The Daily Valet. - 8/14/23, Monday
✔️ Ready for Robotaxis?
Monday, August 14th Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
I already rely on my Apple Maps to get around pretty much everywhere, why not let the computer do the driving, too?
Presented by
Today’s Big Story
Ready for Robotaxis?
After a state regulatory board ruling, San Francisco will have 24/7 driverless taxis on its streets
No driver, no tip ... no problem, right? Well, it depends on who you ask. California regulators gave approval late last week to two rival robotaxi companies, Cruise and Waymo, to operate their driverless cars 24/7 across all of San Francisco and charge passengers for their services. Experts say it's a pivotal moment for the industry and will likely pave the way for more widespread adoption of the technology.This makes San Francisco the first major American city with two fleets of driverless vehicles competing for passengers against ride-hailing and taxi services dependent on humans to operate the cars. And it's a distinction that city officials didn't want—largely because of the headaches that the cars have been causing in the city while testing on a restricted basis during the past year. Many first responders have complained about the vehicles stopped in the middle of the roadway blocking emergency response units.But it's clear this is the future. In California alone, there are more than 40 companies—ranging from young start-ups to tech giants—that have permits to test their autonomous cars in the state, according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles. The state often serves as a “canary in the coal mine for the country and the developed world,” David Zipper, a Harvard professor told the Washington Post. “We're talking about monumental impacts on how our streets work, environmental emissions, on sprawl, on equity. The potential impacts just can't be overstated.”And there are plenty of residents who are happy to hail a car sans driver. No idle chitchat, no tipping and some say the technology allows for smoother, safer rides. “It will warn you if there are cyclists or cars coming by,” one happy customer told ABC7. “So, there is no chance of you actually opening the door and hitting somebody on the side.” And Waymo says that there are now more than 100,000 people on its waiting list to become riders.According to the data analyzed by The Post, there have been just 236 minor collisions involving the cars operating in fully autonomous mode since they started testing in 2019. And at last week's hearing, Cruise shared data indicating that from the first one million miles, the company's vehicles were involved in 54% fewer collisions overall when benchmarked against human drivers in a comparable driving environment. Of course, despite the fervor around the industry, many experts caution that a more widespread Jetsons-like future is still years away. Already, companies like Uber and Tesla had predicted that they would be widespread by the mid-2020s, but the technology has failed to deliver. Yet.
Predictable:
The San Francisco Standard spoke to numerous people who have claimed to have sex in robotaxis, specifically Cruise, not Waymo.
What’s “White Hydrogen”?
Hydrogen formed deep underground by natural processes could be a major new source of untapped carbon-free power
Here's some potentially good news: Pockets of naturally occurring hydrogen, also known as “white hydrogen”, exist underground all over the world. No one is exactly sure how it originated yet, but environmental advocates are incredibly excited. As The Observer points out, the possibility of a source of green energy that's easily accessible and exists without creating carbon emissions is very enticing.The cultivation or production of different forms of hydrogen have a range of pros and cons. Having zero-emissions fuel is an appealing goal, but the process of producing it has been—for some companies and governmental agencies—more trouble than it's worth. Bourakébougou, a town in Mali that is powered entirely by naturally-occurring hydrogen, could serve as a proof of concept for how best to use this fuel on a municipal level.Which is why there's suddenly a wave of drilling startups vying to be first to find big deposits. “View them like oil wildcatters right now,” Doug Wicks, director of the U.S. Energy Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, told Forbes, equating hydrogen hunters to traditional drillers scouting for petroleum in new fields. Globally, he says the amount of geologic hydrogen may be “astronomical” based on how common the geologic conditions needed to generate it appear to be: Iron-rich pockets of water near tectonic rifts, located worldwide. Potentially, “it's 150 trillion metric tons,” Wicks said. “One billion tons would power the United States for a full year.”
FYI:
Hyterra, an Australian company exploring for geologic hydrogen in the U.S., believes it can produce the element for $1 a kilogram, which would allow it to compete with natural gas.
Partner
In fact, you're probably not getting enough sodium.
Silicon Valley Is Buzzing Over an Eyeball-Scanner
Can Worldcoin's silver orbs serve as proof of your humanhood without having your privacy compromised?
Silicon Valley has a new shiny toy. It's a silver orb outfitted with eyeball-scanning cameras intended to distinguish humans from machines in the era of ever-developing artificial intelligence. Fun! Apparently, it's attempting to solve what is known in cryptocurrency circles as the “proof of personhood” problem.But just weeks after its international launch, Sam Altma's cryptocurrency project Worldcoin is drawing the attention of privacy regulators around the world, with Kenya's government going so far as to shut down the service indefinitely. The startup, backed by some big names in technology, is now having to defend itself in investigations over whether the biometric data that the company is collecting is truly secure.But despite the concerns, many argue that the need is there. Supporters say digital IDs using iris scans could one day be used to log in to every online account, weed out bots on social media and even vote in elections and allow governments to quickly send out aid— all things the project's backers say could get more complicated in the age of artificial intelligence. And Worldcoin is already closing in on an impressive three million registrations. What do you think? Would you lend a retina scan to give up the need for passwords and those “Captcha” tests?
Dig Deeper:
Is it a crypto company? A biometric authentication platform? A “human economic system”? Forbes looks inside Worldcoin’s struggle to find itself.
Chaos in the Aisles
Why is everyone using their phones in movie theaters?
I went to the movie theater this weekend—the first time since the pandemic—fully prepared for bad behavior on my fellow moviegoers' behalf. But ... I saw Barbie in Tokyo. And the Japanese audience was (no surprise) shockingly quiet and well-behaved. However, all the moviegoing horror stories we've been hearing about are apparently true.According to Mashable, people are taking flash photos and mindlessly scrolling through TikTok during screenings. A viral clip from Brazil even shows two women getting in a fight as the Barbie credits roll, all because one of the women allowed her young child to watch YouTube videos at full volume throughout the film. Honestly, with the average cost of a ticket now exceeding $15, if someone ruined my experience, I might be on the verge of violence, too.But what's with this lack of basic common sense and decency? Have we collectively forgotten how to be an audience? The Guardian's Stuart Heritage blames COVID. “Four years is easily long enough to forget some of the rules,” he writes. “People are so used to twin-screening during films at home that it seems alien for them to not have their phones in their hands.” Of course, we can't change other people. But we can be more in control of our own environment, says etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore. She suggests booking tickets during matinees during the week, so that there will be less figety kids and people in general.
Meanwhile:
Barbie continues to dominate at the box office, grossing an estimated $33 million this weekend and will likely become Warner Bros.' biggest movie of all time in the U.S.
In Other News
Only 3% of the disaster zone has been swept, but the search is expected to proceed slowly.
From ‘Crisis’ to ‘Catastrophe,’ Schools Scramble Once Again to Find Qualified Teachers Amid Shortage
Have you heard about ...
Partner
More Salt, For Your Health
Do you know the right amount of salt you need after a workout?
If you didn't know better, you might think salt is bad for you. And sure, you could maybe have too much, but in reality, you're probably not getting enough. Especially if you're active and sweating. Sodium, despite the bad rap, is an essential electrolyte that needs to be replenished.According to the team at LMNT, the anti-salt edict was based mostly on research from the 1960s. But the latest science says that the FDA's salt restriction is ineffective for lowering blood pressure and leads to side effects you don't want. It also says the sweet spot for sodium intake is at least double what the government currently recommends. That's why LMNT's dietary scientists created the perfect sodium-rich electrolyte supplement. One with the ideal ratio of 1,000 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium and 60 mg magnesium—everything you need and nothing you don't. That means no sugar, artificial ingredients and colors. Just tasty (and effective) hydration.
Try It:
Free sample pack with any purchase. That's eight single serving packets with any order.
Shopping
What We’re Buying
A Moc-toe chukka
How do you improve on a classic? Astorflex makes some of the best desert boots in the business, all crafted by hand in a sixth-generation workshop in Northern Italy. They're comfortable, good looking and incredibly durable—all for a reasonable price, given the quality. Now, they've updated the timeless chukka with a moccasin-stitched toe ($210). The soft suede exterior and natural plantation crepe outsoles remain, but the moc-toe update makes it feel very much right now. Also, with the memory foam insoles covered in vegetable-tanned calf leather, you'll be hard pressed to find a more comfortable pair—especially at this price.
Want more?
The five stylish items you should be buying this week.
Morning Motto
Don’t sweat the future. Enjoy the now.
▾
Follow:
Share today’s motto:
