Transporting Workers from Remote Parking Gets a Futuristic Lift
Over the past couple of days, video and dozens of articles have appeared featuring the future of transportation for ridesharing and commuting. We’ve seen markets such as Pittsburgh (Volvo) and Phoenix (Waymo’s mini-vans) testing autonomous-driving taxis. But, this vehicle soon to be tested in an undisclosed market, was unveiled in San Francisco late Tuesday. It is all-electric and will require special government exemptions: it has no “typical car parts” such as a steering wheel, brake or gas pedals, windshield wipers, or even a driver’s seat! The Cruise Origin is GM’s prototype for the future of ridesharing. With financial backing from Honda, it is an auto-industry joint-effort to resolve commuting, parking, and eco-friendly issues while taking cost-efficiency, safety, and autonomous driving to a new level.
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Cruise’s CEO Dan Ammann says the Cruise Origin is not intended to be an improvement on the car. Ammann describes the new vehicle as what would be built if there were no cars – it’s completely different though self-driven, it is all-electric and designed to share.
With no manual controls the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will have to decide when a fleet of such vehicles will be allowed to operate on public streets. But, can you imagine ECs ordering a small fleet of these vehicles to transport workers to jobsites in various cosmopolitan settings that currently pose limited to no parking and no access except for service vehicles? Crews of workers could be brought into strategic work areas with limited parking and access with no noise, no overcrowding of limited parking, a reduction in typical auto emissions, and tremendous savings in parking costs and employee parking reimbursements. The rest of us who commute could simply get-in, buckle-up, and relax while such vehicles take us from home to work, shopping, or other events in comfort and safety.
Additional reading about AI developments:
NECA Technology – the Project for Applied and Disruptive Technology, explores the world of technology and keeps members informed of what’s happening today, and of what will be launched in the not-too-distant future. Dr. Joey Shorter has an extensive background in education and experience in translating the work of academics into understandable, practical ideas.