Along for the Ride #232
It's gemini season
Heya friends, happy Friday—
Some of you may roll your eyes, but Gemini season is a Big Season™️ in my life. My parents are both geminis as well as countless friends (truly if I listed them all, there would be no word count left). Typically it’s a season full of celebrating people I love. However, this year my celebrations feel different. This past Tuesday would have been my friend Hansel’s 39th spin around the sun. I wrote about Hansel’s loss in a previous edition of this newsletter (link here), and I’ve been trying to do something small each day to honour Hansel (typically notice the butterflies, call a friend and tell ‘em I love them, linger in a hug longer than is socially acceptable). In honour of Hansel’s birthday—and Gemini season at large—I’m encouraging you to wear your heart on your sleeve and engage in some wild and wacky gemini behaviour (open to your own interpretation). Maybe just go on a bike ride, Hansel would love that.
Secondly… this edition is once again in bullet point format (I’m sorry!!). I’m in Canada for my mom’s birthday and am currently being accosted by the new family dog (his name is Paddy, short for Paddington—everybody’s favourite bear and train station). He is literally chomping on my fingers as I type, so I’ve had to make haste. Bullet points this week and I promise long-winded opinions to come next!
The pitfalls of transportation modeling, and why models are only as good as the data we feed them (Traffic Technology Today)
My friend Alex Mitchell wrote a deep dive on the messiness of the AV industry as of late (Sustainable Mobility newsletter)
Cruise’s slow return to operations (NYTs)
Unravelling the Spatial Arrangement of the 15-Minute City: A Comparative Study of Shanghai, Melbourne, and Portland (Planning Theory and Practice)
Enhanced object-tracking abilities of autonomous vehicles (University of Toronto, blog)
How Waymo beat and outlasted their competition (Fortune)
I went to a fantasy-themed party last week and brought ~potions~ with me. I made a naked and famous (because who doesn’t want to drink something bright orange and that will maybe kill every germ in your body). Warning, they are very strong.
On Monday I went and saw the new Furiosa movie (part of the Mad Max extended universe). While I’m not really much of a “car chase throughout the desert in a post apocalyptic world” gal myself, it was entertaining. I think Fury Road is better (sorry, I said it), I would absolutely pop some corn and watch it again.
Friends over at the LA Cleantech Incubator (LACI) are hiring for a number of roles, including program director of transportation electrification! You should apply!
That’s all from me. Have a beautiful weekend friends.
Sarah
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