The TechMobility Podcast
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The TechMobility Podcast
AI Revolution in the Auto Industry, A Forklift-Free Future, Why Traffic Deaths are Stubbornly High
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General Motors has made a pivotal move in the automotive industry by appointing Barak Turovsky, formerly of Cisco and Google, as its first-ever Chief AI Officer. This signals GM's commitment to revolutionizing how artificial intelligence shapes everything from manufacturing processes to customer experiences. With over 115 years of data to analyze, AI implementation could transform how vehicles are designed, built, and sold while potentially saving billions in operational costs.
The appointment raises fascinating questions about responsible AI deployment. Without federal regulations establishing guardrails, GM faces the challenge of developing robust protective measures to prevent hacking, limit potential damage from compromises, and ensure AI enhances rather than undermines their business. As other automotive manufacturers watch closely, this strategic move may well define the industry's approach to artificial intelligence for years to come.
Meanwhile, the show explores two safety-related concerns transforming different sectors. In manufacturing, companies like Whirlpool, Mercedes-Benz and Tesla are moving away from traditional forklifts—which cause 7,500 injuries and 100 deaths annually in the US—toward automated solutions like robotic tuggers and overhead cranes. On our roadways, traffic fatalities remain stubbornly high despite technological advances, with drunk driving and speeding contributing to most deaths. Autonomous driving technology shows promise, with Waymo already providing 200,000 driverless rides weekly across four cities with significantly fewer crashes than human drivers.
For those considering retirement abroad, Ken offers crucial insights beyond the glossy photos that often accompany such articles. Many countries impose strict financial requirements, with some demanding monthly incomes exceeding $7,000 or investments approaching half a million dollars just to maintain residency. Researching healthcare availability, prescription access, and money transfer restrictions is essential before making such a life-changing decision.
Want to join the conversation? Call or text our hotline at 872-222-9793 or email talk@techmobilityshow.com to share your thoughts on these transformative mobility trends.
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Welcome to the Tech Mobility Podcast.
Speaker 2:I'm Ken Chester On the docket, what you need to know about retiring abroad forklift alternatives and we explore why traffic deaths are not falling. And we explore why traffic deaths are not falling. To join the conversation, be it to ask a question, share an opinion or even suggest a topic for a future show, call or text the TechMobility hotline, that number, 872-222-9793. Or you can email the show if you prefer. Talk at techmobilityshow. Also, be sure to like, subscribe and follow us on social media, our YouTube channel and our two podcasts, the Tech Mobility Podcast and Tech Mobility Topics From the Tech Mobility News Desk. You knew it was going to come to this and I want to talk about it.
Speaker 2:General Motors names its first ever chief AI officer. They actually have now somebody in their corporate org chart that has AI as their primary responsibility across the whole company. Think about that for a minute. This is more than AI just being used to infuse systems at will. This suggests that by creating a position at that level, that the company will now develop an AI approach across all its disciplines, and considering the footprint of General Motors, that is a pretty big step. I do not know what size department this will become, but if you look at all the piece parts that accompany the size GM, who would use AI for all kinds of things, from the factory floor to front-facing customer relations, to ethical, financial a whole bunch of other disciplines that they can use scientific, quality control, dealing with suppliers, dealing with dealers. There's a lot of opportunities for AI to be deployed in a company the size of General Motors. Some are obvious, some less so, but I wanted to talk about the fact that General Motors had actually created such a position, and I suspect that they won't be the last company that will do it. I think it will be a trend. Honestly, the fellow that they named is a former Cisco and Google executive, barack Turovosky, and he will lead efforts to accelerate the automaker's use of the technology. Is a former Cisco and Google executive, barak Turovsky, and he will lead efforts to accelerate the automaker's use of the technology, and that could have broad, broad implications.
Speaker 2:Incorporating use of AI throughout its operations is a priority for GM as it seeks ways to develop new technologies faster, especially in the autonomous and electric vehicle segments. Gm said Turovsky will guide the company in its setting, its AI vision and strategy. Ai is central to GM's EV, ice and autonomous future, a company spokesman said in a statement, with deep expertise, barack will accelerate the team's AI efforts, including enhancing products, optimizing operations and improving the customer experience. Until recently, he had the same job at Cisco VP of AI, and he previously held leadership roles at Google as head of product languages AI, and he has over 25 years of experience doing this. I can't even begin to tell you how revolutionary that will be. As they look at ways and as they infuse the company with AI according to a specific direction, which also would include safety, security, cybersecurity, reducing cyber risk, the possibilities to deploy AI across a footprint the size of General Motors is endless. I do understand that they are looking at primarily they're looking at the shop floor, where they actually use an AI system now to verify weld quality in some plants. They'll be looking at it to help their EV business.
Speaker 2:But as they get into this and if this is a commitment GM is willing to stick with, this could have far-reaching implications into every nook and cranny of General Motors' business that which is directly related to the design and manufacture of vehicles and that staffing function which are not design and manufacture vehicles and that staffing function which are not, because AI and the deep, the big language models that they use is designed to spot trends, make predictions and suggest forward action. Crunching all this numbers I mean GM has over 110, 115 years of data to crunch across every nook and cranny. What worked, what didn't work, why didn't it work? If we're going to predict something in the future, have we done it before? If we did it before, did it work? And if not, why didn't it? Why didn't it? This could save GM billions of dollars, not to mention improve the customer experience, both in the vehicles that you purchase, the dealerships you buy them from and the service departments, when you have to engage with the service department. And that's just the public-facing part of it.
Speaker 2:Internally, gm could accomplish things that are challenges for humans typically articulating accurate communication across disciplines. I mean the possibilities, just scratching the surface. What they're looking at today, trust me when I tell you, is just the surface of where they're going with AI. If they're serious that in due time AI will be so pervasive in their systems and the direction and the concern, if they do it right, it will be amazing. The challenge they will have is doing it right and right now, the biggest challenge there are no federal regulations with respect to guardrails when it comes to AI. So, while this certainly sounds awesome, that a company is actually committing resources to articulating and implementing an approach, a comprehensive, holistic approach to AI across its many different platforms and different groups of employees and stakeholders and suppliers and customers and dealers, until they get to a point where they said this is what we will do, this is what we won't do and, more importantly, this is how we're going to frame it to protect everybody. That's the part I'm going to be curious to see in the years ahead, not so much how they choose to deploy it, but how they choose to make it robust enough to protect all the parties and the stakeholders involved, so that one bad actors can't hack it. Two, so that one bad actors can't hack it. Two, if by some reason it gets compromised, it will be limited. And three, that this doesn't become a Trojan horse for the company. That somebody comes in this way could do some real damage. So we will keep an eye on that, and no word from Ford or Stellantis with regards to doing something similar. But I guarantee you that where the industry is going, every advantage they can gain they're going to do, and you need a corporate level vice president level, board level, person with the authority, the means and the budget to do it right, and do it right the first time and make it stick. On another subject, would you believe Porsche.
Speaker 2:Porsche is growing in the United States and, as an interesting note here, locally Porsche is actually returning to Des Moines. At one time, maybe 15, 20 years ago, porsche was co-located with our local Pontiac dealer and they had it for a number of years and they lost it. They gave it up. Porsche is building a standalone dealership in Des Moines, iowa, which is indicative of what they are doing nationwide.
Speaker 2:The piece in Automotive News says that they're growing its number of exclusive dealerships in the United States. They added 16 last year, which doesn't sound like a big deal, but in the United States they got a total now of 153, which is still way more than I thought they had, and they're growing. Last year they sold 76,167 new vehicles in the United States. That's a record high, believe it or not, and that would make Porsche what we affectionately call a boutique auto manufacturer. It is a very ultra-specific, ultra-luxury company that sells small numbers but sells them big time. And the beautiful part is all of these new dealerships are standalone and they're spending the money to make it happen and make it a very wholesome customer experience. So that's pretty cool. Thinking about retiring abroad, I have some tips you should know. 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. Social media is the place to be these days. We're no exception. I'm ken chester, 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 5:We can't resist comparing Dodge Dakota Club Cab to Ford Ranger and Chevy S10. After all, the midsize Dakota has a roomier cab, a bigger bed, more towing capacity and more standard horsepower. But one thing you won't see is a comparison of available V8 engines, because with Ranger and S10, you can't get one. Dodge Dakota A little bigger, a lot better.
Speaker 2:Because that's what you need in your midsize pickup is a V8 engine right. And oh my goodness, you don't want to have FOMO, fear of missing out. You've got to have a V8. So that meant you had to have a Dodge Ram, a Dodge Dakota. That's what you needed in your life at that time. That was from 1994.
Speaker 2:The actor who intoned that, edwin Herman that, has one of those unmistakable voices and he did a lot of voiceovers for Chrysler back in the day and Dakota was on a roll back then, as was Chrysler was on a roll in the mid-90s. Things were going right for them and they were still independent for them and life was good and they were bragging a little bit and it was working back then, not so much now. Thought you might enjoy that. Every year, it seems, various publications, social media posts, podcasts and the like reveal new best places to retire abroad lists providing snapshot overviews and amazingly beautiful photos of top expat countries. These features are widely popular, whether the audience is seriously considering moving to a foreign country or just in the quote. Wouldn't it be nice? Camp unquote. To be clear, it's possible, but the devil is in the details.
Speaker 2:I have a bit of information to share. This is topic A. Where do I even start? It's one thing to visit, it's one thing to go on vacation. It's another thing to decide that you're going to uproot your life and live in a totally different country. First thing, which should be obvious to everybody when you leave the United States, it's not the United States, which means different customs, traditions, laws, things are different and you need to do the research that, if that different is enough for you to want to permanently move there. Cost of living and also there are big time requirements and, if you didn't know it or not, income requirements. If you are somebody wanting to come in as a foreign citizen to live there and something else, it does not always guarantee that you have a path to citizenship, even if you wanted to get citizenship in the country of your choice and maybe still have dual citizenship.
Speaker 2:Let me give an example of something that I researched. I've traveled Canada, not all of Canada, but a lot of Canada. I really like Canada. It's pretty up there. British Columbia is beautiful. If I wanted to move to Canada, for example, to live, two things First thing, application to the federal government up there and a check for $550. This is a few years old. It may be higher. Now I need to detail in my application what skills I would bring to the country in order to have a chance If they turn it down. I've got one more way to get in. You'd have to apply what they call the province level and make the same pitch to the province, and I can tell you, typically in Canada that would mean the poorer Atlantic provinces which would be east of Quebec, newfoundland, nova Scotia, that way. So there's that, and that's just one example Healthcare, cost of living, availability of common everyday things that you can't do without. Another example Now my wife's been to New Zealand.
Speaker 2:I haven't, but a recent story raves about retiring to New Zealand. It's safe, easygoing country. The landscapes are jaw-droppingly beautiful. The food and wine are off the charts. One reality check the article doesn't talk about. They're an earthquake country big time. Number one. Number two reality check If you wanted to become a citizen of New Zealand Number two reality check If you wanted to become a citizen of New Zealand, you would need to invest almost $500,000 in the country and prove that you had another boatload of income for the privilege of staying there a maximum of two years.
Speaker 2:In other words, forget about it. It ain't going to happen. You said, okay, well, maybe not. New Zealand, how about Australia? Well, I'd love to go to Australia someday.
Speaker 2:It ranks high on most lists. Only problem is if you're talking about going there to retire. They stopped issuing retirement visas seven years ago, so that's not going to happen, okay. And you might even say Mexico Okay, my parents vacationed in Mexico over 50 years ago. They loved it. It's often included on lists because it's low prices and proximity in the United States. Problem is Mexican government recently raised income requirements for permanent residency to at least $7,300 a month, Far beyond what most retirees can prove. You see, in the trend here, typically and this is just the tip of the iceberg here is so much that you need to do, including, really, if you're thinking about a specific country. I've had friends go to Costa Rica, nicaragua, in various parts of South America. They loved it.
Speaker 2:It's the research that you need to do. You need to know what the local laws are, what the local requirements are, how's healthcare? Is it safe? Can you afford to live there and get an apartment? These lists and there are a lot of lists, lists are more food for thought than anything if you're really thinking about moving to another country, retiring somewhere else where it's warm or nice, or or the food. You have to create an essential personal list of your own. Now.
Speaker 2:These writers suggest that you make a wish list of everything you can think of and then rank your items from most to least important, and then also write down your deal breakers, any factors that automatically rule out a destination regardless of the positive attributes, for instance and this would be a big one with me and my wife the unavailability of required prescription medications. Taking the time for this self-examination would help you zero in on countries that best match your interests and desires and steer you away from what they call vacation mentality, where you gravitate towards places you've enjoyed visiting for short periods. Minor aggravations are one thing. You know that you might put up for a week or two, like spotty internet or mosquitoes and no portable water, but if this is a 24 hour day, seven day a week, 365 day a year thing, it's a big deal. Once you've figured out your short list, now you get ready for the nitty gritty of researching how to gain permanent residency in each one. Now the easy way to do it, like everything, is just Google retirement visa requirements in a specific country and you will find consistencies like proof of health insurance and a background check from your home country, but hey, pay attention to these two things. Background check from your home country, but hey, pay attention to these two things how much monthly income you must prove or the amount of money you need to invest in the country with a CD or property purchase. And two, if there's a transition from temporary to permanent residency, and look for unacceptable travel restrictions that may apply. And also the movement of money. That's an added one for me, because you may be limited in what money you can bring into the country or what money you can take out of the country, depending on situations. And they also suggest getting a lawyer or a firm that specializes in this kind of thing in going to a foreign country. And the residency requirements, because there's so many little things. And then they finally suggest you spend a couple weeks and learn the land, see if you're going to like it. The persistence of serious injuries and even deaths from forklift mishaps have manufacturers backing away from the equipment.
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. 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 From Apple Podcasts, iheartradio and many platforms in between, we're there. Just enter the Tech Mobility.
Speaker 2:Podcast in the search bar, wherever you listen to podcasts, 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 Mobility Show on TikTok. Check it out.
Speaker 2:The lowly forklift, a mainstay in thousands of warehouses, freight depots and manufacturing plants, has been around the world for years. However, the persistence of serious injuries and even deaths from mishaps with forklifts have some of the country's biggest manufacturers backing away from the equipment. It's a big deal. This is Topic B, little history, because, you know me, I like history. The forklift was actually invented in the United States by Eugene Clark of the Clark Material Handling Company in 1917. That first unit was called the Clark Truck Tractor and it was the first seated, counterbalanced lift truck. From that day to this, countless improvements, countless improvements, so many. But what we're finding now in our go go fast, fast world is that the forklift is becoming more of a liability in assembly plants where you've got just-in-time inventory materials moving to and fro, near the line, to the line, from the line, and manufacturers beginning to see that this is a problem, that the forklift as we know it, the manned forklift with a human driver, this is a problem, that the forklift as we know it, the manned forklift with a human driver, is a problem. And full disclosure on a job I use a forklift and, yeah, it could get ugly if you don't know what you're doing Definitely could be real quick.
Speaker 2:The Wall Street Journal reports that appliance maker Whirlpool, plastic pipe manufacturer Ipex and even car maker Mercedes-Benz are among some of the companies turning to automation and creative methods of moving goods as an alternative to conventional forklifts. Moving goods as an alternative to conventional forklifts. They're looking to go forklift free to improve productivity and safety in an era where workplace injuries have gained new attention. Here's something you didn't know. Federal statistics show that 7,500 workers are injured every year in forklift-related collisions, tip-overs and other mishaps. And here's something that blew my mind Every year 100 people die and that's in the United States from forklift accidents and mishaps. 100 people, 100 people, a hundred people.
Speaker 2:Operators are adapting, however. Whirlpool says the use of what they call a robotic tugger to deliver parts to assembly line workers at its washing machine plant in Clive, Ohio, has reduced injuries and near misses. The chief executive of Toyota Material Handling North America, which is a branch of the world's biggest forklift maker, said the industry could see transformational changes in just the next 5 to 10 years, especially if boxes replace pallets as a preferred storage platform. Even Hyster Yale Materials Handling, the manufacturer of Hyster and Yale brands, has replaced some of its vehicles with automatic tuggers in its own factories. They make these things.
Speaker 2:What you're seeing too and the article didn't really get into it, but what you're seeing a lot of these material handling companies are actually building, in addition to the manually controlled forklift that everybody is familiar with, these automated tuggers that use various ways to identify either a given path through the factory or semi-autonomous, fully autonomous, within a very defined range Worst case, remote control. But in any case, they're trying to get away from these accidents and injuries. But think about it for a minute. You've seen the explosion of all these warehouses. They're bigger warehouses. They cram more stuff, they're higher, they're wider, they're longer. They cram more stuff, they're higher, they're wider, they're longer. All because we are living in an economy that's faster. I want it now, I want it yesterday, I want it five minutes before I realized I want it. That's the world we live in. Amazon is a perfect example of all the warehouses they build. When you build that many, you know for sure they are trying to get away from forklifts and in fact you will see machines that pickers, automated pickers, which are not forklifts at all that they pick and they bring them right to the line with no human intervention whatsoever. But the path they follow is clearly defined and it's repetitive, and it's set up in such a way where it's safer, and that's the big deal.
Speaker 2:As a result of this turn to safety, retail orders for forklifts actually dropped 28% in 2023, which represents the biggest annual decline in 14 years. It dropped by almost a third. A third Industry participants take the tack that the decline is a normalization of sales following the pandemic's warehouse construction boom. I don't know about you, but I'm still seeing warehouses being built Still Now, at least around built Still Now, at least around here and big ones, in fact. A number of them, so many, a number of them are still empty, which makes me wonder, but that's another conversation for another time.
Speaker 2:The plastic pipe manufacturer we talked about, ipex, designed their new factory in North Carolina to minimize the use of forklifts, relying instead on overhead cranes and hand-pushed electric pallet jacks. I've used those too and, trust me, you can still get hurt with those if you're not careful. That made the plant, which opened in 2023, a safer, quieter and, believe it or not, less stressful workplace. The company's director of manufacturing said employees feel like they can walk anywhere within the interior shop floor and not have to look out for forklifts. Mercedes-benz, another company we talked about just a few minutes ago, has been trying to reduce forklifts in its US plan since 2018, replacing some with autonomous vehicles. And no surprise, Tesla's making a similar effort, using push carts and trailer hauling tuggers inside its factories to cut down on traffic and injuries.
Speaker 2:A person familiar with the matter said what you're seeing is the next logical step. While autonomous vehicles may not be ready for the street and personal ownership, they are finding niche products, as in these robotic tuggers, things like that, which are very defined, very narrow implementation and application of vehicles within very defined roles. And even with that, there are advantages that factories are finding out lower costs, the fact that these Tuggers can work 24-7. They don't need a break, they don't break down and they're safer. You won't have a human person rushing or maybe not particularly paying attention to the load, and we've seen that. And then there are other types of kind of a cross between a forklift and what they call a high-low, which is a specialized sort of forklift with outside rigors to balance the weight that actually even go higher than the conventional forklift in terms of height. Those things can be really hairy if you're not paying attention. The goal to automate all of this and to make them autonomous again. Money, time, safety, the big deals and what you find in the factories you'll eventually find in the street. Right now, the attention is on the forklift. They want to get away from it as we know it and make it safer. So who knows what it will look like in the years to come, even if it's another relic, who knows? We might be talking about forklifts in the past. Tense, yeah, 1917. In spite of an influx of automotive safety features over many years, traffic deaths have not fallen.
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 techmobilityshow. That's techmobilityshow. You can also drop 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 and subscribe to my channel. That's the Tech Mobility Show on YouTube. Check it out.
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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 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:Despite years of technical advances, traffic deaths and injuries in the United States have remained stubbornly high. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an average of 112 Americans were killed every single day on US roads back in 2023. I want to say that again 112, over 100 Americans died on our roadways every single day, seven days a week, 365 days a year in 2023. Safety experts equate that to one plane crash a day. What's going on? This is Topic C and you know me, I like context, so let me give you a little something for the nerd that's in you. Here's a name you've never heard of. You might not even remember after this, but I'm going to give it to you and I'm going to explain why this is important for two reasons. The fella is named HH Bliss, the date is September 13th 1899. It's near Central Park in New York City. What happened? He stepped off a trolley and he got hit by a taxi, and he died the next day. Two things. One HH Bliss is the first traffic fatality in the United States due to being hit by a vehicle, and the vehicle he got hit by was an electric-powered taxi, and I did not stutter, I said 1899. Electric, electric powered taxi. And I did not stutter, I said 1899. Electric. Within a quarter century from that, hh Bliss being the first person killed via a motor vehicle crash in the United States, the number of fatalities reached 18,400. And it kept going and going. Even though we have studied it, we have done safety, we have done a million different things, still roughly 40,000 people die on our roads every year, in spite of all this safety stuff we're doing, in spite of all this safety stuff we're doing.
Speaker 2:So what are the two deadliest human behaviors, motorist behaviors in 2025? What are the two that they recognize, that attribute, that contribute to motor vehicle deaths? Drunk driving and speeding, Two behaviors that don't have to be and can be mitigated. And I cannot believe, and I know regular listeners know this is my pet peeve. Another one, and I've said it a lot, I'm going to say it again there is, absolutely positively, no excuse for drunk driving. I don't begrudge someone having their adult beverage, that's fine. Park your car, take your keys, have a friend take you home, grab a cab, sleep it off. There's no reason to get behind the wheel of a modern vehicle, and in this case, most likely a pickup truck, which is heavier, which has its own risks on top of everything else. No reason for it. The second one is speeding, and every single one of us is guilty of that, including me, and every single one of us is guilty of that, including me. But careless speeding in places you shouldn't, yeah, absolutely, absolutely. That is crazy, that is just ridiculous.
Speaker 2:And I want to get to some numbers, because it basically, when they talked about this, they talked about yeah, here it is, here it is. They said excessive speed is a factor in three out of ten crashes and drunk driving has played a role in about a third of fatal crashes, and these percentages have been stubbornly consistent. And although impairment detection technology exists and we've talked about this on this program, nhtsa squandered a chance to require its implementation in new vehicles under the previous administration and it was a lot of pushback. I mean, you know, people don't like being told what to do, particularly in the land of the free, and we count our freedom with our ability to get in our vehicle and go. But a third to two thirds of all fatal crashes drunk driving and speeding. I understand that there could be an overlap of people who were speeding while drunk, but not everybody that got into a crash was drunk and not every drunk was speeding.
Speaker 2:I followed a drunk home one Christmas Eve. I spent 45 minutes on this backcountry road talking to the sheriff departments in two different counties that that road straddled and I pulled back because I was scared to death. He was going to cross the line. There was absolutely no way I could stop him and that road was so narrow. All he had to do was be off six inches and it had been over for and the person coming the other way would have never had a chance because it was very hilly. By the time you saw the guy, you would have met him. He even went off-road, took out a traffic control sign we thought would stop him and somehow he got back on the road. Yeah, this is crazy.
Speaker 2:Now, industry watchers, safety people believe that self-driving vehicles are a long-term answer and they're very enthused. But it's a ways Although not as far as you may think Any airport Atlanta, minneapolis that shuttled you between typically shuttled you between terminals you were riding the equivalent of a robo-taxi. Most of them are automated and autonomous Very narrow route, very defined route, but autonomous. There is no operator. Bet you didn't realize that. And what about Waymo? You heard about Waymo. Waymo was the first self-driving company that started this whole thing back in 2009. Here's something you didn't know about Waymo and I'm talking to y'all that said ah, autonomous vehicles forever.
Speaker 2:650 driverless autonomous vehicles on the road and they provide 200,000 driverless rides to paying customers in Phoenix, san Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin, texas, every single week. This is happening right now and they estimate their technology has 46% fewer injury-causing crashes than human drivers would have and that robo-taxis cut injury-causing crashes by 73% since December 2018 when compared to human performance in the same driving geographies. The company's internal research found it's going to take everything Enforcement, changes in how we approach driving and safer roads all of that to get these numbers down 40,000 people a year, not counting all the injuries and lost income and the damage as a result of crashes due to speeding and drunk driving is totally, completely and utterly unacceptable. We've come to the end of our visit. Be sure to join me again, right here next time.
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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.
Speaker 2: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 at the Tech Mobility Show by visiting techmobilityshow. Up with the happenings at the Tech Mobility Show by visiting techmobilityshow. That's techmobilityshow. You can also drop us a line at talk at 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, 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.
