adrian fortino

Quote: "Unfortunately, nobody knows whether either of these technologies — the partial automation available to consumers or the driverless vehicle fleets deployed on a more limited basis — are safe. Federal regulators have struggled to stay ahead of the risks that come with innovations. Commonsense guardrails are missing, and a lack of crash-reporting requirements have left researchers like [the author] without the robust data we need to evaluate the safety of these systems." (The author acknowledges the SGO, but rightly points out that Tesla data entries are redacted to the point of being essentially meaningless, and other data reporting requirements could be strengthened.) This piece argues for NHTSA to take action. I note that NHTSA has recently looked into Cruise, Waymo, and Zoox. That's a start -- but we need to see follow through. And I'll remind everyone once again that a NHTSA ANPRM from December 2020 on this very topic remains gathering dust with no response from NHTSA on the hundreds of public comments made. https://lnkd.in/eZdt4jcc

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Kudos to aifleet on its $16.6M raise to fund growth in tech-enabled trucking. Its investors include Heron Rock Volvo Group Venture Capital, Obvious Ventures, Ibex Investors, Compound, Winthrop Square Capital and Cooley LLP. Aifleet is doing something different. Most other startups in this field are focused on pure technology. They have 204 drivers and power units. Will they be able to make it work with a combination of trucking and technology? https://lnkd.in/ePytPHx7

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And this novel solution is highly cost effective to install and operate making affordable powering for everyone everywhere.

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Today I want to put the spotlight on Arelys Sosa, Thomas Tingelöf and Kent Moore who are the amazing founders of DREV.🔦 The problem they are tackling is that battery gigafactories, semi-conductor factories, and battery recycling plants face big challenges collecting hazardous metal micro-particles, slowing production, and they are squandering precious materials, and endangering staff. These are all individually big problems and combined this is huge.☣️ Drev has the solution to all to this with The Vault, an innovative technology powered by patent-pending dry brush technology and a revolutionary canister design, eliminates water and chemicals from the cleaning process, improves safety, and enables the adaptive reuse of valuable materials that would otherwise be thrown away with save manufactures millons. 🧹 The Drev team has the unique domain experience for solving a particular problem that we're always looking for when we are backing founders at the Norrsken Accelerator. Arelys is an industrial engineer who was part of the original team at Panasonic Energy at Tesla’s Gigafactory 1 so she has seen this problem first hand for years. Thomas has a PhD and he has been the CTO of PowerCell and VP at Volvo Cars and has massively scaled technologies before.🤩 The interest from the industry is huge and they are currently running projects with some of the leading battery manufacturers. You can read more and contact them here: https://lnkd.in/d7V-mKrx

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UI regularly get asked ‘why do you have a hate-on for EVs’? I actually spent time during a lecture explaining my position. The fact is, I don’t have a ‘hate-on’… although I think they are sluggish in their handling and quality could be better, most EVs are crazy fast and a hoot to drive. We are nowhere near cost parity in Canada however that’s for another discussion. I do have a ‘hate-on’ with the EV rollout. It’s becoming apparent that the ‘Fields of Dreams’ approach to the sector will result in significant losses to the industry. Not to mention, Govt of Canada’s investment will take much longer to monetize, if at all. In the end, the bitter pill from this experience may likely further delay electrification. Why- no transition strategy! Where the risk averse folks at Honda and Toyota got it right again: ICE—> Hybrid—> future EV, gas guzzling pick up truck sales are keeping companies such as Ford and GM afloat… while VW is losing its most important consumer market; China, because of their wrong mix of product offerings. Note- China deployed a leep frog strategy and has basically skipped over the ICE industrialization phase, using a greenfield approach (and a lot of govt capital) to enter the mkt, flooding the market with capacity. Unfortunately I am seeing a repeat of 2009/10 all over again… capital sitting idle/stranded with brands forced to exit from the market… Lastly, I am tired of the silliness I see in industry when it comes to SCM. Most decisions are reactionary and with little thought, risk management or transition strategy . This is just the latest example. Anyhow, the linked video does a great job explaining the current state of affairs. Feel free to continue the dialogue. #supplychain

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Why did Tesla lay off its EV charging division? Loren McDonald discusses what happened, why this is significant, and what this could mean for Tesla and the EV charging industry. Loren speaks with Christopher Bowe, Joshua Turner, and Jessie Hensley about; - Understanding Elon’s decision to layoff the Supercharger team - Origins of Tesla’s Supercharger network - Impact to Tesla's NEVI contracts - Tesla's future charging plans - Robotaxis and wireless charging

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StoreDot's #XFC (Extreme Fast Charging) technology in the electric vehicle (EV) industry, can be transformative to the #EV industry, particularly for leading OEMs like General Motors and Ford Motor Company. Here's a breakdown of the key advantages XFC brings to the table: - **Eliminating Range Anxiety**: XFC's ability to charge EVs from 10% to 80% in just 10 minutes addresses a significant hurdle in EV adoption – slow charging times. This rapid charging capability alleviates concerns about range limitations, making EVs more attractive for long-distance travel and enhancing their appeal to consumers. - **Enhanced Customer Experience**: Faster charging times translate to a superior customer experience by reducing wait times at charging stations and allowing drivers to spend more time on the road. This improved convenience can give OEMs a competitive edge in a market where customer satisfaction plays a pivotal role. - **Increased EV Adoption**: XFC's practicality and convenience can expedite the shift towards electric mobility, aligning with the sustainability objectives of OEMs. By positioning themselves as pioneers in the EV revolution, companies can drive higher adoption rates and solidify their leadership in the industry. - **Competitive Advantage**: Offering XFC technology sets an OEM apart from competitors relying on slower charging solutions. This competitive advantage can lead to greater market share and enhanced brand loyalty among consumers seeking efficient and advanced EV charging options. - **Improved Resale Value**: EVs equipped with XFC technology are poised to retain better resale value due to their superior charging capabilities. This feature can attract potential buyers and further incentivize the adoption of EV models, contributing to OEMs' overall market success. - **Branding and Marketing Opportunities**: XFC serves as a strategic branding and marketing tool for leading OEMs, enabling them to position their EVs as innovative and cutting-edge. This can appeal to tech-savvy consumers and early adopters, enhancing the overall perception of their EV offerings in the market. - **

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Waymo's recent doubling of its paid ride volume is an impressive business result. But what does the feat say about the state of the self-driving industry? And how does Waymo stack up against self-driving rivals like Tesla, and ride-hailing giants like Uber? We dive into these questions on the latest episode of TWIST

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Summary: Trucks Venture Capital has announced a new $70 million fund to support early-stage startups in the transportation industry. Led by co-founder Reilly Brennan, the firm plans to invest in a diverse range of companies, including those working on autonomous vehicle tech, electric air taxis, and mobility data platforms. This is the firm's largest fund to date and its investment strategy has evolved to focus on great founders rather than specific sectors or ideas. Key takeaways: Trucks VC has a new $70 million fund to invest in early-stage transportation startups. The firm's investment strategy has shifted to focus on great founders rather than specific sectors or ideas. Previous investments from the new fund include charger installation-as-a-service startup Treehouse and zero-emissions jet aircraft company JetZero. Counter arguments: Some may argue that focusing on great founders rather than specific sectors or ideas may limit the firm's potential for success. The transportation industry is constantly changing and evolving, making it a risky investment for any venture capital firm. #startups #venturecapital #transportation

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Outrider just raised $62M to scale up in autonomous yard operations. This is noteworthy because one of the best use cases for autonomous transportation is in closed-loop transportation networks, where there is not a risk of hitting pedestrians. We've seen self-driving tractors in mines, military applications, and now yard operations. Outrider's investors include Koch Disruptive Technologies, New Enterprise Associates (NEA), 8VC, ARK Investment Management LLC, B37 Ventures, FM Capital, Interwoven Ventures, NVIDIA's nVentures, and Prologis Ventures. Some of these firms are strategics, e.g. Prologis, who can help with adoption. Kudos to Andrew Smith and all involved. The future is bright for transportation innovation! #supplychain #transportation #technology #investment https://lnkd.in/eZ9t7Zhy

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Myself and Evan Schnidman will be re-running the first session in our AI Investing Masterclass Series next Thursday May 16th, with Danielle Patterson of Family Office List. Link to register is below in her post! (If you've already attended the first class, *Session 2: AI IP & Defensibility* will be announced soon!)

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Waymo's rapid expansion (and the overall safety of autonomous vehicles) is a major driver of real estate change hiding in plain site. Waymo is already doing over 150k paid trips per week in SF, LA, Austin, and Phoenix. And, in their first 22 million miles, Waymo also reported 84% fewer airbag deployments, 73% fewer injury-causing crashes, and 48% fewer police-reported crashes than human drivers over the same distance. AVs have arrived, and they're not going anywhere but up and to the right. Saw the news of their expansion to Miami yesterday—coincidentally, the same day Brad Hargreaves mailed out another great Thesis Driven letter on what AVs might mean for hospitality. Brad's take, which I agree with, is that AVs will increase the distance people are willing to travel for an experience at a resort or in nature and hospitality companies will own their own AV fleets that are an extension of their brand and the overall experience they want to provide guests. On top of gas stations and parking garages, which Brad mentions as asset classes obviously impacted by AVs, we'll see entirely new real estate businesses created to serve this ever-roaming fleet of vehicles, like mass-charging stations. For further reading, I highly encourage you to check out Brad's letter on AVs and hospitality: https://lnkd.in/evPV5cC8 #realestate #AVs

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The opportunity to help fleets reduce emissions by accelerating their EV transition is just step 1 in our vision for more renewably focused fleet energy strategies. No telematics? No problem. In the podcast below Marc Sibbald and I discuss how Roev went from fleet focused ute EV conversions to a fueling analytics “insights to action platform” that help fleets focused on balancing net savings with net-zero goals. Let me know what you think!

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🚗⚡ Great news for EV drivers! 🔋🔌 With the new 100inX calculator by StoreDot, you can now calculate how long it will take to charge your EV for 100 miles of driving range. This technology is currently being tested by several car OEMs in real-world scenarios. Stay tuned for more updates! #EVcharging #100inX #electricvehicles

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More used EV stuff in my column for Electrify News. I admit I played a little loose with the definition of "mature." I defined it for myself, a bit. Still, the basic argument stands. The EV market is maturing, and so will the used EV market, at a lagging pace. Used EVs are a great option. https://lnkd.in/g8sHpkYz

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Without insurance, zero chance General Motors (or anybody else) can hit their projected nearly $1,000 in revenue per year per #connectedcar. So cutting #SDV projects and staff seems logical. Appreciate PYMNTS quoting Privacy4Cars and Vero, LLC an Allied Solutions Company's joint solution for #dealerships wanting to protect their #customers. https://lnkd.in/evHA2YWR

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ReElement Technologies critical mineral refining in Marion Indiana solves this. As a country we shouldn’t push deadlines out, we should force market participants to hit the deadlines through innvovation and collaboration. China pushed fast and hard to own the market and we need to as well. Extensions won’t help us compete it, they are a safety blanket. Let’s force innovation. There has been billions of tax payers funds deployed to support the industry and we need to demand performance and if you take tax payer money you shouldn’t be able to sell the product you produce to China (black mass from shredded lithium ion batteries). ReElement Technologies we buy black mass from Germany as US producers sell their production to China through port of Los Angeles. If you want an alternative and want to keep it in U.S. we can add production lines and process in Marion Indiana! https://lnkd.in/gVNyTSd8

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Waymo raised an additional $5.6 Billion to fund its activities. With over 150,000 paid driverless trips and 1 million fully autonomous miles per week, Waymo is clearly the leader of passenger autonomous driving. Waymo has shared cost reduction plans with new vehicles having fewer sensors and is opening new markets and business partnership deals to shoulder some of the operational costs. X (formerly twitter) user EV Industrial Complex shared a back of the envelope estimate for Waymo profitability. While the cost estimates look low and missing some elements, they do offer an indication of gross margins and potential for margin improvement. So why the hefty round?  Because Waymo’s current market is just a small fraction of the potential addressable #AV market. The Waymo announcement hints at new use cases: “We’ll also continue advancing the Waymo Driver… to support a variety of business applications over time.”  Could we be looking at the return of the Waymo One trucking or other use cases?  Or perhaps a software licensing model for other evolving (and less operationally complex) use cases? Thoughts? #autonomousvehicles #futureoftransportation

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