Heya friends, happy Friday!
I wrote this week’s newsletter from the train (woooooo). I love writing on the train, it is the most peaceful of experiences. Being on trains always reminds me how civilized society really can be, and very much so reminds me why I write this very newsletter. May future generations have all the high-speed rail their hearts desire.
Before we jump into this week’s mobility news I wanted to share that on Monday, April 15th there will be a vigil in London for the lives lost in Sudan’s ongoing genocide. My friend Yasmin is helping to organize it, and her continued work to bring attention to the genocide is incredibly inspiring. If you’re not super read up on it, I’d highly recommend subscribing to her substack here. It’s currently being referred to as “the war the world forgot”, so in the interest of keeping eyes on Sudan, here are some quick facts:
Last year, 12,000 people died and 5 million were displaced in a conflict that began in April 2023—and 25 million Sudanese will need aid in 2024 (Smitson Institute)
The UN is calling for $4.1 billion to provide humanitarian aid but is finding limited support. (The House of Commons Library)
More useful links here: Guardian, The Week, Human Rights Watch
P.S. There are some new folks here. I’m Sarah. I try and write this newsletter every week. It’s pretty sassy and usually there’s a spelling mistake (or three..). I try and keep it upbeat, but I offer some (kind) criticisms of the industry in an effort to push us towards better outcomes. All for the love of modal shift.
Ok, time for ze news!
US Army continues to invest in AVs
Lest we forget that AVs are a core military initiative… the US Army has awarded contracts to eight firms to assist with developing Robotic Combat Vehicles (RCV) 🤮. It would be great if America had healthcare, but also the Military Industrial Complex captures needs every penny of its $849.8 billion budget (yup). For my fellow procurement nuts, the Army posted two solicitations and received 110 responses. I for one am somewhat surprised there are enough companies in the AV / robotics space to make up 110 applications… ooof.
Vox details how Washington DC “pulled public transit from the brink” and identifies what other cities in the US can learn from their experience. Years ago people reported on how frequently Metro stations lit on fire (yup). In 2020, DC took federal pandemic aid and doubled down on the “if you build it, they will come” strategy. Key to their improvements was improved bus and train services, and more affordable fares in some instances. But what really brought people back was service frequency expansions. (Turns out making services more reliable means riders might actually start … relying … on them).
Ghent makes tram lines safer for bikers
Filed under cool: Ghent is piloting infrastructure that fills tram tracks with an elastic compound in a bid to stop bikes getting stuck in the tracks. As somebody who has had their bike wheels get stuck in San Francisco’s tracks resulting in skinned knees and sliding into a restaurant’s compost (filled with hummus), I am a big fan of this very simple and effective improvement.
Kentucky Gov. vetoes state bill that would have allowed AVs
The bill would have permitted AVs to operate on the State’s roads, however the governor vetoed the bill after safety advocates and labor groups rallied against it. The bill narrowly passed out of the state legislature. “[Gov] Beshear criticized the bill as moving too quickly toward autonomous vehicles getting on the road without human supervision. He said, specifically, that there should be a testing period for such cars before they’re allowed to drive in Kentucky.”
Cruise plans to re-introduce robotaxi service
After six months since a Cruise vehicle ran over and dragged a pedestrian 20 feet in San Francisco, the company has resumed fleet tests (with a safety driver) in Phoenix, Arizona. No passengers are being carried during these tests. Over in California, lawmakers banned Cruise from operating vehicles in the state, and the DMV gave the company a list of items to complete before their permit can be re-instated. As far as I know, the DMV has yet to lift the ban and something tells me it will be a little while longer before Cruise attempts to brings AVs back to the state.
Is Tesla going to deliver a robotaxi this year?
Musk has gone on record saying he will announce the company’s new robotaxi on August 8th (set your calendars!!). I’m not really one for betting, but I’d put some good money on this joining the ranks of Musk’s typical PR promises: say something is coming, casually miss the deadline, and then deflect and distract until everybody (not me, because I am Petty™️) forgets. “The announcement came as Tesla shares were sinking in the wake of a Reuters report of the abandonment of Musk’s long-promised affordable EV in favor of going all-in on the similarly long-promised robotaxi.” Tesla stock is down 33% YoY.. welp.
Tesla settles fatal 2018 autopilot lawsuit
In 2018, Walter Huang was killed when his Telsa veered off a highway near San Francisco and steered into a highway barrier. Huang was playing a video game on his smartphone at the time of the fatal crash. Huang’s family alleged Autopilot steered his 2017 Model X into a highway barrier—and claimed the company knew drivers wouldn’t use the Autopilot system as directed. By settling this lawsuit, Tesla will avoid questions about its technology in a trial—and end a five-year legal battle over the case. However, the settlement may provide a blueprint for others suing the company over Autopilot (there are lotsa em).
Wayve opens a research lab in Vancouver
That’s a link to (paywalled..) Bloomberg, but here’s a press release from Wayve. I will be very interested to see how Vancouver (a city where a Mayor famously built a bike lane to his house.. lol) welcomes AVs. The city has a fantastic network of protected bike lanes, a robust bus network (featuring the highest ridership bus route in North America), and is actively building new mass transit lines (we love). While this is just a research lab, Vancouver is an interesting choice from a transportation perspective. Hopefully the bike lanes rub off on researchers.
Waymo launches paid service in LA
Waymo has officially launched a pay-for-ride service in Los Angeles with a fleet of <50 cars covering approx. 63-square-mile service area from Santa Monica to downtown L.A. I’m curious if anybody thinks their introduction will have a material improvement on the city’s sustainability, equity, and vision zero goals…
As another thought experiment, micromobility permits almost always ask providers to put forward solutions that are accessible to underbanked communities (people who may not have a bank account) and people who don’t have access to smartphones… I don’t see the same standards being applied to our friends the Cars™️. I’m curious what initiatives these companies are taking to provide an equitable service to people without access to tech … and the transportation divide that can emerge if not addressed.
How equitable are microtransit programs?
“On-demand transit is attracting the attention of transportation researchers and transit agencies for its potential to solve the first-mile/last-mile problem. In this study we examined the potential impact of the On-Demand Multimodal Transit System (ODMTS) in Atlanta (GA), on both transit equity and equality compared with the existing transit system. The results showed that ODMTS could have a positive impact on transit equality by reducing the disparity in transit service between neighborhoods close to and far from the existing transit network; however, it may not improve transit equity.”
Should I rename bits and bobs “The misadventures of sarah and the multiple doggos she does not own”? Maybe. It was a very dog-filled week for me; Pax the Sheepie stayed with me for the weekend and we did all the long walks through the park that I don’t usually get to do with Coco.
I read this article about mega drive-throughs in the US and it was really depressing. It talks about how fast food dining rooms are “out” and two-, three-, and even four-lane drive-throughs are “in” (cue my head exploding).
I am popping to Paris and London in May 💘 I’ll be in Paris May 4-12th and London May 13th-17th. If anybody is around and wants to go on a bike ride and eat croissants shoot me an email!
That’s all from me. Have a beautiful weekend friends.
Sarah
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