The TechMobility Podcast
Welcome to The TechMobility Podcast, your ultimate source for authentic insights, news, and perspectives at the nexus of mobility and technology. We're all about REAL FACTS, REAL OPINIONS, and REAL TALK! From personal privacy to space hotels, if it moves or moves you, we're discussing it! Our weekly episodes venture beyond the conventional, offering a unique, unfiltered take on the topics that matter. We're not afraid to color outside the lines, and we believe you'll appreciate our bold approach!
The TechMobility Podcast
Cadillac Lyric 2024 Review, EV Myths Debunked, and Texas' Innovations Against Wrong-Way Crashes
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What if you could enjoy the great outdoors without leaving a carbon footprint? Join us on the TechMobility Show as we kick off with an insightful review of the 2024 Cadillac Lyric EV. We break down its advanced features and share firsthand experiences from the Midwest Automotive Media Association Annual Spring Rally. This episode gives you an in-depth look at how Cadillac is making a powerful entrance into the EV market, and how its innovative technologies fit into General Motors' larger strategy for electric vehicles.
In the next segment, we tackle some of the most common myths surrounding electric vehicles. From concerns about battery longevity to misconceptions about charging times and extreme weather performance, we set the record straight with the latest advancements and facts. We'll also highlight preconditioning technology, which ensures your EV performs optimally regardless of the climate. Whether you're worried about getting stranded in a blizzard or the availability of fast chargers, we've got the answers you need to feel confident about switching to an electric vehicle.
Finally, we shift gears to address the critical issue of wrong-way crashes in Texas. Learn about the innovative measures adopted by the State Department of Transportation to prevent these dangerous incidents, from reflective pavement arrows to AI-equipped thermal sensors. We'll discuss the effectiveness of these safety measures, drawing parallels with similar initiatives in states like Utah, Nevada, and Connecticut. This chapter underscores the importance of improved infrastructure, driver education, and vehicle safety technologies to save lives on our roads. Don't miss this comprehensive episode packed with insights into the future of mobility and sustainable transportation.
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It's time for the Tech Mobility Show with Ken Chester. Ken is a veteran journalist who doesn't always color between the lines, so here he is, the host with the electrified personality Ken Chester.
Speaker 2:Real facts, real opinions, real talk. It's time again for the Tech Mobility Show, your program for news, information and perspective at the intersection of mobility and technology. I'm Ken Chester and, as usual, a full docket awaits. So let's get started. As usual, a full docket awaits. So let's get started On the docket a review of the all-new 2024 Cadillac Lyriq EV, Debunking common EV myths, and state DOT counters impaired wrong-way driving.
Speaker 2:To add your voice to the conversation, be it to ask a question, share an opinion or even suggest a topic for future discussion, call or text the Tech Mobility hotline, that number, 872-222-9793, or you can email the show Talk@. Talk techmobility. show, and that is talk@t echmobility. show. As always, be sure to check us out on social media or wherever you listen to podcasts and, as I like to say, we are pretty much anywhere that you will listen to podcasts. We're on at least 20 different podcast platforms. Trust me, type in Tech Mobility, that's one word no spaces podcast. The Tech Mobility podcast you will find us. Thank you. From the Tech Mobility News Desk.
Speaker 2:We have talked and lamented at length about the quality of public EV charging in America. Now I'll be the first to tell you that I believe that with the rate of construction and the attention that public charging companies are paying to improving the experience, it will only get better and that my beef right now with the EV charging industry, will be history in within five years. But let me give you a spin on a different way and a different place you may find an EV charger. How about in the middle of the woods? Yeah, in the middle of the woods. If you have a cabin in the Upper Peninsula, michigan, if you love the outdoors in the UP, chances are and you maybe just bought a Polaris electric off-road vehicle, chances are you will be able to charge this EV in the middle of nowhere, literally in the middle of nowhere. Polaris unveils off-road EV charging network and Polaris in conjunction with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, they've officially launched an electric off-road vehicle charging network in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. This innovative network supports 100 miles of scenic trails and marks a significant milestone in the transition to electric mobility for outdoor recreation. Recreation. Imagine being miles from nowhere in your EV, in your off-road EV, in your ATV, and being able to charge it, literally miles from any road, town, any sort of commercialization. Yet there it is, your charger and you can charge up and keep on trucking.
Speaker 2:This charging network was developed through a Mobility public-private partnership and programming grant and is regarded as the first of its kind in the nation. The outfitter involved, Polaris Inc, was Hamilton's North Coast Adventures, and they're the first to offer rentals with the all-electric Ranger XP Kinetic and you can charge that out in the middle of nowhere. They also partnered with Yotta Energy. That's where the charging hardware is provided, featuring a scalable EV charging station with solar production capability. And that's the magic. Imagine a green recharging station out in the middle of nowhere that doesn't require natural gas, an electrical feed of any kind or any sort of engine, motor or generator. It offers solar power. Imagine that. Talk about a light touch for the environment. They're going to have four charging stations. They're going to have four charging stations Ontonagon, White Pine, Bergland, and Greenland is where you can charge your EV, your Ranger XP Kinetic.
Speaker 2:Polaris and the MEDC celebrated this groundbreaking project, which enhances Michigan's outdoor recreation industry by providing essential central infrastructure for electric off-road vehicles. Think about this I was a Boy Scout and we were taught to respect nature and that means tread lightly and you know, cart out the trash you cart in, take it with you and try to leave the environment that you encountered in a better shape than you found it. This does just that no pollution, because you're an EV Recharging stations that use solar power and not any kind of carbon-based source to generate the energy. It's pretty cool, pretty cool. The development of the off-road EV charging network aligns with Michigan's broader efforts to modernize its mobility offerings and support the outdoor recreation sector's transition to electric and technology-enabled vehicles. Charging stations are free to use yeah, I'm down with that and support various electric off-road vehicles on public trails. So it's not just the Ranger XP, if you happen to have an electric off-road vehicle. What they're saying is that these stations should charge, that Yotta Energy is providing that solar production capacity and 120 kilowatt hours of onboard energy storage, suitable for both remote and urban areas, meaning that any given time there'll be 120 kilowatt hours of energy available. Now the reason why this works for these smaller units is that their battery packs are a lot smaller. Your average small to medium vehicle will be anywhere from 77 to 100 kilowatt hour battery packs. Chances are these are probably between 25 and 30 kilowatt hours. So theoretically, three or four could charge from literally empty to 100%. Way cool, way cool.
Speaker 2:Polaris is at the forefront of integrating electric powertrain technology into the power sports industry. The Ranger XP kinetic utility side-by-side was launched last year. It showcases the benefits of electric technology, including acceleration control, quiet operations and zero emissions. Polaris is committed to testing electric prototypes across its product platforms and will commercialize them to purposely improve the customer experience. I have to tell you there that while Polaris is doing this across their model line, they are not alone. About a year or so, maybe 18 months ago, rivian announced that they would be building a EV charging network at basically near or at sites federal land sites, federal parks that would allow folks that are getting ready to go off-road a point to recharge their Rivian vehicles and they'd be levied three chargers. They were also providing a network of level two chargers nearby that anybody could use. So, while it is not as dramatic or as far reaching as Polaris, other companies are heeding the call.
Speaker 2:Can you imagine the embracing of pure electrics in the deep woods with the ability to charge? I'm not worried that if I go 15, 20, 30, 40 miles off road in the deep woods with my EV and I may have a range of 120 miles that I would be able to charge it while I'm out there and not have to come all the way out. The only question I have, though, for these EVs and Polaris the piece did not mention, because EVs are quiet what kind of noise do they make? On-road vehicles that are EVs are required by federal law to emit a noise, so you know they're there. I don't think there's any such requirement for an off-road EV, and I have to wonder, when it comes to animals, other people and being around, what kind of noise, if any, should it emit? Again, with staying with the ability to tread lightly and have respect for the outdoors, what kind of noise would that sound like? Would it sound like a creature? Would it sound like rushing water? Would it sound like something completely foreign and different? I just wonder.
Speaker 2:But this is really the tip of the spear for the next great frontier for EVs, not necessarily on-road anymore, but what can we do? Off-road Mining and construction have their own paths in which EV equipment is making inroads. Now we're looking at what they call the outdoor recreational realm, which would also include boats. We've talked about electric boats now ATVs and other equipment that is totally electric and, ironically, not necessarily on the grid, but they're looking for ways to be able to recharge it. How cool can that be to know that when you're out there in the wild, how cool can that be To know that when you're out there in the wild, you are out there in the wild and not contributing to carbonization or climate change and you can enjoy nature the way nature was intended? That is pretty cool. Cadillac is moving into EVs in a big way. My review of the Lyriq is next. You are listening to the TechMobility Show.
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Speaker 2:Social media is the main place to be these days, and we are no exception.
Speaker 2:I'm Ken Chester of the Tech Mobility Show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my weekly Facebook videos, from my latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary of a variety of mobility and technology related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight. You Be sure to watch, like and follow us on Facebook. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to our Facebook page. Social media is the place to be these days, and we're no exception. I'm Ken Chester of the Tech Mobility Show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my weekly Instagram videos, from the latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary on a variety of mobility and technology-related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight. You Be sure to watch, like and follow us on Instagram. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar. For those of you that listen to podcasts, we have just the one for you. Hi, I'm Ken Chester.
Speaker 2:Tech Mobility Topics is a podcast where I upload topic-specific videos each week, shorter than a full show these bite-sized Thank you topics in the search bar wherever you listen to podcasts. The Standard an automobile seat that may transfer bumps from the road and aggravate your back. The Higher Standard in the all-new Cadillac DeVille is new suspension seating which acts like a shock absorber for the driver's back, isolating you from bumps to help reduce back pressure and increase circulation, which should leave you more refreshed mile after mile. Suspension seating in the new V8, powered DeVille by Cadillac, creating a higher standard.
Speaker 2:Okay, so quick. Can you tell me how big's the trunk? How many horsepower is that V8? What kind of transmission is it? What kind of fuel economy does it get? Talk to me about safety features what. You didn't hear any of that in that commercial. No, they talked about seating, just the seats, not how safe the vehicle is, not how luxurious the vehicle is. But they were implying luxury by talking about one aspect of the vehicle. That was in 1994, and that is what Cadillac was talking about then, in an effort to sell their cars.
Speaker 2:In its day, Cadillac was known as the standard of the world for its advanced engineering and luxury styling. For most of the history of General Motors, cadillac was the aspirational brand for millions of Americans, a sign of affluence and accomplishment of station. With the arrival of the European makes in the 1960s and 70s, as well as the launch of the upscale Japanese makes like Lexus and Infiniti in the late 1980s and 1990s, Cadillac has had a lot of competition to deal with for its position at the top of the heap. In today's supercharged automotive marketplace, Cadillac is once again encouraging motorists to reach for the brass ring, while a number of other automakers have made commitments and I say commitments to go electric and or have introduced half measures like hybrids. The folks at Cadillac have gone all in with the introduction of world-class EVs for a number of market segments, starting with the bespoke Celestiq. In rapid order, this has been followed by the all-new EscaladeIQ, and Lyric and, not to rest on its laurels, Cadillac will keep the pedal to the metal with regard to an all-new EV introductions, with the unveiling of the 2025 Optiq. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to evaluate the all-new Lyriq EV for myself at the Midwest Automotive Media Association Annual Spring Rally held each year at the Road America track in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. But as first and as always, a little background.
Speaker 2:Cadillac Lyriq is a battery electric midsize luxury crossover SUV. Battery electric midsize luxury crossover SUV. The Lyriq is regarded as the nameplate's first fully electric vehicle and the first General Motors production vehicle to use the automaker's BEV3 platform, which also underpins the Chevy Blazer EV, the second-generation Acura ZDX and get this, the Honda Prologue. And I bet you didn't know that. Manufactured at GM's sprawling manufacturing complex at Spring Hill, Tennessee, the former home of the long-departed Saturn brand, the Lyric was originally introduced to the American motorist at the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, delayed by the impact of the pandemic, Cadillac dealerships began to receive shipments of the new EV in July of 2022.
Speaker 2:Available on three trim levels, base power for the rear-drive Lyriq models is provided by a permanent magnet bar-wound electric motor mounted on the rear axle that delivers 340 horsepower and 325 foot-pounds of torque. All-wheel-drive models feature an electric motor on both axles, front and rear, that generates a combined 500 horsepower and 450 foot-pounds of torque. Both configurations are powered by a 102-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. Range for the rear-wheel drive configuration is 314 miles, or 3.07 miles per kilowatt hour. All-wheel drive models have a range of 307 miles, or 3 miles per kilowatt hour. Now, in case you're wondering and I've said this before, so let me say it again I refuse to use EPA fuel economy electric equivalent numbers because I find them misleading and that they miss the point completely with regards to assessing EV performance. Using a level 3 DC fast charger, both Lyriq configurations can charge up to 77 miles of range in just 10 minutes of charge time. Cargo capacity is 60.8 cubic feet with the rear seat backs folded.
Speaker 2:Here's what I like about the vehicle. What struck me first about the interior of this new Cadillac Lyriq was just how cavernous it was. You can't tell that by the outside dimensions. The passenger compartment features a flat floor with plenty of space for four adults and a large complement of cargo. The panoramic roof adds to the feeling of spaciousness and, as you might expect, the interior is luxurious with user-friendly displays, controls and switchgear. You're not even put off by the 33 inches of screen that are displayed across the dashboard. I didn't even notice it. The driver enjoys a good outward view of the road Underway. The Lyriq is fast, furious, smooth and oh so quiet. And, just in case you missed it, the cargo area is impressively large and well shaped. Rear seat passengers enjoy dual USB ports, a regular electrical plug, heated outboard seating and separate climate controls. A center armrest with dual cup holders round out the accommodations. The lyric comes equipped with self-sealing all-season tires, which is good since there's no spare, and kudos to Cadillac, at least you know where you stand.
Speaker 2:Here's what I didn't like about the vehicle and, believe it or not, this is one of the shortest dislike lists ever. But full disclosure. I didn't get a chance to spend the normal amount of time with the Lyriq that I do with my regular vehicle reviews and, having said that, my only complaints are that where the Lyric had a slightly higher step-in than you might expect, which could be a problem for some people and coupled with I thought that the rear door openings were a bit narrow, again impacting entry and exit to the rear seating area. So what's the bottom line on this newest Cadillac, this first Cadillac EV? Sharp styling, loads of safety features, which includes the nameplate Super Cruise, semi-autonomous driving system which unfortunately I didn't get a chance to try and plenty of room for all means.
Speaker 2:Cadillac's got a winner here. Pricing is at the middle of the pack for what you get, and that's not a bad thing. In other words, they use some common sense at approaching the pricing module, the way that this should be priced. Unlike some other vehicles, which are completely ridiculous, this one, I thought, was competitive with pretty much everything that's out there at that level of luxury, be it gasoline-powered or EV. The manufacturer suggests a retail price for the 2024 Cadillac Lyriq EV starts from $57,195 for tech model, $61,295 for luxury and $69,695 for the sport all-wheel drive. Destination charges add $1,395. And here's a heads up you may be glad to know that this EV also qualifies for the $7,500 EV rebate, and the prices that I quoted do not include the application of the rebate, so they're actually be lower.
Speaker 2:The MSRP as tested
Speaker 2:I drove a 2024 Cadillac Lyric Sport 3 with the following extra cost options Nappa leather package, electric all-wheel drive, powered dual-panel sunroof charging module. Extra cost interior radiant red tin coat paint, black painted roof front, license plate, bracket and the total cost of the options. The options came to twelve thousand four hundred and ten dollars, MSRP including including options. The destination charges came to eighty three thousand five hundred dollars. And in case you think that's rich, there are pickup trucks that I have test driven that go for more, believe it or not, and honestly, with them starting in the mid to high 50s. This is about where it should be and I think they did a real good job at pricing this thing I really did. Next, I debunk some common EV myths.
Speaker 2:This is the Tech Mobility Show. Do you listen to podcasts? Seems that most people do. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. If you've missed any of our weekly episodes on the radio, our podcast is a great way to listen. You can find the Tech Mobility Podcast just about anywhere. You can enjoy podcasts. Be sure to follow us from Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio and many platforms in between. We are there. Just enter the Tech Mobility Podcast in the search bar. Wherever you listen to podcasts, social media, it's the place to be. We're no exception. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. Several times a week, I post to TikTok several of the topics that I cover on my weekly radio show. It's another way to keep up on mobility, technology news and information. I've built quite a library of short videos for your viewing pleasure, so be sure to watch, like and subscribe. That's the Tech Mobility Show on TikTok. Check it out.
Speaker 2:It's been 13 years since the debut of the Nissan Leaf, generally regarded as the first volume EV for sale, that was sold. For those of y'all that are keeping score, let me say this right here, because you're going to yell at the radio like I tend to do Say no, it isn't. The EV1 was Okay. The EV1, which was developed by General Motors in the mid-90s, was not sold, it was leased. It was the only way you could get it and you could not buy the car. At the end of the lease, gm took them back and, to the chagrin of many people who loved that first generation EV, gm destroyed them. So it is rare or, if darn right, impossible. You couldn't buy one, you couldn't buy one. The Nissan leaf as a retail unit was the first EV you could actually buy, pure EV, and back then it had a range, a whopping range, a killer range of 98 miles. Yeah, a lot has happened since then. EVs have come a long way, pretty much every way you can think of.
Speaker 2:However, despite me talking about EVs almost every week, there are myths that still persist out there about EVs and I'm hoping y'all haters that are out there I hope you're listening because we're going to deal with some of these, and this is Topic B. Let's start with the one that people like to talk about, and then I'm going to tell you what the truth is. Here's a myth you will lose 50% of your range in cold weather. Um, 50%, no, will you lose 25% to 30%? Yes, you will. But let me preface it with this I told you, and I will continue to tell you, this technology is not stagnant. That's what's happening today, trust me. What it's called and how they're dealing with this. It's called preconditioning, and what that means is developing technologies to have the battery at a certain range of operating temperature so that you could optimize battery power, and that means warming the battery up in the winter, cooling the battery down in the summer so that it is within its operating range. As they figure out how to do that and I fully expect that they may develop something that's run off of the traditional 12 volt lead acid battery we talked about the evolution of the regular battery last week regular battery last week and I feel that preconditioning may, in fact, or some sort of chemical manipulation of hot and cold will be the case for batteries in the future, and when that happens, I expect that day and I expect it before the end of the decade that power loss due to temperature extremes either extreme heat or extreme cold will be moot, and that will be regardless of EV that you choose to buy. But right now, yes, you can lose between a fourth to a third, that is true. Here's one If you get stuck in a blizzard, you'll freeze to death.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I want to deal with that meme. Everybody saw of all those cars stuck in Chicago that went brick. Yeah, I want to deal with that meme. Everybody saw of all those cars stuck in Chicago that went brick. Yeah, that one.
Speaker 2:Now let's use a little common sense. Number one every single one of these vehicles, just like your gasoline vehicle, is going to warn you when power gets low. In sophisticated vehicles, even gasoline ones, if they're connected to the internet, they'll even show you nearest gas stations. The app that these EVs run on will also tell them hey, you're down to 50 miles of range. Here are the three nearest charging stations to you. So come on. They knew.
Speaker 2:Evs are very efficient when you're stopped and the cabin can be heated for more hours than a gas car with a full tank. Let me read that again EVs are very efficient when you are stopped and the cabin can be heated for more hours than a gas car with a full tank, and unless you left your cell phone at home, no, you're not going to freeze to death. So let me put that out there. You will have to wait. Here's another myth. You will have to wait for hours on a road trip to charge your ev. Uh, let's regular listeners may remember back january, february, I took a road trip. I ended up adding three hours to my trip because of charging. It wasn't that cold. And while no hours, no, will you wait longer than you'd like? Yes, and this is assuming that the high speed fast chargers are working, which in my case, all three were, and I didn't have to wait, which was true, but I still had to spend time.
Speaker 2:Again, I will tell you with the evolution of public charging, this will be moot in the next five years. Hours, a few more hours, yes, hours, hours, no. Here's another myth. There are not enough fast chargers. That is a transitionary thing. Again, two things are happening Any EV 2025 or newer will have the ability to plug into the tesla supercharger network. So, not enough fast chargers, even as there's money in recent legislation to build new fast public chargers. Again, it takes time to scale this stuff up. I tell you, five to six years, end of the decade, it will be mo moot between a Tesla supercharger availability and new high-speed chargers coming online. It's a little bit of a wait now, but it's not impossible. It's not terrible.
Speaker 2:Here's one I love this one because I've got an email on this. High voltage packs only last five years or a hundred thousand miles. Okay, all right. Okay, let's start with the obvious. Did you know? Every single one of those packs has a minimum guarantee or warranty of eight years or a hundred thousand miles. That's the warranty that comes with the vehicle when it's new. Just for starters. Now the truth right now, the average battery pack in a brand new EV off the line today you'll get 200,000 miles or up to 15 years, and that's normal, which is pretty interesting because you can get 15 years, 150,000 miles on the average internal combustion engine, although if you take care of that, there's no reason why you can't get 250,000 out of that. But let me say this again EV batteries, 200,000 miles, 15 years that's normal. Normal, it's not an aberration.
Speaker 2:New EVs lose their value quickly. Well, any new vehicle I don't care how it's powered loses value the minute it goes off the lot. Evs are no different and of course, you're going to have some softness in EV prices as more EVs come to the market and competition hits the market, and because the new EVs have more features and are more sophisticated, may even have better battery chemistries than EVs that were sold two or three years ago. Yeah, but they did a study and what they found is, across the board, the best deal on a used vehicle, believe it or not, is a used EV. I'm going to let you think about that. One EVs will catch fire and explode. That one EVs will catch fire and explode. No, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has done all sorts of crash tests with EV cars pertaining their batteries Side impact, off-frontal impact, all of that, no, no, no. They're some of the safest. That's not going to happen. Unsafe in an accident? Again, no, the IIHS has tested these and have concluded that the EV poses no greater risk than any other type of vehicle in either side impact offset, frontal impact, accident, any kind of accident. EVs are too expensive to buy new. What did I tell you that was going to change as the automakers got better at it? Runway crashes are the most severe accidents when states effort to resolve the problem.
Speaker 2:We are the Tech Mobility Show. To learn more about the Tech Mobility Show, start by visiting our website. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. The website is a treasure trove of information about me and the show, as well as where to find it on the radio across the country. Keep up with the happenings at the Tech Mobility Show by visiting techmobility. show. That's techmobility. show. You can also drop us a line at talk@echmobility. show. Did you know that Tech Mobility has a YouTube channel? Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the TechMobility Show. Each week, I upload a few short videos of some of the hot topics that I cover during my weekly radio program. I've designed these videos to be informative and entertaining. It's another way to keep up on current mobility and technology news and information. Be sure to watch, like and subscribe to my channel. That's the Tech Mobility Show on YouTube. Check it out, we'll see you next time.
Speaker 2:Social media is the place to be these days, and we're no exception. I'm Ken Chester of the Tech Mobility Show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my weekly Instagram videos From the latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary on a variety of mobility and technology-related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight you. Be sure to watch, like and follow us on Instagram. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar.
Speaker 2:Wrong way crashes are the most severe accidents In Texas. The State Department of Transportation has been battling against wrong way drivers in the state. This is Topic C Wrong way drivers. What does that mean? Driving the wrong way down a one-way street, taking the wrong ramp onto a highway, going the wrong direction on a freeway or an interstate? Can you even imagine the consequences and the deadliness of something that happens like that and the deadliness of something that happens like that Now in Texas they say that while wrong-way crashes make up less than 1% of all crashes in the state, they are also the most severe. If you're driving down a highway, the last thing you're expecting is somebody coming at you at highway speed on the wrong side of the road. Where do you go? How do you maneuver If there's traffic in lanes on either side of you and traffic behind you and you're all doing 65, 70 miles an hour? What do you do? So yeah, it can be very serious and very messy and very nasty.
Speaker 2:Talking about fatalities, the Texas DOT started a pilot program about 10 years ago which installed wrong way countermeasures on quarters in some of the largest cities across the state. I didn't even know there was such a thing as wrong way countermeasures. Yeah, I've seen the wrong way signs, but what they tell you, what the state DOTs tell you, is that typically those folks driving the wrong way are impaired. So let's take a look at what they talk about. When they talk about wrong way countermeasures, what are they talking about? Here's an example they include reflective pavement arrows, light emitting diodes or LED. Wrong way flashing signs, new signs with reflective tape that are lowered to the ground, radar detection modules, high resolution traffic cameras, thermal sensors equipped with artificial intelligence or AI to reduce false alarms.
Speaker 2:One thing I learned that they point out is that typically people who are driving the wrong way number one are impaired. Now, they did not say without a rule that they were drunk. That's just one type of impairment. You can be disoriented or confused or having a mental emergency, like us older folks. You might have mixed up some medications and not be totally with the program, but it's interesting to note that most of the folks driving the wrong way are impaired. That is what they start with and, as a result, the state says that they typically look at the pavement immediately in front of the car. This they already know, so they're addressing that. Rather than the typical driver who's looking down the road, these folks are literally looking at that space in front of the car. So this is some of the ways they try to reach them.
Speaker 2:As of today, all the major metro areas of Texas, for example, have at least some wrong way driver countermeasures on highways. So let me back up a minute. Reasonable question to ask If wrong way driving represents 1% of all the crashes in the state, why is there such attention paid to it? Because of the level of fatality? If you're going the wrong way down the center lane of an interstate highway and you're meeting oncoming traffic, what do you think is going to happen? Wrong way traffic may not always be able to scatter, and if they can't, that's a head-on wreck at speed. And if you're doing speed limit 65 miles an hour and the individual coming at you is doing 65 miles an hour, your closure rate is 130 miles an hour. Your closure rate is 130 miles an hour and that impact will be at 130 miles an hour, with all the deadliness associated with it, meaning that most wrong-way accidents end in fatalities.
Speaker 2:That is what they're trying to prevent. That is why they're addressing it, because it's not. If they can prevent it in the first place or get the wrong way impaired driver to self-correct, in other words, oh, I shouldn't go this way and turn around and go back. Part of it is trying to get them to alter the behavior. Some of it is also to alert the state DOT that this is happening so they can jump, you know, and handle it. In some cases they may deploy county sheriffs or state police to try to intercept the driver or, at the very least, prevent traffic from interacting with the wrong way driver and causing a wreck. Imagine if the wrong way driver, the impaired driver, meets a fully loaded 18 wheeler at highway speeds. I'm just going to leave that vision with you for a minute. That's what they're trying to prevent, but I'm proud to say that Texas isn't alone. Um, let me give you some other. Let me give an example of how this is working in Texas. In some areas in the state of Texas they've had great results. Fort Worth area saw a 90% of wrong-way drivers course correct before causing a crash, meaning that 9 out of every 10 wrong-way drivers were alerted through their countermeasures and corrected before a wreck could happen, turned around, pulled over, did whatever, but did not continue in their error. Now Texas isn't alone doing this. In Utah, they installed 15 wrong-way driving detection systems last year, are in the process of installing eight more such systems on highways statewide. In Nevada, they substantially completed the installation of wrong-way driver detection systems on Interstate 580, known as the Carson City Freeway, in September of last year, and they've been installing such technology on selected highways statewide since 2019. In Connecticut, they are installing wrong-way driving alert systems on at least 120 additional highway exit ramps statewide Ramps identified by the agency as high risk for wrong-way driving incidents. The Connecticut DOT noted, however, that it's been installing wrong-way driving detection technology on state highway exit ramps over the last three years and continues to expand its use statewide.
Speaker 2:Wrong way drivers, impaired drivers For a multitude of reasons Part of being safe behind the wheel, safer cars, safer behavior, safer infrastructure it's all required. They're not taking just one approach. They're not putting it all in the driver, although that is a major forward thought better education, better knowledge, being careful, being smart. They put it on the manufacturers safer cars that do some things. And right now they've got speed limiters built into the cars, built into your cruise control and new vehicles. Now that will automatically, if you're speeding and it passes a speed limit sign, will reduce your speed to the speed limit.
Speaker 2:Actually, we'll do it. I'm driving. I've driven two vehicles in the last two weeks with that new technology. I'm not sure I like it, because I didn't. I will. We're few and far between and, yeah, we tend to drive a little bit above the speed limit. So the fact that it wants to reduce it, I'm not thrilled without my input, saying oh, 55, okay. And sometimes it misreads that's my problem or it assumes, if there's no speed limit listed, oh well, we've come to the end of our visit together. Be sure to join me again next time, right here. This has been a Tech Mobility Show.
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Speaker 2:For those of you that listen to podcasts, we have just the one for you. Hi, I'm Ken Chester. Tech Mobility Topics is a podcast where I upload topic-specific videos each week. Shorter than a full show. These bite-sized programs are just the thing, particularly if you're interested in a particular topic covered on the weekly radio show. From Apple Podcasts to iHeartRadio and many podcast platforms in between, we got you covered. Just enter TechMobility topics in the search bar. Wherever you listen to podcasts, social media, it's the place to be. We're no exception. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the TechMobility show. Several times a week, I post to TikTok several of the topics that I cover on my weekly radio show. It's another way to keep up on mobility technology news and information. I've built quite a library of short videos for your viewing pleasure, so be sure to watch, like and subscribe. That's the Tech Mobility Show on TikTok. Check it out. To learn more about the Tech Mobility Show, start by visiting our website. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. The website is a treasure trove of information about me and the show, as well as where to find it on the radio across the country. Keep up with the happenings of the Tech Mobility Show by visiting techmobility. show. That's techmobility. show. You can also drop us a line talk@ techmobilityshow.
Speaker 2:Do you listen to podcasts? Seems that most people do. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. If you've missed any of our weekly episodes on the radio, our podcast is a great way to listen. You can find the Tech Mobility Podcast just about anywhere. You can enjoy podcasts. Be sure to follow us From Apple Podcasts, iheartradio and many platforms in between. We are there. Just enter the Tech Mobility Podcast in the search bar wherever you listen to podcasts.
