2016-06-17
Planning for the Autonomous Vehicle Revolution
J. DeAngelis, June
15, "...autonomous
vehicles (AVs)
also stand to
disrupt the norms
of both
transportation and
land use planning.
According to a new
report from the
Florida State
University
Department of
Urban &
Regional Planning
titled Envisioning
Florida's Future:
Transportation and
Land Use in an
Automated Vehicle
World, AVs may
exert as great an
influence on the
built environment
as the mass
production of the
automobile did in
the early to
middle 20th
century.
Parking minimums,
street design,
rights of way,
development
demand, signage
and signalization,
building siting
and design, access
management, and
their accompanying
norms and
standards have the
potential to
change
dramatically over
the next 40-50
years.a..." [Read more](https://www.planning.org/blog/blogpost/9105024/)Hmmm....
Land-use
implications
are THE big
unknowns. See
report next.
Alain
Envisioning Florida’s Future: Transportation and Land Use in an Automated Vehicle Automated Vehicle World
T. Chapin, et al.
April 2016, "...Key
themes from these
discussions included
that AVs will
require narrower
right-of-ways and
travel lanes;
influence the
location, form, and
amount of parking;
impact the mobility
of bicyclists and
pedestrians;
declutter urban
environments through
reduced
signalization and
signage; and provide
opportunities for
redevelopment on now
unnecessary parking
lots and excess
right-of-ways. In
this way, this study
affirms that AVs are
expected to
drastically affect
the design and
functioning of the
built environment
and provides a
starting point for
public and private
stakeholders to
prepare for these
impacts. While
further research
will be necessary,
this study provides
preliminary guidance
for the policy
decisions and
infrastructure
investments
necessary to
leverage AV
technology to create
a transportation
system that is safer
and more efficient
than ever before and
an urban environment
built upon
principles of
sustainability and
human-centered
design..." [Read more](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/SmartDrivingCars/Reports&Speaches_External/EnvisioningFloridaFuture-FinalReportApril16.pdf)Hmmm...
A thoughtful
investigation
with a
recognition that
the surface is
barely being
scratched. If
this technology
revolution is
akin to going
from the horse
to Henry Ford
then the
land-use/quality-of-life
change for
Florida may be
akin to going
from swamp land
to today's
Kissimmee! Alain
How to get a free ride in a self-driving shuttle this summer
M. McFarland, June 16, “Local Motors officially unveiled its self-driving shuttle Thursday and said it will begin giving free rides to the public in Maryland this summer.
The electric
vehicle, which seats
12, will drive
slowly on public
roads in National
Harbor, Md.,
operating at speeds
between 3 and 8 mph,
according to Local
Motors chief
executive Jay
Rogers. He
characterized Olli
as a "friendly
neighborhood robot"
that isn't capable
of traveling on
highways...." [Read more](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/06/16/why-back-up-cameras-havent-stopped-drivers-from-backing-into-stuff/?tid=hybrid_collaborative_2_na)Hmmm...
looking to be
the first. No
problem with
starting
slowly. We are
just at the
beginning :-)
See also [Wired](https://www.wired.com/2016/06/ibms-using-watson-make-self-driving-cars-talk-humans/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter) Alain
Why back-up cameras haven’t stopped drivers from backing into stuff
J. Bogage, June 16 “With or without eyes in the back of their heads, drivers keep hitting things.
Despite the
growing prevalence
of back-up
cameras, federal
data shows that
this technology
hasn't
significantly cut
down on cars
backing into
people and causing
them harm..... In
2003, three in 278
auto models came
with back-up
cameras. By this
year, only 20
models out of 362
industry-wide
don't have
them....
the cameras reduce blind zones while in reverse by 90 percent, according to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety – but they keep hitting things….” Read more Hmmm… Couple of things… “Nice” that NHTSA will mandate them in 2018 once all models have them anyway. Way to go NHTSA! (Bronx cheer!) Also, this points out that “ability to see better” is not good enough, nor are warnings. Automated rear braking is what is needed (I’m sure NHTSA will mandate that in “2026” when all models have it). Alain
Insurer launches UK’s ‘first driverless car policy’
J. Kollewe, June 7,
"The driverless
policy has
additional features
to a standard one.
Customers will be
covered for loss or
damage in case of:
failure to install
vehicle software
updates and security
patches, subject to
an increased policy
excess; satellite
failure or outages
affecting navigation
systems, or failure
of the
manufacturer's
vehicle operating
system or other
authorized software;
loss or damage
caused by a failure
to manually override
the system to
prevent an accident
should the system
fail; and loss or
damage if the car
gets hacked...."
[Read more](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jun/07/uk-driverless-car-insurance-policy-adrian-flux) Hmmm...This
is a good
start.
Insurance can
make all of this
happen. Alain
Skeptics of Self-Driving Cars Span Generations
J. Quain, June 16
""I have no problem
letting a car take
control," said
Jeffrey Miller, an
associate professor
of engineering
practice at the
University of
Southern California.
"But having a car
take my kids to
school? You're
talking about people
who don't have the
ability to take over
if something goes
wrong. I'm not that
comfortable with
it."...(Hmmm...
Yet you let your
kid ride a
school bus???)
more
than two-thirds
of the experts
in the study
said they
weren't ready to
have a robotic
car play nanny,
giving the
concept a 3 or
lower. Not
exactly a
ringing
endorsement from
engineers of the
state of the art
in self-driving
(driverless) cars....
"There are
people who want
to hop into the
back seat and go
to sleep," said
Ken Washington,
vice president
of Ford's
research and
advanced
engineering
division, "and
others who say,
'No robot is
going to drive
my car.'"
Most of the
researchers and
automotive
experts say
driver attitudes
will shift as
more advanced
safety and
semiautonomous
systems are
introduced into
new models.
Education about
how the systems
work and their
benefits will
also help..." [Read more](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/17/automobiles/wheels/skeptics-of-self-driving-cars-span-generations.html?ref=business) Hmmm...
Way too early to
get meaningful
answers to these
questions. No
one wanted to
ride an elevator
without an
operator nor
wanted to ride
in a horseless
carriage nor fly
in an airplane.
Alain
For Driverless Cars, Citylike Test Sites Offer the Unpredictable
N Boudette, June 4
"...In addition to
its Mcity effort,
the University of
Michigan is a
partner in a project
to set up a much
more complex site
about 10 miles away
in neighboring
Ypsilanti. It will
be called the
American Center for
Mobility and will
comprise 335 acres
that were once part
of G.M.'s Willow Run
plant. During World
War II, it was the
site of a famed
bomber factory. Mr.
Maddox has been
named the center's
chief.
Unlike Mcity, this
larger site will
have long stretches
where autonomous
cars can be tested
at highway speeds
and space for
creating a variety
of complex
intersections. Its
existing roadways
include overpasses
and bridges.
Ford is interested
in potentially using
the Willow Run
facility, said Randy
Visintainer, Ford's
director of
autonomous vehicle
development. "It is
something we would
probably have to
create if it didn't
exist," he said..The
challenge, by
all accounts, is
enormous..." [Read more](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/06/business/for-driverless-cars-citylike-test-sites-offer-the-unpredictable.html?action=click&contentCollection=Automobiles&module=RelatedCoverage®ion=EndOfArticle&pgtype=article) Hmmm...Tried
to do one at
Fort Monmouth,
now scaled back
to doing it at
Princeton's
Forrestal Campus
and via Virtual
Reality. Issues
are "corner
cases". Alain
NEMPA/MIT STUDY: CONSUMERS WANT SOME AUTONOMOUS FEATURES, WANT TRAINING TO LEARN TO USE THEM
C. Fitzgerald, June
5 "...For the most
part, the consumers
surveyed were
relatively happy
with the technology
already in their
cars. Well over half
reported positive
associations with
the technology: 28%
of participants are
very happy with the
technology, and an
additional 42% like
most of the
features.
When asked about
levels of autonomy,
consumers broke out
into very distinct
age groups. The
highest percentages
of consumers
surveyed —
regardless of age —
responded that
they're interested
in autonomous
technologies that
help the driver,
meaning technologies
that may apply full
braking force when a
car stops short, or
guides the driver
slightly if they
weave out of a lane.
Most significantly,
more than half of
consumers in the 65
to 74 and 75-plus
age groups indicated
that they would be
interested in owning
cars with this type
of technology...." [Read more](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/SmartDrivingCars/Reports&Speaches_External/MIT-AutonomousVehicles_Trust&DrivingAlternatives.pdf)Hmmm...See
next posting for
original paper.
Not easy to
predetermine
what consumers
will want,
especially when
some of the
options are
conceptual (e.g.
"full
autonomy").
Alain
Autonomous Vehicles, Trust, and Driving Alternatives: A survey of consumer preferences
H. Abraham et al.,
June 2016 "... To
effectively develop
and deploy systems
that enhance driver
safety and mobility
through greater
degrees of
automation,
consumers'
understanding, trust
and desire for these
systems will need to
be developed to
support the
marketplace. For
consumers to
optimally leverage
the advances of many
technologies,
adequate technology
training may be
required. Little is
established about
how consumers are
currently acquiring
this training for
new vehicle
technologies. What
is not yet fully
understood, is how
drivers across the
lifespan acquire
information about
technological and
service
alternatives, view
today's automotive
technologies, see
future automation
systems supporting
them, look to learn
about these systems,
and consider options
for alternative
transportation. To
explore these
topics, a survey
instrument was
developed to gain
deeper insight into
key questions
including:
1. Are consumers
satisfied with
technology that is
already in their
vehicle?
2. How are consumers
learning about
in-vehicle
technologies? How
would they prefer to
learn?
3. Are consumers
willing to use
various alternatives
to driving? Do they
currently use them?
4. Are consumers
willing to use
automation in
vehicles?
5. Are older adults
willing to use
autonomous vehicles
and / or
alternatives to
driving in order to
increase
mobility?..." [Read more](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/SmartDrivingCars/Reports&Speaches_External/MIT-AutonomousVehicles_Trust&DrivingAlternatives.pdf)Hmmm...A
good attempt to
try to resolve
answers to these
questions;
however, the
eventual reality
of these systems
will likely be
quite different
than the current
"Sunday
supplement" that
is at-best the
current
perception of
these systems.
Did anyone
really have to
be "taught" to
use an automated
people
mover at
airports?
Whatever! :-)
Alain
Google Self-Driving Car Project Monthly Report
May, 2016 "Down
with the tyrannical
horn: Teaching a
self-driving car to
honk..Given the time
we're spending on
busy streets, we'll
inevitably be
involved in
collisions;
sometimes it's
impossible to
overcome the
realities of speed
and distance.
Thousands of minor
crashes happen every
day on typical
American streets,
94% of them
involving human
error, and as many
as [55% of them go unreported](http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pubs/812013.pdf).
(And we think this
number is low; for
more, [see here](https://backchannel.com/the-view-from-the-front-seat-of-the-google-self-driving-car-46fc9f3e6088#.cl6z0n8a2).).." [Read more](https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.google.com/en//selfdrivingcar/files/reports/report-0516.pdf) Hmmm...Always
good reading.
(Compared to [below from GM](http://www.bnn.ca/Video/player.aspx?vid=890015)
it is
out-of-this-world). Alain
Tesla offered to share all its Autopilot data with the US Department of Transport
F. Lambert, June 3,
"Tesla's CEO added
that for the
regulators to
approve an [autonomous driving system](http://electrek.co/2016/06/02/tesla-model-3-fully-autonomous-elon-musk/),
it would have to
prove to be at least
two times safer than
a human or maybe
even 5 to 10 times.
Earlier this year,
he said that based
on early data from
the Autopilot
program, the system
lowers [the probability of having an accident by 50%](http://electrek.co/2016/04/24/tesla-autopilot-probability-accident/).." [Read more](http://electrek.co/2016/06/03/tesla-share-autopilot-data-department-of-transport/) Hmmm...Always
good promotion
from Elon.
(Compared to [below from GM](http://www.bnn.ca/Video/player.aspx?vid=890015)
it is
out-of-this-world). Alain
Facebook Ride Sharing Group Replaces Uber And Lyft In Austin
S. Hamley, June 8,
"...Nature abhors a
vacuum, so they say,
and so does the
digital economy.
Within days of the
announcement that
Uber and Lyft would
cease operations in
Austin, a group
calling itself
Arcade City
Austin/Request A
Ride organized
itself on Facebook.
Started by
Christopher David
and Eric Green, the
group has over
32,000 members
today.
According to
TechCrunch, when
members need a ride
they post their
current location and
destination on
Facebook. Within
minutes, potential
drivers respond with
an estimated time of
arrival, a proposed
fee for the ride,
and a phone number
where they can be
contacted. Once an
agreement has been
made, group members
delete the
request...." [Read more](http://gas2.org/2016/06/08/facebook-ride-sharing-group-replaces-uber-lyft-austin/) Hmmm...If
Uber (and Lyft)
have so little
"stickiness",
why is their
valuation so
high???. Alain
Some
other thoughts that
deserve your
attention
Adding Teen Driver to Auto Policy Yields Average 79% Premium Rise
A. Carrns, June 17
"...Families adding a
teenage driver to their
auto insurance policy
will see their premium
increase by an average
of 79 percent, the [latest analysis from insuranceQuotes.com](http://www.insurancequotes.com/auto/cost-to-insure-teen-drivers-061416)
finds. That's a bit
lower than the average
increases seen in recent
years, but it is still a
hit to the wallet...
The higher premiums
reflect teenagers'
greater likelihood of
being involved in an
accident. Research shows
that [they have the highest crash rate](https://www.aaafoundation.org/sites/default/files/research_reports/2012TeenDriverRiskAgePassengers.pdf) of any group
in the United States.."
[Read more](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/18/your-money/adding-teen-driver-to-auto-policy-yields-average-79-premium-rise.html?ref=business)Hmmm...and
the data are from a
2012 report. Just
imagine what the
crash rate is now
that they all have
cell phones. Amazing
that the premium
increase isn't
greater. The
solution is
intuitively obvious
to the most casual
observer: automated
collision avoidance
systems! :-)
Alain
Tesla’s weird week
June 10, "...In a span
of just 72 hours, the
Model S was accused of
having major suspension
issues, the NHTSA
supposedly got involved,
Tesla explained there is
nothing wrong and the
NHTSA isn't actually
investigating the issue
and Elon Musk tweeted
that the whole thing was
a giant conspiracy.
Woah. OK, let's take a
step back and dissect
this..." [Read more](https://techcrunch.com/2016/06/10/teslas-weird-week/?ncid=tcweekly)Hmmm...Every
week is a weird
week. Alain
On the More Technical Side
http://orfe.princeton.edu/~alaink/SmartDrivingCars/Papers/
Recompiled
Old News &
Smiles:
Half-baked
stuff that
probably doesn't
deserve your
time:
The future of autonomous cars Faraday Future aims to test self-driving cars in Michigan
Jun 13, 2016 "Stephen
Carlisle, President
and Managing Director,
General Motors of
Canada joins BNN to
discuss why GM is
expanding its
autonomous vehicle
engineering and
software development
work in Canada." [Read Video](https://www.engadget.com/2016/06/07/faraday-future-to-test-self-driving-cars-in-michigan/) Hmmm...A
Canadian view from
GM's president.
Connected car???
Hiring how many
when??? (Have
offer from
Facebook/Google/Apple/Msft/Amazon/GM;
likelihood of
choosing GM is
epsilon). How
many lines of
code?? Dedicated
lanes for
autonomous
vehicles??? Not a
whisper about
safety (continued
denial),
GM at the top
still doesn't
really get it.
Alain
Faraday Future aims to test self-driving cars in Michigan Technical Assistance Events for Concept Development Phase
Jun 13, 2016 "[Faraday Future](https://www.engadget.com/2015/12/30/faraday-future-teaser-video/) isn't
just talking a big
game when it mentions
plans for autonomous
features in its cars.
Michigan's Department
of Transportation
tells the Detroit News
that FF not only asked
about how to apply for
plates that let it
test self-driving
cars, but has applied
for three manufacturer
plates since. While
the company isn't
confirming anything
(the plates are to
test "prototypes and
features," it says),
it's safe to say that
at least one of those
vehicles won't always
have a human at the
wheel..." [See more](http://www.bnn.ca/Video/player.aspx?vid=890015) Hmmm...Just
enormously
skeptical. Seems
like way too much
lipstick here (,
but what do I
know?).
Alain
Technical Assistance Events for Concept Development Phase
June 2016 "The USDOT
has selected three
pilot sites, where
teams are in the
process of conducting
Phase 1 Concept
Development activities
in order to move
towards deployment and
operations phases. A
series of
USDOT-sponsored
technical assistance
events has been
developed to assist
not only the three
selected sites, but
also other early
deployers of connected
vehicle technologies
to conduct Concept
Development
activities...." [See more](http://www.its.dot.gov/pilots/technical_assistance_events.htm) Hmmm...Infrastructure
that is "deployed"
tends to have an
expected life of
40+ years. Is
this connected
vehicle stuff
already
essentially
obsolete? Is
there a viable
business case? I
guess that is why
it is a (central
government)
deployment rather
than a market
adoption. Alain
###
###
C’mon Man!
(These folks didn't
get/read the memo)
Calendar of Upcoming Events:
Connected & Automated Vehicle Conference
What States Need to Know
June 21 &22, 2016
Maritime Institute (near BWI), Lincoln Heights, MD
http://i95coalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/I95CCCAVConferencePacketREV4-15-16.pdf?dd650d
Congressman
Dan Lipinski
Cordially
Invites You:
Recent
Highlights of:
#
###
It’s No Accident: Advocates Want to Speak of Car ‘Crashes’ Instead
M Richtel, May 22, “ Roadway fatalities are soaring at a rate not seen in 50 years, resulting from crashes, collisions and other incidents caused by drivers.
Just don't call
them accidents
anymore.
That is the
position of a
growing number
of safety
advocates,
including
grass-roots
groups, federal
officials and
state and local
leaders across
the country.
They are
campaigning to
change a
100-year-old
mentality that
they say
trivializes the
single most
common cause of
traffic
incidents: human
error. "When
you use the word
'accident,' it's
like, 'God made
it happen,' "
Mark Rosekind,
the head of the
National Highway
Traffic Safety
Administration,
said at a driver
safety
conference this
month at the
Harvard School
of Public
Health. "In our
society," he
added, "language
can be
everything."
Almost all
crashes stem
from driver
behavior like
drinking,
distracted
driving and
other risky
activity. About
6 percent are
caused by
vehicle
malfunctions,
weather and
other
factors...." [Read issue of SDC](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/23/science/its-no-accident-advocates-want-to-speak-of-car-crashes-instead.html?_r=1)
with this
article. Mark
is absolutely
correct here.
Language
matters and it
is NOT an
accident. it
is a Total
Poop Show!. Alain
Derailment of Amtrak passenger train 188, Philadelphia, PA, May 12, 2015 NTSB/ DCA15MR010
Public meeting of May 17 “… Executive Summary…This report addresses the following safety issues:
-
Crewmember situational awareness and management of multiple tasks….
-
Positive train control. In the accident area, positive train control had not yet been implemented at the time of the accident, but it has since been implemented. The NTSB found that the accident could have been avoided if positive train control or another control system had been in place to enforce the permanent speed restriction of 50 mph at the Franklin Junction curve.
Hmmm… Kudos to NTSB for finding “…the accident could have been avoided if positive train control or another control system had been in place to enforce…”
HOWEVER, given
that PCT was [mandated by Congress in 2008](https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/Details/L03588)
with a
deadline of
December 15,
2015 and that
6 months
before the
deadline PTC
had NOT been
implemented on
Amtrak's
highest volume
segment
(PHL-NYC) is
so
unacceptable
that this
deserved to
have been
their #1
bullet. NOT
some poor
train engineer
that was
simply trying
to do a job
made
enormously
more dangerous
and stressful
because Amtrak
management
failed to
implement in a
timely manner
what had been
mandated by
its "sugar
daddy"!! So
the NTSB
"threw" the
engineer
"under the
bus" and
essentially
all of the
news reports
pointed to the
engineer
rather than
Amtrak's
senior
(mis)management
([The Atlantic](http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2016/02/the-mystery-of-amtrak-188/458967/),
[NBC](http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Deadly-Amtrak-Crash-Philadelphia-NTSB-Cause-379762581.html),
[Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/ntsb-prepared-to-release-report-on-last-years-deadly-amtrak-wreck/2016/02/01/3c9f7e46-c837-11e5-88ff-e2d1b4289c2f_story.html), [WSJ](http://www.wsj.com/articles/ntsb-says-engineer-in-2015-philadelphia-amtrak-crash-lost-situational-awareness-1463497474),
[NYT](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/magazine/the-wreck-of-amtrak-188.html?_r=0)
etc. Why
didn't the NYT
do a long
story on why
Amtrak
management
didn't install
PTC in a
timely
manner???)
My point here
is larger in
that this same
issue exists
in the rest of
the transit
industry where crash-avoidance technology exists today that can substantially reduce
collisions and
do so while
printing money
for the
transit
industry. [Dr. Jerome Lutin and I](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/SmartDrivingCars/PDFs/LutinKornhauser_2016TRB_BusACAS.pdf) have
pointed out to
deaf ears that
automated
collision
avoidance
systems exist
today for
buses whose
costs are
substantially
less than the
net present
value of the
liability that
these buses
can be
expected to
impose on
society. This
is about the cash
that a
hopelessly
bankrupt
transit
industry has
to pay out
because it
isn't
installing
existing crash
avoidance
technology
that is
available
today. On top
of that cash
are all of the
societal
benefits
associated
with
eliminating
collisions.
There is no
rush (not even
a faint
heart-beat) by
the industry
to do this.
FTA is totally
asleep, yet
bus drivers
continue to be
placed in some
of the most
stressful and
unsafe working
conditions
without the
help that such
technologies
can deliver.
I can't be
more blunt...
The major
cause of
accidents in
the transit
industry is
the fact that
the management
of the transit
industry is
not installing
in its fleets
existing and
available
automated
collision
avoidance
systems. What
is even more
derelict is
that new bus
procurement
don't include
such
provisions
either. When
is the finger
going to
finally be
pointed
towards
"Management"
and the FTA
instead of the
poor bus
driver or
train
engineer? NTSB
is getting
close by at
least
putting it
2nd, but if
the public is
to become
aware, it will
need to rise
to the top
bullet. Alain
Extracting Cognition out of Images for the Purpose of Autonomous Driving
Chenyi Chen PhD
Dissertation ,
"...the key part
of the thesis, a
direct
perception
approach is
proposed to
drive a car in a
highway
environment. In
this approach,
an input image
is mapped to a
small number of
key perception
indicators that
directly relate
to the
affordance of a
road/traffic
state for
driving....." [Read more](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/Theses/chenyiPhDfinal_ExtractingCognitionOutOfImagesForThePurposeOfAutonomousDriving.pdf)
Hmmm..[FPO 10:00am, May 16 , 120 Sherrerd Hall](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/SmartDrivingCars/Presentations/ChenyiFPO.pdf),
Establishing a
foundation for
image-based
autonomous
driving using
DeepLearning
Neural
Networks
trained in
virtual
environments.
Very
promising. Alain
###
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
###
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
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](file:///C:/Users/alaink/Desktop/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
February 18,
2016
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
###
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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