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Mar 20, 2025
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
After Mark Rober's video on Tesla vs. a LIDAR car, somebody tries to replicate the test on FSD instead of Autopilot, as Rober should have. One FSD works, another fails.
Read more at Forbes.com in Cybertruck Sees A Road Runner Fake Wall, Here s Why
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Mar 17, 2025
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Mark Rober's tests were pretty artificial and examined Tesla's obsolete driver-assist system, not its prototype self-driving system.
Read more at Forbes.com in YouTuber Mark Rober Tests Cameras Vs. Lidar And Gets It Wrong
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Mar 11, 2025
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
It took a while, but Waymo is now servicing its HQ and the place it was born. I worked there 13 years ago and have seen it grow up.
Read more at Forbes.com in I Ride A Waymo In Mountain View For The First Time In 13 Years
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Mar 11, 2025
Topic: New DemocracyPoliticsThe more extreme Trump gets, the more the non-MAGA Republicans, whom I will call the "GOP," would like to be free of him. They always distrusted him, but their desire for power overwhelmed that distrust. The alternative to Trump was the Democrats. Opposition to Trump meant being pushed out of the Republican party like Liz Cheney. Now they live in fear. Only the GOP have the political power to remove Trump. 4 in the House. 4 in the Senate could pass a resolution, including a resolution declaring Trump an insurrectionist. 14 could beat filibuster, 20 could pass veto-proof resolutions or convict an impeachment.
But to "shoot at the king and miss" means the end of their career; all they have worked for. Is there a way the Democrats could help them and save the country, as is their duty?
Trump's threat is this: defy him, and next primary, they'll run a MAGA opponent. Elon Musk will fund that campaign. You'll be out, even in a safe seat.
The Democrats could pledge this: If you are in a safe GOP seat and you vote to be rid of Trump, and they attack you, we won't run anybody in your race. Further, we'll tell our supporters to register as Republicans and vote for you, and if that fails, you can run as an independent, or even a new party called the "Grand Old" party, and we'll tell our supporters to vote for you. One time only, but we'll do what we can, and you'll get 6 more years. It had better be over after that.
This actually costs
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Mar 07, 2025
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
With Waymo up to 200,000/week, total rides are now well over a million a month. The robotaxi is here. But people mistake it for Uber because it looks like that today.
Read more at Forbes.com in Robotaxis, Mostly Waymo, Are Giving 1.3 Million Rides/Month. Why?
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Feb 27, 2025
Topic: Going GreenTags: forbes
People want to run EV charging stations as a business, but could you sell gasoline for $4/gallon if almost everybody has a $1/gallon filling station at home?
Read more at Forbes.com in Competing With $1/gallon Gas The Strange Non-Economics Of EV Charging
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Feb 14, 2025
Topic: PoliticsTrump has joked about a third term, but we all know the 22nd amendment limits Presidents to 2 (or 2.5) terms, right? Fortunately, Trump is 78, and the odds of health getting in the way are significant, but it's also pretty probable he'll be up for it. And being who he is, want it. But how could he do it?
Lurleen Wallace Hack
The simplest approach, by far, is the trick Democrats have already actually done twice for Governors. When George Wallace was termed out, his wife Lurleen ran as "Mrs. George Wallace" and won. It was explicit that George would e the real governor, power behind the office. She had no interest in the role, and died in office and George returned. This also happened in Texas with "Ma Furguson" who took the role from her husband.
Trump's wife can't run, but he could run anybody truly loyal, particularly those with his name, including Ivanka, Eric, Lara or Don Jr. Lara's the daughter-in-law but she's being groomed, the important part is the signs would say "Trump" or even "Donald Trump." This could even be done if Donald Trump were barred from running due to the insurrection clause.
No person shall be elected
The 22nd amendment uses odd language. It says "No person shall be elected to the office of President more than twice." It says elected, when the other parts of the constitution which control who can run for President, all written before the 22nd, use other terms. "No person shall be eligible" if they're not a natural born citizen, and 35 years old, and resident for 14 years. No person "
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Feb 13, 2025
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
We look at Musk's very specific words from the earnings call, and what they might translate to in Austin to make a service when the software's not yet ready
Read more at Forbes.com in Tesla Robotaxi In June: What Does Musk Mean By Toe In The Water?
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Feb 10, 2025
Topic: PoliticsThe new Trump administration has done a dizzying list of extreme actions, insane cabinet appointments, executive orders and much more. The Democrats have been largely powerless to stop them, and do not appear to have even been trying very hard. Christian "reconstructionist" Russel Vought, architect of both Project 2025 and hidden plans, is running OMB, and Some fear a coup is in progress, and while it's not certain, the fear can't be easily dismissed.
What can be done? For Democrats, the time to act was last year, but they failed. Trump controls the White House, the Senate, the House and much of SCOTUS, a level not seen for many decades, though the margin is small. Most people are asking how can they resist, and as always, there is a great deal of outrage and statements of opposition.
There is a radically different strategy, one that will no doubt anger those feeling outrage, for it is frustrating, contains risk, and seems counterintuitive. It may also be the best plan.
It must be understood that Trump's main strategy is to create enemies, and unify his supporters around them. His main enemy is the left, or Democrats, but he has also specifically demonized immigrants, drag queens, trans people, abortion supporters and many others, even including China and allies like Mexico and Canada.
Trump works by pitching these enemies as the bogeyman, but he also enlists those enemies to help him. He is deliberately as provocative as he can be, in order to trigger outrage. If he can make his enemies lash out at his supporters, engender hate for him and
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Feb 06, 2025
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Tesla is "cheap and everywhere first, they hope for safe." Waymo is "Safe first, then expand and lower costs." MobilEye thinks there is a zig-zag through the middle
Read more at Forbes.com in Intel s MobilEye Plans A Third Path To Robotaxi, Unlike Tesla, Waymo
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Feb 05, 2025
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
In order to compare the two, it's important to figure out just how to judge the quality of a self-driving system.
Read more at Forbes.com in How To Judge If A Robocar Is Actually Good (Tesla Vs. Waymo)
Here is a video:
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Jan 29, 2025
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
The claim of the vehicles driving around, carrying passengers with no driver behind the wheel by June borders on ridiculous. The numbers just don't back it up
Read more at Forbes.com in Musk Claims Tesla Will Offer Robotaxi By June. Skepticism Is High
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Jan 27, 2025
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
It doesn't matter what Musk really meant with this salute. Robotaxis are exclusively a product for large urban areas, and that population largely didn't like it at all.
Read more at Forbes.com in Did Elon Musk s Salute Cripple The Tesla Robotaxi?
________Facebook
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Jan 22, 2025
Topic: Going GreenTags: forbes
An EV charging station is nothing like a gas station. To get it right, station owners must understand the different business rules and avoid gasoline thinking.
Read more at Forbes.com in The Ideal EV Charging Station Doesn t Look Like You Think
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Jan 20, 2025
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
The competition to win in self-driving saw setbacks in 2024, but things were still going strong at CES. Here's a summary of some transportation stories from CES
Read more at Forbes.com in The Self-Driving Race Continues At CES 2025
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Dec 21, 2024
Topic: RobocarsI made a video version of my 2024 countdown of self-driving stories...
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Dec 20, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
It was a year of tumult, with success and major failures. Let's count down the top self-driving stories of 2024
Read more at Forbes.com in Robocars 2024 In Review: Top Ten Stories And More
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Dec 19, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
New safety data on Waymos, made by the insurer SwissRe, shore up claims of Waymos reducing risk on the road.
Read more at Forbes.com in Waymo & SwissRe Show Impressive New Safety Data
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Dec 11, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbesGM has killed Cruise's robotaxi project. In this article, I muse about some consequences, including why Tesla should buy it, what it means for global competition and what role the DMV played in the death of Cruise and what it should think about that. Link to the article in the comments.
Read my Forbes site story at Tesla should buy Cruise
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Dec 09, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Waymo in year one made a fixed-stop campus robotaxi service with cheap parts, 15 years before Tesla's demonstration of a similar concept. Robotaxi history began here.
Read more at Forbes.com in In 2009, Waymo s Caddy Was A Campus Robotaxi Long Before Cybercab
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Dec 05, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Instead of Uber, a Nigeria based ride-hail finance enabler will run the depots and charging. Florida has a special history with robocars, but also presents challenges.
Read more at Forbes.com in Waymo To Launch Robotaxi In Miami In 2026 With Logistics Partner Moove
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Nov 27, 2024
Topic: Air TravelTags: forbes
Stuck in a Thanksgiving line? Turns out the TSA knows a lot of things that can fix that, but we won't get them anytime soon. They can start with remote X-ray screeners.
Read more at Forbes.com in Long Airport Security Lines? The TSA Knows How To Fix That
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Nov 25, 2024
Topic: Going GreenTags: forbes
People who don't drive EVs don't understand them well, but there are some myths even the owners of EVs don't fully understand. You might believe some of them!
Read more at Forbes.com in Top 11 Myths About EV Charging Even Industry Insiders Believe
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Nov 20, 2024
Topic: Random IdeasSpeaker Associates is a speaking agency which has me in their catalog, and they asked me to record short videos answering a series of big questions. Here they are:
What are the most promising applications of augmented reality and virtual reality technology in fields like education, training, and entertainment?
What are the most effective ways to protect intellectual property in a rapidly evolving innovation landscape?
What are the key differences between innovation in startups versus established companies?
What are the key considerations for companies looking to develop and implement a successful digital transformation strategy?
What are the implications of generative AI for data privacy and security?
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Nov 14, 2024
Topic: Going GreenTags: forbes
When you have solar, you still pick a pricing plan for your electric utility. Here's some hints about how to do that. In California, it's less complex than expected.
Read more at Forbes.com in Got Solar, An EV And Net Metering? Here s Your Best Price Plan
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Nov 12, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Waymo's service area is still 80 square miles (LA to Santa Monica) but now anybody can ride. It's another milestone.
Read more at Forbes.com in Waymo Robotaxi Now Open To All In Los Angeles
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Nov 07, 2024
Topic: PoliticsRobocarsTags: forbes
Musk won big (though thanks to Twitter it may have been no gamble.) But now will urban, blue riders avoid his robotaxis? What happens when the government flips again?
Read more at Forbes.com in Musk s Political Efforts Paid Off, What About For Tesla, Robotaxis?
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Nov 03, 2024
Topic: MediaPoliticsThe NYT "Needle" in 2016
The 2020 election showed that doing live reporting on election counts when the order of counting has a bias is misleading and emotionally draining. Of course, there is no actual "race" with totals moving back and forth, one candidate in the lead and then another. That's just an illusion created by the bias in the order. The result is actually a fixed fact after the polls close, and we're just uncovering different parts as time goes by.
It's a bit like scratching off a lottery card. The final result of the card is fixed, you just get some drama revealing bits of it at a time.
The press get good ratings and we can't stop them from reporting this, even when they know the reports are misleading. But instead of one number, there's really two numbers to show from partial results:
The best estimate of the final number based on your models and what data you have
The amount of uncertainty in that estimate (which you might show as a scalar, or as a distribution.)
As we know, Trump even worked to exploit that lie, known as the red mirage, to call the election into question. It's serious stuff.
This particular time, we the following large biases.
In person votes were usually counted before
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Oct 30, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Waymo also just announced they are doing 150,000 rides/week. This internal research projects shows off some interesting abilities of LLMs and a different approach.
Read more at Forbes.com in Waymo Builds A Vision Based End-To-End Driving Model, Like Tesla/Wayve
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Oct 25, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Waymo just closed a $5.6B funding round. Some of that will be used to grow the fleet, but is there a way to grow fleets with debt rather than equity finanancing?
Read more at Forbes.com in Custom Robotaxis Are Cool, But A Boring One, You Can Take To The Bank
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Oct 22, 2024
Topic: Going GreenRobocarsTags: forbes
Robotaxis have different charging needs than regular cars. Will they want Tesla's new promised wireless charging, or is battery swap made for them
Read more at Forbes.com in Tesla Wireless Charging, Swap And Robots How Will Robotaxis Recharge?
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Oct 19, 2024
Topic: PoliticsOk, No, the Republicans certain take first blame for not standing up to Trump when he took over their party. They have been cowards. But because of that failure, it fell to the Democrats to do what it takes to stop him returning to the White House, and the election remains a dead heat, which it shouldn't be, and only they could have stopped that. I hope they don't fail, but it shouldn't even be close.
Indeed, there is a great irony in that I very frequently see Democrats write, "I just can't begin to comprehend why this race is so close." The reason the race is so close is because they don't understand that. They have failed to understand why half the country (by electoral votes which are all that counts) wants to vote for a man like Trump, and why a large portion of them (way more than enough) are not voting for Trump, but against the Democrats. That's something under the Democrats' control -- they have less control over the MAGAs who support Trump because they like him.
I say "way more than enough" because in a 50-50 race, they only have to win over a few percent of voters in a few swing states to make the race not close any more. Now, there are a lot of reasons that the US 2 party system is usually very close to 50-50. It's not a coincidence -- parties adapt to try to win 51% of the vote (and victory) but they resist adapting more than that, and they're in a fight with an opponent who is doing the same thing. The result is chaotic, with power flipping back and forth, each side often immediately trying to undo what their nemesis did when
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Oct 17, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
How do all the robotaxi contenders compare with Waymo the leader? See it all in one graphic
Read more at Forbes.com in Waymo Timeline Also Ranks All Robotaxi Players, With Tesla In Last
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Oct 07, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbesTesla has said their Oct 10 "We Robot" day will be one for the history books. But they are very far from having a working robotaxi you can bet your life on. So just what can they show off to live up to the hype? I've collected various speculations on what they might show off at Warner Brothers, in hopes of not disappointing.
Read it at Forbes.com in Since Tesla has no Robotaxi, just what will they show on Robotaxi day?
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Sep 29, 2024
Topic: Going GreenTags: forbes
The electric car revolution is well underway, but soon we ll also see the rise of the electric RV. There's a lot you can do to make trailers better
Read more at Forbes.com in Pebble s Electric Travel Trailer Can Hitch And Propel Itself
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Sep 23, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Waymo might seek a backup if their planned Zeekr receives 100% tariffs from the White House, but probably not the Ioniq 5
Read more at Forbes.com in Waymo Rumored In Talks With Hyundai, While Motional CEO Leaves
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Sep 16, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Nuro was going to make a large fleet of custom delivery robots. Now it will licence its self-driving software stack to vehicles of all types, including passenger cars
Read more at Forbes.com in Nuro Switches From Delivery Business To Driver Provider
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Sep 16, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
The lastest Waymo safety data throws down a gauntlet in front of other companies to publish similar data, and helps regulators measure risk.
Read more at Forbes.com in Waymo s New Safety Data Is Impressive And Teaches A Lesson
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Sep 12, 2024
Topic: PoliticsI made this graphic because I find the information collected in it striking. How did Trump get control of the GOP when every single former VP or Presidential nominee living or recently deceased (except Palin) opposes him?
"
Republicans should be asking this, and about how to get their party back. These senior Republicans, nominees and Trump Cabinet members, are just some of hundreds who have come forward. Almost all who come forward though, are those who have left the "game" and are free to speak their own minds. The others saw what happened to Liz Chaney and others.
This graphic asks Republican questions ideally. Most of those I know supporting Trump don't like him but feel that Harris and the Democrats must be stopped. The question for the party is, is that worth giving up the soul of the party. They would rather have somebody other than Trump, but if he's all they have, they will vote for him to meet the higher priority goal of stopping the Democrats. But these leaders of the party, who are free to speak their minds, don't think it's worth that trade off. The GOP must investigate why.
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Sep 07, 2024
Topic: Air TravelPhotographyThe pixel's night mode was able to capture the Starliner coming over Mexico, with stars
Last night I watched the Boeing Starliner re-enter from an (Airbus) Airliner over southern New Mexico. Here's a photo and video shot from a plane window with my phone (!). The story of how I was there involves amazing luck. I was flying from Tampa to San Jose, but when I looked at my earlier flight it was packed full, so I found I could get a flight landing 50 minutes later for $22 less with lots of empty seats. I switched, but it turns out the two legs (on two planes) were tagged with the same flight number and it took half an hour on the phone to make things work. I was regretting it but took it.
Then in Houston I got a first class upgrade so feeling better, but the plane was too empty and the rebalancing software was crashing so they spent 45 minutes figuring it out old-school. Due to that delay I learned from Kathryn Myronuk that the trajectory of the Starliner should come close to my new flight. At first we were going to miss it but the tarmac delay had us intersect it perfectly. I informed the flight crew, who announced when they saw it coming over Mexico. I was on the starboard side but due to the light plane I went back to coach to grab a port window for a great vi
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Aug 30, 2024
Topic: Going GreenTags: forbes
The oldest rail line in the western U.S. has gone electric, but data released suggest the old one used more fuel than giving each rider a Hummer. How can that be solved?
Read more at Forbes.com in Caltrain s Great New Electric Trains Replace Heavy Polluters
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Aug 24, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
A short term partnership will help both companies learn. But the question of a long-term partnership is much more complex.
Read more at Forbes.com in In 2025, You May Call A GM/Cruise Robotaxi On Uber. How About 2030?
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Aug 20, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Waymo says it's new 6th generation driver has significantly reduced cost. A robotaxi can end up cheaper than a regular car. Here's a list what it doesn't need.
Read more at Forbes.com in Waymo s 6th-Generation Robotaxi Is Cheaper. How Cheap Can They Go?
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Aug 18, 2024
Topic: PoliticsTo my various Republican and conservative friends, it's time to talk about Donald Trump. In particular it's time for hard thinking on whether, for the sake of the GOP and conservatism, it's past time to cut him loose. Not for any of the arguments made by your leftie friends, but because it's the right thing for you. It's also time to leave the sinking ship.
To quote Lindsay Graham, back when he spoke his true mind about it, "If Donald Trump carries the banner of my party. I think it taints conservatism for generations to come." Graham isn't the only one who has said this or used to say this. An astonishing fraction of conservatives who worked in the Trump White House have said worse, even published books about it. You can discount a few as sour grapes, but there's far too many of them. Even Mike Pence, John Bolton, Mark Esper and his Chief of Staff John Kelly. Dick Cheney has called him the "greatest threat to our republic." And of course, what J.D. Vance said about Trump before he decided Trump could be his path to power. There's been nothing like this before, which should wake people up.
Look at this list and note it was made after Trump took near-total control of the party. (Bush has sworn to be apolitical but nobody doubts his feelings.) Not just them but multiple close relatives, Mark Burnett (who made Trump, as producer of the Apprentice) and Tony Schwartz, the ghostwriter of "The Art of the Deal." Of all past nominees a
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Aug 13, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Tesla doesn't have robotaxi software yet, and it's done almost nothing on robotaxi logistics. But it might be able to launch early with a cheaper, greener Uber style ride.
Read more at Forbes.com in Could Tesla Run A Robotaxi With Human Operators Inside?
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Aug 11, 2024
Topic: MediaIn the young Olympic event of "speed climbing," Sam Watson (USA) set two new world records, breaking his own previous world record. For that, he got the Bronze medal. The reason he did relates to some concepts I have been mulling over about what makes a good spectator event. The Olympics are the rare time when a whole bunch of sports that are generally relatively obscure become big-audience, big-advertising events. Spectator sports are sports as entertainment, but they are also still athletic.
Watson got the bronze because speed climbing is run in the "pyramid" or "playoff" style where two climbers "race" and the winner of the race advances or gets a point. This is a common style used in lots of sports, and in most of the "mega" spectator sports that get 90% of the audiences and money (Football, Baseball, Basketball, Hockey, American Football, Cricket etc.) Watson set one new WR in the early rounds, but he had a minor stumble in the semi-finals so he missed the gold medal "round" and in his bronze metal match set a new WR that was not matched in the official goal medal match.
The problem is this -- there's really no "match" aspect to this particular sport. The two climbers are really just racing against a clock, and the fastest time wins. They rarely glance at their opponent, and while they may have some peripheral perception, in a good run they are racing only the clock. (If an opponent has a very poor run, and falls or stumbles majorly, a climber might notice that and slow down and be more careful, now that a win is assured for them if they
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Aug 05, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Making a working self-driving car is hard, but there's a ton more to do to open a robotaxi service area. Here's an outline of the surprisingly long list of things.
Read more at Forbes.com in So You ve Built A Robotaxi, Now Where s Your Infrastructure?
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Aug 04, 2024
Topic: MediaA few days ago, I wrote about Olympics Streaming and the challenge of quickly navigating around streaming/downloaded sports programs with typical streaming or cloud DVR services.
I tend to make heavy use of "jump" buttons which skip forward or back amounts like 10, 15, 30 or 120 seconds. With a local disk DVR (and some very good streaming ones) this is done with super fast response time and a live preview, so it's easy to move around a program to what you want.
But what I did not discuss, and should, is just what do you want? The most common thing is to skip commercials, and some DVRS (typically those not under control of networks or cable providers) offer automatic commercial skip, or a button that seeks to the end (or start) of the commercial break. They even do this on near-live recordings. The problem is that TV shows don't want you to skip commercials, and work to get this feature out of DVRs. A solution that keeps everybody happier is to pay extra for commercial-free, though some things like sports can't do this as the live event has gaps for commercials.
With sports, though, there are tons and tons of short boring gaps, and that's really obvious in the Olympics. Indeed, there are too many, which can mean a complex UI. The best simple UI is usually a button or two that skips 10 to 30 seconds, with a "back" button that skips a shorter amount of time, so you can skip forward, and if you overshoot, go back 1-2 times. But why not be exact.
In hockey, for example, I
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Aug 01, 2024
Topic: MediaI cut the TV cord many years ago, and watch everything streaming or downloaded. When it comes to sports, though, particularly the Olympics, streaming and Cloud DVR don't remotely cut it, and so I record the over-the-air broadcast to a local disk using open source DVR software, and watch from my local disk, sometimes delayed just a few minutes to an hour from "live."
Once you watch that way, you can't go back. You can seek around instantly, and I mean instantly. If I press my "Forward 10 seconds" button it does it within milliseconds. Same for back. Rewind and FF run at many speeds, and up to 3x they are perfectly smooth. Up to 2x they are smooth and the audio is played, pitch-adjusted.
Sports are full of boring gaps, not just the commercials. And depending on your view of the sport, you may also decide to skip or speed up action. If it's my favourite sport I might watch it all, but otherwise you'll see me skipping long sections of a long road race, or all the points in a volleyball or tennis match until it gets closer to the decision. TV coverage that is edited down does this (and smarter) but it's also nice when you control it entirely and pick what you want. And you can watch a sport in less than half the time, even 1/10th the time if you want, which means you get to watch a lot more within your time budget.
Streaming doesn't work for this. While YouTube is fairly decent, most streaming and cloud DVR services have huge latency on any attempts to seek around or rewind/FF to the point of being unusable. With regular shows it's OK beca
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Jul 30, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Robotaxis may not look like old-school cars. What will be their key innovative features, and what is Tesla likely to show in their October concept reveal?
Read more at Forbes.com in What Hardware Features Make A Robotaxi, And What Will Tesla Do?
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Jul 23, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Canceling the Origin is a sad moment for Cruise, but it's the right decision on their path to rebirth. Get the software right, then do the hardware.
Read more at Forbes.com in GM s Cruise Kills Its Custom Origin Robotaxi But It s Not All Bad
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Jul 22, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Some plan fleets of robotaxis. Others, like Tesla may expect private owners to hire out their cars into networks, like Ubers they don't have to drive. Which is best?
Read more at Forbes.com in Will Robotaxis Be Fleet-Owned Waymos Or Privately Hired Out Teslas?
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Jul 21, 2024
Topic: PoliticsIn election season, we regularly see references in the USA to "The popular vote" as well as nationwide polls comparing presidential candidates. These are self-destructive, and ideally should be curtailed.
There is no popular vote in US election law. People talk about one because newspapers add up the 51 different races that are done and publish a number. People make several significant errors about this number. They talk about a candidate "winning" or "losing" this popular vote, which of course is not correct -- you can't win or lose a race you're not even trying to compete in, and no candidate does so.
Instead what people are probably interested in is a different number, "What the popular vote might be, if the USA had an actual popular vote race which determined a winner." Many people would prefer a popular vote to the electoral college, for fairly obvious reasons. Problem is that the newspaper published number is not that number and may not even be close to it. It might be possible to try to calculate the theoretical number people would like to use to compare, but at present nobody does that.
Many countries don't have a popular vote but sometimes report it. In Canada, in the last election the Liberal party got 32.6% of the unofficial "popular vote," and while there are people who lament this, there's actually much less consternation over this than what it seen in the USA when the electoral college has an opposite sense than either the fake popular vote or even a real one. The Liberals rule with a minority but came close to the ful
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Jul 15, 2024
Topic: Free SpeechTags: forbes
A busy pedestrian city core is common in Europe, and the jewel of any city, but US cities rarely make it work. Cars are banned but they also bring in pedestrians
Read more at Forbes.com in Europe s Pedestrian Downtowns Are Marvelous, But Cars Enable Them
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Jul 11, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
The market's upset that Tesla may delay their robotaxi reveal, but the truth is they are many years away from having a production robotaxi
Read more at Forbes.com in Tesla Delays Robotaxi Reveal. It s OK, It s Still Many Years Away
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Jun 07, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
If Tesla FSD-S does get that good, will it trigger "automation complacency" and create a danger?
Read more at Forbes.com in Elon Musk Predicts FSD-S Will Drive For A Year, But That s Dangerous
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Jun 05, 2024
Topic: TransportationTags: forbes
Manhattan's plan to charge up to $15 to drive downtown won't happen, but there are better, more high tech ways to do it.
Read more at Forbes.com in New York Governor Kills Congestion Pricing; Here s How To Do It Better
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Jun 04, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Tesla FSD has learned some antisocial behavior. But what if self-driving systems work together to make a more cooperative and social road?
Read more at Forbes.com in A Tesla With FSD-S Cut In Line, But Robocars Could Save Us From It
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Jun 03, 2024
Topic: InternetMediaRandom IdeasIt's time to radically scale back the postal service, by banning the mailing, on paper, of computer files.
The US Postal Service delivers 44% of the mail in the world. 127B total pieces of mail, plus packages, and 46B pieces of first class mail (down from 103B at the peak) of which 13B are "single piece" first class mail with a stamp. That's a lot of trees and a lot of energy.
Last election, it became a political issue, because it carries ballots, and it's not just about mail, as it does a number of low-cost parcels, including, famously, some people's prescriptions. But it shouldn't be a political issue, not to the end of defending vast waste in order to support a few useful goals.
Almost every piece of mail (not a parcel) that I get is a computer printout. It's a file that was in somebody's computer, that they printed (or mass printed) and mailed to me, and I don't want that.
So my proposal is that any person with (or without) an address can register an e-Mail address to associate with it through the post office. Anybody who has a computer file to send to a physical address just check if that address has an associated e-mail, and if so, just send the file to the USPS to deliver. (The registered e-mails would not be public.) The USPS can even charge a fee, like a penny, for this. The sender can provide a return address or not, just like paper mail. This would count
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May 29, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
The National Highway Transportation Safety Agency is investigating 31 incidents involving the robotaxi company s vehicles.
Read more at Forbes.com in NHTSA Investigates More Waymo Incidents, But Should It?
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May 14, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Baidu, the tech company sometimes called the "Google of China" has a new robotaxi at half the price, and a plan for profits
Read more at Forbes.com in Baidu Launches New $28,000 Robotaxi In Wuhan
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May 14, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Cruise is Back, Waymo is doing 50,000 rides/week with nobody in the car, Motional lays off half their staff, and Tesla still teases a Robotaxi. It's interesting times.
Read more at Forbes.com in GM Cruise Comes Back In Phoenix, Waymo Soars, Motional Sinks
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May 08, 2024
Topic: Random Ideas
There's "uproar" in California over a new law that requires fees to be disclosed in prices, even at restaurants. Restaurants say that those which have a mandatory service charge (ie. non-optional tip) and other completely bogus fees like a 6% "employee health insurance fee" and similar will be punished because their prices are now going to look higher than other restaurants, and this will scare away customers, even though all they are being made to do is show the price the customer will pay.
People hate these hidden fees, found especially on hotel rooms, tickets and the like, so much that Joe Biden pledged to get rid of them in the State of the Union.
A nice simple rule could be, "If you advertise a price, then that is what the consumer pays" with the possible exception real government mandated taxes, which should be known but also clear to the customer.
Challenges come, though from "optional" and variable things like tips and shipping/delivery. This is what the restaurants are upset about. They make the tip mandatory, and so must list it under the new law, in other restaurants the tip is optional and thus not listed. And the tip is indeed technically optional. If you're ordering something with delivery, the delivery is not generally optional, though.
So I would propose the following. In the case of tip
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May 07, 2024
Topic: Going GreenTags: forbes
I recently rented a Tesla from Hertz, for an experience that tried to be wonderful but failed.
Read more at Forbes.com in Hertz Tesla Rental Imports Your Profile, And More, But Badly
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May 01, 2024
Topic: Going GreenRobocarsTags: forbes
What reasons could Tesla possibly have to laying off its entire Supercharger team when most consider it to be one of the company's prized jewels?
Read more at Forbes.com in How To (Barely) Make Sense Of Tesla Sacking Its Supercharger Team
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May 01, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Some day robots may roam the streets without cargo, just showing ads. What will we do about it?
Read more at Forbes.com in Serve Robotics Goes Public With Ad Plan; What Do Ads On Robots Mean?
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May 01, 2024
Topic: Going GreenRobocarsTags: forbes
Cars that go charge themselves are the ideal, and also a solution for the power grid, plugging themselves in when solar power is surplus and cheap
Read more at Forbes.com in Future Self-Driving EVs Must Plug Themselves In. How Will They?
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Apr 22, 2024
Topic: Going GreenTags: forbes
California's home solar net metering standards changed last year and crashed the solar industry. Could neighbors selling power to neighbors' cars fix it?
Read more at Forbes.com in California Supreme Court To Hear Home Solar Rate Case, And It s A Mess
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Apr 18, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Machine learning AI and large language models (similar to ChatGPT) are taking over software development at self-driving car companies
Read more at Forbes.com in Tesla, Waymo, Nuro, Zoox And Many Others Embrace New AI To Drive
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Apr 15, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
There's a lot Tesla has to do to make a robotaxi, but if they do, it might be a cheaper car to buy than a low cost EV
Read more at Forbes.com in Tesla Teases A Robotaxi And Other Big Changes
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Apr 14, 2024
Topic: PhotographyHere is an album of shots from the 2024 Eclipse, shot from Magog, Quebec (near Sherbrooke) after a long odyssey to avoid clouds, detailed below.
For best viewing, Go to Google Eclipse Photo Album
This eclipse, my 7th, was a major effort to assure clear skies and good photos. As the last domestic eclipse for ages, I decided to bring a LOT of gear to take photographs automatically while I watched.
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Mar 30, 2024
Topic: Best Of BlogPhotographyRandom Ideas
A total solar eclipse is the most spectacular natural phenomenon you can see on this planet. It's really that good. If you think the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, Banff or the Fjords of Norway are spectacular, you're right, but this beats them all. In fact, it's so good that even though I just hyped it so much, you'll still be impressed. But no photograph of it looks much like it at all, so instead I'll start by showing you a short clip of how people react to it that I recorded at my last eclipse.
I'm Brad Templeton, and while this channel is mostly about the future of transportation, I've seen six total eclipses, which is enough that I can give you some good advice on how to see one, in particular the one that crosses North American in April of 2024. I've also gotten some skill at photographing them, which will let me advise you on why you should never, ever try to photograph during the total phase, no matter how good you are at photography, and how you can come away with some good images nonetheless. Get ready to be followed by a Moon
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Mar 28, 2024
Topic: PoliticsPrivacyRandom IdeasDid you know that the Bible doesn't just condone abortion, it actually requires it in the case of infidelity, and gives (bad) instructions on how it is to be done? It's all in Numbers Chapter 5, starting at verse 11. I wonder if it would be possible to set up abortion clinics which perform abortions with a modernization of the method described in the Bible, for the subset of women who qualify. It would only help some women, but it would make it much harder for those fighting abortion rights for religious reasons to stop women getting abortions as described and required in the Bible, who are exercising their religious freedom.
In a biblical abortion, it's required when a husband is jealous and suspects his wife of infidelity. (It does not have to be the case, he just has to suspect it.) He takes her to the temple, and the priest explains how it will work and makes her take an oath saying "so be it."
He then gives her a drink, which he has explained will not harm her if she has been faithful, but will curse her and cause an abortion if she has been unfaithful.
The drink is holy water, mixed with dust from the floor of the tabernacle, and into which a scroll with the rules has been dipped. But imagine that prior to this procedure, the woman has received a prescription for a
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Mar 26, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
A serious Waymo incident turned out to be a mistake by a human remote assistance operator. How do the errors of people and robots differ, particularly to the public?
Read more at Forbes.com in Waymo Runs A Red Light And The Difference Between Humans And Robots
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Mar 22, 2024
Topic: MediaTags: science fictionYesterday, I declared in commemorating his life, that Vernor Vinge was the greatest SF author. Of course, there are many opinions on who might get that title, and a solid argument that there isn't just one, or one axis of what makes great SF.
To explain my claim, I want to describe why I read SF, and how I judge greatness in it. Those who read SF may read all sorts of other books (and should) but they have a reason why SF holds a particular attraction and value. While any great book should have great characters and great prose and a gripping story and bring you to new realizations about the world and "the human condition" SF readers seek even more. (This is true to an extent which causes mainstream critics to disparage SF, because readers are willing to accept less than the best of these other virtues in order to get SF that is great at being SF.)
All good fiction explores important issues and the consequences of certain hypotheticals -- "What if?" For most fiction, these topics are important but "ordinary" and concern that human condition, our lives, our emotions, our morals, our philosophy, our politics and many other things.
Speculative fiction asks "what if?" with the world itself. Imagine a world that isn't just ours (often just because it's in the future as is not yet
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Mar 21, 2024
Topic: FuturismMediaTags: science fictionI have received the sad news of the passing of the world's greatest science fiction writer, Vernor Vinge, who was also my friend and onetime collaborator. (And, I need to point out, it's pronounced Vin-gee.)
I don't bestow that title lightly Certainly with 3 Hugo awards for best novel he was one of the most decorated. Heinlein with 4 is far in the past. Willis is still writing, and Jemesin won her 3 for a great fantasy series but when it comes to what I think great real SF should do, Vernor was the top in my book. Some could argue others spun better prose, but when it come to exploring world-shaking ideas none were his equal.
His stories explored radical political theories and introduced us to a concept that's become a household word, "the signularity" -- a term that he coined. Many concepts of VR and cyberspace were unveiled in "True Names" and much thinking on networks and superhuman intelligence was born in A Fire Upon the Deep. The list goes on and on. Shortly after A Fire Upon the Deep came out I worked with Vernor to produce and publish a hypertext e-book of it which included all his author's notes while he was writing it, a rare chance to see inside the writer's mind.
His l
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Mar 20, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
A study said TNC drivers don't make minimum wage, including their idle time but Uber and Lyft say they'll leave once the city regulated fares. Here's the math.
Read more at Forbes.com in Are Uber and Lyft Right In Their Threat To Leave Minneapolis?
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Mar 05, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
San Mateo tried to fight them, but they've been quickly approved, and now can try their hand at really scaling up.
Read more at Forbes.com in Waymo Wins Permission For Major Expansion To Los Angeles, San Francisco Peninsula
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Mar 03, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
San Mateo tried to fight them, but they've been quickly approved, and now can try their hand at really scaling up.
Read more at Forbes.com in Waymo Wins Permission For Major Expansion To Los Angeles, San Francisco Peninsula
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Mar 01, 2024
Topic: Going GreenTags: forbes
Drivers of Ford electric cars gain access to Tesla s supercharger network, using an adapter provided free by Ford. Tesla can make sure not too many stalls are wasted.
Read more at Forbes.com in Tesla Blesses Fords At Superchargers Using Up Two Or Three Spaces
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Feb 27, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
The industry is slowing down its progress. Some will win and some will lose as this happens.
Read more at Forbes.com in Apple Reportedly Kills Car Project, Who Is It Good Or Bad For?
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Feb 06, 2024
Topic: Going GreenTransportationTags: forbes
Some cities want to discourage big, heavy vehicles. But could making them more available for short use actually result in fewer of them on the road?
Read more at Forbes.com in Paris Votes To Discourage SUVs, But Would Easier Renting Help?
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Feb 04, 2024
Topic: GovernanceMediaTags: science fictionhugo
The activities of the World Science Fiction Society, the unincorporated club which chooses the location of the annual World SF Convention (WorldCon) and the annual Hugo awards, have once again encountered a scandal, the 3rd in the last 8 years, and people aren't quite sure how to repair the damage and/or fix it long term. Below, I'll discuss many of the possible and proposed approaches.
You can skip ahead past this description of the odd way WSFS works.
TL;DR (Very Long) Folks could try to make what happened harder to happen. They could also try to make it more obvious and detectable and harder to cover-up. They could look for more general approaches to allow faster response to any sort of attack, not just this one. They could also install deterrents to make it less likely people would try things again.
For those unfamiliar, a good analog to the WorldCon might be the Olympics. The structure is somewhat different, but this can aid in understanding. The Olympic movement and its trademarks belong to a global organization called the International Olympic Committee. Cities an
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Feb 01, 2024
Topic: Going GreenTags: forbes
Do EVs work in the cold? Read about a long trip in snowy Utah, and how the best place to charge is at hotels, and how that should work
Read more at Forbes.com in Chicago EVs Froze As I Did An Easy Two Week Tesla Trip In Snowy Utah
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Jan 31, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Motional must rely on Hyundai for support, or find a new funder. I recount the history of self-driving projects and what this means going forward.
Read more at Forbes.com in Aptiv Pulls Support From Motional Robotaxi Joint Venture
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Jan 25, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Cruise has released reports from independent agencies that examined its crash with a pedestrian and the alleged cover-up of dragging. Lots of details
Read more at Forbes.com in Cruise Releases Independent Reports On Oct 2 Pedestrian Dragging Event
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Jan 22, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Waymo has asked to serve large reasons in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Perhaps big enough for real experiments in car replacement, which is where robotaxis must go
Read more at Forbes.com in Waymo Plans Massive Robotaxi Service Area, But Not Massive Enough
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Jan 02, 2024
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
I outline what sort of data should be disclosed and what methods can assure that robocars are safe and we can understand how safe they are
Read more at Forbes.com in Buttigieg Seeks Robocar Safety. Here s How He Should Do It
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Dec 28, 2023
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
The biggest self-driving story of 2023 was the fall of Cruise. Here's in-depth analysis of that fall and where they might go
Read more at Forbes.com in Robocar 2023 In Review: The Fall Of Cruise
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Dec 01, 2023
Topic: Going GreenTags: forbes
They have $7B to spend, but previous subsidies caused a broken charging network. Here's how to do it better
Read more at Forbes.com in Does The Dept. Of Transport Know What To Do With $7B For EV Charging?
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Nov 19, 2023
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Vogt founded the company, sold it and returned to the helm. Here's analysis of his fall and what's ahead for Cruise
Read more at Forbes.com in Kyle Vogt Resigns As CEO Of GM s Cruise Robotaxi Unit
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Nov 08, 2023
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Cruise has listed steps they are taking during their shutdown. It's a start, but there needs to be even more
Read more at Forbes.com in GM s Cruise Dug Itself A Deep Hole; They Want To Show They See It
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Nov 07, 2023
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
Reports said Cruise cars ask for remote help a few times an hour. It seems bad but it's not about safety, and it turns out it doesn't hurt commercial viability.
Read more at Forbes.com in Cruise Reports Lots Of Human Oversight Of Robotaxis, Is That Bad?
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Nov 02, 2023
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
A robotaxi dragged a woman after she was hit by another driver. What would happen if the case went to court?
Read more at Forbes.com in An Injury Lawyer Says What GM s Cruise Robotaxi Might Face After Dragging Woman
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Oct 30, 2023
Topic: RobocarsSolve thisTags: forbes
Cruise has lost trust. They need to be much more open to ever get it back. Here's things they could do to win trust.
Read more at Forbes.com in Cruise Suspends Robotaxi Operations, What They Must Do To Fix It
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Oct 26, 2023
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
It's good for Uber, but will Waymo want a relationship like this long term?
Read more at Forbes.com in You Can Summon A Waymo Via Uber, But Does It make Sense?
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Oct 24, 2023
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
A person was hit by another car and thrown in front of the Cruise. Then it stopped and dragged her while trying to pull over. The DMV says Cruise hid that.
Read more at Forbes.com in California DMV Shuts Down Cruise Robotaxis Due To Dragging Of Pedestrian
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Oct 23, 2023
Topic: Going GreenTags: forbes
Poor reliability is the bane of CCS car drivers, but there's also a lot of hassle in using 30 apps on 30 networks.
Read more at Forbes.com in Networks Say They ll Fix Broken Chargers, But What About Broken Billing?
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Oct 19, 2023
Topic: RobocarsTags: forbes
San Francisco wants to slow down robotaxi testing. That will slow down great benefits for the fire dept. and others, and rob from their future for minor gain today
Read more at Forbes.com in Cruise Robotaxi Improvements Mean Fire Department Burns Its Own House
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Oct 13, 2023
Topic: PhotographyThere is a partial/Annular solar eclipse in the USA on Oct 14. It's nothing like a total eclipse but if you are near it or in it you may enjoy it. But photographing the eclipse itself is not that exciting, so instead photograph the people watching it. In this video I outline some ideas on how to do that.
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