Results for: Perspective

Learning to Drive... Poorly

There are quite a few vested interests, learning how to teach computers to drive. It is not just automakers and Google either; there are countless start-ups in various countries attacking our lack of computerized chauffeurs. Unfortunately, with all this focus on algorithms, people have forgotten to teach humans how to drive properly. Common commuters are the worst. They are egotistical, aggressive

Government Agencies' Scandal Incentive

Many automakers have decided to sell cars with massive defects (like steering wheel grenades), because in the end, they come out on top (see: GM ignitions switch scandal). However, it has been abundantly obvious for years; if left to the automakers; ubiquitous changes will not be implemented until it is absolutely necessary. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) was i

Scandals Will Continue

Ever since the Volkswagen emissions scandal, all kinds of other automakers have been caught in similar wrongdoing, the latest is Mitsubishi. What bothers me is the faux outrage that follows the news of the scandal, because it is so disingenuous. This is by no means an accusation, because I do not have any tangible information to back this up, but the assertion undoubtedly true. It is; by far; mor

Simple RFID Infrastructure

We have to make our automotive infrastructure smarter. That can be accomplished via a litany of different avenues, but one of the simplest and fastest (in terms of application) is a basic Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) infrastructure. If traffic signals were equipped with simple RFID scanners with an antenna nearby, and cars were equipped with corresponding tags, intersection could be made

Formula One Is Safer Than People Think

The cinematized versions of Niki Lauda and James Hunt effectively described the ubiquitous appeal of motorsport, in Ron Howard’s Rush. It is a rather embarrassingly barbaric allure, but unfortunately, it is one we; as a society; have not, and likely will never outgrow. People just love how close motorsport gets to death. The propensity they have of dying is often exaggerated In the movie, Lauda c

Motorsport as a Job Creator

Once upon a time, motorsport (namely Formula One) was a stupendous source of both marketing and revenue. F1 was such a driver of innovation, that many companies started in Formula One before breaking that barrier. For example, McLaren started in motorsport, but is now renowned for making one of three hypercars in existence. The reason they were able to make the jump from racing team to automaker,

Driving Is not What it Used to Be

Before there were large stretches of tarmac covering the earth; there was dirt. During the period in which that was true, people gladly drove atop it. Today, most people would be utterly appalled by the very notion that they could be so insultingly inconvenienced by having to drive on anything but pristinely smooth cement. Back then, people were still in the midst of a wave of awe to even have su

Tesla Terrifies Petrol Powered Automakers

Tesla Motors was not really challenged the way other innovative ideas have been in the past, however it was repeatedly dismissed. Before the Roadster came out people put the idea of a practical electric auto into the boondoggle category. After it came out detractors denounced it as a niche market car. Belittled Tesla Motors by implying they had only succeeded in editing a Lotus Elise into an elect

Suing Volkswagen

Too often I find myself utterly shocked at how fickle people are. After Volkswagen was caught polluting at a horrifying rate, people grew outraged. The company immediately apologized, fired their CEO, and paid their customers a modest fee. Six months later, people are still brandishing pitchforks against the Volkswagen, and it seems that people have forgot all about the time that General Motors

How the Government Could Have Stopped Volkswagen

Volkswagen is being sued by various governmental agencies. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have open cases against Volkswagen. Sadly, that is more indicative of an underlying systemic problem than anything else. Let us ponder the intention behind instituting these governmental agencies. The EPA was created to protec