The Viodi ViewThe Autonomous Vehicle (AV) is an exciting development that may herald more radical changes to the way we live than even the Internet. In many ways, it is simply an extension of the Internet, where the vehicles are analogous to the packets coursing through broadband pipes. Another way to think of it is a Mobile Internet of Things. Although the commercialization of the robotic vehicles is now on the horizon, there have been a few who have been thinking about the implications and the opportunities of AV for many decades. Within this category of the Viodi View web site, we will introduce the reader to some of those visionaries and provide their views on the AV. We also look at new forms of transportation, that may not necessarily be autonomous, but could affect the built environment. And this category will also occasionally look at the built-environment and the associated land-use. But first, let’s start with a story of what life might look like in 2040 and how those who dominate the organization of bits may do the same with atoms.
The Year 2040 – Somewhere in Silicon Valley It’s 8:07 am and my next-door neighbor, cheapskate Charlie, has been waiting outside his door for a few minutes for his ride, which is guaranteed to be at his house within a 10 minute window. He looks at his garage and is reminded that he will soon […]
Thinking of the city as a corporation whereby the council serves as a board of directors, setting strategic direction, and ensuring its vision is implemented by city staff is the philosophy of the city of Chandler, Arizona. In the above interview, councilmember Mark Stewart indicates that a big part of its success is its focus […]
It was a lucky coincidence that Princeton’s 6th SmartDrivingCars Summit coincided with the decade anniversary of the publication of Google’s Potential End Game – Transport and Organize the World’s People, Not Just Information. What differentiates this conference is its host, Dr. Alain Kornhauser, and his focus on people. The theme of the SmartDrivingCars conference series […]
A journey of a thousand miles may begin with a single step, but the most difficult part of a package’s journey is the last 50 feet. It is between the delivery truck and a consumer’s residence that is difficult to automate. As seen in the interview above, Vault Robotics, a spinout from the Safe Robotics […]
Restoring a person’s ability to communicate, move, and retain a level of independence is what the Scott-Morgan Foundation demonstrates in the above video. This open-source solution is modular allowing it to be customized to meet the needs of the individual. The avatar of Erin Taylor, a 24-year-old woman recently diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), […]
Could January 8th, 2024 be considered a Wright Brothers moment for personal aviation? That is the day Pivotal started taking orders for their personal electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL), Helix. As seen in the above video, filmed that same day, Pivotal’s Hayley Duncan provides an overview of this unique aircraft. Pilot’s License Not […]