What Drives Us episode

#395 Robots Displace Humans

29 Jan , 2021   Video

5:15 Toyota Mirai
10:30 Rivian Amazon van undercover
18:05 Hyundai buys Boston Dynamics
24:20 Tesla News – Giga Berlin – China superchargers – Tesla Parade
30:20 Bollinger strangely still rendering
33:33 EV West crate motor
37:00 Zoox autonomous shuttle vehicles
44:30 Personal deliveries are an environmental nightmare and so is packaging / recycling
58:40 Kandi EV cheapest in America
1:00:45 Shoutouts!

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What Drives Us episode

#349 Whose Data is it, Anyway?

16 Jan , 2020   Video

In this week’s show:

1) The current NTSB requirements for black box data is woefully short of all the data required to determine the actual situation of a modern-day crash. Manufacturers are not required to hand over additional data. Should owners be able to pull the data themselves to turn over to the police? Should they be able to pull data from a used car prior to purchasing it?

2) Tesla’s stock has soared recently to the point that the company is now valuated higher than GM and Ford, combined! It doesn’t help that Ford and GM have seen their own valuations dropping in the recent months.

3) The Boring Company’s 0.8 mile tunnel is completed under Las Vegas between convention centers. It’s likely not going to reach 140mph like previously advertised, it might use skates to move cars or not. Details are few and far between.

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What Drives Us episode

#348 Dieselgate Saves VW

14 Jan , 2020   Video

This week:
1) States face roadblocks on path to lower tailpipe emissions.
2) BMW remains committed to ICE cars for at least 30 more years.
3) The Prius is no longer Toyota’s top-selling hybrid.
4) Sony shocks CES by unveiling a car.
5) The Fisker Ocean might actually be areal thing.
6) Tesla’s Gigafactory 4 has to tread lightly in the forest.

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audio only,What Drives Us episode

# 347 Robot Replacements

3 Jan , 2020   Video

1) Tony reviewed the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. Be sure to check out his two separate reviews:
Ride-along review: https://youtu.be/ed4CUB73QWE
Walk-around review: https://youtu.be/hty_KFkWZMY

2) At the beginning of the 2010s, Lithium-Ion batteries were projected to herald in the era of the electric vehicle. We discuss accessibility of battery components and the drop in prices.

3) Volkswagen has released conceptual animations of very cute little battery charging robots. You park your car anywhere in a parking garage and the robots will not only bring a mobile battery pack, the pack will plug itself into your car.

4) December saw a flurry of Tesla software updates. We pick them apart.

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audio and video,One On One,What Drives Us episode

One on One #1 – We Welcome Our Hydrogen Fuel Cell Robot Masters

20 Jan , 2017   Video

Debuting a brand new show, One On One, where two people wrestle over a recent issue for an in-depth discussion. Today, Danny Cooper and Russell Frost talk about the real future of hydrogen, Toyota, Fuel Cell vehicles and also a little on factory automation and the future of jobs making things.

We cite these links during today’s One On One:

Toyota part of consortium spending 10.7B Euros on hydrogen

Another take on the press release above

Toyota chairman says hydrogen needs more time

Turns out, the rumors of hydrogen’s death may have been premature

Toyota claims to have an EV on the market by 2020

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