Friday, December 21, 2018

Globalist Agenda For 100% Self-Driving Autonomy Not A Fit With Consumer Confidence In Technology

A Waymo outfitted self-driving car. The compoany is heading the pack in fully-autonomous vehicles, for now. Image Credit: Stephen Lam/Reuters via The National

Globalist Agenda For 100% Self-Driving Autonomy Not A Fit With Consumer Confidence In Technology

CES, the Consumer Electronics Show starting the year in Las Vegas January 8th, 2019, will be the debut of many technologies designed to serve the consuming public in making life simplier, easier, and safer. The show serves a a major communications effort to convience consumers of the viability of these solutions so that a larger conceptual agenda can be served. Enter the march toward full-autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) takeover in mobility and transportation.

SAE International has designated six distinct levels of autonomous operation.

1.) No automation
2.) Driver assistance
3.) Partial automation
4.) Conditional automation
5.) High automation
6.) Full automation.

As one can asertain, only at level 6 is the vehicle operation completely full AI autonomous.

Waymo, the self-driving unit of Google’s parent Alphabet, announced changing from developing its own self-driving cars to being a supplier and developing self-driving technology for cars mass produced by others. That resulted in the demise of the company’s Firefly self-driving car (no steering wheel, no peddles) - probably the first retirement from the autonomous vehicle race. Image Credit: Waymo via Logistics Management

This excerpted and edited from MediaPost Communications -

Deloitte: Consumers Distrust Autonomous Vehicles

Consumer trust in autonomous vehicles appears to be stalling, along with trust in U.S. auto manufacturers' ability to bring these technologies to market.

Deloitte’s 2019 Global Automotive Consumer Study, which surveyed over 25,000 consumers across 20 countries, found that consumers’ appetite for self-driving vehicles is lagging behind the industry’s pace of investment in advanced vehicle technology. 

A full report of the findings will be released in early January at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Several automakers have announced plans for the show, including Honda, Mercedes-Benz and Audi, which is collaborating with Disney for an in-car project.

This is the 2019 iteration of the study, but the responses were collected in September and October of 2018. Similarly, the 2018 iteration of the study reflected responses collected in late 2017. The overall goal of the study is to answer important questions that can help companies prioritize and better position their business strategies and investments.

A majority of U.S. consumers (56%) indicate they want significant oversight from the government for autonomous vehicles. Furthermore, the number of respondents who trust traditional automakers to bring AV technology to market continues to fall, slipping from 47% in 2018 to 39% in 2019.

Last year, more consumers were warming up to the concept of self-driving vehicles and their safety, but that has flattened out in the latest survey, says Craig Giffi, U.S. leader for automotive and industrial products, Deloitte. 

The number of respondents in the U.S. who did not believe AVs will be safe decreased significantly from 2017 (74%)  to (2018) (47%). But from 2018 to 2019, that percentage actually increased slightly, from 47% to 50%, showing a plateau.

“The percentage of people viewing autonomous vehicles as safe has stalled in virtually every market Deloitte studied,” Giffi tells Marketing Daily. “Public perception is likely being shaped by the widespread awareness of accidents involving AVs, with nearly two-thirds of consumers in South Korea, the United States, India, and China agreeing that media reports of accidents involving AVs have made them more cautious of the technology.”

While manufacturers are quickly moving to deliver advanced vehicle connectivity, consumers may not be ready to pay for those features, Giffi says. 

“In Germany, 43% of consumers said they would not pay any more for a connected vehicle,” he says. “A similar story plays out in the United States, where one-third of consumers would not pay more, and another 42% would only pay up to $500 more.”

The study also looked at the use of ride services like Uber and Lyft. Only 12% of U.S. consumers use ride-hailing at least once a week, while the percentage of those who use it “occasionally” reached 46%. This is compared to 23% who used it at least once a week in 2017 and 22% who used it occasionally.

When it comes to even non-autonomous, but connected, vehicles, privacy continued to be an issue. Roughly two-thirds (63%) of U.S. consumers are concerned about biometric data being captured and shared with external parties.
[Reference Here]

... notes from The EDJE



TAGS: Waymo, Google, Deloitte, Distrust, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Disney, in-car project, 2019 Global Automotive Consumer Study, The EDJE

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Emotive Driving Is A "Thing" At Korean Auto Maker KIA

Much of the focus on self-driving cars, naturally, has centered on the driving technology, however, the future user experience that a fully automated car can potentially deliver also needs to be looked at, feels KIA. Image Credit: KIA via MotorAuthority (2018)

Emotive Driving Is A "Thing" At Korean Auto Maker KIA

Next month at the 2019 International CES show in Las Vegas, running from January 8th to January 11th, KIA plans on revealing a window, or better, a sensory space by which Human and Vehicle become one.

"READ" that ... Artifical Intelligence in real-time.

At CES 2019, Kia will look into the future, to a time when self-driving cars are the norm. Image Credit: KIA via MediaPost (2018)

This edited and excerpted from MediaPost Communications -

Kia To Unveil In-Car Tech For 'Emotive Driving' Future 

In a move aimed at a post-autonomous driving era, Kia Motors plans to show new technologies including an analysis of a driver’s emotional state.

Kia’s ‘Space of Emotive Driving’ exhibit at the coming 2019 CES, will highlight the concept of a new Real-time Emotion Adaptive Driving (or, READ) system, technology created in collaboration with the MIT Media Lab.

The READ system can optimize and personalize a cabin space in a vehicle by analyzing a driver’s emotional state in real time through artificial intelligence, bio-signal recognition technology, according to Kia.

“We have developed READ system to create an interactive future mobility in-cabin space by converging cutting-edge vehicle control technology and AI-based emotional intelligence,” stated Albert Biermann, president and head of research and development division of Kia Motors. “READ system will enable continuous communication between drivers and vehicles through the unspoken language of emotional feeling, thereby providing an optimized human senses-oriented space for drivers in real-time.”
[Reference Here]

MIT Media Lab has helped by integrating an adaptation of their ground breaking technology that was profiled in FORBES, which stated that MIT has created a special headset that allows one to communicate with a computer system by simply thinking what one wanted to say to it, kind of like being able to issue a command to Amazon's Alexa or Apple's Siri telepathically.

It's called AlterEgo and it's a wearable device that attaches to one's jaw and face (don't worry, it's totally non-invasive and doesn't break the skin, although the prototype looks a little goofy) where electrodes pick up neuromuscular signals triggered when one says words in one's head. These signals aren't detectable when one look's at someone who is verbalizing internally.
[ht: FORBES - Reference Here]

... notes from The EDJE




TAGS: KIA, MIT, MIT Media Lab, Real-time Emotion Adaptive Driving, READ, AlterEgo, CES, The EDJE

Dr. Porsche Appointed As Its First Honorary Board Member Of The Petersen Automotive Museum

Petersen Automotive Museum's Founding Chairman Bruce Meyer pictured along side of Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Porsche AG Dr. Wolfgang Porsche. Image Credit: Ted7 Petersen Automotive Museum (2018) 

Dr. Porsche Appointed As Its First Honorary Board Member Of The Petersen Automotive Museum

Nearing its 25th anniversary as a world leader in automotive thought, the Petersen Automotive Museum today announced that Dr. Wolfgang Porsche will be its first honorary board member. Dr. Porsche has accepted the unanimous invitation of the Petersen Board of Directors to serve alongside Founding Chairman Bruce Meyer, Chairman Peter Mullin, Vice Chairman David Sydorick and other industry dignitaries.

The grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, Dr. Porsche has a lifetime of experience with one of the world’s most respected automotive brands. He will be an invaluable asset to the Petersen Board of Directors, exchanging ideas, offering advice and fostering discussions about future plans for the museum.

The First Production Porsche - 1949 Porsche - 356-2 "GM0ND" Coup - may be the last one built in Austria. This is the first car on display as one enters "The Porsche Effect" first floor display. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2019)

“The relationship between the Petersen and Dr. Porsche began two years ago when the Porsche Supervisory Board held a meeting at the museum. He had a chance encounter with Bruce Meyer, and together they envisioned the 70th anniversary Porsche tribute now known as ‘The Porsche Effect,’” said Petersen Automotive Museum Executive Director Terry L. Karges. “Since then, this relationship has blossomed into a wonderful friendship resulting in the first-ever honorary leadership role on our cherished Board of Directors and the most expansive exhibit in our almost 25-year history.”

Dr. Porsche has served as Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Porsche AG since 2007. During this period, Porsche has increased annual deliveries from less than 100,000 to around 246,000 last year and more than doubled in size to over 30,000 employees. Continuing his family legacy of success, he also sits on the Supervisory Boards of Volkswagen AG and Audi AG and is Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Porsche Automobil Holding SE.

In addition to Dr. Porsche’s long list of distinguished accomplishments, he was most recently honored with the “Petersen Icon Award” at the museum’s 24th Annual Gala on October 5, 2018. The event commemorated the 70th anniversary of the Stuttgart marque and celebrated the immense success of “The Porsche Effect.”

“I was truly honored to receive the 2018 ‘Icon Award,’ and I will never forget the kindness and hospitality of the Petersen team,” said Dr. Wolfgang Porsche. “Although the honor was presented in my name, I consider the recognition to be a celebration of the Porsche brand’s relationship with California, which is one of the foremost Porsche markets in the world. The public’s admiration of ‘The Porsche Effect’ exhibit is a testament to that, and I’m thrilled to continue our valued partnership and personal friendship for years to come!”
(ht: PAM Press Release)

... notes from The EDJE




TAGS: Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, Icon Award, The Porsche Effect, Honorary Board Member, Petersen Board of Directors, Bruce Meyer, Peter Mullin, David Sydorick, Porsche brand, 70th anniversary of the Stuttgart marque, The EDJE

Monday, December 3, 2018

Speed Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks Are Back In Line Up At Grand Prix Of Long Beach

Stadium SUPER Trucks in action through Turn 10 from the 2018 Toyota Grand Prix. Image Credit: Bleu Cotton/Grand Prix Association of Long Beach (2018)

Speed Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks Are Back In Line Up At Grand Prix Of Long Beach

The Grand Prix Association of Long Beach announced today that Robby Gordon’s SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks series has signed a multi-year agreement to return and race at the Grand Prix of Long Beach starting in 2019.

Very popular with Grand Prix fans, the Stadium SUPER Trucks series features highhorsepower trucks that not only race around the world-famous 1.97-mile, 11-turn Grand Prix racetrack but also jump high in the air utilizing a series of temporary ramps placed throughout the circuit. 

The SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks will run practice and qualifying on Friday with races on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Last year, Gavin Harlien (Sat.) and Matt Brabham (Sun.) earned Long Beach wins.

Robbie Gordon stands with son as Robbie gets honored with an induction into the 40th Los Angeles Sportswalk Of Fame. In June of 2012, Gordon announced that he was founding a stadium truck racing series, which he would own. The Stadium Super Trucks Series launched in 2013 and Gordon, an owner-driver, won the inaugural season championship. The series has since expanded worldwide and included races in Great Britain and Australia. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018) 

“To be able to come back and continue our great relationship with the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach for the seventh consecutive year is something awesome,” said Gordon. “The venue location, the atmosphere, the excitement, and fun make the Grand Prix of Long Beach one of the premier events in the world, and Stadium SUPER Trucks is excited to have it on the schedule for 2019 with a new multi-year deal.”

“I know our fans will be delighted to have the SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks back at Long Beach this year,” said Jim Michaelian, president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. “For many years, they have proved to be a thrilling attraction and a highlight of the race weekend.”

Robbie Gordon pushes his Robby Gordon Motorsports "Gordini" Dakar/Rally Raid Racecar, which Robbie based upon a design of Hummer, valued at $1,250,000.00 into it's display place. Gordon was able to give a special demonstration of his custom "one of" super truck at the Sportswalk ceremony event. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018)

Featuring a wide variety of on- and off-track activities for the entire family, the Grand Prix will be headlined by the IndyCar Series, as well as the BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix, featuring the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. In addition to the Stadium SUPER Trucks, the weekend will include the Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge under the lights on Friday and Saturday nights, the powerful sports cars of the Pirelli World Challenge and the Historic IMSA GTO Challenge.

Ticket prices for the three-day event, which have not increased from 2018, range from $33 for a Friday General Admission ticket to $147 for a three-day ticket that includes Saturday and Sunday reserved seating in grandstand upper levels.  Pre-paid parking packages are also available, along with handicapped seating, IndyCar Series Paddock access passes, Super Photo tickets and an array of VIP Club packages.

Fans can select and pay for their Grand Prix of Long Beach seats, parking and paddock passes online at gplb.com. Ticket orders can also be placed by calling the toll-free ticket hotline, (888) 827-7333.  A printed ticket brochure that includes a circuit map, ticket prices, order form and other information is also available.

Fans can also follow the Grand Prix of Long Beach on Facebook at GrandPrixLB, Twitter @GPLongBeach and Instagram at GPLongBeach
[ht: GPALB]

... notes from The EDJE



TAGS: SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks, SPEED Energy, Stadium SUPER Trucks, Long Beach, Grand Prix Of Long Beach, Truck Tech Talk, The EDJE