Rivian Starts Deploying Its Electric Van as Mobile Service Vehicle
With a cargo capacity of 500 cubic feet, Rivian's Electric Delivery Vehicle (EDV) – which is called Rivian Service Van – is much better suited for the job than the R1T pickup the company has been using so far for light service jobs in the field.
"Each van is fit with a wheel balancer, automatic tire changer, air compressor, hydraulic jack and stands, and modular shelving with the parts and tools to complete 80 percent of all labor codes," Rivian said in a press release announcing the deployment. "Each van also has a dedicated 240v outlet to provide vehicle-to-vehicle charging.”
Your Car Records Everything, Now Cops Want That Data
Robotaxis being operated by companies like Waymo and Cruise use scores of cameras and sensors to avoid screwing up traffic and crashing into stuff. Those cameras record everything, though, including the faces and license plates of the people and cars they drive past … and now, the cops want access to that video.
A senior policy analyst at nonprofit digital rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Matthew Guariglia, argues that the issue isn’t police gathering evidence, it’s that there’s not always transparency on how the data police will gather from such data seizures will be stored, or how the police can access it.
Amazon Robotaxi Team Growing, Robotaxi Use Launches In Las Vegas
In February, Zoox robotaxis hit the streets of California. Unlike Cruise and Waymo, which are clearly ahead of the pack, these Zoox robotaxis are being used right now just to shuttle employees around. That’s been the story in Foster City where Zoox is based.
Now, Zoox is expanding that robotaxi service. It’s still only going to be for employee use, but employees now have access to the robotaxis in the city of Las Vegas, Nevada. On June 16, Zoox robotaxis began operating for employee use there — no drivers, no pedals, no steering wheels.
This July 4th Weekend Is Expected To Break Travel Records
AAA expects 50.7 million Americans to travel 50 miles or more this weekend, with 43.2 million opting to drive. This would represent not only a 2.4% increase over 2022—perhaps logical given that the national gasoline price average last year was $4.80 a gallon—but also a 4% increase in travel over 2019.
Air travel is expected to set its own record with 4.17 million projected to fly to their destinations this weekend. This would represent an 11.2% increase over 2022, and a 6.6% increase over 2019, which was not only before the pandemic, but also before the dramatic levels of inflation we're seeing in all retail sectors at the moment.
Win, Win, Win: Report Shows EV Government Fleets Good for Economy, Health, and Planet
Replacing the roughly 900,000 gas-guzzling light-duty automobiles in state and local government fleets with electric vehicles over the next decade could save U.S. taxpayers nearly $11 billion in lifetime expenses while reducing pollution and planet-heating emissions, according to a recent report.
According to the report, the biggest savings—more than $8.5 billion—would be on fuel costs, followed by nearly $6.9 billion saved on maintenance, over $3.5 billion in depreciation costs, and $1.1 billion on insurance. Greenhouse gas emissions would plummet by nearly 26 billion tons, a 63% drop compared with a scenario in which state and local governments purchase fossil-fueled vehicles to replace their old ones.
