SAE Tomorrow Today

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160. Taking Delivery to New Heights With Drones May 04, 2023

Show notes

Taking Delivery to New Heights With Drones

It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s a drone! From doorstep delivery to aerial data collection, drones are quickly becoming a powerful force for good across businesses and communities.

DroneUp is leading this charge, accelerating from a small start-up to a global leader after receiving a significant investment from the #1 retailer in the world, Walmart, to deliver COVID tests during the pandemic. This partnership continued and became the impetus for the company to move beyond aerial data collection and into delivery services.

Today, DroneUp provides a last-mile delivery system for swift local deliveries, as well as critical infrastructure inspections and airspace management solutions. With a culture that prioritizes safety over revenue, DroneUp partners closely with the FAA and collaborates on the overall development and adoption of drone-related standards.

For insight, we sat down with Founder & CEO and former U.S. Naval Officer, Tom Walker, to discuss how DroneUp is scaling drone innovation to benefit both businesses and communities.

We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to podcast@sae.org. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today—a podcast where we discuss emerging technology and trends in mobility with the leaders, innovators and strategists making it all happen—and give us a reviewon your preferred podcasting platform.

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159. UNPLUGGED: The Future of Autonomy is Consumer Experiences Apr 27, 2023

Show notes

Imagine flying into Milan, Italy, and being greeted by an autonomous vehicle that secures tickets to see Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper and provides a visual history of the artwork on your drive to the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie. This type of priceless experience is the future of autonomy.

With leisure and travel spending up in recent months, Grayson Brulte, Host of SAE Tomorrow Today, discusses the growing importance of the consumer experience and the role that AI and autonomous vehicles will play in this new landscape.

Have your own thoughts on this topic? We’d love to hear from you! Share your comments, questions or ideas for future topics with Grayson on Twitter or send them to podcast@sae.org. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today—a podcast where we discuss emerging technology and trends in mobility with the leaders, innovators and strategists making it all happen—and give us a reviewon your preferred podcasting platform.

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158. Saving Lives With Driver Monitoring Systems Apr 20, 2023

Show notes

As the automotive industry moves toward SAE Level 2 and Level 3 autonomy, monitoring driver distraction and encouraging safer driving behaviors is crucial. Driver monitoring systems (DMS) can be lifesaving—and they are increasingly being required by law in many countries around the world.

Cipia is leading this charge with DMS solutions that employ advanced computer vision and AI to monitor the driver’s state in real time. Driver Sense detects signs of drowsiness, distraction, seatbelt, holding a phone while driving and more, enabling carmakers to provide lifesaving alerts to the driver.

To learn more about this life-saving technology, we sat down with Tal Krzypow, Vice President of Product, to discuss Cipia’s advanced computer vision and AI capabilities, in-cabin monitoring and video telematics, and the overall state of DMS technology in markets around the world.

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157. Partnerships Bring AV Accessibility to Rural Areas Apr 13, 2023

Show notes

Born out of call to “accessibility for all”, the goMARTI initiative in Grand Rapids, MN, provides safe, wheelchair accessible mobility for residents, while also collecting valuable data to inform AV operation in rural, winter conditions. Covering nearly 17 square miles and including approximately 70 pickup and drop off points, goMARTI also offers features such as audio cues for passengers who are visually impaired.

As the first ADA-compliant autonomous shuttle service, goMARTI is a testament to the ability of community members, businesses, government, and technology working together to develop an accessible transportation solution for those in need.

To learn how this inspiring initiative became reality, we sat down with Myrna Peterson, Founder & Co-Chair of MobilityMania, and Tammy Meehan Russell, President & Chief Catalyst, The PLUM Catalyst. It’s a powerful story that underscores the importance of community and technology coming together to improve quality of life.

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156. First ADA-Compliant AVs Increase Accessibility Apr 06, 2023

Show notes

When the public and private sector unite, society benefits. And there’s no better example than a pilot program taking place in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

The first rural transit program with accessible AVs, goMARTI enables residents and visitors to take advantage of free, on-demand rides thanks to a unique partnership between May Mobility and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). The program provides safe, accessible mobility for residents, especially those with transportation challenges, while also taking in valuable data used to inform AV operations in rural, winter conditions.

With a fleet of five AVs, including three with ADA-compliant wheelchair accessibility, goMARTI marks the first commercial launch of the Toyota Sienna Autono-MaaS (S-AM) developed by May Mobility. Covering nearly 17 square miles and including approximately 70 pickup and drop off points, goMARTI also offers accessible features such as audio cues for passengers who are visually impaired.

To learn more about the goMARTI program, we sat down with Kathy Winter, Chief Operations Officer, May Mobility, and Thomas Johnson-Kaiser, CAV-X Engagement and Project Manager, MnDOT, to discuss how their successful public-private partnership is prioritizing accessibility and equity to better serve the Grand Rapids community and beyond.

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155. UNPLUGGED: Market Consolidation in the AV Space Mar 30, 2023

Show notes

As Bob Dylan said, “the times, they are a-changin’.”

With the recent fall of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and the potential bank consolidation that could follow, one is left wondering: could market consolidation come for the autonomous vehicle space like so many industries before?

Using recent headlines and market knowledge as his guide, Grayson Brulte, Host of SAE Tomorrow Today, seeks to answer this question while discussing the driving forces of market consolidation on the future of mobility.

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154. $8 Billion in Funding for Clean Vehicle Innovation Mar 23, 2023

Show notes

Big ideas need proper funding. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office (LPO) is helping companies with clean energy innovations get to the next stage of commercialization.

By providing access to debt capital and custom financing, the LPO finances first-of-a-kind projects and other high-impact energy-related ventures. Since 2009, the LPO has issued more than $35 billion of loans and loan guarantees for more 30 energy infrastructure projects in the United States.

Under the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program (ATVM), the LPO provides loans to support the manufacture of eligible vehicles and qualifying components. To date, the program has loaned $8 billion for projects that have supported the production of more than 4 million advanced technology vehicles. Participants include Tesla, Ford, and Nissan, among others. The LPO is also helping onshore and reshore EV supply chains and manufacturing, as well as supporting energy storage.

To learn more about this program, we sat down with Jigar Shah, Director, Loan Programs Office, U.S. Department of Energy, to discuss how the LPO is transforming existing energy infrastructure, reviving nuclear construction, accelerating growth of utility-scale solar and wind, and of course, expanding domestic adoption of EVs.

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153. Calculating the Risk of New Mobility Mar 16, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever wondered if AVs and EVs are covered differently than traditional vehicles? What about rideshare services like Uber? Can the data from an intelligent vehicle be used in court? As mobility advances, so too must our understanding of coverage and protection in a shifting landscape.

To understand the risk factors associated with new mobility, we sat down withEdward Walker, Vice President & Shared Economy Practice Leader at HUB International Insurance Services. Edward shares his insight on multi-state exposure in rideshare services, the risk perspectives of AVs and EVs, privacy concerns around telematics in vehicles, and much more.

Since 2017, Edward has built a book of business that serves gig economy and on-demand service-based clients throughout the United States and abroad. Whether it’s the state of the gig economy or the AV and EV market, this conversation touches on a wide variety of factors impacting insurance coverage in a changing world.

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152. One Step Closer to L4 AV Trucking Mar 09, 2023

Show notes

The most polite driver on the road might soon be an L4 AV truck.

Torc Robotics is the first company developing the technology to commercialize fully autonomous semi-trucks in the U.S. for long-haul applications. By running extensive simulations with the best and most experienced truck drivers in the world, Torc’s self-driving vehicle software and integration solution is expected to achieve L4 automation by the end of this decade.

As an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck, the Torc system uses an approach called See-Think-Act to calculate the optimal driving decision. By employing veteran truck drivers to reinforce their technology with real world know-how, Torc is truly making the road a safer place.

We sat down with Tim Zuercher, VP Engineering – Autonomy at Torc, to discuss the company’s mission to reduce highway deaths, enable critical supplies, and help the transportation industry increase fuel economy, uptime, and capacity.

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151. Unlocking Another Dimension with Depthsensing Technology Mar 02, 2023

Show notes

Machines that see and understand the world around them? It’s possible with depthsensing technology that maps surroundings, objects, and people more reliably and in more detail than ever before.

Leading this charge is Sony Depthsensing Solutions whose Time-of-Flight (ToF) technology give machines the ability to see accurately in real-time in 3D by establishing the distance between the camera and multiple points on the subject surface. From mobile phones to smart homes to industrial robots, the possibilities for this technology are expanding into everyday life.

From an automotive perspective, Sony’s vision for car safety integrates advanced imaging and sensing technologies (RADAR, LiDAR and Camera) to deliver a 360 degree “safety cocoon” for faster responses to potential dangers and obstacles on the road. Gesture control and in-cabin monitoring help drivers stay focused on the road and can differentiate between people and objects in the car.

To learn more about this game-changing technology, we sat down with Daniël Van Nieuwenhove, President, Sony Depthsensing Solutions, to discuss how the company’s applications can be used across industries and the importance of creating a safer and more immersive experience on the road.

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