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Category: MobilityRevolutionUpdate

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  • Lyft Co-Founder Says Rides Are Still Down 50%

    Lyft Co-Founder Says Rides Are Still Down 50%

    “The impact of the pandemic to us in the broader market is rides being down about 50% now,” says Lyft co-founder and President John Zimmer. “They were down 75%. So we are halfway recovered across the board. That impacts individual drivers as well. If you look at how some drivers have shifted, we actually have higher driver earnings now per hour than even pre-pandemic.”

    John Zimmer, co-founder and President of Lyft, discusses the impact of the pandemic on Lyft, noting that daily rides are still down by half since March 2020:

    Lyft Rides Still Down 50%

    Drivers 4 to 1 want to remain independent contractors and want to retain flexibility. Depending on the market, 80 to 90% drive less than 20 hours a week. We think there is a much better way forward than saying (in California) that everyone should become employees. That way forward is to say let’s retain the flexibility and let’s add more protections and benefits like we are pushing for in California.

    The impact of the pandemic to us in the broader market is rides being down about 50% now. They were down 75%. So we are halfway recovered across the board. That impacts individual drivers as well. If you look at how some drivers have shifted, we actually have higher driver earnings now per hour than even pre-pandemic. There’s equilibrium between demand and supply, between riders and drivers.

    Impact Of Lockdowns And The Virus Is Real

    The impact to the broader economy and the impact with lockdowns and the virus is real for our business. Transportation is directly tied to people’s movement and the broader economy. That said, we’ve continually week over week seen incremental improvements going from negative 75% to now above 50%.

    We see markets like Toronto back to 80% of where we were before. As countries get better and as states get better at living with the conditions we have because of the virus I see continued improvement. Driver earnings per hour are higher today than they were pre-pandemic. We are looking right now for more drivers.

    Regulation Has Been Part Of Our History From Day One

    Regulation has been a part of our history from day one. We are as much in the transportation business as we are in the technology business and transportation historically has been a regulated industry. Within our first year of operation, we worked with California regulators to create a new category for regulation.

    It’s been part of our business and will always be part of our business. It’s part of how we think about the path to profitability but we are just moving forward on that path despite anything that is going to change around us in terms of regulation.

    Largest Bike-Share Program In North America

    We also have a diversified set of transportation that we offer. We have the largest bike-share program in North America with City Bikes in New York City and Bay Wheels in the Bay and Divvy in Chicago. Our bike systems are in many cases above where they were pre-COVID. They are a great way to get around and get some fresh air and not be next to someone else.

    Lyft Co-Founder John Zimmer Says Rides Are Still Down 50%
  • Tesla Promises $25,000 Vehicle Within Three Years

    Tesla Promises $25,000 Vehicle Within Three Years

    Elon Musk has promised dramatically lower battery costs, leading to $25,000 Tesla vehicles within three years.

    During the company’s Battery Day, Musk talked about the future of battery production. “The battery stuff is clearly revolutionary and essential to Tesla’s goal,” Musk said, “accelerating the [transition] to sustainable energy.”

    According to NBC News, Musk said there would need to be significant technological breakthroughs for the cost of batteries to come down lower than they currently are. In the meantime, the company is planning on revamping its entire manufacturing process, streamlining it and eliminating more expensive elements.

    The result will be batteries that are not only less expensive, but also pack more energy. Controlling the entire process could give Tesla an even greater advantage over competitors than it currently enjoys.

    Either way, Musk is confident $25,000, fully autonomous Teslas will be a reality within three years.

  • Rescale and Hyundai Join Forces On Multi-Cloud High Performance Computing

    Rescale and Hyundai Join Forces On Multi-Cloud High Performance Computing

    Rescale and Hyundai have announced they are collaborating on a multi-cloud, high performance computing (HPC) environment for the mobility industry.

    As with many industries, the mobility industry is turning to the cloud to help with research and development. Relying on cloud-based HPC resources gives companies the ability to scale faster and with fewer limitations.

    “Close collaboration between IT and the field is essential for Hyundai Motor’s digital transformation strategy,” said JungSik Suh, Senior Vice President and Head of ICT Division of Hyundai Motor Group. “We are pleased that the Rescale cloud platform will be the venue for this collaboration, and expect it to increase research efficiency by moving away from the physical limitations of a static on-premise environment.”

    Resale’s platform will help Hyundai develop autonomous vehicles, enhance fuel efficiency, run simulations and test new safety features.

    “As an intelligent control plane for big compute, Rescale enables researchers to collaborate seamlessly, and ensures simulation workloads always run on the most performant architectures from our multi-cloud provider infrastructure network.” said Edward Hsu VP of Product at Rescale. “We are pleased to be working with Hyundai Motor Group to drive unprecedented mobility innovation.”

  • Autonomous Driving for Trucks Will Happen First, Says Full Truck Alliance CFO

    Autonomous Driving for Trucks Will Happen First, Says Full Truck Alliance CFO

    “Our view is that the commercialization of autonomous driving for passenger vehicles will probably take a bit longer than people would think,” says Richard Zhang, CFO of Full Truck Alliance. “We think the commercialization of autonomous driving for trucks will probably take place a lot sooner than it will take place in the passenger car vehicle sector.”

    Full Truck Alliance is a multi-billion dollar valued company that is becoming the Uber of trucks throughout China. The fragmentation of the trucking industry in China between independent truckers and shippers has resulted in an empty load rate of over 40 percent, about four times higher than in the United States. The Full Truck Alliance app and online platform connects shippers to truckers in real-time enabling huge reductions in empty loads.

    Richard Zhang, CFO of Full Truck Alliance based in China, discussed the company’s future in an interview on CNBC International TV this morning:

    Full Truck Alliance in China is the Uber for Trucks

    The problem we’re trying to solve is very simple because there are high inefficiencies between matching with the truck drivers and also matching with the shippers. The empty load rate in the US is only ten percent while the empty load rate in China is 40 percent. The empty load rate is very similar to the vacancy rate in the hotel business. The reason is that the market here is highly fragmented. You have highly fragmented truck drivers and highly fragmented shippers, lots of SMEs.

    Before we came into existence the matching between the truck drivers and shippers were taking place across a thousand offline marketplaces in China. What we have been trying to do is bring that offline marketplace online and use our algorithms in the back office to match automatically the truck drivers and the shippers. We are trying to reduce that empty load rate to well below 40 percent.

    Monetization Via Membership and Uber-Like Fees

    Our monetization strategy for Full Truck Alliance is as a product of a merger between two companies, Truck Alliance and also Yunmanman a little over a year ago. Post-merger we started monetization and the monetization takes place in two ways. Number one is we are charging a membership fee for the shippers and also very similar to Uber or DiDi we’re charging a take rate on the transactions themselves.

    We were very close to achieving our 2018 profit objective. We are actually very marginally close to break-even at the current moment and we have no doubt that we’re going be making earnings in 2019.

    Autonomous Driving for Trucks Will Happen First

    Our view is that the commercialization of autonomous driving for passenger vehicles will probably take a bit longer than people would think. We think the commercialization of autonomous driving for trucks will probably take place a lot sooner than it will take place in the passenger car vehicle sector. Therefore we are deploying a certain amount of resources into that sector in the form of investment.

    We have decided to be a strategic investor in an autonomous driving truck company for them to actually develop that technology and for us to actually use. The mandate for the partner is to actually put a fleet on the road in China to start working with our shippers in the next 12 to 24 months. That’s our mandate and so it depends on how successful they’re going to be at executing our strategy.


  • Lucid Motors Unveils Electric Lucid Air Luxury Sedan

    Lucid Motors Unveils Electric Lucid Air Luxury Sedan

    Lucid Motors has unveiled the Lucid Air, an electric luxury sedan aimed as a competitor to Tesla.

    The electric vehicle market is heating up and taking off with virtually every manufacturer planning on releasing electric vehicles. While Tesla has a dominating lead, there are a number startups poised to challenge the company in the all-electric market.

    Lucid Motors is one of those companies. Its CEO and CTO is Peter Rawlinson. Rawlinson formerly served as Tesla’s VP of Engineering, giving him a wealth of experience in the industry.

    It’s clear that Lucid’s goal is to provide a better version of what Tesla is offering. It’s high-end models have some 1,080 horsepower, are the first electric sedans to achieve quarter-mile times of under 10 seconds and will have a range of 517 miles.

    In addition, the company’s DC Fast Charging Network will allow owners to charge at the rate of 20 miles per minute.

    “Lucid Motors is driven to make the electric car better, and by doing so, help move the entire industry forward towards accelerated adoption of sustainable mobility. The goal of this relentless approach to developing the world’s most advanced electric vehicle is to benefit all mankind with sustainable, zero emission transportation, and to also attract new customers to the world of EVs,” said Rawlinson. “With the Lucid Air, we have created a halo car for the entire industry, one which shows the advancements that are possible by pushing the boundaries of EV technology and performance to new levels.”

    Deliveries of the Lucid Air will begin in the spring of 2021.

  • Tesla May Soon Have 50% Higher Capacity Batteries

    Tesla May Soon Have 50% Higher Capacity Batteries

    Tesla may have batteries with as much as 50% higher capacity in just a few years, if a tweet by Elon Musk is correct.

    Tesla is widely considered to have significant lead in battery tech, as well as its electronics tech. This has given the automaker a roughly $50 per kilowatt hour (kWh) advantage over rivals. According to Elon Musk, however, that advantage may soon be even bigger.

    Responding to a user asking about Tesla’s rumored electric airplane, Musk indicated volume production of 400 Wh/kg batteries is just a few years away.

    If Tesla is able to achieve what Musk is describing, this would open the door to a number of possibilities, including that rumored plane. It would also put significant pressure on rivals, many of whom are already several years behind Tesla.

  • Ford, Bedrock and Bosch Developing Automated Valet Parking

    Ford, Bedrock and Bosch Developing Automated Valet Parking

    Ford, Bedrock and Bosch are set to address one of the more irritating elements of a night out—valet parking.

    The three companies are using Ford Escape test vehicles in combination with Bedrock’s Assembly Garage and Bosch smart infrastructure. The goal is to create an automated valet system that will make it possible for drivers to simply walk away while an artificial intelligence (AI) handles parking the car.

    Once perfected, a driver will be able to use a smartphone app to send the vehicle to park itself, or go to other vehicle services, such as a charging station or car wash. In addition to labor cost savings, it’s estimated an automated system will allow garage operators to accommodate as much as 20 percent more vehicles. The system is designed to be retrofitted to existing garage structures, or integrated into new construction.

    “We are continually searching for opportunities to expand our leading suite of Ford Co-Pilot360 driver-assist technologies that help people drive more confidently and we believe automated valet parking technology holds great promise,” said Ken Washington, chief technology officer at Ford Motor Company. “Our work with Bosch and Bedrock also aligns with our vision for the future, which includes increasingly automated vehicles that are more aware of their surroundings while requiring less on-board computing to help improve design, packaging and affordability.”

    “We strive to be at the forefront of parking and mobility initiatives in Detroit because we recognize the importance of interconnectivity between real estate and mobility,” said Heather Wilberger, chief information officer at Bedrock. “In addition to drastically reducing park time, we see this solution as the first step to bringing automated parking to our city, providing the ultimate convenience for our tenants, visitors, neighborhoods and residents.”

    “For Bosch, automated valet parking brings together our deep cross-domain experience in mobility and building technologies to deliver a smart infrastructure solution that improves everyday life,” said Mike Mansuetti, president of Bosch in North America. “This technology enables consumers to see the benefit of highly automated technology as the vehicle handles a task such as parking in a garage.”

    This is another example of the many ways AI promises to make everyday tasks easier.

  • Ultimate Solution For Uber and Lyft Is Autonomy

    Ultimate Solution For Uber and Lyft Is Autonomy

    “The ultimate solution for Uber and Lyft is autonomy,” says Loup Ventures Managing Partner Gene Munster. “If this employee model simply doesn’t work you are going to see these companies push even harder into autonomous systems simply eliminating the drivers. However, this will attract more competition. I think the two best companies positioned within that would be Google and their Waymo initiatives and also Tesla and how they are going to vector into the ridesharing market.”

    Gene Munster, Managing Partner at Loup Ventures, discusses how California in forcing drivers to be employees may ultimately speed up the efforts of Uber and Lyft to go fully self-driving and thereby simply eliminate all human drivers:

    What Would The Drivers Want?

    Both Uber and Lyft are in a tight spot. There was reprieve today. But this topic is not over with this vote coming November 3rd and California’s influence that they can have with other states. If you put all of this together and think about if these changes to employees across the country, it could be a 15 percent increase (in costs). This is effectively their profit margins.

    I do want to caution the voters of California and also some of the lawmakers on one aspect. What would the drivers want? Most of these drivers use both apps, both Lyft and Uber. If they are employees they likely will be restricted from jumping from app to app. That would cut down some of their rides and cut down what they will be paid on an hourly basis. I don’t think that the right path here is as clear for the drivers in simply becoming an employee.

    Ultimate Solution For Uber and Lyft Is Autonomy

    The ultimate solution for Uber and Lyft is autonomy. If this employee model simply doesn’t work you are going to see these companies push even harder into autonomous systems simply eliminating the drivers. One of the unique things about Lyft and Uber is it is a two-sided marketplace. They have drivers and riders. In an autonomous world you don’t need drivers. Essentially, that would leave Lyft and Uber with their key asset, their brands around movement. I think that is an asset but I don’t know if it is worth $55 billion.

    What I really take away from this is that over the next few years there are going to be ups and downs related to this regulation. Longer term, we know where this is going. Cars should be autonomous for safety reasons and productivity reasons. Ultimately, ridesharing with Uber and Lyft is going to be fully self-driving. This topic we are discussing today is going to be largely irrelevant.

    Lyft is already testing self-driving rides in Las Vegas

    Google and Tesla Will Compete With Uber and Lyft

    There are some key nuances to an autonomous ridesharing business model. As I mentioned, there is a two-sided marketplace. That’s really what makes Lyft and Uber special today. One of the sides of the marketplace, the drivers side of this, is under some pressure right now. But if we eliminate the drivers side then you don’t even have a marketplace. You are just trying to get consumers to ride. That opens up new competitors. There are about six of them that are trying to get there.

    The autonomy option is a better option for Lyft and Uber than what they currently have with humans driving. For an investor it’s a more profitable option. However, ultimately it will attract more competition. I think the two best companies positioned within that would be Google and their Waymo initiatives and also Tesla and how they are going to vector into the ridesharing market.

    I Would Put My Money On Lyft

    Assuming their ballot initiative wins in November, I’m in the Lyft camp. This is partly because I like their focus just on the US and on ridesharing. I think that the Uber Eats business, while its had a tremendous tailwind, it will get progressively more competitive and it’s tougher to make money in that business.

    Ultimately, if I had my choice I would put my money on Lyft. There is another X factor here. There is something subtle about Lyft’s culture. It is a more investor friendly culture and that influences my view.

    Ultimate Solution For Uber and Lyft Is Autonomy, Says Loup Ventures Managing Partner Gene Munster
  • GM Announces Electric and 5G Connected Vehicle Roadmap For China

    GM Announces Electric and 5G Connected Vehicle Roadmap For China

    At Tech Day, China’s version of GM’s EV Day, GM has announced major advancements coming to its vehicles in China.

    China is GM’s largest market. As a result, the company took the opportunity to outline major initiatives that it plans to bring to fruition in the Chinese market.

    Among those advancements is 5G connectivity, which the company plans to implement in 2022. GM plans to have all Cadillac and most Chevrolet and Buick models connected by then, with connected services provided via over-the-air updates.

    GM also plans for 40% of its new vehicle launches in China to be electrified models within the next five years. The company has already vowed to invest more than $20 billion in electric and automated vehicles by 2025. GM plans on bringing together 5G, AI, big data and smart cities to help make its plans a reality.

    “As GM’s largest market and a global center of innovation, China will play a crucial role in making our vision a reality,” said Mary Barra, chairman and CEO of GM. “With our joint venture partner SAIC, we are blending global insights and scale with local market expertise to redefine what is possible for our customers and for society.”

  • California Law Kills Uber and Lyft And The Entire Gig Economy

    California Law Kills Uber and Lyft And The Entire Gig Economy

    California Assembly Bill 5, which has been upheld in a recent court ruling, literally bans the right of an individual to work for themself according to California Assemblyman Kevin Kiley (R). The law will ban hundreds of different professions and especially the hundreds of thousands of jobs created by the gig economy over the last decade.

    Here is how California Assemblyman Kevin Kiley describes the laws impact:

    This law, California Assembly Bill 5, has made it impractical for Uber and Lyft to operate here. Everyone saw this coming. We’ve known this whole year that this law has been devastating for people. It’s actually devastating not just for Uber and Lyft but for hundreds of professions in California.

    This law, AB-5, has basically banned being an independent contractor or an independent worker. It says you have to be in the employ of someone else. They are shutting down Uber and Lyft and that will leave 100,000 of their drivers out of work. We have millions of Californians who also rely on their services. It’s going to be yet another blow to our economy which is already doing about as bad as any state in the country.

    California Law Kills Uber and Lyft And The Entire Gig Economy
  • Uber CEO: Will Shut Down In California Until Voters Decide

    Uber CEO: Will Shut Down In California Until Voters Decide

    • We will have to essentially shut down Uber until the voters decide.
    • Reclassifying drivers from contractors to employees is unfortunate.
    • You would just get a much smaller service at much higher prices.
    • The vast majority of our drivers don’t want to be full-time workers.
    • Really unfortunate at a historical time of unemployment in California.
    • It would put vast swaths of our drivers out of work.
    • It would take away transportation from hundreds of thousands of Californians.
    • Our labor laws are hopelessly outdated.
    • It’s essentially how Uber started, kind of a black car service with few cars. 
    • We can’t go out and hire ten of thousands of people directly overnight.
    • We would focus on the center of cities versus smaller cities or suburbs.

    “We think the ruling by a California judge was unfortunate on reclassifying drivers from contractors to employees,” says Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. “We think we (already) comply with the laws. But if the judge and a court finds that we are not and they don’t give us a stay to get to November then we will have to essentially shut down Uber until the voters decide.” 

    Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, discusses a court ruling requiring Uber to classify Uber drivers as full-time workers. Khosrowshahi says that this will force Uber to become a much small black car service focused on city centers and with much higher prices for rides. Essentially the service would no longer exist in California suburbs and rural areas:

    Vast Majority of Uber Drivers Want To Remain As Contractors

    We think the ruling (in California) was unfortunate (on reclassifying drivers from contractors to employees). We obviously respect the law and the judge. We do have about eight days now where there is a stay. We are going to go back to the court and appeal the ruling and hope that the court reconsiders. If the court doesn’t reconsider then in California, it’s hard to believe we will be able to switch our model to full-time employment quickly, so I think Uber will shut down for a while. Really, the big question is in November with Prop. 22, we have a proposition out there that puts forward what we believe is the best of both worlds. 

    The vast majority of our drivers, a 4-1 ratio, want flexibility, and don’t want to be full-time workers. With Prop. 22 drivers can continue to have the flexibility that they have but they can enjoy the protections, benefit fund, an earning standard so that they have the protections that many people associate with full-time work. We are hoping that in November the California voters can speak. We are confident that this better way which is kind of the best of both worlds will be the way going forward for California.

    We Will Shut Down Until The Voters Decide In November

    In California, we have changed our model substantially. For example, riders in California pay drivers directly. Drivers can set their own price as an independent contractor would. Drivers have all the flexibility to decide whether or not they want to take a ride or not. We think we (already) comply with the laws. But if the judge and a court finds that we are not and they don’t give us a stay to get to November then we will have to essentially shut down Uber until the voters decide. 

    It would be really unfortunate at a historical time of unemployment in California. It would put vast swaths of our drivers out of work without the opportunity to earn. It would take away transportation from hundreds of thousands of Californians. It would be really really unfortunate. Obviously we would look to comply with the law long-term and we’re hoping the law gives us the best of both worlds. Our labor laws are hopelessly outdated. You’ve got the haves and have-nots and you can have actually a better way.

    Smaller Service, Higher Prices, Only Focused On Big City Centers

    Hopefully, the courts will reconsider. By no means do we want this to happen. If they don’t we are going to have to work to move to a full-time model. It’s essentially how Uber started, kind of a black car service with very few cars on the road and much higher prices. So we will look to flip to a full-time model but this is a model that we built over ten years. We can’t go out and hire ten of thousands of people directly overnight. It would take a significant amount of time to switch over. We have teams thinking about it and working on it. We don’t think it’s the likely outcome by the way and we would look to get back on the road as quickly as possible. 

    You would just get a much smaller service, much higher prices, and probably a service that’s focused on the center of cities versus a bunch of the smaller cities or the suburbs that we operate in right now. That’s the reality. It’s not a game of chicken or one way or the other. It’s really up to the courts and we are going to comply with the law. We will look to get going but it will be a very very different service once we get going.

    Uber CEO: Will Shut Down In California Until Voters Decide
  • Uber CEO: We Are Working On Dashcam Technology

    Uber CEO: We Are Working On Dashcam Technology

    “There’s a lot of crazies out here in Arizona,” said Uber driver Randy Clarke in a very interesting online chat with Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. “I just wish you guys had some sort of way for us to put our rules of our vehicle on the app so the passengers know what to expect beforehand.”

    “For example, in January this guy came into my car trying to get into the front seat. I don’t like to allow people in the front seat when I’m driving alone at 11 o’clock at night. He gets mad after I cancel the ride he jumps in the back and argues with me, calls me the N-word, slams the door and leaves. What that guy did was bad and disgusting, definitely not good.” 

    https://youtu.be/kRpbHp8UbaQ

    “But if there was a way for him to know that I don’t allow people in the front seat when I’m driving with them alone I’m sure he would have just canceled there and then.”

    Then Uber driver Randy Clarke gave Uber’s CEO a suggestion.  “I just wish there was a way for us to upload dashcam footage directly to you guys. Sometimes I get to run around and they transfer me to safety and support. There needs to also be some sort of way for Uber to somehow encourage the footage in case something was to happen.” 

    Randy added, “I think a lot of drivers are afraid of the dashcam policy you guys have in where we can’t put the footage out or we get deactivated. In my situation, I was like whatever happens happens. I showed people the footage and lo and behold he was a guy who owned a business in my community and he got a lot of crap for that.” 

    “Dashcams Is Technology That We’re Working On,” Says Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi

    “Well he sounds like he deserves a lot of crap for that,” said Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. “Dashcams and in general taping rides, etc.  is actually technology that we’re working on. There’s this fine balance with privacy concerns. You guys know with TikTok and all that stuff, privacy is rightfully a huge thing.” 

    “Most drivers are like you, good people that are totally open to dashcams,” says Khosrowshahi. “Hey take the footage, I have nothing to hide, this is part of my profession, I act well and I treat my riders well so they don’t have a problem. I think a lot of riders when they’re in the car they do expect privacy and they’re nervous about the balance of safety and privacy. Safety’s super important as well. They’re both important. So we’re trying to work on technologies that balance the two.”

    Khosrowshahi added, “Every single state statute, by the way, is different. So you can’t have one solution. You’ve got to have a state-by-state solution that works for everybody. I really would like to get something that bridges that and balances safety and privacy, but it’s a lot of work to do so. The tech teams are totally working on it. So one day Randy we’re gonna get you that magic!”

    “There are solutions you can imagine where we don’t take the dashcam footage but we only take it if you tell us that there’s an issue It’s in the cloud someplace and no one has access to it. We want to do it the right way because we should not be inappropriately watching someone if we don’t have to. It’s only for those exceptional circumstances.”

    “Exactly,” says driver Randy. Some people do it for clout while others just want to do it just to make sure it doesn’t happen again. So I totally understand that.”

  • Verizon Misses Earnings Amid Significant Growth

    Verizon Misses Earnings Amid Significant Growth

    Verizon’s quarterly results were a mixed bag, offering both good and bad news for investors, according to Bloomberg.

    On the one hand, Verizon added 1.25 million subscribers, beating analysts’ expectations of 1.23 million. The added growth was, at least in part, aided by Verizon’s deal with Walt Disney Co. to provide subscribers free access to Disney+ for a limited time. On the other hand, that deal ate into profits, as Verizon is essentially footing the bill for its subscribers, although the exact cost has not been disclosed.

    The cost of 5G roll out has also been cited as a reason for the company missing estimates. A separate report by Bloomberg, however, highlights why the company is pushing as hard as it is on 5G. According to the report, analysts at LightShed Partners are saying that Verizon has used up most of its available airwaves in Miami, Chicago and other cities. The firm’s report is based on their own research, as well as data provided by mobile testing firm Opensignal.

    “They have used spectrum to fuel capacity growth and improved speeds, and now they have a limited amount left,” said Walt Piecyk, LightShed analyst.

    As a result, Verizon needs to roll out 5G as quickly as it can, especially in cities, to ease the strain on its network. If its 5G delivers on the promise, however, the company should have no trouble growing its customer base and revenue even more.

  • Kitty Hawk Flyer Grounded As Company Shuts Down Flying Car Project

    Kitty Hawk Flyer Grounded As Company Shuts Down Flying Car Project

    Bad news for flying car fans, as Kitty Hawk has announced it is shutting down its Flyer project.

    First launched in 2015, the Flyer project was Kitty Hawk’s attempt to build a flying car. The company made quite a bit of headway, building and flying some 111 individual craft. Over 75 people flew the Flyer and the company logged some 25,000 successful flights. Even more impressive, the Flyer came in at a mere 250lbs empty, putting it in the ultra lightweight class that doesn’t require a license.

    In spite of the project’s success, Kitty Hawk has decided to end it.

    “Today, we are winding down the Flyer project,” write Alex Roetter, President of Flyer and Sebastian Thrun, CEO, on a company blog post. “We have learned what we needed from it — things like vehicle design and testing, manufacturing aircraft, and most of all, how humans would experience eVTOL. We are proud to have built the first electrically-powered VTOL aircraft in the world flown by non-pilots. Just as with our earlier Cora aircraft, Flyer is clearly a milestone in the history of Kitty Hawk and eVTOL vehicles.”

    It appears the company will put all of its efforts toward its Heaviside plane, a high-performance electric VTOL vehicle that is up to 100 times quieter than a helicopter.

    “Since Flyer began, more powerful eVTOL vehicles have been invented, such as our own Heaviside plane, which has a range of 100 miles, speeds of up to 180 mph, and the ability to fly over cities,” continues the blog post. “Going forward, we are doubling down on Heaviside as our primary platform. But we would never have gotten here without launching and learning from Flyer, and the amazing team of people who built and operated it.

    “We are incredibly proud of the Flyer team and what it has accomplished. Flyer stands out as one of our most ambitious bets. While the vehicles themselves will now retire, the Flyer legacy will live on as we continue on our quest to free the world from traffic!”

    Hopefully the company can make a success of the Heaviside, as it looks like an innovative take on aerial travel.

  • Not So Fast: Tesla Plows Into Overturned Truck in Autopilot Failure

    Not So Fast: Tesla Plows Into Overturned Truck in Autopilot Failure

    Autonomous driving critics were handed another example supporting their skepticism, as a Tesla Model 3 plowed into an overturned truck.

    The accident occurred in Taiwan, on the National Highway 1. In video provided by a Twitter user, a truck is clearly overturned in the far left lane. Rather than braking or moving to avoid it, the Tesla continues toward it at full speed, with only a single attempt at braking shortly before the impact. Whether that was the Autopilot system or the driver attempting to brake at the last minute remains to be seen. Whatever the case, it was too little, too late.

    In the second video in the Twitter thread, the Tesla is shown completely impacted into the roof of the overturned truck. Even more distributing, despite the crash occurring at reasonably high speeds, the Tesla’s airbag doesn’t seem to have deployed.

    As Jalopnik points out, this isn’t the first time this kind of accident has happened, as Tesla’s Autopilot system seems to have trouble discerning large, immovable objects in its way.

    Needless to say, Tesla will need to make some serious improvements to its system before Autopilot can be completely trusted.

  • Microsoft AI Virtual Summit Scheduled For June 2

    Microsoft AI Virtual Summit Scheduled For June 2

    Microsoft has announced a virtual AI summit with company executives and industry leaders, scheduled for June 2.

    Artificial intelligence has become one of the most important developing technologies, with companies large and small looking to make their mark. AI is seen as one of the pivotal pieces necessary for a number of industries to take shape, or to evolve to the next level. Multiple companies are working on AI-powered, self-driving vehicles that can make the kind of life-and-death decisions human drivers have been making for decades.

    In day-to-day businesses, AI is playing an increasingly important role in online moderation, search interpretation, content curation, supply chains and much more. AI is taking steps toward content creation and learning to display empathy and personality. In recent months, AI has even played a significant role in combatting the coronavirus pandemic, helping authorities monitor citizens and enforce social distancing.

    With AI playing such an important role in so many industries, Microsoft’s summit will focus on discussing how companies can navigate the challenges that come with developing AI.

    “Join Microsoft and industry leaders for a summit dedicated to thinking big about the critical role of artificial intelligence to help us navigate through these unprecedented times,” reads the announcement. “Every day, AI is proving its value in addressing massive change, disruption and unpredictability as well as enabling business continuity, greater agility and efficiencies. And there’s never been a better time to put AI into action in your organization. We’ll share timely and relevant examples of how customers are using AI to respond and recover from recent challenges and move forward with game-changing solutions to pressing business, government, education, civic, social and health issues.

    “This interactive gathering brings together prominent leaders to discuss the extraordinary possibilities of AI and practical steps to drive lasting impact.”

    Interested parties are encouraged to register for the summit now.

  • Volvo’s Self-Driving Cars Will Use LiDAR In 2022

    Volvo’s Self-Driving Cars Will Use LiDAR In 2022

    Volvo plans on using LiDAR in its next generation of self-driving cars, scheduled to begin production in 2022.

    LiDAR is a technology that uses lasers to scan the environment, creating a highly accurate, 3D map of the surroundings. Best of all, LiDAR enables devices to map the environment without an internet connection. In 2018, Volvo invested in Luminar, a Florida-based firm specializing in LiDAR technology, and now the company plans to put it to use in self-driving cars.

    “Soon, your Volvo will be able to drive autonomously on highways when the car determines it is safe to do so,” said Henrik Green, chief technology officer at Volvo Cars. “At that point, your Volvo takes responsibility for the driving and you can relax, take your eyes off the road and your hands off the wheel. Over time, updates over the air will expand the areas in which the car can drive itself. For us, a safe introduction of autonomy is a gradual introduction.”

    “Volvo is recognized as the pioneer of automotive safety, having driven standardization across the industry for the most advanced life-saving technologies,” said Austin Russell, founder and CEO of Luminar. “The next era of safety lies within autonomous driving and once again, Volvo has taken the lead with a major industry milestone. We’ve solved the key cost, performance, and auto-grade challenges to make series production possible, and alongside Volvo are making the technology available to the world.”

    One of the biggest challenges automakers have is convincing people to trust self-driving technology. With Volvo’s track record for safety, however, the company will likely have customers lined up to purchase their LiDAR-equipped vehicles.

  • How Tech Has Led The Way During the Coronavirus Pandemic

    How Tech Has Led The Way During the Coronavirus Pandemic

    The coronavirus pandemic is a new frontier and tech is rapidly evolving to deal with the new challenges we all are facing. We are now seeing each day how technology is being put to use as a valuable resource to deal with this unprecedented global health crisis. Coronavirus is changing the world as we know it, but tech is hard at work to make the “new normal” safer and more comfortable.

    Telemedicine is bridging the gap during quarantine

    As mandatory isolation and self-quarantine measures swept the globe, those with pre-existing medical conditions have still needed medical care. Telemedicine has allowed doctors to consult with patients via videoconferencing apps, allowing uninterrupted medical care. TelaDoc has been one of the leaders in telemedicine technology. Technology to connect health care providers and patients has also been used to help those who believe they may be infected with coronavirus.

    Technology is being used to track the spread of viral pathogens.

    Nextstrain is an open-source project with data sequencing and visualization tools that are updated with current publicly available data on pathogen genomes. The goal of Nextstrain is to help health professionals and the public understand how pathogens evolve and spread so that the response to outbreaks can be improved.

    AI technology is searching for antibodies

    AbCellera and Lilly are using AI to analyze millions of immune cells in search of antibodies. As these antibodies are found they can be used in COVID-19 therapies to help patients recover faster. They claim they have already found 500 antibodies in cells from recovered coronavirus patients.

    3D printing ventilators for COVID-19 patients

    As coronavirus patients fill hospital beds, there has been much concern about the number of ventilators needed vs the overwhelming number of patients who need them. To combat the shortage, 3D printer owners are collaborating and sharing open-source designs to print all the components to make ventilators.

    All social events are now virtual via video calls

    Downloads of video calling apps have seen a huge increase during coronavirus quarantine. As Easter Sunday came and went many families used Skype, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Google Hangouts, Zoom and other apps to visit with each other virtually. Many musical artists have also provided free concert streams to help fans stay entertained while in quarantine. While it’s not quite like a live event, these online concerts have provided many with entertainment and a distraction from the boredom of staying at home.

    Remote workers attend virtual meetings

    Using much of the same technology and apps workers who may have previously been furloughed are now working remotely. Technology allows workers to attend virtual meetings and prepare and deliver work online without interruption. Before this technology was available it would have been impossible for many of these jobs to be done remotely and more people would have become unemployed.

    All students are online students now

    With schools of all levels closed during the pandemic, educators have converted traditional coursework into online learning. While online education is not new and has become extremely popular in recent years, coronavirus forced those unfamiliar with online school to adapt quickly. The CARES Act provided $14.3 billion for higher education to offset the expenses of massive disruption on college campuses across the US. College students are also getting help from the CARES Act with student loan payments deferred through September 30, 2020 and some loans have had the interest rate temporarily dropped to 0%.

  • Tesla Shares Rise On Record Deliveries

    Tesla Shares Rise On Record Deliveries

    Tesla’s stock rose some 15% in extended trading on news the automaker had its highest number of vehicles deliveries in a single quarter.

    In a filing with the SEC, Tesla disclosed that it produced 102,672 vehicles, and delivered 88,400. in the first quarter. As Reuters points out, this was higher than expected in the midst of a pandemic-driven economic crisis.

    Webush analyst Daniel Ives told Reuters, “it appears China production and demand are starting to rebound and should be a key growth driver over the coming quarters, although clear challenges remain in the months ahead.”

    One of those challenges is the shutdown of Tesla’s California factory. It remains to be seen how much the shutdown will impact production, although the longer the crisis goes on, the more serious of an impact it will have.

  • Coronavirus: Uber Business Taking Hit, Has Enough Funds

    Coronavirus: Uber Business Taking Hit, Has Enough Funds

    In a call to investors, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has said the company is losing significant business because of the coronavirus, but has enough funds on hand.

    According to Business Insider, Khosrowshahi told investors the hardest hit areas have seen a 60-70% decline in rides, and that could go as high as 80% for the year. In spite of that, the CEO said the company has $10 billion in unrestricted cash.

    “We have plenty of liquidity on the books which positions us to come out of this crisis strong and capable,” Khosrowshahi said.

    Another bright spot is Uber Eats, the company’s food delivery service. As people forgo restaurants, Uber Eats is seeing growth in even the worst hit areas. Between the news that Uber has enough cash to survive the crisis, and news its food delivery service is growing, the company’s stock was up as much as 43% Thursday.

    Uber should serve as an example for other companies. Between having enough cash to weather a storm, and diversifying into a disruptive business, the company seems well-positioned to survive any temporary hit to its core business.

  • VW Switching to High-Nickel Batteries

    VW Switching to High-Nickel Batteries

    Volkswagen is set to significantly increase the amount of nickel in its electric vehicle batteries.

    Nickel is an important component in battery manufacturing, and helps increase the storage capacity and energy density of batteries. This, in turn, can lead to lower cost-per-kWh of storage, according to the Nickel Institute.

    VW’s current generation of batteries are comprised of 65% nickel but, according Reuters, the automaker’s “next generation batteries will have 80% nickel, 10% cobalt and 10% manganese.” The increased nickel should help the company significantly improve its electric vehicles’ storage capacity and range.

    Reuters goes on to say that VW plans to produce 3 million electric vehicles by 2025. The company’s new battery tech should go a long way toward ensuring their new vehicles are competitive in an increasingly crowded field.