2016-05-08
May 7, 2016
###
Beverly Hills to Develop Autonomous Vehicles
M. Walker April 15, "The Beverly
Hills City Council voted
unanimously this week to adopt a
resolution to develop driverless
vehicles that will provide public
transportation throughout the
city.
The program is part of Beverly
Hills mayor John Mirisch's plan
for a municipally owned fleet of
autonomous vehicles that would
function as an on-demand car
shuttle service to and from any
address in the city. .." [Read more](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/beverly-hills-develop-autonomous-vehicles-884316)
Hmmm...Communities
all around the nation
should follow what BH,
Austin and a few other
communities are doing.
There is an opportunity to
begin on-demand
shared-ride "21st Century
Public Transit" mobility
using volunteer drivers to
initiate and thoroughly
demonstrate this low-cost
mobility in preparation
for a massive roll-out
that can take place once
driverless cars can
extend/replace the
volunteer drivers. [Staff report](http://www.beverlyhills.org/cbhfiles/storage/files/148071911817855902/StaffReportAVs3-22-16.pdf) on the matter; [another article](http://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/beverly-hills-votes-to-create-autonomous-vehicle-program/?_escaped_fragment_=#); [landing page for the program](http://www.beverlyhills.org/living/autonomousvehicles/#CNTSTN_2296).
Alain
The driverless truck is coming, and it’s going to automate millions of jobs
R. Peterson, Apr 25 "A convoy of
self-driving trucks recently drove
across Europe and arrived at the
Port of Rotterdam. No technology
will automate away more jobs — or
drive more economic efficiency —
than the driverless truck.
Shipping a full truckload from
L.A. to New York costs around
$4,500 today, with labor
representing 75 percent of that
cost. But those labor savings
aren't the only gains to be had
from the adoption of driverless
trucks. Where drivers are
restricted by law from driving
more than 11 hours per day without
taking an 8-hour break, a
driverless truck can drive nearly
24 hours per day. That means the
technology would effectively
double the output of the U.S.
transportation network at 25
percent of the cost....
Yet the benefits from adopting it
will be so huge that we can't
simply outlaw it. A 400 percent
price-performance improvement in
ground transportation networks
will represent an incredible boost
to human well-being. Where would
we be if we had banned mechanized
agriculture on the grounds that
most Americans worked in farming
when tractors and harvesters were
introduced in the early 20th
century? [Read more](http://techcrunch.com/2016/04/25/the-driverless-truck-is-coming-and-its-going-to-automate-millions-of-jobs/?ncid=tcweekly) Hmmm...This
IS a tough one.
("millions" might be
overstating it, but it is
non-trivial. How many MBA
jobs has Msft's Excel put
out of work?) The
economic forces are really
big here and
technologically this is
very doable. In fact,
railroad intermodal
services have been putting
drivers out of work for
years. If the RRs really
got their act straight,
they could TODAY do most
of what is proposed
above. This is a tough
one! The answer may lie
in retraining and then
using the driver to
perform corporate services
other than driving while
he/she accompanies the
freight down the road.
Since the cab of a truck
could now become an office
work-space, in many ways
better than many cubicals
occupied by other white
collar professional (they
have windows and often
beautiful scenery). Maybe
not so tough! Alain
Tesla Motors Autopilot Feature Previews Driverless Future
V. Thompson, May 2, "Tesla Motors'
Autopilot data previews suggest
that the company's first step
toward self-driving is already
significantly reducing accidents
on the highway...According to the
data accumulated so far, with Autopilot
on the probability of having
an accident is 50 percent
lower...."
Read more Hmmm…I have no reason to doubt the claim; however, I certainly would love to do an independent analysis of the data because the policy implication of this finding is so poignant: Our highway transportation system is unnecessarily unsafe! Demonstrated, on-the-shelf technology can substantially improve that safety whose incremental cost (to the consumer) (or its availability) does not deter the purchase of the underlying product (even without Madison Avenue and Insurance weighing in to promote this add-on feature). This safety improvement is being achieved without public sector (NHTSA, DoTs, DMVs) involvement or appropriation of public funds. While even better technology may lie ahead (as the next article proclaims), “safety officials” (whose other data point is that death went up 8% while VMT went up only 3.5%) would be foolish (and potentially liable) if they were to impeded the roll-out to and broad adoption by the motoring public of this and/or similar safety technology. Alain
Volvo autonomous car engineer calls Tesla’s Autopilot a ‘wannabe’
J. Golson, Apr 27, “While Tesla says its technology is Level 2 autonomous — a combination of two technologies designed to make driving easier — some automotive industry experts, including Ford CEO Mark Fields, believe Autopilot is a Level 3 technology. That means it’s designed to take over “safety-critical functions” from the driver. That’s my impression from testing the system on a long road trip last month.Trent Victor, senior technical leader of crash avoidance at Volvo, …Victor says that Volvo believes that Level 3 autonomy, where the driver needs to be ready to take over at a moment’s notice, is an unsafe solution.” Read moreHmmm…What are they arguing about?? Something that exists and demonstrates that it reduces crashes by 50% is unsafe?? This deserves a C’mon Man!! Alain
Are the Solutions to Distracted Driving Really What We Want?
J. Kitman, May 2, “…The self-driving features in today’s cars are safety advances that allow carmakers and technologists to let everyone bring their phones into their cars…a variety of partial solutions to the hazards of distracted driving.” Read more Hmmm…At least they are partial solutions and they aren’t wont be expensive. Who is asking for the “trillion-dollar-plus”? Certainly not Google, Apple, Baidu and anyone that is making all of this happen. Only people asking for this are those that are vying for the “high-speed” trains and the ITS/connected gizmos. Alain
Google Inks Driverless Car Pact With Fiat Chrysler
Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google and Fiat
Chrysler Automobiles (FCAU) have
inked a deal to collaborate, with
Fiat Chrysler putting Google's
self-driving car technology into
100 of its Pacifica minivans, the
companies announced Tuesday
afternoon...." [Read more](http://www.investors.com/news/technology/google-seen-closer-to-driverless-car-pact-with-fiat-chrysler/) Hmmm...[What happened to Ford](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/28/business/ford-and-google-team-up-tosupport-driverless-cars.html) (...By
teaming up to promote
regulations that favor
fully-autonomous vehicles,
Ford and Google may be
moving toward closer
cooperation on the actual
development of driverless
models...)? Seems
strange. Just for a
minivan (see next
article)?! Alain
Google to Get Fiat Chrysler Minivans for Self-Driving Tests
B. Vlasic, May 3, “…But that dynamic changed markedly on Tuesday, when Google said it would expand its testing of autonomous vehicles by installing its technology in a fleet of minivans made by Fiat Chrysler…No financial terms were disclosed for the deal, which calls for Fiat Chrysler to provide Google with 100 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivans built specifically to accommodate self-driving features..” Read more Hmmm…This is substantial because it implies that Google is able to easily retrofit its “self-driving” technology into vehicles rolling off of the assembly line. (I could be reading much more into this than I should, but this is basically what Google did with Priuses and Lexuses until it became obsessed with removing the steering wheel. Minivans have a nice roomy compartment with easy access and non-swinging doors. Seems logical in order to be able to serve shared-ride opportunities; else too much crawling over people :-) See also Fiat’s view. Alain
NTC@Maryland Cohost Workshop on Automated Vehicle Policy and Regulation
Press release, May 1, “The focus of this workshop is to identify key principles the states will need to wrestle with in order to craft effective policy to enable the safe operation of advanced automated vehicles (sometimes called autonomous, self- driving, or driverless vehicles) on their roadways. The current approach is unsystematic considering the huge impact this new technology will have on our roads. A few states permit testing of these vehicles either through legislation or order of the governor, while others are testing without official approval. In the interim states are relying on their existing vehicle laws to govern automated and autonomous vehicle operations until appropriate policy and regulations are identified…” Read more Hmmm…Worth attending. Alain
Google, Ford, and Uber just created a giant lobbying group for self-driving cars
Press release, Apr 22, “China’s leading search engine, today announced it has formed a self-driving car team in Silicon Valley focused on research, development and testing. The team will be part of Baidu’s newly-created Autonomous Driving Unit (ADU). Baidu plans to grow the team to over 100 researchers and engineers by the end of the year…Baidu’s self-driving car vision is based on an incremental approach, which includes starting with small “autonomy-enabled” regions and designing autonomous cars to be clearly recognizable.” Read more Hmmm…Playing catch-up or do they see a leap-frog opportunity? Alain
Drive.ai Brings Deep Learning to Self-Driving Cars
E. Ackerman, Apr 26, "[Drive.ai](http://www.drive.ai/)
is the 13th company to be granted
a license to test autonomous
vehicles on public roads in
California. This is exciting news,
especially because we had no idea
that Drive.ai even existed until
just last week. The company has
been in stealth mode for the past
year, working on applying deep
learning techniques to
self-driving cars. We spoke with
two of Drive.ai's co-founders,
Sameep Tandon and Carol Reiley,
about why their approach to
self-driving cars is going to
bring us vehicle autonomy that's
more efficient, more adaptable,
more reliable, and safer than
ever.
Drive.ai came straight out of Stanford’s AI Lab about a year ago. Its core team is made up of experts with a wealth of experience developing deep learning systems in all kinds of different domains, including natural language processing, computer vision, and (most recently) autonomous driving. “This team helped pioneer how to scale deep learning, which is one of the reasons why deep learning has been successful as of late,” says Tandon, the company’s CEO., Read more Hmmm…We agree… Image-centered Deep Learning is a very interesting approach to all of this! :-) Alain
Baidu Announces New Self-Driving Car Team in Silicon Valley; Plans to Grow to 100+ in 2016
A. Hawkins, Apr 26, "...announced
Tuesday the formation of the
Self-Driving Coalition for Safer
Streets, a lobbying group with the
express purpose of advocating
autonomous driving. It's a power
move by some of the most
high-profile names behind the
still nascent technology, made at
a time when regulators and
policymakers in Washington, DC are
still wrapping their heads around
the concept of self-driving cars.
The coalition will be headed up by
David Strickland, a former
administrator of the National
Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA). He will
serve as the group's counsel and
spokesperson. In essence,
Strickland will be lobbying his
former agency,..." [Read more](http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/baidu-announces-new-self-driving-car-team-silicon-valley-plans-grow-100-2016-nasdaq-bidu-2117538.htm) Hmmm...Congrats [David](http://www.theverge.com/2016/4/27/11519680/david-strickland-interview-self-driving-car-lobbyist-nhtsa/in/3561301)!!!
(But why does The Verge
display an image of connected
cars instead of automated
cars. I can't imagine that
this group is going to be
lobbying for the federal
deployment of "V2V". David
knows very well the difference
between "Connected" and
"Self-driving".) Alain
Data Privacy and Connected Vehicles
M. Sena, May 2016, "...It is often
the case that laws regulating how
companies have to behave toward
their employees and their
customers end up having unintended
side effects. It is my opinion
that these effects will end up
being good for consumers and for
the mobility industry. ." [Read more](http://www.michaellsena.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/The-Dispatcher_May-2016.pdf)Hmmm...Very
interesting discussion of
Data Privacy and
mobility. Se also section
on G7 and EU on
Autonomous Driving and the
side-bar on INRIX. Alain
New law cracks open Florida self-driving car research
J. Ruiter, Apr 20, "...The
transportation bill signed by Gov.
Rick Scott earlier this month
explicitly allows riderless cars
to hit public roads for research.
The bill brings the idea of
autonomous cars, still under a
controlled setting, closer to
reality in the state, if not the
country.." [Read more](http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-rick-scott-autonomous-vehicles-20160420-story.html)Hmmm...See also
[B. Simpson.](http://www.driverlesstransportation.com/13033-13033) Nice to
see Florida moving
forward. New Jersey...
not so much!!. :-( Alain
SMRT and 2getthere partner to bring automated vehicles to Singapore
L. Chia, Apr 20, “Automated vehicle systems providing seamless first-and-last-mile connectivity for commuters in Singapore could soon become a reality with the announcement of a joint venture (JV) between SMRT Services and Dutch company 2 Getthere Holding (2getthere) on Wednesday (Apr 20). The Singapore-based JV, called 2getthere Asia, will market, install, operate and maintain automated vehicle systems for customers in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific, according to both parties during a press briefing. The aim is to commercialize 2getthere’s third-generation Group Rapid Transit vehicle system in Singapore by the end of the year, both parties added…” Read more Hmmm…See embedded video. Alain
This city embedded traffic lights in the sidewalks so that smartphone users don’t have to look up
R. Noack April 25, "...city of
Augsburg became concerned when
they noticed a new phenomenon:
Pedestrians were so busy looking
at their smartphones that they
were ignoring traffic lights. The
city has attempted to solve that
problem by installing new traffic
lights embedded in the pavement —
so that pedestrians constantly
looking down at their phones won't
miss them..." [Read more](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/04/25/this-city-embedded-traffic-lights-in-the-sidewalks-so-that-smartphone-users-dont-have-to-look-up/)
Hmmm...You can't
make up this stuff. On
one hand, we have below in
C'mon Man comments that
cities can't handle the
most basic infrastructure
needs; yet here, install
infrastructure to allow
pedestrians to bury their
faces in their mobile
devices. (and this isn't
even an approach that can
also help the visually
challenged. I give up!
Alain
Some other
thoughts that deserve your
attention
How the Daily Commute Is Going to Change
A. Lazoi, Apr 24, “Ride-sharing firms Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. are experimenting with carpooling services that are changing how people get to work…“Read more Hmmm…As far as I’m concerned, Ride-sharing delivers enormous benefits. In fact it is the real value proposition of “Driverless”. (Don’t worry, we are far away from “all” cars responding to the same information. And we’ll never be there because “all” cars wont have the same driving algorithm nor be managed by a single “Marxist” control center :-) Alain
###
On the More Technical Side
http://orfe.princeton.edu/~alaink/SmartDrivingCars/Papers/
Automated and Connected Vehicles
Summary of the 9th University Transportation Centers Spotlight Conference November 4–5, 2015 Washington, D.C. Read more Hmmm…Heavily focused on Connected rather than Automated simply because that’s been Fed DoT’s focus which is the overwhelming source of funding for University Transportation Centers. Alain
Recompiled
Old News & Smiles:
Half-baked
stuff that probably doesn't
deserve your time:
5 big challenges that self-driving cars still have to overcome
B. Plumer, Apr 21 "...So what
are the big hold-ups, anyway?
After watching Urmson's
presentation, I called two
experts — Edwin Olson of the
University of Michigan and Nidhi
Kalra of the RAND Corporation —
to dive more into the obstacles
that stand between us and our
glorious self-driving future.
None of these things are
deal-breakers per se, and there
are tons of smart people working
on these problems. Instead,
think of this as a big to-do
list:..." [Read more](http://www.vox.com/2016/4/21/11447838/self-driving-cars-challenges-obstacles) Hmmm...Some
(maybe only #2) of these
may be challenges that
"Driverless cars" need
to overcome.
None are challenges that
"Self-driving Cars" because
there is always a driver
capable of filling in.
(which in the end is a real
limitation of
"Self-driving". Alain
###
C’mon Man! (These
folks didn't get/read the
memo)
Why Cities Aren’t Ready for the Driverless Car
H. Petroski, Apr 22, “..What will cities have to do to get ready for the transition to the autonomous car? For starters, they will have to maintain everything from complex intersections to lane markings to the specifications expected by vehicle software designers. Without a city’s commitment to certain standards, self-driving autos might freeze in place on streets lacking clear lane markings. Similarly, unmanned vehicles might proceed at speed through an intersection where a stop sign has been removed by college students or knocked down the night before by an impaired human…“Read more Hmmm… Soooo wrong for so many reasons; only have room for 2: Today’s “software engineers” (educated at good institutions) are focused on making the cars work in the existing environment and fully realize that is impossible to get a “city” to do anything. It is so much cheaper and easier to write the software that works with what is there, than to have cities maintain “clear lane markings”. (Think of it… “clear lane markings” benefit human drivers, yet “cities” and “DoTs” can’t even apply paint to help all of us drive better. Not a chance that they are going to do it for the first few driverless vehicles. This is has been obvious to even the most casual “software engineer”. They also know that they’ll only get paid for their software is if it works without asking “cities” and “DoTs” for anything other than “please, stay out of the way,thank you”.) 2. If a Stop sign is remove, human drivers kill people (and arguably do so at a higher rate because the driverless car has a digital map database that likely remembers that a stop sign existed at this location and therefor approaches it cautiously if it doesn’t “see” one!) C’mon WSJ! How about just sticking with your in house journalists. Alain
Calendar
of Upcoming Events:
http://www.autonomoustrucksevent.com/agenda-mc
Workshop on Automated Vehicle Policy and Regulation:
The National Transportation Center, University of Maryland
May 18, 2016
Recent
Highlights of:
#
###
###
N.J. superintendent killed while jogging was struck by student late for trip
K. Shea, April 19, “…The Robbinsville High School student who was driving the car that struck and killed the district’s superintendent Tuesday morning was late for a school trip when the crash occurred, according to two sources involved in the investigation….” Read more Hmmm…Most tragic in so many dimensions!!! HOWEVER, it was NOT the student that STRUCK the Superintendent, it was the CAR. AND the CAR needs to start being held responsible for ALLOWING such tragedies to ruin so many lives. It is very likely that this tragedy could have been averted had the car been equipped with an automated collision avoidance system and/or lane-keeping system. Given the availability of these “tragedy avoidance systems”, we should all be asking why this CAR wasn’t equipped with such a system and why all cars aren’t so equipped. Certainly innocent runners and dogs need to be asking such questions. So too, that young lady’s car insurance company; it must be muttering: “shouda bought her that upgrade”. What about the car companies themselves who are largely just sitting on the technology or the dealerships that don’t feel compelled to espouse the benefits of such technology while pushing more “horsepower” and “Corinthian Leather” (and worse yet: “AooleCarXYZ” that distracts drivers). We all know that Washington is broken. Them staying out of the way is probably best (although aggressively applying better human-visible paint/laneMarkings and human-readable signs would go a long way to helping both attentive drivers and automated lane-keeping systems). Everyone else has fundamental self-interest at stake and each needs to stop pointing the finger to the frail human driver. We have the technology and the the self-interest to make mobility substantially safer. Let’s really get on with it. It’s time! Alain
Automated Vehicle Operational Guidance Public Meeting
April 8,"At
this meeting,
NHTSA sought
input on
planned
operational
guidelines for
the safe
deployment of
automated
vehicles (AV).
Of high
importance to
the agency is
information on
the roadway
scenarios and
operational
environments
that highly
automated
vehicles will
need to
address, and
the associated
design and
evaluation
processes and
methods needed
to ensure that
AV systems are
able to detect
and
appropriately
react to these
scenarios" [Read more](http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Press+Releases/nhtsa-meetings-automated-vehicles-03112016) Hmmm...[Watch testimony](https://youtu.be/J_RvYZR_HLA)
, especially:
[testimony of Dr. Jerome Lutin](https://youtu.be/J_RvYZR_HLA?t=17014). Alain
Hearing focus of SF 2569 Autonomous vehicles task force establishment and demonstration project for people with disabilities
March 23 Hmmm... [Watch the video of the Committee Meeting](http://mnsenate.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=235).
The testimony
is Excellent
and very
compelling!
Also see [Self-Driving Minnesota](http://www.selfdrivingmn.org/)
Alain
Uber seeking to buy self-driving cars: source
Reuters, Mar
19,
"Ride-hailing
service Uber
[UBER.UL] has
sounded out
car companies
about placing
a large order
for
self-driving
cars, an auto
industry
source said on
Friday. "They
wanted
autonomous
cars," the
source, who
declined to be
named, said.
"It seemed
like they were
shopping
around."
Loss-making
Uber would
make drastic
savings on its
biggest cost
-- drivers --
if it were
able to
incorporate
self-driving
cars into its fleet....Earlier on Friday, Germany's Manager Magazin reported that Uber
had placed an
order for at
least 100,000
Mercedes
S-Class cars,
citing sources
at both
companies....
The top-flight
limousine,
around 100,000
of which
Mercedes-Benz
sold last
year, does not
yet have fully
autonomous
driving
functionality.."
[Read more](http://www.reuters.com/article/us-daimler-uber-idUSKCN0WK1C8) Hmmmm...Uber has the current valuation to place the
order;
however, they
aren't the
only ones that
will want to
place an
advance order
for such a
fleet. Lyft
will want to, Enterprise-Rent -A-Car (remember, they "pick you up" (while incurring an
enormous labor
expense) and
all of the
AlainkAutonomousTaxi
companies that
see the
economic
opportunity of
providing
on-demand
mobility
without
incurring
labor cost.
It will be
interesting to
watch the
bidding war
for these
driverless
vehicles.
All of this
will be going
on while
Alphabet
gobbles up the
market with
its own
vehicle that
it keeps for
itself.
Advertisers
are already in
the back seat
of
conventional
cabs. While
that revenue
isn't enough
to pay for the
driver, it is
likely to
substantially
offset aTaxi's
operating and
capitalization
costs. What's
Alphabet's
other
business??
:-) Alain
U.S. DOT and IIHS announce historic commitment of 20 automakers to make automatic emergency braking standard on new vehicles
Press Release,
Mar 17, NHTSA
& IIHS
"announced
today a
historic
commitment by
20 automakers
representing
more than 99
percent of the
U.S. auto
market to make
automatic
emergency
braking a
standard
feature on
virtually all
new cars no
later than
NHTSA's 2022
reporting
year, which
begins Sept 1,
2022.
Automakers
making the
commitment are
Audi, BMW, FCA
US LLC, Ford,
General
Motors, Honda,
Hyundai,
Jaguar Land
Rover, Kia,
Maserati,
Mazda,
Mercedes-Benz,
Mitsubishi
Motors,
Nissan,
Porsche,
Subaru, Tesla
Motors Inc.,
Toyota,
Volkswagen and
Volvo Car USA.
The
unprecedented
commitment
means that
this important
safety
technology will be available to more consumers more quickly than
would be
possible
through the
regulatory
process...The
commitment
takes into
account the
evolution of
AEB
technology. It
requires a
level of
functionality
that is in
line with
research and
crash data
demonstrating
that such
systems are
substantially
reducing
crashes, but does not stand in the way of improved capabilities
that are just
beginning to
emerge.
The
performance
measures are
based on real
world data
showing that
vehicles with
this level of
capability are
avoiding
crashes..[Watch NHTSA video on AEB](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Src2jhS4wcA)
[Download AEB video from IIHS](https://www.hightail.com/download/ZWJVbGtNR3NrWTg4RmNUQw)[Read more](http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Press+Releases/nhtsa-iihs-commitment-on-aeb-03172016) Hmmmm...Fantastic! Automakers leading with
regulatory
process
staying out of
the way.
Alain
GM Buying Self-Driving Tech Startup for More Than $1 Billion
D. Patrick Mar 11,”General Motors GM 1.43% this morning announced that it will acquire Cruise Automation, a San Francisco-based developer of autonomous vehicle technology. No financial terms were disclosed, but Fortune has learned from a source close to the situation that the deal is valued at “north of $1 billion,” in a combination of cash and stock.
Talks between
the two
companies
originally
related to a
strategic
investment by
GM in Cruise,
which was
planning to
raise a new
round of
venture
capital
funding. But
that quickly
morphed into
an acquisition
discussion
with the
entire
agreement
getting hashed
out in less
than six
weeks. [Read more](http://fortune.com/2016/03/11/gm-buying-self-driving-tech-startup-for-more-than-1-billion/)Hmmmm...That sets the bar. Reminiscent of [AOL paying $1.1B for MapQuest](http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/2068.html)
resulting in [NavTeq getting $8.1B from Nokia](http://mashable.com/2007/10/01/nokia-navteq/#CnEKJL0cUOqM)
followed by [Here getting $3B from MB et al](http://mashable.com/2007/10/01/nokia-navteq/#CnEKJL0cUOqM).
[Deja vu all over again!](http://yogiberramuseum.org/just-for-fun/yogisms/)
Very
interesting
:-) Alain
THE ROAD NOT TAKEN: How we found (and lost) the dream of Personal Rapid Transit
A. Robertson,
Feb 10 , Feb.
"...Half a
century after
its heyday,
the Alden
StaRRcar
clearly wasn't
made for its
world. It
looks like a
white flatiron
with wheels or
a sleek,
plastic
bullet,
dwarfed by the
regal sedans
of 1960s
Detroit. It
belongs in one
of Buckminster
Fuller's domed
cities, a
vehicle for
traveling
under the
geodesics of a
bubble-topped
Manhattan. Its
future wasn't
one of
highways, but
of narrow
cement tracks
looping
gracefully
between city
and suburb,
connecting
increasingly
alienated
parts of the
American
landscape...
Once
considered a
key to solving
urban blight,
the StaRRcar
was part of a
public transit
revolution
that never was
— but one that
would help
launch one of
the weirdest
and most
politicized
public
infrastructure
experiments of
the 20th
century. It's
an old idea
that today, in
an age of
self-driving
cars, seems by
turns
impractically
retro and
remarkably
prescient...
PRT's
invention is
attributed to
a
transportation
expert named
Donn Fichter,
but the
central idea
was conceived,
remixed, and
adapted by
many in the
1950s and
1960s. While
the details
varied, the
prototypical
PRT system was
a network of
narrow
guideways
populated by
small
passenger
pods. When
commuters
arrived, they
would hit a
button to
select a
destination,
calling one of
the pods like
a taxi. Then,
instead of
running on a
set line, the
pod would use
guideways like
a freeway
system,
routing around
stations in
order to take
passengers
directly to
their final
stop.
The system was
designed to be
everything
that existing
public
transportation
wasn't. Pods
would carry
only as many
people as an
average car,
guaranteeing a
nearly private
ride. Riders
wouldn't need
to follow a
timetable or
wait for other
people to
enter and exit
the system.
Because the
pods would
only be
dispatched on
demand, cities
could run
service to
many
low-traffic
areas without
worrying about
waste. There
were no
drivers to
train or pay,
and the pods
could run
quietly on
electrical
power instead
of with fossil
fuels...
Multiple plans
for personal
rapid transit
fell through,
whether
because of
budget
problems,
logistical
issues, or
political
power
struggles....
And as in the
'60s, we're
talking about
whether
self-driving
vehicles could
spell the end
of private
cars...."[Read more](THE%20ROAD%20NOT%20TAKEN:%20How%20we%20found%20%28and%20lost%29%20the%20dream%20of%20Personal%20Rapid%20Transit)Hmmmm...A must read. Pretty much as I remember it.
I lived much
of it,
including
designing
10,000
station,
10,000 mile
PRT networks
that could
serve all of
New Jersey's
needs for
personal
mobility. The
good news was
that the
area-wide
systems would
provide great
mobility for
all. The bad
news: No
viable way to
start. The
best starting
places could
each be
readily served
by
conventional
systems with
no technology
risk. Without
a place to
start, PRT
never got a
chance to
flourish in
the vast areas
that are
un-servable by
conventional
technology.
Moreover, PRT
needed the
diversion of
public sector
capital funds
that weres already in the back pocket
of those
pedaling the
conventional
technologies.
Consequently,
the personal
auto has
reigned on.
Today is different. With PRT, even the first vehicle needed a couple of stations and interconnecting guideway (and all of the discussion and heartache was about the location and cost of those initial stations and guideway). With autonomous taxis sharing existing roads, one can begin with a single vehicle capable of serving many existing places without needing to pay-for/justify any infrastructure. That is today’s fundamental opportunity, in contrast to PRT’s monumental infrastructure burden even for one vehicle. That’s why aTaxis are destined to finally deliver PRT’s utopian mobility to all and substantially transform our cities and suburbs. Alain
Vancouver councillor wants city to prepare for driverless cars T. Fletcher, Feb 18 “Driverless cars might seem like a futuristic dream, but a city councillor doesn’t want Vancouver to take a hands-off approach to the emerging technology. Coun. Geoff Meggs is steering a motion slated for next Tuesday’s council meeting asking city staff to look into the impact of self-driving vehicles and how to maximize the benefits of the technology for Vancouver and the city’s economy.
Although the
city's
transportation
2040 plan,
which outlines
a strategy for
how people and
goods will
move in and
around
Vancouver for
the next 30
years, was
adopted only
four years
ago, Meggs
said it fails
to address
driverless
technology....
"It may be a
powerful tool
or there may
be problems
with it, but
at the moment,
it's an empty
category in a
lot of our
thinking,"
Meggs told
Metro. "We
don't want our (transportation) plan, which we just did, to be obsolete before it
even starts."..." [Read more](http://www.nsc.org/NewsDocuments/2016/mv-fatality-report-1215.pdf)Hmmmm...Yup! Obviously, "obsolescence before ribbon
cutting" is
something all
cities should
try to avoid.
Alain
Motor Vehicle Deaths Increase by Largest Percent in 50 Years
Press Release
Feb 16 "With
continued
lower gasoline
prices and an
improving
economy
resulting in
an estimated 3.5%
increase
in
motor-vehicle
mileage, the
number of
motor-vehicle
deaths in 2015
totaled
38,300,
up 8% from
2014.
The 2015
estimate is
provisional
and may be
revised when
more data are
available. The
total for 2015
was up 8% from
the 2013
figure. The
annual total
for 2014 was
35,398, a less
than 0.5%
increase from
2013. The 2013
figure was 3%
lower than
2012. The
estimated
annual
population
death rate is
11.87 deaths
per 100,000
population, an
increase of 7%
from the 2014
rate. The
estimated
annual mileage
death rate is
1.22 deaths
per 100
million
vehicle miles
traveled, an
increase of 5%
from the 2014
rate. [Read more](http://www.nsc.org/NewsDocuments/2016/mv-fatality-report-1215.pdf)Hmmmm...This is REALLY BAD news. Come on insurance.
This is
costing you
money!
Accident rates
going up means
that your
actuarials are
behind, your
regulated
pricing lags
and you are
losing money.
To get ahead
of your
actuarials,
you MUST
incentivize
the adoption
of automated
collision
avoidance
systems.
You'll then do
very well,
thank you AND
help society.
Alain
Budget of the U.S. Government, FY 2017
Feb. 9, “…(3) Accelerate the integration of autonomous vehicles, low-carbon technologies, and intelligent transportation systems into our infrastructure….
- Providing almost $400 million on average per year in funding over the next 10 years for the deployment of self-driving vehicles. Investments would help develop connected infrastructure and smart sensors that can communicate with autonomous vehicles, support R&D to ensure these vehicles are safe and road ready, and expand at-scale deployment projects to provide “proving grounds” for autonomous self-driving and connected vehicles in urban and highway settings.
Read moreHmmmm…major victory…not only: “…for autonomous self-driving…”, bit also stated before: “… and connected…”. Alain
London’s first driverless cars revealed
The consortium
behind the
trial has
decided to
adapt electric
passenger
shuttles that
are currently
in service at
Heathrow
Airport for
use in
Greenwich.
Unlike the
Heathrow pods,
they will not
need dedicated
tracks.
The Greenwich
trial is one
of four in the
UK to test
driverless
technology and
public
reaction to
it..."This
vehicle has
millions of
miles under
its belt and
now we have to
take it
outside of the
track and
modify it for
use on
pavements," he
added. The
so-called
UltraPODs
currently in
service at
Heathrow carry
passengers
between the
car park and
Terminal 5. In
the five years
they have been
in use, they
have carried
1.5 million
passengers and
traveled three
million
kilometers
(1.8 million
miles)...."
[Read more](http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-35432687) Hmmm...Wow!!
... PRT
evolving to be autonomousTaxis! Wow!!! :-) Alain
###
Obama’s $4 Billion Plan for Self-Driving Cars Will Make Google Very Happy
M. Bergen, Jan
14 "The Obama
Administration
has seen the
self-driving
future, and
it's jumping
aboard. At
the Detroit
auto show on
Thursday
morning, U.S.
Transportation
Secretary
Anthony Foxx
will unveil a
plan to
develop a
national
blueprint for
autonomous
driving
technology
within the
next six
months. He
will also
announce that
President
Obama is
planning to
insert $4
billion into
the 2017
budget for a
10-year plan
to support and
"accelerate"
vehicle
automation
projects.
"We are on the
cusp of a new
era in
automotive
technology
with enormous
potential to
save lives,
reduce
greenhouse gas
emissions, and
transform
mobility for
the American
people,"
Secretary Foxx
said in a
statement. ...But
here's the
part of Foxx's
talk that
really matters
for Google:
These national
rules will
allow fully
driverless
cars..."
[Read More](http://recode.net/2016/01/14/obamas-4-billion-plan-for-self-driving-cars-will-make-google-very-happy/) Hmmm...
A [few months ago](http://www.its.dot.gov/press/2015/ngv_tech_announcement.htm)
it was $42M
for Connected
Vehicles.
Today it is
100x for
automated
vehicles!
Finally
Secretary
Foxx.."[YES! YES! JESUS H. TAP-DANCING CHRIST... I HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX5tfRdkoY0)"
(Blue
Brothers)
Yea!!!!! :-)
Alain
Google Pairs With Ford To Build Self-Driving Cars
J. Hyde &
S. Carty, Dec.
21 "Google and
Ford will
create a joint
venture to
build
self-driving
vehicles with
Google's
technology, a
huge step by
both companies
toward a new
business of
automated ride
sharing,
...According
to three
sources
familiar with
the plans, the
partnership is
set to be
announced by
Ford at the
Consumer
Electronics
Show in
January. By
pairing with
Google, Ford
gets a massive
boost in
self-driving
software
development;
while the
automaker has
been
experimenting
with its own
systems for
years, it only
revealed plans
this month to
begin testing
on public
streets in
California....
Google already
has several
links to Ford;
the head of
the
self-driving
car project,
John Krafcik,
worked for 14
years at Ford,
including a
stint as head
of truck
engineering,
and several
other ex-Ford
employees work
in the unit as
well. Former
Ford chief
executive Alan
Mulally joined
Google's board
last year.
And Ford
executives
have been
clear for
years that the
company was
ready to
embrace a
future where
cars were sold
as on-demand
services. Ford
CEO Mark
Fields has
repeatedly
said Ford was
thinking of
itself "as a
mobility
company," and
what that
would mean for
its business"
[Read more](https://www.yahoo.com/autos/google-pairs-with-ford-to-1326344237400118.html) Hmmm...Not
surprising and
not exclusive.
:-) Alain
Adam Jonas’ View on Autonomous Cars
Video similar
to part of
Adam's
Luncheon talk
@ 2015 Florida
Automated
Vehicle
Symposium on
Dec 1. [Hmmm ... Watch Video](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/SmartDrivingCars/Videos/AdamJonas10T_MorganStanley.mp4) especially
at the 13:12
mark.
Compelling;
especially
after the 60
Minutes
segment
above! Also
see his [TipRanks](https://www.tipranks.com/analysts/adam-jonas).
Alain
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