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
Drive-Thru Coffee Revolution, Kia Sportage's Hybrid Evolution, Ethical AI, and TSA's New Cybersecurity Rules
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How are two entrepreneurs reshaping your morning coffee run? Discover the innovative minds of Rob Whitten and Jane Lo as they aim to transform the drive-thru coffee experience with P!ng, their cutting-edge automated system in Massachusetts. With mobile apps and sensors, P!ng promises freshly brewed coffee delivered efficiently right to your car window. As I ponder over my own coffee habits, from Keurig moments to café indulgences, I'll guide you through the perks and possible hiccups of this tech-driven solution, challenging the status quo of your daily caffeine fix.
Fasten your seatbelt for a ride through time with the Kia Sportage's remarkable journey. From its 1993 debut with Ford and Mazda to its modern metamorphosis under Hyundai's leadership, the Sportage has become a global sensation. In this episode, we'll uncover the 2023 hybrid version's innovative hybrid powertrain, offering not just a sustainable drive but also a smooth ride and surprising versatility. As we examine what makes this midsize crossover a strong contender in today's market, some features may still need a tweak—join me as we explore where the line is drawn between excellent and exceptional.
Lastly, let's navigate the complex world where artificial intelligence meets cybersecurity in transportation. As AI technologies rapidly evolve, so do the challenges in maintaining secure infrastructures. We'll explore the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) new cybersecurity initiatives to protect pipelines and railroads, underscoring the critical nature of safeguarding these essential sectors. As we tackle these vital issues, I'll share insights on how the interconnectedness of AI and cybersecurity is reshaping the landscape of mobility, raising crucial questions about the future of resource management and security.
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Welcome to the Tech Mobility Podcast.
Speaker 2:I'm Ken Chester. I thought I would come up with something a little lighter in tone. So let me ask you this how do you like your coffee? Are you a sort that you've got like I do? You've got a machine at home that you just use? Get your K-Pod in there, do your thing. Are you a person that likes to pick your coffee up in the way to the office or whatever you're doing in the daily dispatch? You go by your favorite coffee shop. Maybe you're one that walks in. Maybe you're one that likes the coffee shop experience. You go in with your computer, your book, you get your little cup of joe, you sit down and you enjoy a cup of coffee as you check your email, maybe do a little light work or studying in your favorite coffee shop. Whatever the case, a pair of first time entrepreneurs are trying to solve one of life's small but annoying problems the long wait at the drive-thru coffee line.
Speaker 2:I'm going to speak for myself for a minute Now. I love my coffee. I got a Keurig at home and I got three kinds of coffee, because I'm a coffee snob and I readily admit it that I'm a coffee snob, and I'm such a snob that I actually have reusable K-cups and my sister turned me on to filters for the K-cups. So I'm an uppity coffee snob because those filters in my reusable K-cups keep that kind of ground grit that you get, that you don't get anymore. So I get a really decent cup of coffee. My girls both of my daughters, who are coffee snobs to the nth degree kind of favoring French press, but that's another story for another time. Robotics expert Rob Whitten and experienced marketer Jane Lo started an automated coffee drive-thru called P! ng and that's P an exclamation point NG last year and built a prototype coffee making and serving trailer that's up and running in an empty parking lot.
Speaker 2:And this is in Massachusetts, in a very busy spot between Route 3 and Route 4, Lowell, and if you know Massachusetts at all, it's kind of North Shore, inner belt, kind of 128-ish, basically a very busy spot with a lot of traffic, and they have a goal of serving beverages quicker than humans can. Customers can select from a typical array of coffee and tea beverages on a mobile app which includes everything from iced pumpkin spice latte to a hot chai tea latte. I say no to pumpkin spice, sorry, just do. And yeah, y'all just overdo it with the pumpkin spice. Pumpkin spice, yeah, no, it's not for everything and never in my coffee. Beverages aren't made until a customer's mobile app notifies the system that the customer is close. That means the drink should be fresh when the customer pulls up, unlike rivals that may make drinks as soon as they're ordered on a mobile app. It works like this Once a driver arrives in the parking lot, cameras and a LiDAR sensor on the trailer which is cool assess the window height of the customer's vehicle and raise or lower the automated serving platform. That is gnarly. When a reporter pulled up in a midsize SUV in a recent sunny weekday, the system delivered a perfectly chilled iced coffee at just the right height.
Speaker 2:P! ng's prototype machine looks like something out of a Jimmy Neutron cartoon, built by Whitten, with mostly off-the-shelf motors and sensors and with some patent-pending integrations. And there's also air of Willy Wonka factory, as the bright green and black trailer with blinking lights sits surrounded by green traffic cones and, like the Chocolateers factory, there are some invisible human helpers inside the trailer. A machine mixes the drinks from the various ingredients, but a few steps are not yet automated, like applying the label with the customer's name to each drink and moving beverages inside the trailer. Whitten said so he and Lowe performed those steps by hand, but I'm sure not for much longer. We put it together to show that customers like this experience to the point where we can say it's worth other people investing. Wynton said once more funding is secured, we can fully automate it and then release it next year for a 24-7 experience.
Speaker 2:Think about this Can you imagine being out on the road needing a cup of coffee? You don't really want to get out of your car, you just want to stop, get a cup of Joe and go, and you know where one of these are, because obviously there'll be an app and hey, you can go to this location and it's close to you and you can order your coffee just the way you like it. For that that would be neat from a safety standpoint, particularly if it's going to be 24 seven. But I wonder how it's going to do in inclement weather. I mean really inclement weather. That's a question I hadn't thought about until just now.
Speaker 2:Me personally, I'm kind of a special person when it comes to my coffee. People tease me. They say would you like a little coffee with your sugar? Hey, don't judge me, I like a lot of sugar in my coffee. Touch of cream. I'm good Occasionally, depending on my mood, a little cinnamon, maybe a touch of honey too, but you know. So I tend to go in because I want to specify it and I don't quite trust them to get it right driving up. That's just me. I'm a little weird like that, but that's fine.
Speaker 2:This came about because Whitten and his daughters were waiting for a cup of coffee at some place and they didn't think it should have to take 20 minutes to get your food. And if you've ever been pulled up to a drive-thru window anywhere and had to wait these long, ridiculous times, then you could certainly appreciate the ability to get your food and get going and in this case, get your favorite cup of joe, your favorite chai tea or whatever it is. You want hot or cold minutes, exactly the way you want it. Pay for it be gone. I think there's something for that. They want to franchise this, which means theoretically, if this takes off, this could be all around the country, and I could see where this would work in places where a bricks and mortar solution is too expensive, either for rent or whatever, or even be able to move the thing around, particularly out here in the Midwest, if you had like a little route where you may be different days of the week, you would take it and be different places, so people could experience this that don't normally have this experience Right now in the upper Midwest.
Speaker 2:Well, particularly in Iowa, there's a couple places you can go. We've got a small convenience chain called Casey's, which is pretty much everywhere. You've got Quick Trip. You can do that. You even have some of the grocery stores that have coffee and, yes, in the bigger cities we have Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts. Believe it or not, but if you're not in a place where that is and you're not in a particular town that maybe even has a coffee shop or the drive-thru, this would be great, particularly if you like your coffee a certain way and you don't want to take time to fix your coffee in the morning. Cause for me, I like to get up and go. I drink my coffee when I'm home, but if I'm getting up to go, I'm not. One of these takes my coffee to go. I just don't not from home, I just no, I don't do that. So ping, be coming to a parking lot near you in the next five years, a green and black trailer that will deliver your coffee or your chilled drink just the way you want it, in a local franchise to boot. That's even something I can get behind. I switch gears with you.
Speaker 2:Nashville voters overwhelmingly approved a $3. 1 billion transit plan, and the reason why I pointed I wanted to point this out to you is that it calls for a major overhaul of the city's bus systems and I underline this one sidewalks and traffic signals, and 66% of Nashville residents, Nashville voters, approved the plan. Sidewalks. They're looking at building 86 miles worth of sidewalks. If you follow this program for any length of time, we talked about the dearth of sidewalks in many cities. Once particularly, you get out of the center core. For everybody that doesn't have a vehicle, sidewalks are the way to get around their core. For everybody that doesn't have a vehicle, sidewalks are the way to get around.
Speaker 2:In fact, Zillow, a real estate firm that lists houses, has a walkable score and obviously the higher the score, the less likely it is that it is suitable for walking. The lower the score, the better the walk score. The higher the score, the more car-related it is, and out here in the Midwest there are very few places, even downtown in certain applications, that score better than 50. So the fact that Nashville is looking at this and looking positively at not just everything else but pedestrians. They're caring for pedestrians. One particular road called Dickerson Pike, they're going to reconfigure to lower pedestrian injuries and deaths, with reconfigured streets, sidewalks, crosswalks and adaptive traffic signals. At last, the population is thinking about pedestrians in the mix. That's why I wanted to bring this up, because they actually actively are looking at making walking better, safer and part of their solution for getting around. I'm all for that. It's my review of the 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid Crossover SUV. Next you are listening to the Tech Mobility Show.
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Speaker 2:Social media is the main place to be these days, and we are no exception. 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.
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: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 Tech Mobility Topics in the search bar, wherever you listen to podcasts.
Speaker 3:Is something missing from your life. Get out of the ordinary and into a Sportage For the on-road style and the true off-road performance you've been looking for. The Kia Sportage Crossover to excitement. Kia the power to surprise.
Speaker 2:Wow, that was from 1993. Kia Sportage has been a part of the Kia lineup that long. In fact, the 1993 Kia Sportage actually predates Kia's ownership by Hyundai back in the day when Ford and Mazda had ownership in the company. A major change to the Sportage because of that purchase by Hyundai in 1997, when Kia actually went broke and that was part of the Asia had a financial crisis in the late 90s Hyundai and Kia kind of got caught up in it. Kia went broke, hyundai ended up buying them and the rest is history. It was a master stroke on Kia's part I mean on Hyundai's part and they've never looked back. But one of the things that happened as a result of that purchase was to move the chassis from body-on-frame construction to unitized construction, which made it lighter, better fuel economy and lower cost to make. And then it started sharing a platform with the Hyundai Tucson. Since 2016, the Portage has been the nameplate's best-selling model worldwide, with $5 million sold by 2018. And here's a fun fact for you that you may not realize the original Sportage was developed with a Mazda platform, sharing many mechanical components such as the engine, transmissions, and differential with Mazda vehicles at that time, one of the outcomes of Kia's alliance with Ford and Mazda. Ford actually owned a part of Kia at that time and it involved Ford providing the technology and Kia providing inexpensive manufacturing. And if you're wondering, some Ford-branded Kias were actually sold in the 1990s. If you can remember the Ford Festiva, which was a little car, and the Ford Aspire, those were actually built by Kia, sold as Fords in the United States Thought you might want to know that Now, built in South Korea, since its inception, manufacturing of the Sportage has expanded to a number of countries over the years. Manufacturing of the Sportage has expanded to a number of countries over the years Concurrent with the fifth generation introduction of the Sportage in October 2021. As a 2023 model, the automaker introduced its hybrid version and also as a result of the fifth generation, the Sportage hybrid is available in four trim levels and is now manufactured at Kia's West Point Georgia assembly complex. In other words, the Sportages sold in the United States now are built in Georgia, just so you know.
Speaker 2:The hybrid powertrain consists of a 1.6 liter four-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine, permanent magnet synchronous electric motor and a 1.49 kilowkilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. Combined out, hybrid powertrain is 227 horsepower and 258 foot-pounds of torque. Energy is communicated to the drive wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is optional for LX. Standard on EX and SX Prestige trim levels. Standard on EX and SX Prestige trim levels. Epa fuel economy numbers are 42 city 44 highway for front-wheel drive 38 city 38 highway for all-wheel drive. Cargo capacity is 73.7 cubic feet. Towing capacity is 2,000 pounds when the trailer is equipped with trailer brakes.
Speaker 2:Here's what I liked about the vehicle. First and foremost, the Kia Sportage Hybrid is smooth, quiet and fast, featuring user-friendly displays, controls and switchgear. Occupants enjoy a controlled, predictable ride at speed. The driver has a good outward view of the road. Available drive models include Eco, sport, smart and Snow. A lockable center differential and hill descent control add to the driver's ability to optimize performance across a variety of road and traffic situations. Wide opening doors and a decent step-in height facilitates vehicle entry and exit. The cavernous cargo area with rear seats that fold down flat with the cargo floor add to the vehicle's functionality and versatility. Usb ports are readily available for each occupant. A center armrest for the split rear seat and a panoramic sunroof rounds out the appointment. And yes, one more wonderful thing Kia has designed the Spirit tire to be accessible from inside the vehicle, located under the cargo area floor. Yay for that, because you all know how I feel about that.
Speaker 2:Here's what I didn't like about the vehicle the extra-cost shadow matte gray exterior paint. Some loved it, some hated it, me not so much. The center dash dual mode control panel requires your complete attention, which is not okay when you're underway on the road. I found that the variable speed windshield wiper is to be spastic at times, just for a misting of rain. And then, finally, this lane centering system was erratic, failing to achieve an even predictable balance within a marked lane at speed. So here's the bottom line With a range of approximately 450 miles.
Speaker 2:The fifth generation Kia Sportage Hybrid is a midsize crossover SUV that is worthy of your driveway. Stylish, modern, solid and easy to drive. There are plenty of positives to offset some of the things that I found objectionable, but, as always, take one for a test drive and decide for yourself. The manufacturer suggested retail price for the 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid Crossover SUV starts from $28,590 for the LX front-wheel drive and up to $37,490 for the SX Prestige. The destination charges add $1,375. Now let me stop right here. You can get a regular Sportage, you can get this hybrid, and then they also make a plug-in hybrid. So there's a little something for everybody, depending on what you want, even though this review was centered on the hybrid, and I really think honestly, from a price and fuel economy standpoint, this is the way you should go. I mean, 450 miles of range that's my sweet spot, particularly out here in the Midwest when you need to go and you're getting the best of both worlds and, honestly, that's where the market is going and these prices are not ridiculous. I mean you're at less than $30,000 for the base one. So, honestly, to get it the way you kind of want it, you're probably in the low 30s, which is a considerable bargain compared to what you get, particularly when you're talking about the kia warranty. I mean it's a no-lose warranty. I mean there's no way ever you can lose.
Speaker 2:Let me tell you about the MSRP is tested the 2024 Kia Sportage hybrid. I drove an sx prestige all-wheel drive. That is is the top-end vehicle and it had the following extra cost options: Shadow matte gray exterior paint that I told you I wasn't a fan of although I've had people say, hey, love the paint job. I'm like, yeah, no, cargo mat and carpeted floor mats. The total cost of the options came to $865. This vehicle out the door, total MSRP including options and destination charges $39,730. Let me tell you for what you get, combined with the guarantee, the warranty and the mileage range. It's built in America, which means you can order one. I don't see too many ways to go wrong with this, and I drove one. I spent some quality time driving one in California last year. I loved it, totally loved it, and I know you will too. It is a joy to drive. Even it does have a few funky things about it, but, like I always say, drive it, make up your own mind.
Speaker 2:It's an installment number three of the ethics of artificial intelligence.
Speaker 2:Next, as we discuss the impact of uploading, this is the Tech Mobility Show.
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 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
Speaker 2:Social media, it's the place to be, and 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 Show on TikTok. Check it out.
Speaker 2:This is a pithy read. For those of you who've been following this series, t his is installment number three of the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, and the source document that I'm using to guide the discussion was a paper authored by Nick Bostrom of the Future of Humanity Institute and Eliezer Yudowsky of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute, the paper that I'm quoting from exclusively. It was published by the Machine Intelligence Research Institute, and when I say this is in the weeds, we've never gone this far in the weeds. Before I even go there, let me explain why I'm doing it.
Speaker 2:Ai is so pervasive now and it's only promised to get more intuitive and more involved in your everyday life, both directly and indirectly, in coming years. In your everyday life, both directly and indirectly in coming years, you need to understand one, what AI is, and two, what other ethics discussion behind it? Because, as AI continues to morph and develop and basically just get better and better, there are things that need to be dealt with. There are conversations that need to be had Like, for example and we talked about this earlier can AI be self-aware, can AI think, and what happens when it crosses certain thresholds to where it does? What does that mean? Do we have a moral obligation to recognize it as some kind of non-person person? That's kind of why we need to have this conversation.
Speaker 2:And, yeah, while I don't expect you to remember it, I've quoted the paper because I believe that you should Google it. It's The Ethics of Artificial intelligence, produced by the Machine Intelligence Research Institute. When I tell you, this is pithy, it's pithy and it has a lot of source documents to support it, and I encourage you that, if you want to know more about the ethics of artificial intelligence, that you Google this report. Take a minute and read it. It's going to take you a while.
Speaker 2:This part is our third installment, third and final, and I won't get to all of it, but I'm going to try to hit the highlights because I want you to think what they start with in this section is something called whole brain emulation. It's called uploading, it's called uploading. Uploading refers to hypothetical future technology that would enable a human or other animal intellect to be transferred from its original implementation in an organic brain onto a digital computer. You've seen these in the movies. The fact that these researchers are even addressing that this might even be possible. And by no means are they saying that it is easy. And I'm skipping all the technical jargon because, yeah, it's really, really. Your eyes will glaze over, I'm going to save you that. But they do say, if uploading process has been successful, the computer program should now replicate the essential function characteristics of the original brain.
Speaker 2:The resulting upload may inhabit a simulated virtual reality or, alternatively, could be given control of a robotic body enabling it to interact directly with external physical reality. A number of questions arise in the context of such a scenario. How plausible is this procedure? Will one day become technologically feasible? If the procedure worked and produced a computer program exhibiting roughly the same personality, the same memories, the same thinking pattern of the original brain, would this program be sentient? Would the upload be the same person as an individual whose brain was disassembled in the uploading process was disassembled in the uploading process? What happens to the personal identity if an upload is copied? The two such similar or qualitatively identical upload minds are running in parallel.
Speaker 2:Although all of these questions are relevant to the ethics of machine intelligence, they're going to focus on something called the notion of subjective rate of time. For example, if the upload is running and that's what they're calling it, the upload they'll hear that term now, from now on a thousand times faster than the original brain, then the external world would appear of the upload if it was slowed down by a factor of a thousand. And I give examples, and I'm skipping around just to help you out a little. Subjective time is not the same as a subject's estimate or perception of how fast time flows. Human beings are often mistaken about the flow of time. The variability of the subject rate of time is an exotic property of artificial minds that raises novel ethical issues. For example, in cases where duration of an experience is ethically relevant, should duration be measured in objective time or subjective time? If an uploader is committed a crime and is sentenced to four years in prison, should this be for objective years, which may correspond to many millennia of subjective time, or should it be for subjective years, which might be over a couple of days of objective time? If a fast AI and a human are in pain, is it more urgent to alleviate the AI's pain on grounds that it experiences a greatest subjective duration of pain for each sigil second, that the relief is delayed questions. I told you we were deep in the weeds. Let me skip around because I want to get to something that really kind of shook me as I read this. Here's another problem to think about.
Speaker 2:One important set of exotic properties of artificial intelligence relate to reproduction. A number of empirical conditions that apply to human reproduction need not apply to artificial intelligence. For example, while human children are the product of recombination of generic material from two parents, parents have limited ability to influence the character of their offspring. A human embryo needs to be gestated in the womb for nine months. It takes 15 to 20 years for a human child to reach maturity, and a human child does not inherit the skills and knowledge acquired by its parents. Human beings process a complex, evolved set of emotional adaptations related to reproduction, nurturing and the child-parent relationship. Guess what? None of these empirical conditions need to pertain in the context of reproducing machine intelligence. Therefore, it's plausible that many mid-level moral principles that we have come to accept as norms governing human reproduction will need to be rethought in the context of AI reproduction. Now, where I'm going now will chill you, as it did me.
Speaker 2:One exotic property of AIs their capacity for rapid reproduction. Given access to computer hardware, an AI could duplicate itself very quickly, in no more time it takes to make a copy of AI software. Moreover, since the AI copy would be identical to the original, it would be born completely mature and a copy could be making its own copies immediately, absent hardware limitations. A population of AIs could therefore grow exponentially at an extremely rapid rate, with a doubling of time, on the order of minutes or hours rather than decades or centuries. Think about that. Consider, for example, a population of uploads who happen to have the desire to produce as large a clan as possible. Given complete reproductive freedom, this upload may copy itself as quickly as it can, and the copies it produces, which may run on new computer hardware owned or rented by the original, may share the same computer as the original, will also start copying themselves. Since they are identical, the progenitor upload and share its philoprogenic desire. Soon, members of the upload clan will find themselves unable to pay the electricity bill or rent for the computational processing and storage needed to keep them alive. At this point, the social welfare system may kick in to provide them with at least the bare necessities for sustaining life, but if the population grows faster than the economy, resources will run out, at which point either the uploads will die or their ability to reproduce will be curtailed. And my question parentheses war, since anything that exists that lives is inclined to want to protect itself, no matter what, be it human, being, animal, whatever. Will these sentient AIs, in order to preserve their upload life, go to war to procure any means necessary to survive? I want that to sink in, because that kind of chilled me. Oh my God.
Speaker 2:The Transportation Security Administration, better known as TSA, has proposed new cybersecurity rules for pipelines and railroads.
Speaker 2:We are the Tech Mobility Show.
Speaker 2:learn more about the Tech 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 techmobility. show of the techmobility. show Tech Mobility Show by visiting techmobilityshow. That's techmobilityshow. You can techmobility. show drop
Speaker 2:us a line at talk at techmobilityshow. Did you know that Tech Mobility has a YouTube channel? Hi I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility 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 subscribe to my channel. That's the Tech
Speaker 2:Aonmeetings.
Speaker 3:Social part. You can endure a 30-day free trial. It's time to simplify your life Ken and Chester boost your productivity. Aonmeetingscom, where innovation meets connection.
Speaker 2:get started today and revolutionize the way you communicate 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 Colonial 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. TSA
Speaker 2:About a year ago, I talked about a small Texas town in the middle of nowhere that had its water system hacked. Three years ago, it was a major oil pipeline company, colonial Pipeline in the United States, that was a victim of a cyber attack. The TSA, known to most Americans as the security checkpoint at the nation's airports, actually has a portfolio that is much more expansive than you may realize. They have new cybersecurity rules for pipelines or railroad companies in the United States. This is topic C. Let me introduce to you the Transportation Security Administration, who they are, what their portfolio is and why this matters. The Transportation Security Administration is a Department of Homeland Security agency that protects the nation's transportation systems, not just airlines. Here's what you do recognize the TSA screens passengers, baggage and cargo and works to keep airports and planes safe. Tsa's responsibilities include screening passengers, baggage and cargo, reviewing passenger lists to identify those who may require additional screening, pre-screening passenger data against government watch lists, inspecting identification plane tickets and luggage. Guiding passengers through x-ray machines. That's something anybody who's flown you've experienced that. Here's what you may not have realized. The TSA scope includes screening passengers at nearly 440 federalized airports and securing roadways, railroad tracks, tunnels, ports and pipelines, and overseeing security for commercial and general aviation, mass transit systems, freight and passenger, rail, highways, pipelines and ports. That part you didn't know. Their approach is a layered, risk-based approach to security, which includes working with stakeholders in aviation, rail transit, highway and pipeline sectors, partnering with law enforcement and the intelligence community, using cutting-edge technology. And don't laugh, don't laugh. They said maintaining a highly trained workforce. They said that Honest to God, a highly trained workforce. They said that honest to God. And the TSA was actually created after 9-11 to strengthen the security of the nation's transportation systems. So the TSA has only been around for a little over 20 years, but they have quite a portfolio and I wanted to read that to you because I wanted to give you the context of why you said okay, tsa pipelines and railroads. Okay, don't make the connection. Well, there is a connection. There is a connection.
Speaker 2:Under the new rules, freight railroads, which are privately owned, and passenger railroads were typically some sort of government agency for the most part, be it quasi-governmental, like Amtrak, or a subway service like the MBTA in Boston, the CTA in Chicago or New York Transit in New York. They would fall under these new guidelines. They would have to report any cyber attacks to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency within 24 hours after identifying them and do annual cyber evaluation. This even pertains to bus operators. Now they would more. Bus operators would fall under the new rules, which have been in development for about two years.
Speaker 2:So why, you might ask. Hackers have crafted more sophisticated attacks to target industrial machinery used in critical infrastructure. They're getting really, really, really sophisticated. As we've reported here, they're using AI to do it. I know, I know you've heard about AI, ai, ai, ai, but AI has the ability to process large models, astronomical amounts of information, and develop patterns and trends and then act and suggest on those trends. And if you've got a bad actor looking at all this data and coming up ways to identify your vulnerabilities in ways that the human being looking at a modest amount of data cannot. They're miles ahead of you. Hence the TSA is buckling down to even up the score.
Speaker 2:The agency estimated that the rules would apply to 34 of the 92 public transportation agencies and passenger railroads and 73 of the 620 freight railroads in the United States. Bet you didn't know we had that many railroads. About 115 of the more than 2,000 pipeline facilities and systems would be required to comply with the rules. Now, there's always a cost, but you know, here's the question Is whatever I'm about to read, is the cost worth it if it prevents bad actors whether they be third parties, state actors, whoever from screwing up major parts of our infrastructure? Over the next 10 years, pipeline facilities should expect to spend an estimated $580 million to meet the new obligations roughly $58 million a year, according to the TSA. Freight railroads would spend about $685 million and passenger railroads and rail transit around $881 million. If you are a transit agency now, yes, it's an extra burden, but what is it worth to prevent bad actors from either shutting your system down or commanding your system, where they could cause a major wreck, cause major death, injury or harm or worse? I want that to sink in.
Speaker 2:Tsa is the point of the spear in a lot of these cases and, yes, colonial Pipeline was a wake-up call that let them know that we needed to buckle down and not just airlines. We need to cover all of this stuff. Now the proposed rulemaking is in the Federal Register. For those of you that are geeking out out there, I'm even going to give you the pages. It is dated Thursday, november 7th, under proposed rules, and it runs. If you're just going to get the highlights, I'll give you the page numbers, because you need to know this stuff and some of you may want to look it up. In the federal register it would be 88,488. That page through, 88,495. And, trust me, this thing runs for like 400 pages. If you went to the TSA site itself, obviously it's less in the Federal Register and what I just gave you is not the whole thing, not even close. What I just gave you is the highlights. That will give you a taste if you want to know more, if you want to go further into the weeds than I've taken you about this stuff.
Speaker 2:But yes, yes, we've come a long way, but with all the tools that are at their disposal, we have to be ever vigilant. They're looking for new ways to cause harm and interrupt your daily living. Interrupt your daily life. If they can turn off the water, if they manipulate an electrical substation, it's critical If they can take over a pipeline, a railroad, there is no end to the mayhem
Speaker 2:. A railroad there is no end to the mayhem, harm, death and injury they can cause, both directly and indirectly, particularly if they cause
Speaker 2:a snarl on a major class one railroad, which the movement of major goods and services, particularly time-sensitive freight that have to be somewhere at a given time, auto parts or steel, any of that stuff that moves by railroad, or fuels or other chemicals that move by pipeline. The time is now and the rules are timely.
Speaker 2:And it's like insurance Insurance is expensive. Until you need it, then not so much. And if you have it when you need it, then you're glad you had it. Even if you paid premiums for 10, 20, 30 years and only used it once, it's the one time. That one time that you need it is that you're glad you have it. So the money they're spending, they'll be glad. We've come to the end of our visit. Be sure to join me again right here next time. This has been the Tech Mobility Show.
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