Outdated shipping regs, BYD nipping at Tesla's heels & CoMotion Miami coming up!
CoMotion NEWS - Jack Craver
⏳ We are less than 5 weeks away from CoMotion MIAMI ‘24, May 6-7.Don't miss the chance to gain valuable insights on the future of mobility and connect with an amazing array of innovators, investors and public and private sector players, including Miami-Dade County, Miami Parking Authority, HNTB, REGENT, Supernal, and many more. Register now and save 30%. Offer expires April 3 at midnight!!
The horrific bridge collapse in Baltimore will hopefully serve as a wakeup call for both the shipping industry and regulators. Today’s rules were designed for yesterday’s ships –– that needs to change.
Speaking of rules, the Biden administration comes out with new ones that will force much of America’s freight fleet to electrify in the next decade and New York City, which has made tremendous progress in reducing pedestrian deaths, will allow AVs to test on its streets. Let's hope they get a more welcome reception than in San Fran.
Finally, the latest delivery figures show that Tesla is starting to face serious competition from China, notably the Warren Buffett-backed automaker BYD and smartphone maker Xiaomi.
What you need to know
Big ships, big problems: The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore highlights the risk associated with today’s mega-ships. Ships have gotten bigger and bigger, but safety protocols for bridges have largely stayed the same.
Biden’s new rules for freight trucks: A week after unveiling ambitious pollution regulations on passenger vehicles, the Biden administration takes aim at freight trucks. By sharply restricting the emissions each manufacturer’s product line can generate, the new rules will likely result in 25% of new long-haul trucks and 40% of medium-haul trucks being zero-carbon by 2032.
NYC to allow AV testing on city streets: The Big Apple is now inviting autonomous vehicle makers to apply for permits to test on the streets of America’s biggest city. State law requires that a safety driver be present at all times. Mayor Eric Adams says, “The technology is coming whether we like it or not, so we’re going to make sure we get it right.” New York City’s unparalleled level of pedestrian activity presents a unique challenge –– and perhaps a unique opportunity –– for AVs to prove that they can operate in dynamic urban environments.
⏳ Last chance to save big!!
CoMotion MIAMI ‘24, May 6-7, ‘The Next Wave: Integrating Innovation’ is just around the corner. Don't miss the chance to connect with innovators, public and private sector leaders, global mayors, the hottest startups.
🔍 Why attend?
Exclusive access to influential thought-leaders and major stakeholders transforming how we move.
World-class insights through pitches, keynotes, panels, and workshops.
Cutting-edge demos, exhibitions, and live innovations.
Unique networking opportunities and unforgettable after-hours gatherings.
🎟️ Register now and save 30%. Early bird sale ends April 3 at midnight.
Tesla pushing FSD hard: The automaker is offering customers in the U.S. a month of free access to its $12,000 driver assistance system, Full Self Driving Beta. This comes just weeks before the company will have to defend itself in a civil trial over a fatal crash involving Tesla’s autonomous driving software.
…and toys around with new lingo: For years critics have said that it is dangerously misleading for Tesla to call its driver assistance programs “Autopilot” and “Full Self Driving,” and it appears that Tesla may finally be acknowledging the criticism. Elon Musk and the company have in a number of recent instances referred to the latter system as “Supervised Full Self-Driving.” Ah, that changes everything.
BYD gets closer to Tesla: Tesla delivers 387,000 vehicles in Q1, an 8.5% drop from a year ago but still enough to maintain its position as the world’s top EV producer. However, sales figures reported by Chinese automaker BYD show Musk’s company is no longer in a league of its own. The Warren Buffett-backed firm delivered just over 300,000 EVs, up 13% over the same period last year.
…and China’s Apple Car: A few weeks after Apple ditched its multi-year, multi-billion dollar effort to build a car, telecom giant Xiaomi, the largest smartphone manufacturer in China, unveils its first vehicle: an electric sedan that garnered 50,000 online orders within a half hour of its debut. It is priced at about $30,000 in China, well below Tesla.
Europe opens hyperloop test track: The European Union hopes that a 400-meter steel pipe alongside a railroad in the Dutch city of Vendeem is the start of what will one day be a 6,200 mile hyperloop network spanning the continent. Dutch company Hardt Hyperloop will begin using the segment to test out a potentially revolutionary form of transportation that has been hyped by the likes of Elon Musk and Richard Branson. Its EU boosters, however, are very cautious about timelines, saying they are optimistic that it could be a viable form of transportation by 2050.
Lucid has few buyers, but lots of money: Even after significantly dialing back production goals for the year in response to lackluster demand, Lucid raises another $1 billion from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
Partner content
Copenhagenize 2024 Bicycle Urbanism Master Classes
If seeing is believing, then riding is transforming. There’s no better way to demonstrate the advantages of quality cycling infrastructure, services, and policies than to be immersed in it. And that's exactly what we strive to do during our 3-day intensive master classes in Copenhagen and Paris. Whether in the classroom, on the street, or meeting with local experts from the cycling ecosystem you are immersed in the city and all things bicycle urbanism. This method of learning provides a holistic knowledge of cycling mobility with the tools and strategies to have an impact as soon as you return home.
Register now and benefit from a 10% discount for being part of the CoMotion community by responding CoMotionCIZE in the suggestions box.
Copenhagen: June 12-14 (in English)
Paris: September 25-27 (in French)
What we’re reading
What went right in NYC? Last year New York City had its lowest pedestrian fatality tally since the city began collecting data over a century ago. CityLab looks at the changes the city has pursued over the past decade that have likely played a role in reducing deaths, including a controversial crackdown on speeding and redesigns of intersections. You listening, L.A.?
The challenge of comparing AV systems: Writing for CleanTechnica, Jennifer Sensiba argues that there is no easy way to rank autonomous driving systems. The various systems that have emerged have different strengths and different goals.
An intercity electric bus service: TechCrunch looks at the Scottish duo running the UK’s first intercity electric bus service, Ember. It is aiming to expand its route network beyond Scotland into all of the UK. What makes the company particularly interesting is its “full stack” approach; it is overseeing every aspect of the business, including charging infrastructure, software and customer service.
A ‘smart’ highway in Texas: In Bloomberg CityLab, Megan Kimble reports on a stretch of highway north of Austin that the Texas Department of Transportation wants to turn into an autonomous freight corridor with the help of Cavnue, which will install sensors along the road to communicate with connected vehicles. Whether or not the system of sensors heralds a new era of autonomous driving, the information they collect could help transportation planners and emergency responders better react to problems and to identify sources of problems, such as crashes and traffic jams.
CoMotion's mobility goodness brought to you by:
Jack Craver,
Editor, CoMotion NEWS
jcraver@comotionglobal.com
Write to us if you would like to suggest content for our next newsletter!
YouTube | LinkedIn | Podcast | Twitter | Facebook