Feet on the Ground vs. Head in the Clouds

[Randy W]

. . . and speaking of autonomous transportation

 

Ehang passenger drone takes your breath away

2,103 views

•Aug 28, 2019

 

[Randy W]

For those still interested in autonomous vehicles, I found this to be a breath of fresh air. It talks about AI infrastructure - centralized (network) processing of images and storage of relevant data, and driverless delivery vehicles, limited to dedicated lanes and speeds limited to 25 mph.

From the Scientific American


Self-driving cars to test city limits

If driverless cars are to do more good than harm, cities need to prepare and invest in infrastructure.

 

For an autonomous car to recognize such myriad potential hazards, its computer and AI software must process and interpret a flood of raw data from an array of onboard video cameras and laser-based distance-ranging equipment. And the vehicle has to do it all in real time, with a second or two to make the right decision. To ensure safety, this means that, for now, driverless cars have to go slowly — very slowly.

One solution, Marakby says, is to devolve much of the heavy lifting in sensing and data-processing to a city-wide, ultra-fast sensor network, facilitated by incoming 5G mobile technology. Instead of onboard processing, much of the pre-interpreted information critical to vehicle steering and throttle-and-braking decisions could be outsourced to distant banks of computers running more powerful AI software. Data from the networks would be constantly updated by images from tens of thousands of cameras and sensors mounted on street lights, buildings and other fixtures.

The remote systems could then help determine safe paths through every patch of road and traffic, and feed the most relevant information on the fly to individual vehicles. That might include warnings of cars approaching blind corners, detours around sudden snarls, and clarifications of confusing signals and signage. “The more communication there is between the vehicle and the environment, the simpler the job is for the vehicle, and the less it has to rely on its on-board sensing,” Marakby says.

 

 

[Randy W]

More on Artificial Intelligence - and the effort underway to, hopefully someday, be able to mimic the intelligence of a seven year old child.

 

 

From Scientific American, reprinted from Nature

 

AI Takes on Popular Minecraft Game in Machine-Learning Contest

The MineRL competition encourages coders to devise programs that learn by example

 

A young human can learn how to find a rare diamond in the game after watching a 10-minute demonstration on YouTube. Artificial intelligence (AI) is nowhere close. But in a unique computing competition ending this month, researchers hope to shrink the gap between machine and child—and in doing so, help to reduce the computing power needed to train AIs.

 

. . .

 

The contest is designed to spur advances in an approach called imitation learning. This contrasts with a popular technique known as reinforcement learning, in which programs try thousands or millions of random actions in a trial-and-error fashion to home in on the best process.

 

 

 

The original article in Nature, in case SA is pay-walled for you.

 

AI takes on popular Minecraft game in machine-learning contest

[Randy W]

from the SCMP and Abacus

 

The driver in my robotaxi was not allowed to talk with me as he had to maintain an intense focus on road conditions.

 

riding in weride's robotaxi

China's robotaxis are high-tech but overly 'considerate'

WeRide's robotaxis keep passengers in the loop with a screen showing conditions on the road, but they often yield to other vehicles when they have the right of way

[Randy W]

 . . . and a little more toward the feet-on-the-ground style

https://www.facebook.com/565225540184937/posts/5589878001052974/

from CGTN on Facebook

Quote

 

Self-driving vending machines caught the eyes of shoppers on Beijing Road, a well-known pedestrian street in Guangzhou, the capital of south China's Guangdong Province, on January 3.

The four-wheel vehicles are small enough to navigate enclosed areas such as parks and playgrounds. People requiring convenient snacks can place an order through their smartphones or wave their hands to catch the attention of these automated "street vendors" as they are equipped with real-time positioning. Buyers can finish their purchases by tapping 👆👆👆 on a screen.

The unmanned vehicles can reportedly also be slightly modified to cater to the needs of package delivery. 

 

Self-driving vending machines caught the eyes of shoppers 👀👀👀 on Beijing Road, a well-known pedestrian street in...

Posted by CGTN on Tuesday, January 5, 2021

 

Edited December 16, 2022 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

From the feet-on-the-ground department, this seems to involve only optical recognition of "tracks" in the form of markings painted on the road, while still requiring a human operator.

from China Daily on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/191347651290/posts/10159369939406291/

Quote

A new generation of urban #transportation is here! The trackless
 #tram system, which avoids the need for expensive rail systems,
 has entered the testing phase in Zhuzhou, Hunan.

 

 

Edited March 28, 2023 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

 

 

Ralph Nader Calls For Tesla Autopilot to Be Recalled

from Rodent Track via Yahoo News

Ralph Nader, the renowned consumer and automotive safety advocate, has issued a statement calling on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to recall Tesla's Autopilot driver-assistance system.

"Tesla's major deployment of so-called 'Full Self-Driving' technology is one of the most dangerous and irresponsible actions by a car company in decades," Nader's statement said. "Tesla never should have put this technology in its vehicles."

 . . .

Tesla CEO's bombastic claims and the company's dedicated fanbase contribute to a frightening degree of confidence in the system. One pro-Tesla news account, after seeing a video where a Tesla fails to recognize a child dummy crossing its path and hits the simulated child, said that the Tesla must have simply detected that it was not a real child. Never mind that the car shouldn't try to hit anything, the account owner offered to recreate the real test. He took to Twitter to ask who would volunteer to put their child in the path of a moving Tesla, with the promise that a human safety driver would make such an exercise "completely safe."

 . . .

"This nation should not allow this malfunctioning software which Tesla itself warns may do 'wrong thing at the wrong time' on the same streets where children walk to school," he said.

He closed his statement: "No one is above the laws of manslaughter."

[Randy W]

China’s first driverless ride-hailing service hits the streets of Chongqing

The Chinese megacity of Chongqing has recently issued permits allowing fully driverless cars to operate as taxis.

from the SCMP on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/scmp/videos/1214938855716826/

The service is restricted to a 30 sq. kilometer range in the quieter part of Chongqing.

[Randy W]

Head down the toilet.

Elon Musk’s unsolicited idea for Taiwan welcomed by Beijing, slammed in Taipei   

Quote

 

The world’s richest man suggested in an interview that hostilities between the two could be resolved if Taipei handed some control of the democratically governed island to Beijing, prompting praise from China and predictable outrage in Taiwan.

“My recommendation … would be to figure out a special administrative zone for Taiwan that is reasonably palatable, probably won’t make everyone happy,” Musk told the Financial Times in an interview published on Friday. “And it’s possible, and I think probably, in fact, that they could have an arrangement that’s more lenient than Hong Kong.”

China’s ambassador to the United States, Qin Gang, thanked Musk for his suggestion in a tweet Saturday, calling for “peaceful unification and one country, two systems.”

But Taiwan’s representative to the US, Bi-khim Hsiao, wrote: “Taiwan sells many products, but our freedom and democracy are not for sale.”

 . . .

In a briefing on October 7, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the “Taiwan question is China’s internal affair.”

“China’s position on resolving the Taiwan question is consistent and clear. We remain committed to the basic principle of peaceful reunification and ‘one country, two systems,’” he said. “At the same time, we will resolutely defeat attempts to pursue the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist agenda, push back interference by external forces, and safeguard our sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen speaks at a ceremony to mark the island's National Day in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei on October 10, 2022. 
'No room for compromise' on Taiwan's sovereignty, President Tsai says in National Day speech
Wang Ting-yu, a senior lawmaker for Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, slammed Musk in a Facebook post on Saturday. “Musk’s solution is all about victim concessions,” he said.

Musk’s comments about Taiwan come days after he angered Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for tweeting a “peace” plan between Russia and Ukraine, proposing that Kyiv permanently cede Crimea to Moscow and hold new referendums in regions annexed by Russia – this time under the supervision of the United Nations.

“Which Elon Musk do you like more?” Zelensky asked his Twitter followers, using the social media platform’s poll function.

“One who supports Ukraine,” or “One who supports Russia.”

 

 

[Randy W]

He's getting a LOT of bad press lately

Why you should NEVER believe Elon Musk!

They point out that the Full Self Driving Beta is now a $15,000 play toy

 

Edited October 16, 2022 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

A more measured approach to autonomous vehicles

Recently, a pilot project that mainly covers the pilot application of self-driving sightseeing vehicles, unmanned sales vehicles, unmanned sweepers and other vehicles was officially put into operation in Hefei Binhu National Forest Park. https://bit.ly/3ghImsB

from China Daily on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/chinadaily/posts/pfbid0kfQ2Xm4YgpQnMFvnWJDZBaviVvyyEajWPSAbTopNw3SrHf55Be6QwaX6xf9rs2iWl

[Randy W]

Why Twitter under Elon Musk is good news for China’s rulers — #AJOpinion by Yaqiu Wang ➡️ https://aje.io/pf63he

from Al Jazeera on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera/photos/a.10150243828793690/10161136814998690

Why Twitter under Elon Musk is good news for China’s rulers
Musk’s acquisition has created an opportunity for China to influence the discourse on the social media platform.

Quote

 

Over the past decade, Twitter has been a rare outlet where people in China who can’t stand government censorship of domestic social media have been able to express themselves. “Here are no sensitive words, no messages that can’t be displayed ‘according to the relevant laws’, and no risk of having our account shut down at any movement,” wrote a user in China back in 2016.

 . . .

Musk has significant business interests in China. The country is Tesla’s second-largest market, and sales in China have increased significantly in the past couple of years. Tesla’s plant in Shanghai is the world’s largest electric vehicle factory and the company’s primary export hub. In January, Tesla opened a showroom in Xinjiang that drew criticism from members of the US Congress and rights groups because of the Chinese government’s crimes against humanity targeted at the region’s Uighur and other Turkic Muslim communities.

 . . .

The Chinese government has repeatedly shown it cares greatly about its image outside of the country. Its diplomats, state media outlets and their journalists use Twitter to disseminate government propaganda.

They have stepped up efforts to spread disinformation on the platform in recent years, creating numerous fake accounts that defend the government’s positions on Hong Kong, Xinjiang, COVID-19 and other issues. They have also been targeting Twitter users in China, jailing those who criticise the government, and forcing them to delete sensitive tweets or close their accounts.

Yet, until now, Twitter has largely upheld its own policies, including when that has meant taking down Chinese government-linked disinformation campaigns. In December 2021, Twitter said it removed 2,048 accounts that “amplified Chinese Communist Party narratives related to the treatment of the Uyghur population”.

These actions would not have made Beijing happy. Musk’s acquisition of Twitter has now created an opportunity for China to influence the discourse on the social media platform.

There are plenty of examples that demonstrate how this might work: The Chinese government has forced numerous multinationals to grovel, in order to continue to access the country’s market and its supply chains.

 

 

[Randy W]

This is how you develop a useful technology - Elon Musk is still hung up on processing data and selling his $15,000 play toy. The FSD beta's are being programmed much like a human learning to drive by watching 10 years worth of driver's ed videos.

Intelligent driving aims to create a better future, and Chongqing never stops exploring intelligent vehicles and smart transport. Other than autonomous driving, Chongqing is making efforts on V2X exploration. Chongqing's mountainous geography perfectly matches the testing needs of vehicle-to-everything system. Vehicle challenge events like iVISTA further support Chongqing’s plan to develop intelligent connected technologies, improve the city’s auto parts supply chain system, and expand smart infrastructure, building a world-class industrial cluster for intelligent connected vehicles and new energy vehicles. iVISTA is a professional brand targeting intelligent connected vehicle tests. The iVISTA Intelligent Connected Vehicle Challenge, as an important program of iVISTA, provides a platform for China’s institutions and enterprises to test their development fruit on electric vehicles.

Edited November 9, 2022 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Tesla Calls Broken Autopilot Promises "Failure," Not "Fraud"
The company's lawyers say public aspirations and fraudulent promises aren't the same thing.

from Roadent Track

Quote

 

Tesla is facing a class-action lawsuit over its Autopilot semi-autonomous system, which the plaintiffs are arguing was deceptively marketed and failed to deliver on promised capabilities. In response, Tesla's lawyers are claiming that Autopilot's stunted development is a "failure" not a "fraud,"  CNN reports.

“Mere failure to realize a long-term, aspirational goal is not fraud," the automaker's attorneys wrote in a November court filing.

 . . .

The lawsuit alleges that not delivering promised features amounts to fraud, as Tesla customers have paid up to $15,000 for software that still cannot do what the company said it would do back in 2016. That "Full Self-Driving" package is still in beta today, requiring complete driver attention as the car attempts to drive itself based on camera input alone. Some videos of the system in action are frightening, featuring cars driving on the wrong side of the road, not noticing pedestrians, or pulling into intersections. Clearly, that is a long way from what the term "Full Self-Driving" implies, a fact that will certainly be relevant to the case.

 

 

[Randy W]

Now this, in my opinion, is how you develop a technology - not as a playtoy, but as a fully integrated networked technology. Let's hope something comes of it.

The city of Wuxi in the eastern Jiangsu province has announced the nation’s first regional guidelines for internet of vehicle technologies, a key element in autonomous driving and in the planning and building of smart cities.

from the Sixth Tone on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/sixthtone/posts/pfbid0pyfJvsq7qXBwqVzaStRZY5sqvVmSjAXmT4GqMg8Vnpza55rW4ovB4csJ2VxUm7kRl

 

In a First, Chinese City Unveils Law for Internet of Vehicles
Wuxi, in the eastern Jiangsu province, has ordered officials to adopt the technology for public transport, traffic monitoring, logistics, and deliveries.

Quote

 

The guidelines, effective March 1, state that the city will promote a “full range” of car networking technologies and products to fuel its smart transport and city development. Wuxi, China’s first internet of vehicles pilot area, also ordered government officials at all levels to facilitate the use of such technologies in areas such as public transport, traffic monitoring, logistics, and deliveries.

The internet of vehicles — or vehicle-to-everything (V2X) — refers to a network that enables motor vehicles to communicate and exchange information with each other and the wider traffic infrastructure. It allows vehicles to swap traffic information, recognize road signs and warnings, and more.