As reality sets in for the autonomous drive technology space, the long-term goal of Level 5 and ubiquitous ridesharing is giving way to more limited, pragmatic deployment scenarios. One of the opportunities that is coming into focus in this shift is autonomous trucking and freight delivery. On today's episode, we speak with one of the first people to see the remarkable opportunities in this space: Stefan Seltz-Axmacher, CEO and founder of the autonomous trucking pioneer Starsky Robotics.
After a visit to the historic Henry Ford Museum, Alex is fired up about grassroots electric racing. The gang also discusses Tesla's new leaked interior renderings and Kirsten's "highly cited" story about Uber's new approach to autonomy. Also, Ed has a new job!
One of the hardest problems in the automated driving stack involves predicting how multiple pedestrian targets will behave. That's the problem that Cambridge, MA-based startup Perceptive Automata is tackling head-on with a unique approach to deep learning that builds on research into human perception. Co-founder and CTO Sam Anthony joins the show to explain how he's teaching self-driving cars how to tap into he power of the human glance.
Anyone who spends some time around new mobility technology recognizes the cycle that all new trends go through: the ascent, the peak of hype, the disillusionment and steady adoption. The research and advisory firm Gartner has an annual report that plots every buzz-happy new technology on a "Hype Cycle" chart, and Gartner's Research Director (and former veteran auto reporter) Mike Ramsey joins the show to discuss the latest moves in mobility technology. From Mobility as a Service to flying autonomous vehicles, from electric cars to autonomous drive technology, find out where every new mobility tech segment (and one company) belong in the endless cycle of hype, disappointment and adoption.
With Alex fresh off an adventure in the Oregon Outback that resulted in a misdemeanor trespassing charge, the gang takes a moment to consider the challenges and opportunities of rural mapping, Level 5 autonomy and autonomous off-roading. We also discuss Tesla's latest Autopilot feature descriptions and hidden car stashes, as well as a tease of Niedermeyer's upcoming book on the electric automaker. Discussion episodes are back!
The 30 year-old Controller Area Network bus, better known as CAN, is often held up as a symbol of the auto industry's glacial pace of innovation. But, as Ken Tindell of Canis Automotive Labs explains, the electronic backbone of every modern car has persisted through decades of profound changes in electronics and networking for good reasons. What's more, Tindell has taught CAN a new trick that could maintain its viability for decades to come while securing it from the cybersecurity threats that were all but unimaginable when CAN was first invented.
The Autonocast's cybersecurity week kicks off with another episode recorded while in Tel Aviv for Mobility Week. Featuring Yoav Levy and Dan Sahar, respectively Co-founder/CEO and Vice President of product at the Isreali cybersecurity firm Upstream, we learn about some of the threats facing cars today and how to address them. With 100 million connected cars on the road, many with little to no built-in security measures, the task ahead of automotive cybersecurity teams like Upstream is staggering.
George Hotz might just be the most interesting person in the autonomous drive technology space. The man who once hacked iPhones and Playstations turned to the goal of "winning autonomous cars" in 2015, and ever since he's been making waves with his bold statements and a development style that could hardly be more different than a traditional auto industry approach. Alex, Kirsten and Ed visited Hotz at his home and Comma.ai's headquarters in San Francisco, to discuss his spicy takes on the AV space and to learn more about Comma's recent developments and ultimate goals.
Big Data is one of those buzzwords that can make eyes instantly glaze over, but it's also a topic of massive importance to automakers and tech companies seeking to build out new business models. The opportunities to monetize mobility-derived data are enormous, but so too are the risks involved with handling data that can so easily strip away privacy or be used in invasive and annoying ways. To help walk us through the challenges and opportunities involved with automotive Big Data, we are joined by Yael Rivkind, the Director of Partnerships for one of the pioneering marketplaces for the data derived from connected vehicles: the Israeli firm Otonomo.