Brian Matuszewski: The Impact of Fuel Prices on Sustainability Initiatives
Although the business case for sustainable fleets may be stronger when fuel costs are high, the reality is that fuel is always one of the biggest costs for fleets.
Google’s Self-Driving Cars Can Recognize Cyclist Hand Signals
Last month, Google focused on teaching its self-driving cars to honk appropriately. Now, it’s taking safety into its own hands and learning how to deal with all those cyclists on the road.
According to Google’s latest self-driving car report, the autonomous cars can now detect a cyclist’s hand signals, and use machine learning to remember signals from previous rides. Its sensors work 360 degrees, including in the dark and have been programmed to distinguish between tandem bikes, bikes with big wheels, unicycles, and other types of bikes. (But can it recognize this seven-person tricycle? This remains to be seen.)
Most importantly, according to the report, “our cars won’t squeeze by when cyclists take the center of the lane, even if there’s technically enough space.” That’s better than can be said for some existing drivers out on the road.
Missouri Building Solar Panels into Pavement Along Old Route 66
This “could be the first road in history ever to pay for itself.”
One of the most famous roads from America’s past could soon become the highway of the future, at least if a project launched by the Missouri Department of Transportation pans out.
MoDOT, as its locally known, plans to become the first public highway department to test out a new type of pavement that not only replaces conventional concrete and asphalt but which also can generate electricity through built in solar panels. The technology was developed by an Idaho-based start-up called Solar Roadways.
Fatal Crash Puts Tesla Under Scrutiny
By Mike Sheldrick
Last month, the Guardian prophetically wrote an influential, widely read piece entitled, “Statistically, Self-Driving Cars Are About to Kill Someone.”
The Guardian argued that it was statistically impossible that the roughly 100 million fatality-free miles racked up by Tesla’s Autopilot activated cars would continue as those millions turned to billions, and yes, even trillions. One hundred million miles are roughly the rate at which a fatal accident occurs in the U.S.
Then, it happened. Actually, it happened on May 7, on a divided highway in Florida. A man in a Tesla Model S was crushed when his Autopilot-driven car drove beneath a tractor-trailer making a left turn on the highway in front of the car.
Nine days later, Tesla Motors reported the incident to the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), which for some reason, sat on the information for nearly two months, before it said, in response to press queries, that it would investigate the incident.
An authoritative account of the accident will have to await the NHTSA examination. In the meantime, however, the incident has amplified discussion about the wisdom of autonomous (or semi-autonomous) vehicles.
Dave Sowers: Best-in-Class Upfit Friendliness
Ram sets out to deliver best-in-class, and that includes making their vehicles upfit-friendly in every way possible.
