Along for the Ride #253
[Action requested lol] The Along for the Ride subscriber survey is here!!
Heya friends, happy (first) Friday (of the year)!
The overlords sent us a lil preview of 2025 this week and it looked something like this:
When I first heard that a Tesla Cybertruck had imploded in front of a Trump hotel in Las Vegas (of all places) on the first day of the year (of all days), I thought it was likely a funny AI-meme made by the internet. But I was wrong! Irony has graced us with this little treasure that essentially whispers “buckle up, you have no idea how fucked things are about to get!!!”. yaaaaay.
In more vibey news, there is very little news this week! So I am taking it as an opportunity to introduce two new things your way:
A podcast? Not a podcast. But kind of a low-fi podcast (!). Last year my friend Claire suggested that I use Substack’s podcast feature to read my newsletters out loud so she can listen to them while out and about. After contemplating the suggestion, I think it provides two key benefits: (1) it forces me to read my newsletter and edit out typos (don’t worry, I promise I will still let some slip through the cracks, like last newsletter when I called it the “2025 recap” instead of 2024 😂); and (2) lets readers hear my funny little voices that I make when being sarcastic (a gift) and random little ad libs that are sure to pop up.
And if Claire is the only one who listens then … point taken 😂, I will just call her once a week tell her Elon Muck is still president.
In approx. 5 minutes after I send this newsletter, you should get a link to the podcast version of this very newsletter…! Please let me know what you think with comments / reactions. Maybe you can listening while you fill in my survey!!
A survey!!!! A friend, whom I Love (but shall remain anonymous) has an anonymous newsletter (truly a IYKYK situation), and she made the best survey asking readers for feedback and I have essentially copied her and have a survey for you here! 🚨 If you complete the survey, I will do a lil raffle and send a lucky subscriber a $25 (or equivalent vibes) to their favourite local cafe. Please be honest (even if it means you’re being mean and telling me typos are in fact unprofessional).
Why a survey? I want to know more about who reads the newsletter (and your primary modes of transportation!), what type of content you want to see, etc. How I can better shape content to your needs.
I need you to know that I paid Typeform for this survey, so please make it worth my money lol. The survey will take max 5 minutes of your life and will be a bit chaotic because why not.
And with that, 2025 starts now. Buckle up mes amis!!
NHTSA has released new rules for AVs
You can tell that everybody at NHTSA is working double time (thank you!) ahead of the upcoming administration to attempt to put safety guardrails in place for autonomous vehicles. While in many ways this regulation creates a framework to introduce more AVs (by removing requirements for steering wheels and pedals for sales vehicles), they are also mandating that companies that want to sell or operate AVs must cough up ze data. This is something I imagine Elon Muck will attempt to reverse immediately after his inauguration. (Scrapping the crash reporting rule would greatly benefit Tesla, which has reported the highest number of crashes).
The Washington Post put out an article after a man in San Francisco took videos of Waymos failing to stop for pedestrians at crosswalks. I experienced this first hand when I lived there, and was common occurrence for both Waymo and Cruise. Watching this video, the intersection itself needs a re-design, but it’s also very 😵💫😵💫😵💫 that cars we are in theory teaching to be better than humans still can’t manage to come to complete stops when pedestrians are present in a crosswalk.
Beijing has plans to welcome more AVs
Beijing has passed a new regulation that will allow both autonomouses bus and taxis to operate on city streets. “Autonomous vehicles that pass road testing and safety assessments will be allowed to apply for road trials, the state-backed Beijing Daily newspaper reported, which said the new regulations take effect from April 1.”
Tesla’s Summon feature is hitting bumps
[Note: this is a news clip, not an article. Still interesting to watch!] Tesla introduced its Summon feature (which is still in beta mode………) that allows Tesla owners to summon their car. With the push of a button, owners can send their Tesla to pick them up (e.g. if your car is at the other end of a parking lot, you could “summon” it to your current location). However they don’t seem to be great at that, as detailed in this news clip where a woman describes a Tesla (sans human driver) hitting her car and then continuing to drive away. When the news anchor tests the feature in a parking lot, the Tesla successfully completes the journey one out of four times. Major welps.
When did we stop hating robotaxis?
Written by a once pessimist, turned AV believer. I remain skeptical FWIW.
“The year is 2024, and the robots have won. At least, Waymo has (seeya, Cruise). The past 12 months have been nothing short of a smiley-faced, softly spoken, hostile takeover of the streets of San Francisco by the Alphabet-owned robotaxi company. A technology once viewed skeptically by many seems to have gained mainstream acceptance. I for one am all for it. And no one is more shocked at this change of heart than I.”
I had a really nice time being home in Canada, where I did my most favourite activity: sitting on my parent’s couch, watching movies and eating munchies. My friend joined as he does most years and is a *chef*. He cooked up a storm, including his family’s recipe of pork vermicelli and imperial rolls amongst many other treats.
While I was in Canada, a friend from high school helped to organize a fundraiser for a family from Gaza that has just relocated to Calgary. If you’d like to donate, they are ~70% of the way to their goal and I’m sure would welcome any support whatsoever.
Viet and I have essentially two friends in Calgary and (lolsob) they are bartenders. If you find yourself in Calgary and want to grab a fantastic cocktail at a very small Italian wine bar (Bar Rocca) tell Derek and Chase that Viet and Sarah sent you 😂
Tomorrow I head off on a train adventure! More to come!!
That’s all from me. Have a beautiful weekend friends.
Sarah
If you’d like to support my work and this newsletter, please consider becoming a member of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition or making a donation.
So glad the blown up Cybertruck isn't AI. lol The Beijing regulations start when? Who's the fool now!
Epic hair flip...and wonderful photographer that caught it!