Driverless

Any vehicle. Any time. Any environment. Universal autonomy is Oxbotica's goal. On this episode of Driverless, Zach Adams and Tod Northman speak with Oxbotica's Carolyn Coates, head of in-house legal for the UK-based autonomous driving software company. Founded in 2014 by Oxford professors, Oxbotica builds software for real-world application by drawing on principles of physics, robotics, maths, and artificial intelligence. Carolyn explains how she helps Oxbotica navigate the regulatory and legal framework of autonomous vehicles and describes some of Oxbotica's current initiatives.

Proponents of autonomous vehicles tout myriad possible benefits, ranging from dramatically increased safety to increased mobility for people who are currently unable to drive. However, autonomous vehicles will not come without tradeoffs. Cleveland State University Professor Robert A. Simons, Tucker Ellis associate Jeffry Carr, and Tod Northman, a transactional lawyer at Tucker Ellis, discuss ethical challenges that AVs will raise as the technology improves, in the first of a two-part discussion.

Calling itself the “world’s first post-car real estate developer,” and armed with venture capital cash from the Silicon Valley, Culdesac has teamed with an experienced Phoenix metropolitan area real estate developer to launch the first car-less residential project in the United States. Based on urban planning principles derived from European cities such as Brussels, where cars are de-emphasized, Culdesac is “building spaces for the post-car era.” Culdesac Tempe’s residents “will be able to live life from their doorsteps, rather than seeing it through their windshields.” Host Zach Adams analyzes the planned community with Robert Simons, Professor in the Levin School of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University, and Tod Northman, a business lawyer at Tucker Ellis; they explore how the project fits within the trends of autonomous vehicles and micro mobility.

Driverless vehicles will reshape urban development. Robert A. Simons, Professor at the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University, delves into the myriad factors, such as drivers foregoing ownership of vehicles to use shared vehicles and reduced travel times, that will change parking and land use in America's urban core. Professor Simons' book, which covers both technical and behavioral issues arising from autonomous vehicles, is scheduled to be released in spring 2020. He shares some of the salient lessons from his research.

Autonomous vehicle developers, such as GM and Waymo, have submitted comments to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that encourage the agency to establish new guidelines for autonomous vehicles that lack a steering wheel and gas/brake pedals. NHTSA asked automotive manufacturers and other autonomous vehicle technology companies to submit comments regarding changing regulations to include specific framework for AVs. Several commenters encouraged new rules for vehicles without a traditional steering wheel or brake and gas pedals in their comments. Host Zach Adams, litigator Jon Feczko and transactional lawyer Tod Northman discuss whether the absence of federal government regulation is delaying development. Jon and Zach suggest that we wait for public support for AV increases; Tod believes that NHTSA’s continuing current work to promulgate regulation is critical.

25 – Sustainable and Affordable Mobility and Power for All Host Zach Adams digs into global mobility with Dr. Chris Borroni-Bird, the founder of Afreecar LLC, which aims to provide solar-powered vehicles to African villages. Dr. Borroni-Bird’s particular interest is the fusion of technology and design, producing for example a “skateboard” vehicle. This far-ranging discussion covers the future of mobility. Before founding Afreecar, Dr. Borroni-Bird has worked at Waymo as Chief Engineer, Future Programs, and had a half-time appointment at MIT Media Lab, with a focus on the development and commercialization of a solar-powered mobility hub that could be applied to all communities around the world, ranging from sub-Saharan African villages to affluent megacities. Before that, Dr. Borroni-Bird was Qualcomm's VP of Strategic Development, where he focused on reshaping transportation around the convergence of wireless power and wireless communications. He also served as GM’s Director of Advanced Technology Vehicle Concepts and EN-V Program (Electric Networked-Vehicle, left). He was named one of Automotive News’ Electrifying 100 in 2011. Before the EN-V, he led GM’s Autonomy, Hy-wire and Sequel “skateboard” concepts. Before joining GM, he led Chrysler’s gasoline fuel cell vehicle development and was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame as a Young Leader in 2000. Further Reading https://afreecar.org/about/ http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sae/18AUTP01/index.php#/28 https://www.forbes.com/sites/samabuelsamid/2016/05/23/the-father-of-the-skateboard-chassis-dr-chris-borroni-bird/#2bc6d9c07b30 https://www.drivesweden.net/sites/default/files/content/resource/files/afreecar_-_chris_borroni-bird__0.pdf Show Notes 1:00 - Chris’s unexpected path to Autonomous Vehicles. 3:30 - GM Autonomy, Design in Technology-Fusion, and Chris’s vision for the intersection of technology and design. 6:21 - The potential functional and safety benefits of electric skateboard-type vehicles. 9:15 - Crashworthiness of electric vehicles. 10:47 - Chris’s time at QUALCOMM and the promise of V2X communications. 15:51 - The costs and benefits to manufacturers for deploying and subsidizing V2X technology. 18:21 - Chris’s time at Waymo. 20:01 - The birth of Afreecar. 24:11 - The “solar kit,” its flexibility and its potential applications. 29:31 - Realizing Afreecar’s altruistic mission.

On this episode of Driverless, Tod Northman and Emmanuel Sanders continue their discussion with Professor Mark Geistfeld, the Sheila Lubetsky Birnbaum Professor of Civil Litigation at the NYU School of Law, about his groundbreaking performance-based approach to liability for and regulation of Autonomous Vehicles. Professor Geistfeld discusses the “regulatory sweet-spot” for Autonomous Vehicle, and the kinds of claims manufacturers and programmers can expect during this wave of Autonomous Vehicle deployment. Professor Geistfeld further addresses the “bystander problem” and suggests that the problem is not unique to Autonomous Vehicles, but one that transcends all areas of tort.

On this episode of Driverless Tod Northman and Emmanuel Sanders interview Professor Mark Geistfeld, the Sheila Lubetsky Birnbaum Professor of Civil Litigation at the NYU School of Law, about his groundbreaking performance-based approach to liability for and regulation of Autonomous Vehicles. Professor Geistfeld discusses the shortcomings of earlier approaches to Autonomous Vehicle liability, and the benefits of adopting a commonsense, performance-based approach. Professor Geistfeld further advocates for adoption of a performance-based regulatory framework, which will provide certainty to manufacturers and users of Autonomous Vehicles without hampering the innovation and improvement of this life-saving technology.

Blair LaCorte is president of AEye, a pioneer in artificial perception systems. In part 2 of the interview, Jay Campbell, co-founder of Tucker Ellis’s autonomous vehicle and intellectual property group and an intellectual property trial lawyer, interviews Mr. LaCorte about AEye’s systems based approach to artificial intelligence and perception, inspired by how the human visual cortex conceptually focuses on and evaluates the environment around a vehicle, driving conditions, and road hazards. By actively scanning the surrounding environment with a combination of LiDAR and cameras, AEye offers a unique and efficient paradigm for driverless technology.

Blair LaCorte is president of AEye, a pioneer in artificial perception systems. Jay Campbell, co-founder of Tucker Ellis’s autonomous vehicle and intellectual property group and an intellectual property trial lawyer, interviews Mr. LaCorte about AEye’s systems-based approach to artificial intelligence and perception, inspired by how the human visual cortex conceptually focuses on and evaluates the environment around a vehicle, driving conditions, and road hazards. By actively scanning the surrounding environment with a combination of LiDAR and cameras, AEye offers a unique and efficient paradigm for driverless technology.

We flip the microphone on our podcast host Zachary Adams. Miami litigator Francisco “Frank” Ramos, Jr., speaks with Zach on “A Conversation With,” Defense Research Institute’s podcast where Frank interviews lawyers about their practice. Frank is a DRI member and a partner at Miami law firm Clarke Silverglate PA; he has written seven books about law and its practice and quickly digs into some of the most important questions about autonomous vehicles. The format gives Zach the opportunity to step back from the detail we frequently cover to address big-picture questions about autonomous vehicles and the state of laws and regulations. You also get to know Zach better.

Dr. Bart Kosko, is a Professor of Electrical Engineering in the University of Southern California's Viterbi School of Engineering and a Professor of Engineering and Law in USC's Gould School of Law. Dr. Kosko wrote the book on fuzzy logic and is an expert on neural networks. Jay Campbell, co-founder of Tucker Ellis’s autonomous vehicle and intellectual property group and an intellectual property trial lawyer, interviews Dr. Kosko. Jay and Dr. Kosko have been friends for many years going back to a case they worked on together nearly twenty years ago. Since then, Jay has tried several cases involving neural networks and fuzzy logic. Dr. Kosko is a fellow of the IEEE, a fellow of the International Neural Network Society (INNS), and a fellow of the International Fuzzy Systems Association (IFSA).

Dr. Bart Kosko, is a Professor of Electrical Engineering in the University of Southern California's Viterbi School of Engineering and a Professor of Engineering and Law in USC's Gould School of Law. Dr. Kosko wrote the book on fuzzy logic and is an expert on neural networks. Jay Campbell, co-founder of Tucker Ellis’s autonomous vehicle and intellectual property group and an intellectual property trial lawyer, interviews Dr. Kosko. Jay and Dr. Kosko have been friends for many years going back to a case they worked on together nearly twenty years ago. Since then, Jay has tried several cases involving neural networks and fuzzy logic. Dr. Kosko is a fellow of the IEEE, a fellow of the International Neural Network Society (INNS), and a fellow of the International Fuzzy Systems Association (IFSA). Part 2 of 3.

Chris S. Egner is a product liability attorney, and a member of the Global Expert Team, at Continental Tire the Americas, LLC. Despite having “tires” in its name, Continental provides a diverse range of parts and components to the automotive industry. Its approach to autonomous technology is similarly ambitious: rolling out a robotic delivery dog (ANYmal) and CUbE, the Continental Urban Mobility Experience, a driverless vehicle, for example. Chris’s responsibilities at Continental include risk assessment and case evaluation for complex product liability, asbestos, toxic tort, and automotive systems matters. She manages external counsel throughout the U.S. during all phases of litigation. Host Zach Adams, a litigator at Tucker Ellis, discusses Continental’s efforts to develop automated driving technology safely while navigating a challenging liability and regulatory environment. Chris’s role at Continental gives her a broad understanding of autonomous technology and legal liability.

Jay Campbell, intellectual property litigator and co-founder of Tucker Ellis’ Autonomous Vehicles and Artificial Intelligence Technologies group, interviews Dr. Bart Kosko. Dr. Kosko is a Professor of Electrical Engineering in the University of Southern California's Viterbi School of Engineering and a Professor of Engineering and Law in USC's Gould School of Law. Dr. Kosko is a fellow of the IEEE, a fellow of the International Neural Network Society (INNS), and a fellow of the International Fuzzy Systems Association (IFSA). As will be discussed in future portions of this interview series, Dr. Kosko quite literally wrote the book on fuzzy logic. Resources Kosko, Bart, Fuzzy Thinking: The New Science of Fuzzy Logic (1st edition, 1993; ) https://www.amazon.com/Fuzzy-Thinking-New-Science-Logic/dp/1562828398/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?crid=1IO1P7XGUJ5PD&keywords=bart+kosko+fuzzy+thinking&qid=1554986274&s=gateway&sprefix=bart+kosko%2Caps%2C134&sr=8-1-fkmrnull Dr. Kosko’s Professional Biography: http://sipi.usc.edu/~kosko/

Kristin Slanina, Chief Transformation Officer (and long-time automotive engineer), and Mohammad Hamid, Special Advisor in the Emerging Technologies Group, both of Thirdware Solutions, delve into the future of smart mobility with host Zach Adams, a litigator at Tucker Ellis. Kristin and Mo recently presented on the “The Business of Mobility” at the Automotive Futures Conference. They are key members of the smart mobility team at Thirdware, which is a long-time automotive IT company. Thirdware helps traditional automotive industry participants acclimate to the changing industry landscape, as traditional automotive companies seek ways to expand their revenue sources. https://www.tuckerellis.com/services/autonomous-vehicles-artificial-intelligence-technologies

2019 is expected to be the year of the unicorn on Wall Street. A number of privately held companies valued at more than $1 billion are expected to launch initial public offerings in 2019. Lyft filed its S-1 registration statement to go public on March 1. Lyft has consistently lost money on operations, but its chief executive officer John Zimmer has long suggested that deploying autonomous vehicles will reduce their operating costs dramatically, leading to big profits. Lyft has started limited autonomous operations (level 4) in several cities, including Las Vegas. In addition to battling for market share in the United States, Lyft face strong competition globally since there are limited barriers to entry. Host Zach Adams discusses the future of autonomy and ride-hailing with a new voice, Raven Taylor, intellectual property lawyer Jay Campbell and business attorney Tod Northman. https://www.tuckerellis.com/services/autonomous-vehicles-artificial-intelligence-technologies

We continue our interview with Professor Bryan H. Choi, who has a joint appointment to the Ohio State University College of Law and Department of Computer Science and Engineering. Professor Choi and host Zach Adams, a Tucker Ellis litigator, discuss allocation of liability for crashes involving autonomous vehicles, explore the data privacy implications of autonomous vehicles, then consider how to alleviate fear of technological risk, both real and perceived. https://www.tuckerellis.com/services/autonomous-vehicles-artificial-intelligence-technologies

Jointly appointed in the Ohio State University College of Law and Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Professor Bryan H. Choi is uniquely suited to assess legal liability and regulation for autonomous vehicles. In the first of a two-part interview, host Zach Adams, a Tucker Ellis litigator, and Professor Choi explore how cyber systems disrupt legal systems, and in turn how legal constraints can channel and elevate the development of cyber systems. Professor Choi’s current work explores the interaction between the tort liability regime and cyberphysical systems such as self-driving cars. https://www.tuckerellis.com/services/autonomous-vehicles-artificial-intelligence-technologies

California remains Ground Zero for autonomous vehicle testing, notwithstanding its regulatory scheme that requires companies that wish to test autonomous vehicles to obtain a permit and to file annual reports of “disengagements” experienced during testing. It’s a thoughtful approach that yields more information than the Department of Transportation’s “encouraged” annual safety report. Host and litigator Zach Adams discusses the just-released disengagement reports for 2018. With over 40 companies now testing, this is a rich field. We unpack the Apple disengagement reports in particular depth and chew on Timothy B. Lee’s provocative article about Waymo’s strategy. Finally, it has been a record-breaking month for autonomous vehicle companies with more than $1.6 billion raised in February 2019, and Tod discusses TuSimple and Nuro’s successful raises.

Belying whispers of a slowdown in the autonomous vehicle industry – with doubters suggesting that AV’s potential had been oversold and the difficulty of execution underestimated –several news stories about AV companies caught our eye last week. Host Zach Adams, a litigator at Tucker Ellis, and Tucker Ellis corporate and transactional lawyer Tod Northman discuss the latest news to illustrate the trends they are seeing in the industry. In short, money continues to pour into the best companies as competitors vie for talent and technology leadership to realize the commercial potential of driverless transportation. https://www.tuckerellis.com/services/autonomous-vehicles-artificial-intelligence-technologies

CES2019 – Context for a Low-Key Las Vegas Experience Although buzz is growing that the autonomous vehicle industry has fallen into Gartner’s Trough of Disillusionment, roll outs and technical improvements have continued apace. Host Zach Adams, litigator Jon Feczko and transactional lawyer Tod Northman discuss the state of the AV industry through the prism of the CES 2019 experience. They cover everything from the most eye-catching concept vehicles to the timeline for rolling out autonomous vehicles. For additional show notes and resources, please visit www.tuckerellis.com/driverless For our group's website, visit https://www.tuckerellis.com/services/autonomous-vehicles-artificial-intelligence-technologies

Tucker Ellis product liability litigators Zach Adams and Jon Feczko are joined by Marc Hoag, a California lawyer, podcaster, entrepreneur and AV consultant, as they reason through the applicable legal standard, and related legal issues, for autonomous vehicles. Marc’s podcast “Autonomous Cars with Marc Hoag” is the number one search result in Google for autonomous vehicle podcasts. But it is the combination of Marc’s legal and engineering training with his knowledge of autonomous vehicles that makes him the perfect guest to talk through these matters with Zach and Jon. For additional show notes and resources, please visit www.tuckerellis.com/driverless

In a wide-ranging discussion that includes a fascinating history of failed transportation revolutions, host Zach Adams, intellectual property litigator Jay Campbell and business lawyer Tod Northman discuss how autonomous vehicles will change our cities. From pocket calculators to Segway, high hopes for technology have produced disappointment. From autonomous vehicles to ride sharing to electric scooters, there is a lot of publicity about – and tremendous money behind – the mobility revolution. Will this time be different? For additional resources and show notes, please visit us at https://www.tuckerellis.com/driverless.

Tesla drew plenty of unwanted attention when a Model 3 was pulled over by the California Highway Patrol after a 7-mile “chase” with the ostensible driver asleep and inebriated. Kudos to the safety officers for quick thinking to prevent a tragic end. But the incident sharpens the argument for those who believe that vehicles operating at SAE Level 2 and Level 3 of autonomy are inherently unsafe and highlights the role of robust driver monitoring. Waymo, by contrast, earned applause for its seamless launch of its “robot taxi fleet” – albeit with a safety driver behind the wheel. Video of a test ride shows how impressive – and boring – a ride in Waymo One can be. Host and litigator Zach Adams discusses these development with litigator Jon Feczko and transactional attorney Tod Northman. For additional resources and show notes, please visit us at https://www.tuckerellis.com/driverless.

Did AV Cause GM to Drop Sedans, Fire Workers, and Shutter Plants? Notwithstanding five years of strong profits and anticipatable fiery backlash, GM announced plans to cut almost 15,000 jobs in North America and to end production at five North American plants. GM intends to drop passenger-cars from its lineup, including the Chevy Cruze, the newly redesigned Cadillac CT6, the Impala, and the Buick LaCrosse. The Company’s press release cited a plan to invest the saved costs in electric and self-driving vehicles. The Company also shifted Dan Amman from its president to chief executive officer of GM Cruise. Host Zach Adams, litigator Jon Feczko and business lawyer Tod Northman assess the ramifications of GM’s actions with particular emphasis on autonomous vehicles. For additional resources and show notes, please visit us at https://www.tuckerellis.com/driverless.

Columbus muscled its way to the front of forward-thinking cities in 2016 when it stunned six other U.S. cities with much greater tech cred to win the Department of Transportation’s Smart Cities Challenge and be designated America’s Smart City. On this week’s episode, host Zach Adams speaks with Mark Patton, Vice President of the Smart Columbus initiative. Mark and Zach explore Columbus’ role in helping transform American cities, including a preview of Columbus’ downtown autonomous bus service, which will begin shuttling passengers in December 2018. Columbus aims to deliver more diversified and nimble transportation options by using data and a connected, complete network that supports healthy activity and a more attractive and sustainable urban form. Mark is a terrific guide to Smart Columbus’ impressive efforts. For additional show notes and resources, please visit https://www.tuckerellis.com/driverless.

Host and litigator Zach Adams, products liability attorney Jon Feczko, and business and transactional attorney Tod Northman discuss what auto accident lawsuits will look like as autonomous vehicles start to share the roads with human-driven cars. In a wide-ranging conversation, each shares his vision of AV litigation. For additional show notes and resources, please visit https://www.tuckerellis.com/driverless.

How are autonomous vehicles regulated in the United States? Is it the right approach? In the inaugural episode of DRIVERLESS, host Zach Adams speaks with product liability litigator Jonathan Feczko and business and transportation lawyer Tod Northman, both partners at Tucker Ellis, about “Preparing for the Future of Transportation: Automated Vehicle 3.0.” The Department of Transportation issued the latest guidance in early October 2018, and the trio dig into the document, establish the regulatory context for the guidance, and evaluate the ramifications of the DOT’s approach. Drawing from their differing legal backgrounds, Zach, Jon and Tod assess who won with the document, who lost, and what issues were not adequately addressed. They also discuss why the federal government has taken the approach it has, despite legitimate concerns raised by safety and privacy advocates. For additional show notes and resources, please visit https://www.tuckerellis.com/driverless.

Welcome to Driverless, a podcast presented by Tucker Ellis!