highway-2015-10?r=US&IR=T)
Some other
thoughts that deserve your
Demand for NYC Taxicabs in 2013: Exploring the Potential for Ride-Sharing
A. J. Swoboda, Oct. 2015 "...while others search for
next-generation physical technologies to solve this modern
transportation problem, an effective solution may be
possible with current technology on existing
infrastructure – dynamic ridesharing. Using
highly-detailed data of all Taxi & Limousine
Commission trips taken in Manhattan and the surrounding
boroughs of New York City during 2013 as a proxy for
on-demand, personal, door-to-door transportation demand of
NYC, this research examines characteristics of the current
system and investigates how various ridesharing policies
could perform if they were implemented as an enhancement
to the existing system. ... [Read more](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/SmartDrivingCars/Papers/Swoboda-2013NYC-TLC-PAVE102015-1.pdf)
NEW ALLSTATE POLL FINDS AMERICANS MOSTLY EMBRACE DIGITAL REVOLUTION
Oct 1, 17 “The 24th quarterly Allstate/National Journal Heartland Monitor Poll asked Americans across the country how technology is reshaping their lives. The poll explored how in many cases the Digital Revolution has made their lives easier, and how, in some areas, it has given Americans cause for concern….Driverless cars are viewed positively by one-in-four (24 percent) and negatively by 38 percent. “Read more See also The Atlantic Hmmmm… We have a “way to go” to get the public buy-in, but given that it is completely hypothetical at this point (essentially no one has ridden in a car when the driver wasn’t steering), the 24 percent positive is a good basis to work from. Alain
Traveler Needs & UK Capability Study
TSC-IN-Oct15-V01Oct 2015, “…found the UK traveller to be progressive and ready for new developments in mobility:
■ 53% always look for ways to optimise their journeys.
■72% have smartphones – 54% of which already consider it
essential to their travel experience.
■ 57% would not mind sharing their data for better
services and 32% would share their possessions with
others.
■ 39% would consider driverless cars today.
■ 31% of journeys made today in the UK would not have
been made if alternative means were available that did
not necessitate physical travel (i.e. 'virtual
mobility') ... "[Read more](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/SmartDrivingCars/PDFs/UK-TravellerNeedsStudyOct2015.pdf)Hmmmm... Interesting. Alain
White House honors UMTRI’s James Sayer for innovation in transportation
Oct 15, “UMTRI’s James Sayer will be honored at the White House this week for his leadership in advancing connected and automated transportation. Sayer, a research scientist at UMTRI and deployment director for the U-M Mobility Transformation Center,…“ Read more Hmmmm… Congratulations Jim! Alain
Jaguar Land Rover and EPSRC announce £11 million autonomous vehicle research programme
Press release, Oct 9, “…The research, which will take place at ten UK universities and the Transport Research Laboratory, was announced today by Secretary of State for Business, Sajid Javid during a visit to Jaguar Land Rover’s facility at Gaydon in Warwickshire.
As part of its strategic partnership with Jaguar
Land Rover, EPSRC issued a joint call for
research proposals that focussed on developing
fully autonomous cars: Towards Autonomy - Smart
and Connected Control (TASCC)..." [Read more](http://www.automotiveitnews.org/articles/share/1013141/)
Introducing Schlep: The Uber Run By Jewish Mothers
T Gildin “…Introducing, Schlep: the first on-demand car service that uses “Jewish Geography” navigation. Rather than having a driver who doesn’t speak English or has little to say, Schlep provides a nice Jewish mother to chew your ear off until you get to your final destination… “Read more See video Hmmmm… Just for fun (and if you need something to eat, See video i-Shiva) . Alain
Recompiled Old
News :
Infineon CEO Says Robot Cars Will Drive Semiconductor Demand
P. Singer "...Speaking in a keynote address at SEMI's
Semicon Europa's Fab Manager's Forum in Dresden,
Germany, Ploss outlined the "drivers" behind the
evolution of robot cars and autonomous cars and what we
might expect in terms of semiconductor requirements.
Ploss expects a slow evolution to fully autonomous cars,
but eventually the experience may be no different than
what stepping into an elevator and pushing a button is
like today...
In terms of added semiconductor content, Ploss said a
partially automated car will have about $100 in added in
semiconductor content (today's cars already have about
$330 in semiconductor content. A highly automated car
would have $400 added and a fully automated would have
about $550 (Figure 3)..." [Read more](http://semimd.com/blog/2015/10/12/infineon-ceo-says-robot-cars-will-drive-semiconductor-demand/)
Half-baked
stuff that probably doesn't deserve your time:
Mercedes-Benz Releases ‘Back To The Future’-Inspired Videos Of Driverless F 015
S. Killebrew, Oct 16, " The luxury automaker released
three short clips of the "Back to the Future"-inspired
videos on Mercedes-Benz TV with the caption, "The F 015
Luxury in Motion spot Reveal. Happy Back to the Future
Day." ..." [Read more](http://www.autoworldnews.com/articles/15655/20151016/mercedes-benz-releases-back-future-inspired-videos-driverless-f-015.htm), See Videos 1, 2 Hmmm...One
vision of the future ??? Alain
###
C’mon Man! (These
folks didn't get/read the memo)
###
Calendar
of Upcoming Events:
###
###
November 4-6, 2015http://www.podcarcity.org/siliconvalley
###
http://www.automatedfl.com/our-efforts/florida-automated-vehicles-summit/
###
###
##
Technix 2016 Envision Automated Transit (EAT) Saturday, January 9th, 2016
9:30 am – 4:00 pm
Kim Engineering Building, University of
Maryland
8228 Paint Branch Dr., College Park, MD
20742
Open to the public
http://www.advancedtransit.org/library/news/technix-2016-envision-automated-transit-eat/
Recent Versions
of:
#
###
October 15, 2015
###
Tesla’s autopilot lets cars drive, change lanes themselves
D. Durbin Oct 14 “Electric car maker Tesla Motors is leapfrogging competitors with a new autopilot system that lets cars change lanes by themselves.
Like other semi-autonomous systems
already available from Mercedes, Audi
and Volvo, Tesla's system automatically
keeps the car within its lane and
maintains a certain distance from the
car in front, both at highway speeds and
on city streets. It can find a parking
spot and parallel park itself. It also
uses cameras and sensors to warn drivers
about potential side impacts.... Tesla CEO Elon Musk said
the system is also unique because it
will constantly collect data from actual
drivers and improve itself. The system
will note, for example, how quickly
drivers can safely navigate a particular
bend in the road or where stop signs are
located....
The autopilot update will be added to around 60,000 vehicles worldwide, including Model S sedans made after September 2014 and Model X SUVs. Owners
will get the system through a software
update starting Wednesday evening in
North America..." [Read more](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/teslas-autopilot-lets-cars-change-lanes-by-themselves/2015/10/14/f876d44c-72b6-11e5-ba14-318f8e87a2fc_story.html)
Hmmmm....
The lane changing is an impressive
substantive enhancement!
Congratulations Tesla. Alain
October 08, 2015
###
US urged to establish nationwide Federal guidelines for autonomous driving
Oct 7 “The US risks losing its leading global position in the development of self-driving cars if it allows a patchwork of varying state laws and regulations to develop, according to Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars.
In a speech to be delivered Thursday at
a high level seminar on self-driving
cars organized by Volvo Cars and the
Embassy of Sweden in Washington DC, Mr
Samuelsson will say...
He will urge regulators to work closely with car makers to solve controversial outstanding issues such as questions over legal liability in the event that a self-driving car is involved in a crash or hacked by a criminal third party.
Mr Samuelsson will clearly state Volvo's
position on both of these contentious
issues.
He will say Volvo will accept full liability whenever one if its cars is in autonomous mode, making it one of the first car makers in the world to make such a promise.
He will add that Volvo regards the hacking
of a car as a criminal offense.
...."[Read more](https://www.media.volvocars.com/global/en-gb/media/pressreleases/167975/us-urged-to-establish-nationwide-federal-guidelines-for-autonomous-driving)
Hmmmm… Fantastic!!! This will really “shake ‘em up”. I’ll be on a panel at this meeting later this morning. Can’t wait!!! This is FANTASTIC!!!Alain See also 02, 2015
###
“60 Minutes” test-rides Mercedes-Benz self-driving car
Oct 2 “As Google’s driverless cars have logged more then a million miles in the past six years, the rest of the auto industry is racing to keep up. Computer scientist Ralf Herrtwich hits the road with “60 Minutes” correspondent Bill Whitaker to demonstrate Mercedes-Benz’s most advanced self-driving prototype. Watch the full story Sunday on “60 Minutes.” Watch video and watch 60 minutes on Sunday Oct 4. This is really becoming mainstream. Congratulations Ralf! Alain September 26, 2015
As Volkswagen Pushed to Be No. 1, Ambitions Fueled a Scandal
D. Hakim, Sept 26 “…It is not Volkswagen’s first run-in with regulators over emissions. When the United States began regulating tailpipe pollutants in the 1970s, Volkswagen was one of the first companies caught cheating. It was fined $120,000 in 1973 for installing what became known as a “defeat device,” technology to shut down a vehicle’s pollution control systems. This time, it equipped its vehicles with software that was programmed to fake test results, an action the E.P.A. rebuked in 1998, when it reached a $1 billion settlement with truck-engine manufacturers for doing the same thing…..
Cheating on emissions tests solved
several issues at once. Not only were
drivers rewarded with better mileage and
performance, but the automaker also
avoided more expensive and cumbersome
pollution-control systems. While
Volkswagen cheated behind the scenes, it
publicly espoused virtue. This, after
all, is the company that used one of the
largest advertising arenas in the world,
the [Super Bowl, to run a commercial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljI2S7rwZ1Y%20)showing
its engineers sprouting angel's wings.
...Confronted again, Volkswagen
continued to maintain that there was a
problem with the testers, not the
vehicles...Government officials then
increased the pressure on the company,
threatening to withhold approval for its
2016 Volkswagen and Audi diesel models.
According to the E.P.A., that is what
forced Volkswagen's hand. On Sept. 3, a
group of senior engineers admitted what
the regulators had suspected: .... " [Read more](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/27/business/as-vw-pushed-to-be-no-1-ambitions-fueled-a-scandal.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0) Hmmm...So
UGLY!!! Alain
September 14, 2015
###
###
Automakers Will Make Automatic Braking Systems Standard in New Cars
B. Vlasic, Sept 11 “ Federal regulators said on Friday that 10 automakers had agreed to install automatic braking systems, which use sensors to detect potential collisions, as standard equipment in new vehicles.
But the automakers have not set a
timetable for the introduction of the
systems, ...Anthony Foxx, [the transportation secretary, said](http://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/us-dot-and-iihs-announce-historic-commitment-10-automakers-include-automatic-emergency) in
a prepared statement that emergency
braking technology could reduce traffic
deaths and injuries.
"We are entering a new era of vehicle
safety, focusing on preventing crashes
from ever occurring, rather than just
protecting occupants when crashes
happen," Mr. Foxx said....
The 10 companies "will work with
I.I.H.S. and N.H.T.S.A. in the coming
months on the details of implementing
their historic commitment," the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration
said in [a statement](http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Press+Releases/nhtsa-iihs-commitment-on-aeb-09112015) (Same
as the DoT Statement.) [Read more](http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/09/12/business/automakers-will-make-automatic-braking-systems-standard-in-new-cars.html) Hmmm...
This
is major because the automakers "had
agreed..." rather than "the
regulators had required..."
(although there seems to be a
little push-back in that "...had not
set a timetable..." We do know that
many are now offering these systems
at a modest up-sell. So there may
actually be substance in the
announcement.) What is clear now is
that we should all Invest in
insurance companies that are
creative in insuring these new
vehicles!!! They are going to
become so profitable! Insurance
gets the cash benefit of the
technology without having to pay for
it!!! Wow!!!Congratulations Warren
Buffett. He must have played a role
in this. He stands to benefit so
much. :-) While trucks are
mentioned, (amazing that
buses aren't; DoT is SO BAD!!),
they seem very much the
stepchild. SO unfortunate! :-( Alain
28, 2015
Truck Safety Out of the Box from Autonobox
B Simpson, July 19, 2015 “The premise is promising. Develop and market a plug-and-play, forward-avoidance braking system for the heavy vehicle market that can be installed quickly, upgraded regularly, and even transferred from vehicle to vehicle if necessary.
The Autonobox System essentially is a
second braking system for heavy-duty
vehicles that addresses the
long-standing problem of brakes that
overheat after intense use like a
panic-stop or sustained use while going
downhill.... [Read more](http://www.driverlesstransportation.com/truck-safety-out-of-the-box-from-autonobox-9450) Hmmm...A
viable after-market retro-fit
opportunity. Alain
2015
###
Lipinski Continues Efforts to Keep Cars and Other Transportation Safe from Cyber Attacksin Wake of Fiat Chrysler Recall
July 28 “…These vulnerabilities pose great risks and the federal government must do more to help protect Americans from these risks.”
Late last year, the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, originally introduced by Congressmen Lipinski, was signed into law. The Act increases the security of federal networks and information systems, improves the transfer of cybersecurity technologies to the marketplace, trains a cybersecurity workforce, and coordinates and prioritizes federal cybersecurity research and development efforts. “ Read more Hmmm…
Besides protecting we must also
prosecute. There has to be bad
consequences and not notoriety to
those that do the nasty deed. Alain
2015
###
###
###
Center for Automated Road Transportation Safety @ Fort Monmouth is Launched
Monday, July 20, 2015 – “After more than three (3) years of planning and several major meetings the substantive launch the Center for Automated Road Transportation Safety @ Fort Monmouth (CARTS@FM) occurred this week with the establishment of the not-for-profit. (501(c) (6)), New Jersey Corporation. The mission of this Center is to substantially improve safety on our existing conventional roadway infrastructure through the use of inexpensive automated collision avoidance systems installed on individual vehicles operating harmoniously with conventional vehicles throughout most, if not all, existing roadways. The scope of CARTS’s mission is across all modes that utilize the nation’s conventional road system: trucks, buses and cars. ..” Read more 2015
###
Rep. Lipinski Introduces Future Transportation Research and Innovation Act
I. Sancken 03/29/15, “Congressman Dan Lipinski (IL-3) has introduced H.R. 2886, the Future Transportation Research and Innovation for Prosperity (TRIP) Act, to support innovative technologies that have the potential to fundamentally alter mobility in America and beyond.
"Surface transportation used to be
rather staid and unimaginative, but
today the very concept of 'mobility' is
being reinvented through research,
innovation, and entrepreneurship," said
Rep. Lipinski. "Rapidly advancing
automation, connectivity, and
information technologies are creating
incredible opportunities for
transportation innovation. We need to
develop innovative ways to improve
safety, ease congestion, improve
personal mobility, and cut energy
use..." [Read more](http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/la-grange/community/chi-ugc-article-rep-lipinski-introduces-future-transportatio-2015-06-29-story.html#page=1)
Hmmm... Excellent! Alain
10, 2015
###
NTSB Calls for Immediate Action on Collision Avoidance Systems for Vehicles; Cites Slow Progress as Major Safety Issue
6/8/15 “ WASHINGTON – In a report released today, the National Transportation Safety Board outlined the life-saving benefits of currently available collision avoidance systems, and recommended that the technology become standard on all new passenger and commercial vehicles.
"You don't pay extra for your seatbelt,"
said Chairman Christopher A. Hart. "And
you shouldn't have to pay extra for
technology that can help prevent a
collision altogether."... [Read more](http://www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/PR20150608b.aspx) Hmmm
Yea!!! Finally some semblance
of sanity in Washington. Alain
2015
###
###
John F. Nash Jr., Math Genius Defined by a ‘Beautiful Mind,’ Dies at 86
E. Goodmay, May 24 “…Dr. Nash and his wife, Alicia, 82, were in a taxi on the New Jersey Turnpike in Monroe Township around 4:30 p.m. when the driver lost control while veering from the left lane to the right and hit a guardrail and another car, Sgt. Gregory Williams of the New Jersey State Police said.
The couple were ejected from the cab and
pronounced dead at the scene. The State
Police said it appeared that they had
not been wearing seatbelts.... [Read more](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/25/science/john-nash-a-beautiful-mind-subject-and-nobel-winner-dies-at-86.html)
See also: [John, Alicia Nash Remembered After Fatal Crash](http://www.towntopics.com/wordpress/2015/05/27/john-alicia-nash-remembered-after-fatal-crash/)
A Beautiful Mind Mathematician John Nash and His Wife Killed in N.J. Car Crash ;
Hmmm… So tragic!!!
What a crying shame!!! So
preventable!!! We will miss
them :-(
Unfortunately,
the NYT and others tried but missed
the fundamental point by following
up with ["Deaths of Math Genius John F. Nash Jr. and Wife Show Need to Use Seatbelts in Back, Experts Say](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/26/nyregion/deaths-of-math-genius-john-f-nash-jr-and-his-wife-show-need-to-use-seatbelts-in-back-experts-say.html)
". Why do we so easily put up with
crashes in the first place? It is
as if it is OK to go around
crashing, just put on a seat belt.
Technology is available to avoid
crashes, but there isn't sufficient
public policy focus on avoiding
crashes to accelerate its adoption
and enhancement.
The fundamental problem was that the taxi was not equipped with available automated stability control, lane keeping and collision avoidance systems. This was not an accident, it was a failed public safety policy that refuses to move beyond crash mitigation and its challenged “V2x” initiatives to embrace forthright automated crash avoidance.
Moreover, there is a failed Taxi regulatory structure that doesn’t even hint that taxis should have electronic stability control, automated lane keeping and collision avoidance. What is the purpose of taxi regulation, to keep “Ubers” out of business?
It is time for the nation’s transportation policy to focus intelligence/automation on the vehicle in support of the driver. Hopefully Congress will restructure the pending transportation legislation to focus automated vehicle technologies that actively assist drivers when they make driving mistakes. We are not perfect. We deserve a public safety policy that is more mindful of our imperfections. Policy that isn’t aimed at just warning and scolding us but actively takes over and does the right thing. We, not the infrastructure, are the cause of most of the the highway carnage. It is the driver who needs help and our public policy should focus on delivering that help. Alain
Mailto:alaink@princeton.edu This list is maintained by Alain Kornhauser and hosted by the Princeton University LISTSERV.
This list is maintained by Alain Kornhauser and hosted by the Princeton University LISTSERV.