#Internet of Things

Back in November 2014, we organized the first Dutch chapter of ThingsCon in Amsterdam, after the inspiring first Berlin edition in spring 2014. After 4 years in Amsterdam, 4 in Rotterdam en 2 Covid editions, we decided to go back to Amsterdam, and also go back to Volkshotel, to mark our 10 years celebration!

Our theme for this edition: Generative Things
The inspiration for this year’s conference is the transformation of the new generative artificial intelligence in our digital lives to the physical world, the objects we use, and the places we live. What will be the physical realization of the “generative twin intelligence”? What will it mean for makers and designers of these things? How will ethics play out, and what new models of use and trust will emerge?

The program is ready. Check the latest confirmed program here. They are all inspired by this theme.

• Workshops and talks
• Exhibition with the best work
• Specially commissioned exhibition

On the latter:
We want to create an exhibition commissioned by ThingsCon to explore the next decade of living with things. We hope to inspire designers and makers of future things. We like to explain the context of an experience that ignites debate and critical thinking by engaging our community through speculative objects and things.

Our program:
🎓 <strong>Thursday</strong>: long-form workshops for even more in-depth knowledge exchange and interacting with peers.
🎉 <strong>Thursday evening</strong>: celebrating 10 years of ThingsCon with special evening program with inspirational talks, music, and drinks
🎤 <strong>Friday</strong>: the good old mix of inspiring keynotes, short project-pitches, 2-hour workshops, exhibition, and meeting each-other.

This year, the regular price for one day is <strong>100 eu</strong>, and the full conference pass is <strong>175 eu</strong>. The ticket includes entrance and catering on the conference days. You are also invited to join our special Thursday evening program.

https://thingscon.org/th-ngs-2024/registration/

In the new and final Designing Cities For All: RE-generation series City Games in the Age of Urban AI DCFA fellow Ekim Tan, director of Games For Cities and founder of Play The City , explores the role of city games in the era of artificial intelligence. The first episode of City Games in the Age of Urban AI series, Digitalization, with DCFA Fellow Ekim Tan, delves into the dynamic intersection of digitalization, artificial intelligence, and urban games. We will explore how AI is transforming urban environments and the possible effects of AI on digitized and non-digitized communities. How can city games and AI foster deeper connections within increasingly digitized communities and affect collaboration in urban decisions?

Sign up for free now via the link below!

Modern technologies can be used in various ways to make life easier. But if we’re not careful, these possibilities will mainly benefit people who already have it easy. What can technology mean for people who, for one reason or another, have a harder time in society, for example, because they are hard of hearing, have little money, or are immigrants?

The EU project CommuniCity encourages the development of tech solutions for and with various marginalized and/or vulnerable groups. This afternoon, we will present serveral of the pilots that were carried out over the past year, demonstrating how artificial intelligence and other technologies can contribute to the well-being of various residents of Amsterdam.

This Sensemakers evening we have 2 speakers:

Prof. Dr. Lejla Batina from the Digital Security group of the Radboud University will share here insight on the vulnerabilities in the security of embedded systems in the context of AI
and
Edzo Botjes, Antifragility architect and Security coach, will share insights on resilience, chaos, anti-fragile and Enterprise Architecture.

Come play Data Slots!
A board game that fosters conversations on benefits vs. privacy risks for data-driven applications to foster well-being in cities.

When & Where:
29th of August, 14:00-15:45
AMS Institute, Kattenburgerstraat 5, 1018JA,
Room: Beijing/Shanghai

Schedule:
14.00 - Introduction from MIT and AMS researchers
14.30 - Group formation and game session
15.45 - Final remarks and coffee

We looking forward to seeing you there, sign up here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tickets-data-slots-976415604357?aff=oddtdtcreator

On 5 September, ThingsCon will team up again with the Human Values for Smarter Cities project to organize a Salon linked to the research project. This time, we are guests at Marineterrein in Amsterdam. We focus this meetup (and workshop) on participatory design for machine learning.

Don Quichot in the Smart City?
In this ThingsCon Salon, we will explore the changing roles of designers in contemporary developments involving human values and smart city technologies. As Kristina Höök and Jonas Löwgren suggest, when faced with a complex sociotechnical fabric that includes AI, designers should consider their work as “interventions into ongoing transformations over which they have limited control” (Höök & Löwgren, 2021). What implications do this statement and our experiences in state-of-the-art participatory design projects have for our work?

Workshop 16:00-18:00
We will start with a workshop in which we redesign an existing enforcement computer vision system with AI, not by focusing on efficiency or effectiveness. Instead, we focus on AI that helps improve citizens’ opportunities to prevent making mistakes or making appeals.

Mapping Use-time Contestability Loops
The workshop runs from 16:00 to 18:00 and will be dedicated to a workshop shaped and moderated by Kars Alfrink, a postdoctoral researcher at TU Delft, specializing in contestable AI. The workshop has limited capacity.

Meetup 19:00-21:30
After a break for drinks and food, we will continue with the evening program from 19:00 to 21:00. Three speakers will discuss the workshop results and share their thoughts on the topic.

• Evelien Zengerink from the City of Amsterdam Computer Vision team
• Vera van der Burg, PhD at Delft University of Technology in exploring AI as tools for self-reflection
• Geke van Dijk, strategy director at STBY, a pioneering service design studio

The ThingsCon Salon will take place on 5 September 2024 from 16:00 to 21:30 in Amsterdam Marineterrein. We are guest at AMS Institute / Responsible Sensing Lab.
(Kattenburgerstraat 5, Building 027W, 1018 JA Amsterdam)

Please RSVP via these Meetup-pages:
– workshop (+ meetup) (limited capacity 20 participants)
– meetup only

Hackathon 'AI in de Stad'
Doe mee aan de AI Hackathon voor studenten!
Ben jij klaar voor een spannende uitdaging die de toekomst van onze stad kan transformeren? Sluit je aan bij onze AI Hackathon en ontdek hoe kunstmatige intelligentie (AI) kan bijdragen aan een betere, veiligere en gezondere leefomgeving.

Tijdens deze dynamische hackathon gaan teams aan de slag om innovatieve oplossingen te bedenken voor de grootste uitdagingen van onze steden. Met behulp van AI-tools en creatief denkwerk werk je samen met je team aan projecten die echt een verschil maken.

We kijken ernaar uit om jouw ideeën te zien schitteren tijdens de AI Hackathon. Vergeet niet je mobiele telefoon en je laptop mee te nemen.

Programma:
-Bezoek diverse plekken in de stad waar AI al wordt ingezet
-Geniet van presentaties in enkele kroegen in het centrum van Breda
-Los een probleem op over de toekomst van de stad in een heuse Hackathon. Wie weet ga jij die winnen en wordt jouw oplossing gepresenteerd op het AI in de Stad congres op donderdag
-Drink koude drankjes die je aangeboden worden door de organisatie.
-Maak kans op gave prijzen.
Meld je individueel aan of meteen in je eigen team van 5 personen.

Tijden:
15.45 Ontvangst
16.00 Uitleg Hackathon en de op te lossen probleemstellingen
16.15 Start stadswandeling met gidsen en AI coaches
16.45 Tussen stop met koude biertjes en drankjes
17.15 Vervolg Start stadswandeling met gidsen en AI coaches
17.45 Samenkomst teams en uitwerken oplossing
18.30 Presentaties en keuze van de winnaars
18.45 Afronding event
----

Join the AI Hackathon for Students! Including Pub Crawl.
Are you ready for an exciting challenge that can transform the future of our city? Join our AI Hackathon and discover how artificial intelligence can contribute to a better, safer, and healthier living environment, especially when you go out or attend a festival or event.

During this dynamic hackathon, teams will work on innovative solutions for the biggest challenges our cities face. With the help of AI tools and creative thinking, you'll collaborate with your team on projects that truly make a difference.
We look forward to seeing your ideas shine during the AI Hackathon. Don't forget to bring your mobile phone and your laptop.

Program:

• Visit various places in the city where AI is already being used
• Enjoy presentations in several pubs in the center of Breda
• Solve a problem about the future of the city in a real Hackathon. Who knows, you might win and have your solution presented at the AI in the City conference on Thursday
• Drink cold beverages offered by the organization
• Stand a chance to win cool prizes

Register individually or with your own team of 5 people.

Schedule:
3:45 PM Reception
4:00 PM Explanation of the Hackathon and the problems to be solved
4:15 PM Start city walk with guides and AI coaches
4:45 PM Break with cold beers and drinks
5:15 PM Continuation of city walk with guides and AI coaches
5:45 PM Team gathering and solution development
6:30 PM Presentations and selection of the winners
6:45 PM Event conclusion

Meld je hieronder aan:

IoT Tech Expo Europe is returning to Amsterdam!

Join us in-person at the RAI Amsterdam on October 1-2, 2024, to hear from industry-leading speakers. Your ticket also provides access to co-located events on Intelligent Automation, Cyber Security & Cloud, AI & Big Data Expo, Unified Communications, Edge Computing, and Digital Transformation.

Speakers represent such companies as Airbus, Lego, Whirlpool, Orange and many more!

For more information and to book your tickets, visit: 

https://www.iottechexpo.com/europe/

Fetured agenda items include:

• 5G and IoT Integration
• Deploying IoT management tools to achieve production targets
• Empowering EVs: How IoT and AI Can Work Together to Revolutionize EV Charging Efficiency
• How IoT will change the future of payments
• IoT Integration in Smart Factories and Industry 4.0
• From smart industry to a productive enterprise
• Role of Edge Computing in IoT Security
• Securing the Internet of Things: Leveraging Blockchain and AI for Advanced Cybersecurity
• IoT Applications in Telecommunications
• Digital Twins: Real-world Applications and Impact on IoT Data Visualization

Interesting case studies, such as: 
• Singtel Case Study – Connectivity in telecoms at local, regional and global level 
• Whirlpools South American Smart Factory: Driving Industry 4.0 Revolution through a new factory design and startup in Argentina

just to mention a few!

Register for free here: https://www.iottechexpo.com/europe/
#IoTTechExpo #IoT #InternetofThings 

Ontwerp je eigen voorwaarden voor Augmented Reality tijdens deze workshop door AR-kunstenaar Sander Veenhof.

Nog niet zo lang geleden hoorden brillen met Virtual of Augmented Reality-technologie enkel thuis in sciencefictionfilms. Brillen die je iets extra’s laten zien wanneer je naar de wereld kijkt, of die zelfs een compleet andere wereld tonen. Sinds de lancering van de Quest3 en de Apple Vision Pro is deze technologie realiteit geworden en lopen onze fysieke en virtuele wereld steeds meer in elkaar over. Hoe kunnen we onze eigen voorwaarden creëren voor Augmented Reality (AR)?

Een AR-bril bepaalt letterlijk hoe jij als gebruiker naar de wereld kijkt. In de bril zit een camera die voortdurend registreert wat er zich in onze omgeving afspeelt. Dit zijn geen video-opnames, maar beelden die middels kunstmatige intelligentie worden geïnterpreteerd. Op basis van deze data, samen met jouw persoonlijk profiel en agenda-data uit de cloud worden vervolgens meldingen, notificaties, suggesties en taken aan je getoond. Maar hoe wordt bepaald wat wanneer relevant is?

Deze inschatting kunnen we beter niet aan kunstmatige intelligentie overlaten. In deze interactieve workshop, gegeven door AR-kunstenaar Sander Veenhof, ontwerp je zelf de voorwaarden voor verschillende scenario’s waarin een AR-bril wordt gebruikt. Aan de hand van een reeks concrete praktijksituaties ontrafelen we wanneer een AR-bril mag ingrijpen of initiatief mag tonen. ‘Als < X > mits < Y > behalve < Z > tenzij < W > of < U >’.

Kom naar Waag Open op donderdag 6 juni en verwerk jouw voorkeuren, eisen, wensen en uitzonderingen in een bestand met configuratie-instellingen over jezelf. Als het tijdperk van de 24/7 AR-brillen ooit écht aanbreekt, weet jij vast waar je jouw bril op moet wijzen!

Programma

Over Sander Veenhof

Sander Veenhof brengt graag tijd door in semi-digitale werelden. Programmeerbare omgevingen in het bijzonder. Hoewel zijn nieuwsgierigheid betrekking heeft op een verre toekomstige samenleving waarin we allemaal in een mixed reality universum leven, is zijn kunstpraktijk hands-on en gesitueerd in het heden. Zijn heden. Dankzij AR kan hij zijn eigen speculatieve levensechte versies van een denkbeeldig universum ensceneren en erin leven. Op die manier kan hij nieuwe (technische) domeinen van binnenuit verkennen, met een focus op hoe het is om een semi-digitaal wezen te worden, versterkt met nieuwe superkrachten maar ook beperkt door nieuwe grenzen. Veenhof begon tien jaar geleden met het creëren van cross-reality projecten in de avatarwereld Second Life, ging toen verder met AR en later was zijn speeltuin onze Zoom-realiteit.

Waag Open

Elke eerste donderdagavond van de maand opent Waag haar deuren! Kom langs om te discussiëren en te doen. Want we gaan niet alleen in discussie over maatschappelijke thema's en de toekomst – je leert daarnaast ook altijd iets praktisch. Iets dat je altijd al hebt willen uitproberen, zoals de 3D-printer in het FabLab, of juist iets dat je nooit had verwacht, zoals uitpluizen hoe DNA in elkaar zit in ons biotech-lab. Waag Open vindt plaats in de maakplaatsen op de eerste en tweede verdieping van het historische Waaggebouw op de Nieuwmarkt.

Toegankelijkheid

Omdat het Waag-gebouw een beschermd monumentaal pand is, is het helaas niet voorzien van een lift. Dit evenement vindt plaats in de Makersguild op de eerste verdieping van het Waag-gebouw.

Mocht je krap bij kas zitten en wel graag aan dit evenement willen deelnemen, neem dan contact op met tanja [@] waag [punt] org.

Merging the worlds of physical and digital, these 5 different summer workshops at Treehouse NDSM will teach you to go from zero to hero. IOT devices are everywhere in any modern, connected city, and these workshops will teach you how to create your very own interactive objects that connect the digital and physical worlds together.

All workshops are suitable for beginners!

MAKING INTERACTIVE OBJECTS 101
Tue. 28 May '24 @ 7pm — 10pm
Learn how to bring real-world objects to life using sensors and microcontrollers.

BUILDING AN INTERACTIVE COMPANION
Sat. 1 June '24 @ 2pm - 5pm
Learn how to build your own interactive companion. Port of the "l log in. therefore am" exhibition.

RUNNING YOUR OWN PRIVATE LLM
Tue. 11 June '24 @ 7pm - 10pm
Learn how to run your own open-source, local, free Large Language Models.

MAKING INTERACTIVE OBJECTS 101
Sat. 29 June '24 @ 10am - lpm
Learn how to bring real-world objects to life using sensors and microcontrollers.

GIVING YOUR PLANTS A VOICE
Sun. 14 July '24 @ 2pm - 4pm
Learn how to give plants the ability to communicate. Part of the "Creative Garden" sessions.

We hebben uiteenlopende en interessante reacties ontvangen van stedenbouwkundigen, architecten en gemeenten. Als u wilt weten wat andere professionals denken, vul dan deze enquête in met uw e-mailadres en wij delen de inzichten met u.

Bedankt! 😀

Follow Playground on LinkedIn

We've received varied and interesting responses from urban developers, architects, and municipalities. If you want to know what other professionals think, please fill out this survey with your email, and we will share the insights with you.

Thank you! 😀

Wij de 3D Makers Zone, Bouwlab R&Do, MAAK Haarlem en Gemeente Haarlem zijn de initiatiefnemers van het C-district in Haarlem en nodigen je uit om samen met ons te bouwen aan een innovatieve, digitale en circulaire regio. Het C-district is volop in ontwikkeling. Om deze ontwikkeling vorm te geven, richten we ons op een concreet evenement waarin we al in 2024 samen kunnen werken: C The Future.

En dat doen we graag samen met jou. C The Future is hét tweedaagse evenement waar technologie, digitalisering, circulariteit, leren en innovatie samenkomen.

Hier kunnen bedrijven, onderwijsinstellingen en bewoners uit de regio kennismaken met de nieuwste toepassingen en producten. Je kunt in contact komen met de nieuwste technologieën en deelnemen aan het Skills-ontwikkelingsprogramma van de Smart Makers Academie, waar nieuwe makers, techneuten en pioniers worden opgeleid. Ontdek welke ontwikkelingen, mogelijkheden en innovaties relevant zijn voor de directe omgeving, de stad en de regio. Samen dragen we bij aan de ontwikkeling van kennis en werkgelegenheid, en een duurzame economie door bedrijven te betrekken bij de regionale uitdagingen en hun eigen bestaansrecht.

We richten dit evenement in op basis van de vijf landelijke transitieagenda’s voor een circulaire economie:

• Bouw
• Biomassa en voedsel
• Maakindustrie
• Kunststoffen
• Consumptiegoederen

Innovatie, vaardigheden en digitalisering vormen de rode draad.
 
Vrijdag 4 oktober is gericht op de bedrijven (klein, midden- en grootbedrijf), overheden en kennisinstellingen.

Zaterdag 5 oktober is bedoeld voor inwoners uit de regio die de rol van leerling, werknemer en consument vervullen.

Schrijf je nu in via onze website en neem deel!

Je hebt het vast gemerkt: de bouw heeft te maken met veel uitdagingen en is continu in ontwikkeling. Wil jij weten hoe je deze ontwikkelingen in je voordeel kunt gebruiken om die uitdagingen aan te gaan?

BouwLab R&Do biedt via de Smart Makers Academy een volledig verzorgde cursusdag aan, waarop je kennismaakt met nieuwe technologie in de bouw en leert hoe jij dit kunt toepassen. Ontdek hoe nieuwe technologieën zoals Artificial Intelligence (AI), 3D-printing en robotica jouw bedrijf vooruit kunnen brengen.

Artificial Intelligence komt steeds vaker voor in het bedrijfsleven. Tijdens deze dag vertellen we je over allerlei mogelijke toepassingen van AI. Bijvoorbeeld hoe het kan helpen bij het schrijven van tenders? Hoe bespaar je tijd met parametrische ontwerpsoftware? En hoe kun je drones inzetten op jouw bouwplaats?

Machineonderdelen, bouwmaterialen en zelfs hele gebouwen: als je het kunt bedenken, kun je het printen! We nemen je mee in de wereld van 3D printing. Met welke materialen kun je printen? Wat is hiervoor nodig? We leren je hoe je snel en laagdrempelig aan de slag kunt met 3D-printing technologie.

Ook onderzoeken we de kansen van het gebruik van robotica in de bouw. Wat voor verschillende robots en cobots zijn er? En voor welke taken kun je ze inzetten? Denk bijvoorbeeld aan het automatisering van bouwprocessen, het uitvoeren van repetitieve taken en het verhogen van de veiligheid op de bouwplaats. Hoe integreer je robots in jouw werk? En hoe train je personeel om met deze nieuwe technologieën te werken?

Kortom: een dag vol technologische vooruitgang. Wil jij ook vooroplopen in de bouwsector van de toekomst? Schrijf je dan nu in voor deze cursusdag en ontdek hoe nieuwe technologieën jouw bedrijf toekomstbestendig maken!

Deelname aan de cursusdag bedraagt €450.
De dag duurt van 09:00 tot 17:00 uur.

A smart city is made out of connected objects. Sometimes we buy already-made "smart" objects, but it's also possible (...and really quite easy indeed) to make them ourselves.

In this hands-on workshop we’ll quickly cover the basics of microcontrollers and then we’ll work together to create your very own interactive object. It’ll even be able to connect to the Internet!

Specifically, we’ll be focusing on making a motion-activated light component. With your learnings you’ll easily be able to take the next steps to using other real-world inputs to invoke other real-world outputs.

With your ticket (€50-) you’ll get your own electronic components set (to take home with you after the workshop) and together we’ll hook them up to your computer and program them. This includes an ESP32 microcontroller, a PIR motion sensor, LED lights and all required jumper and USB cables.

Absolute beginners are more than welcome! This workshop will involve some basic programming, and if you don’t have any experience or this sounds intimidating, rest assured that you won’t need to write any code yourself and you can simple copy paste your way to interactivity.

Note: Discounted Stadspas tickets are also available - please get in touch with me for more information on this.

In a series of 3 workshops we want to help you in setting up Ollama and running your local LLM’s. Being able to run a Large Language Model locally has a lot of advantages, next to not paying for a pro plan or API costs, it also means not sharing your chat data.

Thanks to recent developments ('quantization') we now have models like Mistral 8x7B that run on your laptop! There are also many products that support you in running, creating and sharing LLM’s locally with a command line, like the open source app Ollama.

Workshop 1/3 (April 17th); getting started
Workshop 2/3 (May 15th); making the most of Ollama on a variety of devices
Workshop 3/3 (June 19th); finetuning your LLM

Until recently, optimists would say "in a few years." Nobody believes that anymore, except for Egon Musk. The number of - so far small - incidents involving robot taxis is increasing to such an extent that the cities where these taxis operate on a modest scale, San Francisco in particular, want to take action.

Europe vs USA

In any case, it will take a long time before robotaxis are commonplace in Europe. There are two major differences between the US and Europe when it comes to transportation policy.
In the US, each state can individually determine when autonomous vehicles can hit the road. In Europe, on the other hand, a General Safety Regulation has been in force since June 2022 that applies to all countries. This states, among other things, that a driver must maintain control of the vehicle at all times. Strict conditions apply to vehicles without a driver: separate lanes, short routes on traffic-calmed parts of the public road and always with a 'safety driver' on board.
The second difference is that in the US 45% of all residents do not have public transport available. In Europe you can get almost anywhere by public transport, although the frequency is low in remote areas. Governments say they want to further increase accessibility by public transport, even if this is at the expense of car traffic. To this end, they want an integrated transport policy, a word that is virtually unknown in the US.

Integrated transport policy

In essence, integrated transport policy is the offering of a series of transport options that together result in (1) the most efficient, safe and convenient satisfaction of transport needs, (2) reduction of the need to travel over long distances (including via the '15- minutes city') and (3)  minimal adverse effects on the environment and the quality of life, especially in the large cities. In other words, transport is part of policy aimed at improving the quality of the living environment.
Integrated transport policy assesses the role of vehicle automation in terms of their contribution to these objectives. A distinction can be made between the automation of passenger cars (SAE level 1-3) and driverless vehicles (SEA level 4-5).

Automation of passenger cars

Systems such as automatic lane changes, monitoring distance and speed, and monitoring the behavior of other road users are seen as contributing to road safety. However, the driver always remains responsible and must therefore be able to take over steering at any time, even if the car does not emit a (disengagement) signal. Eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.

Driverless cars

'Hail-riding' will result in growth of traffic in cities because the number of car kilometers per user increases significantly, at the expense of walking, cycling, public transport and to a much lesser extent the use of private cars. Sofar, the number of people who switch from their own car to 'hail-riding' is minimal. The only way to reverse this trend is to impose heavy taxes on car kilometers in urban areas. On the other hand, the use of robot shuttles is beneficial in low-traffic areas and on routes from residential areas to a station. Shuttles are also an excellent way to reduce car use locally. For example, in the extensive Terhills resort in Genk, Belgium, where people leave their cars in the parking lot and transfer to autonomous shuttles that connect the various destinations on the site with high frequency.
 
A few months ago (April 2023), I read that Qbus in the Netherlands wants to experiment with 18-meter-long autonomous buses, for the time being accompanied by a 'safety driver'. Routes on bus lanes outside the busiest parts of the city are being considered. Autonomous metros and trains have been running in various cities, including London, for years. It is this incremental approach that we will need in the coming years instead of dreaming about getting into an autonomous car, where a made bed awaits us and we wakes us rested 1000 kilometers away. Instead of overcrowded roads with moving beds, we are better off with a comfortable and well-functioning European network of fast (sleeper) trains on a more modern rail infrastructure and efficient and convenient pre- and post-transport.

 
The photograph above is misleading. Reading a book instead of watching the road is not allowed in any country, unless the car is parked.
 
For more than a decade, car manufacturers have been working on technology to take over driver's actions. A Lot  of money has been invested in this short period and many optimistic expectations have been raised, but no large-scale implementation of the higher SAE levels resulted so far. Commercial services with robotaxi’s are scarce and still experimental.  

The changing tide

Especially in the period 2015 - 2018, the CEOs of the companies involved cheered about the prospects; soon after, sentiment changed. In November 2018, Waymo CEO John Krafcik said that the spread of autonomous cars is still decades away and that driving under poor circumstances and in overcrowded cities will always require a human driver. Volkswagen's CEO said fully self-driving cars "may never" hit public roads.
The companies involved are therefore increasingly concerned about the return on the $100 billion invested in the development of car automation until the end of 2021. The end of the development process is not yet in sight. Much has been achieved, but the last 20% of the journey to the fully autonomous car will require the most effort and much more investment. Current technology is difficult to perfect. “Creating self-driving robotaxi is harder than putting a man on the moon,” said Jim Farley, CEO of Ford, after terminating Argo, the joint venture with Volkswagen, after the company had invested $100 million in it.
 
The human brain can assess complex situations on the road much better than any machine. Artificial intelligence is much faster, but its accuracy and adaptability still leave much to be desired. Driverless cars struggle with unpredictability caused by children, pedestrians, cyclists, and other human-driven cars as well as with potholes, detours, worn markings, snow, rain, fog, darkness and so on. This is also the opinion of Gabriel Seiberth, CEO of the German computer company Accenture, and he advises the automotive industry to focus on what is possible. Carlo van de Weijer, director of Artificial Intelligence at TU Eindhoven, agrees: “There will not be a car that completely takes over all our tasks.”
Elon Musk, on the other hand, predicted that by 2020 all Tesla’s will have SEA level 5 thanks to the new Full Self Driving Chip. In 2023 we know that its performance is indeed impressive. Tesla may therefore be the first car to be accredited at SAE level 3. That is not yet SAE level 5. The question is whether Elon Musk minds that much!  

The priorities of the automotive industry

For established automotive companies, the priority is to sell as many cars as possible and not to make a driver redundant. The main objective is therefore to achieve SAE levels 2 and possibly 3. The built-in functions such as automatic lane changing, keeping distance, and passing will contribute to the safe use of cars, if drivers learn to use them properly. Research shows that drivers are willing to pay an average of around $2,500 for these amenities. That is different from the $15,000 that the beta version of Tesla's Full Self Driving system costs.
The automotive industry is in a phase of adjusting expectations, temporizing investments, downsizing involved business units, and looking for partnerships. GM and Honda are collaborating on battery development; BMW, Volkswagen and Daimler are in talks to share R&D efforts for autonomous vehicles; and Ford and VW have stopped developing an autonomous car and are working together on more realistic ambitions.  

Safety issues at SAE level 3

But even with a focus on SAE level 3, the problems do not go away. The biggest safety problem may well lie at this level. Elon Musk has suggested for years that Tesla's autopilot would allow drivers to read a book or watch a movie. All they must do is stay behind the wheel. They must be able to take control of the car if the automatic system indicates that it can no longer handle the situation. Studies in test environments show that in this case the reaction time of drivers is far too long to prevent disaster. An eye on the road and a hand on the wheel is still mandatory everywhere in the world, except in  few paces for cars accredited at SEA level 4 under specified conditions.
The assumption is that the operating system is so accurate that it indicates in time that it considers the situation too complex. But there are still many doubts as to whether these systems themselves are sufficiently capable of properly assessing the situation on the road at all times. Recent research from King's College London showed that pedestrian detection systems are 20% more accurate when dealing with white adults than when dealing with children and 7.5% more accurate when dealing with white people compared to people with dark skin.
In the next post I will go into more detail about the legislation and what the future may bring.

You still can download for free my newest e-book '25 building blocks to create better streets, neighborhoods and cities' by following the link below

Since mid-2022, Cruise and Waymo have been allowed to offer a ride-hailing service without a safety driver in a quiet part of San Francisco from 11pm to 6am. The permit has now been extended to the entire city throughout the day. The company has 400 cars and Waymo 250. So far, it has not been an unqualified success.  

A turbulent start

In a hilarious incident, an empty taxi was pulled over by police; it stopped properly, but kept going after a few seconds, leaving the officers wondering if they should give chase. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating this incident, as well as several others involving Cruise taxis stalling at intersections, and the Fire Department reports 60 incidents involving autonomous taxis.

Pending further investigation, both companies are only allowed to operate half of their fleet. In addition to the fire department and public transport companies, trade unions are also opposed to the growth of autonomous taxis. California's governor has rejected the objections, fearing that BigTech will swap the state for more car-friendly ones. It is expected that autonomous taxis will gradually enter all major US cities, at a rate just below that of Uber and Lyft.
 
Cruise has already hooked another big fish: In the not-too-distant future, the company will be allowed to operate autonomous taxis in parts of Dubai.
The number of autonomous taxi services in the world can still be counted on one hand. Baidu has been offering ride-hailing services in Wuhan since December 2022, and robot taxis have been operating in parts of Shenzen since then.
Singapore was the first city in the world to have several autonomous taxis operating on a very small scale. These were developed by nuTonomy, an MIT spin-off, but the service is still in an experimental phase. Another company, Mobileye, also plans to start operating in Singapore this year.
The same company announced in 2022 that it would launch a service in Germany in 2023 in partnership with car rental company Sixt 6, but nothing more has been heard. A survey by JD Power found that almost two-thirds of Germans do not trust 'self-driving cars'. But that opinion could change quickly if safety is proven and the benefits become clear.  

What is it like to drive a robotaxi?

Currently, the group of robotaxi users is still small, mainly because the range is limited in space and time. The first customers are early adopters who want to experience the ride.
 
Curious readers: Here you can drive a Tesla equipped with the new beta 1.4 self-driving system, and here you can board a robotaxi in Shenzhen.
 
The robotaxis work by hailing: You use an app to say where you are and where you want to go, and the computer makes sure the nearest taxi picks you up. Meanwhile, you can adjust the temperature in the car and tune in to your favourite radio station.
Inside the car, passengers will find tablets with information about the journey. They remind passengers to close all doors and fasten their seatbelts. Passengers can communicate with remote support staff at the touch of a button. TV cameras allow passengers to watch. Passengers can end the journey at any time by pressing a button. If a passenger forgets to close the door, the vehicle will do it for them.
The price of a ride in a robotaxi is just below the price of a ride with Uber or Lyft. The price level is strongly influenced by the current high purchase price of a robotaxi, which is about $175,000 more than a regular taxi. Research shows that people are willing to give up their own cars if robotaxis are available on demand and the rides cost significantly less than a regular taxi. But then the road is open for a huge increase in car journeys, CO2 emissions and the cannibalisation of public transport, which I previously called the horror scenario.  

Roboshuttles

In some cities, such as Detroit, Austin, Stockholm, Tallinn and Berlin, as well as Amsterdam and Rotterdam, minibuses operate without a driver, but usually with a safety officer on board. They are small vehicles with a maximum speed of 25 km/h, which operate in the traffic lane or on traffic-calmed streets and follow a fixed route. They are usually part of pilot projects exploring the possibilities of this mode of transport as a means of pre- and post-transport.

Free download

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Join us on 15 December for our annual ThingsCon event powered by CLICKNL. Participate in interactive sessions, be inspired by the keynotes, and view the thought-provoking projects in our exhibitions. And most of all, meet each other!

True to ThingsCon mission, we focus on a theme that we feel resonates with current developments and discussions that explore and promote the development of fair, responsible, and human-centric technologies for the IoT and beyond; our current working theme is <em>‘Un</em>/i<em>ntended Consequences’</em>. Read more on our website.

Friday 15 December will be our main conference day. With a mix of: interactive sessions, inspiring keynotes, pitches from the community and an inspiring design exhibition.

• Opening and closing keynote by Maria Luce Lupetti (TU Delft) and Bas van de Poel (Modem)
• 12 interactive sessions in two rounds
• Short project pitches
• Exhibition with the best design student work and case-studies from practitioners.
• Meet fellow participants during lunch and breaks, ending with drinks

Find more details on the program page!

In an autonomous car from SAE level 4, perception equipment – the eyes and ears – and software take over human brain functions. This requires accurate maps, laser, radar, lidar and cameras. The lidar, which means 'detect light and range', works in conjunction with the car's cameras. This system pulses laser waves to map the distance to objects day and night, up to up to 100 meters with an accuracy of a few centimeters. The price of all this equipment is between €150,000 and €200,000. The lidar is a high-cost item, although this system is becoming increasingly cheaper due to industrial production. Together, these tools build a four-dimensional image of the environment, and all functions of the moving car are controlled using stored software and communications in the cloud.  

Google/Waymo

Google's X-lab began developing an autonomous car in 2009. In 2016, the company had already completed more than 1.5 million test kilometers and spent $1.1 billion on the development of an autonomous car. The company previously used a self-developed model ('the firefly', see photo). The company then deployed converted Chrysler Pacifica Hybrids, and these will be exchanged for fully electric Jaguar I-Pace cars.
In 2016, Google's parent company Alphabet parlayed autonomous car developments into a new company called Waymo (derived from "a new way of mobility").  

General motorcycles/cruise

Cruise was founded in 2013 with the intention of developing a self-driving car. In 2016, General Moters acquired the company for an amount of $500 million. To date, the company has completed 700,000 test miles in San Francisco's urban environment with no fatalities.

Uber

In 2016, Uber began working with Volvo to develop an autonomous car that could serve as a taxi. The company had acquired software manufacturer Otto for a net $600 million. The company predicted that there will be 75,000 self-driving cars on the road by 2019. That became zero. During the test phase, the company experienced several accidents, including one with a fatal outcome. In addition, Waymo became a target of data theft, a case that was decided in Waymo's favor by the court. Uber therefore had to pay damages of €250 million (in shares). This led to the departure of Uber founder Travis Kalanick. His successor, Dara Khosrowshahi, has put the development of an autonomous car on the back burner. It was recently announced that Uber has signed a contract with Waymo to use this company's autonomous cars in the future.  

Tesla

Until recently, the use of lidar was not possible due to the high costs for car manufacturers that opt for accreditation at SAE level 3. Tesla therefore equipped its cars exclusively with radar, cameras and computer vision. The latter means that all driving Teslas transmit camera images of traffic and the way in which motorists react to 'the cloud'. The company has been developing these images with artificial intelligence for years. It prides itself on the fact that its cars have rules of conduct for every conceivable traffic situation.
The development of the Tesla was accompanied by high expectations but also by many accidents, some of which were fatal. Last year, Tesla made available a beta version of the FSD ("Full Self Driving") software package for a price of $15,000. However, the company had to recall as many as 362,000 cars under the authority of the Traffic Safety Administration because this package was encouraging illegal driving. It looks like that these issues have been resolved and some experts have suggested that Tesla will be able to qualify for accreditation at least at SEA Level 3. This still has to happen.  

Ford and Volkswagen

These companies threw in the towel in 2022 and unplugged Argo, a company that was supposed to develop an autonomous car to provide SAE level 4 taxi services. Instead, both companies announced focusing on the SAE levels 2 and 3, like most auto makers.
 
According to analysts at AlixPartners, the industry has invested $100 billion in developing car automation by 2023, in addition to $250 billion in development of electric cars. I will discus the profitability of these investments later.