In this special episode, Roland and Anthony meet at QCon San Francisco to discuss Time and Travel. Roland presents three case studies where temporal misunderstandings in data science led to poor predictive performance. Anthony tells the story of how the first Transcontinental Railroad shortened travel times between the East and West Coasts of the United States, and how some practices in the construction of that railroad were similar to practices in today’s software industry.

Read a transcript of this interview: https://bit.ly/49DH9TN

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Transcript

Generally AI: Time to Travel

The MIT CSAIL Alliances Podcast is collaborating with MIT Sloan’s Me, Myself, and AI podcast to share a special bonus episode this month.

Paul Romer once considered himself the most optimistic economist. He rightfully predicted that technology would blow up as an economic driver coming out of the inflation of the 1970s, but acknowledges he did not foresee the inequality that technology advances would lead to.

On this episode of the Me, Myself, and AI podcast, Paul shares his views on AI advances and their implications for society. Rather than pave the way for full automation, he is a proponent of keeping humans in the loop and believes that technology can be pointed in a direction for more meaningful and beneficial use, citing education as an area ripe to benefit from AI.

More about CSAIL Alliances and our podcasts: csail.mit.edu/podcast

For more episodes from Me, Myself, and AI: https://sloanreview.mit.edu/audio-series/me-myself-and-ai/

Me, Myself & AI: AI Hype and Skepticism with Economist Paul Romer (Bonus Episode!)

This week on Monday's we're Han Solo, but don't let the smuggler fool you, we've got some great loot in the cargo hold.&nbsp; We chat about states focusing on shifting road funds to active transportation, a Brooklyn apartment building put together like a lego set, and a battery fire used to oppose batteries. Lots of great items this week, below are the show notes! &nbsp; Get the show ad free ! Show Notes: States push shift to active modes -  Apartment complex built like Lego -  State capacity crisis -  Paris roads car free -  Battery foes radicalized -  E-bike love -  User pay myth -  Bonds non taxable -  When climate adaptation goes private -  Minimalism suffocating architecture -  Clearing in the Woods -  Bonus Items Milwaukee could create transit authority -  Recycling buildings -  Amtrak CEO steps down -  Saving fireplace tiles -  Quick build Sacramento -  Sound transit picks Dow Constantine -  Bill for new transit authority in Charlotte -  Council member to FTA -  Rivian Spinoff -  +++ Follow us on Bluesky, Threads, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, Substack ...  Follow us on Mastadon&nbsp; Support the show on Patreon   on our Bookshop.org Affiliate site!&nbsp; And get our Cars are Cholesterol shirt at ! And everything else at  &nbsp;

Episode 168: Mondays at The Overhead Wire - Lego Not Legos

This week we’re joined by Kelly Porter, Assistant Director Tranportation &amp; Public Works for the City of Fort Worth.&nbsp;We talk about the city’s incredible growth, its first ever , plans for Panther Island and Butler Place as well as dreams for high speed rail. Get the show ad free ! Follow us on Bluesky, Threads, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, Substack ...  Follow us on Mastadon&nbsp; Support the show on Patreon   on our Bookshop.org Affiliate site!&nbsp; And get our Cars are Cholesterol shirt at ! And everything else at

Episode 527: Transportation at the Beginning of the Western Frontier

This week we’re listening in on a conversation hosted by  about the 2024 update to the California State Rail Plan. Adina Levin of Seamless Bay Area hosts Shannon Simonds Chief, Office of Rail Planning &amp; Implementation at Caltrans, Eric Goldwyn of the Marron Institute of Urban Management, and Adriana Rizzo of Californians for Electric Rail in discussion.&nbsp; Find the video of this discussion on .&nbsp; Find the slides from this discussion . +++  Get the show ad free ! Follow us on Bluesky, Threads, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, Substack ...  Follow us on Mastadon&nbsp; Support the show on Patreon   on our Bookshop.org Affiliate site!&nbsp; And get our Cars are Cholesterol shirt at ! And everything else at  &nbsp; &nbsp;

Episode 528: The California State Rail Plan

In this episode of Overdrive – Cars, Transport, Culture, David Brown is joined once again by motoring expert Paul Murrell from SeniorDriverAus.com to unpack the latest developments from the world of transport and automotive innovation.

News Highlights:

Autonomous Vehicle Emissions – An MIT study warns that the computing power required for self-driving cars could one day rival the energy consumption of today’s global data centres, unless hardware efficiency dramatically improves.

Light Truck Safety – ANCAP’s first-ever safety assessment of popular light trucks such as the Isuzu N-Series and Hino 300 Series reveals shortcomings in occupant protection and advanced safety features, despite their increasing road presence.

Cupra Tavascan – The Spanish-branded but Chinese-built EV earns four ANCAP stars, falling short in Safety Assist due to the absence of certain European-standard features in the Australian version.

UK Tariff Relief – A new Trump-led tariff cut could revitalise UK car exports, especially for Jaguar Land Rover, just as it prepares for its EV relaunch.

GM Celestiq – A bold move into the Rolls-Royce segment, GM reveals the Celestiq: an ultra-luxury, hand-built electric sedan with 42 speakers, adaptive glass roof, and virtual development tech.

Ferrari’s Electric Future – The iconic Italian marque sets a date for its first EV (October 2026) and patents technology to simulate the sound and feel of petrol-powered cars, aiming to preserve its legacy in a new electric era.

Toyota Tundra Platinum – Toyota adds a luxury twist to its full-size pickup lineup, combining rugged capability with premium features like massaging seats and a JBL sound system.

Discussion Point:
David explores the “Expertise Deficit” in public sector transport planning, highlighting a shift toward generalist management that undervalues deep, domain-specific knowledge—posing risks to effective infrastructure policy and procurement.

Road Test:
We get behind the wheel of the Mazda BT-50, examining its performance, features, and suitability for Australian conditions.

As always, you can find extended versions of our program, visuals, and more content across our platforms—just search for Cars Transport Culture on your favourite podcast app or social media.

First broadcast on 17 May 2025 on 99.3FM and syndicated nationally via the Community Radio Network.

Overdrive: Emissions, Safety, Electric Dreams – and the Disappearing Expertise

Our guests on this episode are Laura Major, CEO of Motional, and Sankaet Pathek, founder and CEO of Foundation.

Cohost Mike Oitzman interviews Laura Major, CEO of Motional, about its advancements in autonomous vehicle (AV) technology. Major discusses Motional's focus on AI and machine learning, emphasizing the shift from technical to business leadership. 
They have conducted pilot activities in Las Vegas and Pittsburgh, focusing on diverse environments to enhance their AV's generalizability. Major highlights the importance of simulation in development, combining it with real-world testing. 
Motional's AVs are electric, leveraging the Ionic 5 platform for efficiency. 
They have a strong safety record, with no at-fault accidents over 2 million miles. 
Regulatory frameworks vary by state, but they collaborate with local and state officials to improve deployment.
Learn more about Motion: https://motional.com/

In a conversation with Sankaet Pathek, the founder and CEO of Foundation, discusses the mission and vision behind his humanoid robot company. He shares insights into his background, the challenges and opportunities in the robotics industry, and the innovative technologies being developed at Foundation. 
The conversation highlights the importance of building a capable team, the focus on practical applications of humanoid robots, and the unique technological advancements that differentiate Foundation from competitors. 
In this conversation, Sankaet discusses the current state and future of humanoid robotics, focusing on automation in manufacturing, the integration of AI, safety considerations, and the challenges of scaling production. 
He emphasizes the importance of data in training AI models and the need for reliable hardware and software to ensure safety. Sankaet also shares insights on navigating the venture capital landscape and achieving cost efficiency in humanoid robots, while reflecting on the challenges of startup life.
Learn more about Foundation: https://foundation.bot/

Please like, subscribe, and share the show with a colleague.


The Road Ahead for Robotics: Insights from Motional's Major and Foundation's Pathak

If you’ve driven in Atlanta since April 2024, you’ve likely seen retrofitted Jaguar I-Pace vehicles navigating the streets without a driver behind the wheel. These robotaxis, operated by Waymo in partnership with Uber, are now available to passengers within a 65-square-mile area in the city. 

 

Atlanta is one of five cities in the U.S. to have access to the new ride option, but with plans to expand to seven by 2026, are the roads and riders ready for an autonomous future?

 

In the latest episode of Generating Buzz, Srinivas Peeta — director of the Autonomous and Connected Transportation Lab and the Frederick R. Dickerson Chair and Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering — shares his expertise on how Waymo’s systems differ from other vehicle manufacturers, how social media influences adoption of the new technology, and what comes next.

Generating Buzz: Your Driverless Ride Has Arrived

Welcome to **AI with Shaily**! 🎙️ Hosted by Shailendra Kumar, a passionate AI practitioner and author, this show dives deep into the latest breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, making complex tech topics easy to understand and practical for listeners.

In this episode, Shaily takes you on a thrilling ride inside the world of autonomous vehicles 🚗💨, focusing on how self-driving cars are evolving to navigate the chaotic and unpredictable urban jungle. Imagine yourself behind the wheel of a car that not only reacts but *predicts* the movements of pedestrians, vehicles, and sudden obstacles using cutting-edge sensor fusion technology. This means combining data from cameras, LiDAR, radar, and more to create a rich, real-time understanding of the environment.

The big leap? Moving beyond rigid, rule-based programming to smart machine learning models that continuously learn and improve. These systems get better with every mile driven and simulated test, handling tough conditions like fog 🌫️, rain 🌧️, and noisy sensor inputs that used to confuse autonomous cars. It’s like teaching a car to master a skill faster and more accurately than humans can.

Shaily shares a personal story about the early challenges of trusting machines to take the wheel and how today’s data-driven AI methods are bridging that trust gap. This progress is not just theoretical; it’s gaining recognition in prestigious places like the International Journal of Vehicle Design and sparking conversations on social media as of mid-2025.

For AI enthusiasts and developers, Shaily offers a golden nugget of advice: focus on integrating multiple sensor inputs rather than relying on just one. This fusion is the “secret sauce” 🥫 for building robust autonomous systems that can handle the unpredictable nature of real-world environments.

Before signing off, Shaily poses a thought-provoking question 🤔: As AI gets better at predicting and avoiding obstacles, how might this influence the design of future urban spaces? He invites listeners to share their thoughts and engage in the conversation.

To inspire everyone, Shaily quotes the legendary Alan Turing: *“We can only see a short distance ahead, but we can see plenty there that needs to be done.”* This perfectly captures the exciting journey of autonomous obstacle avoidance—a journey that’s well underway.

Don’t miss out on more insightful AI discussions—follow Shailendra Kumar on YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Medium. If you enjoyed the episode, hit subscribe and join the growing community of AI learners and innovators.

Thanks for tuning in to **AI with Shaily**! Stay curious, keep learning, and see you next time! 🤖✨

AI with Shaily: The Future of Self-Driving Cars and Smarter Obstacle Avoidance

Welcome back, everyone! 🎧 You’re tuned into *AI with Shaily,* hosted by Shailendra Kumar, where we explore the fascinating world of artificial intelligence. Today’s episode is all about a hot topic that’s got everyone talking—self-driving cars and whether we can truly trust them. 🚗🤖

Imagine stepping into your autonomous vehicle, ready for a smooth, hands-free ride, when a calm, familiar voice greets you—one that matches your gender and sounds like someone you know. Sounds comforting, right? A recent University of Michigan study revealed that when the voice of a self-driving car aligns with the driver’s gender and feels familiar, trust levels soar. It’s not just about the tech being reliable; it’s about creating an emotional bond, making the car feel like a trustworthy co-pilot instead of a cold, impersonal machine. 🗣️❤️

But trust goes beyond just voice personalization. Even though self-driving technology promises improved safety, many people remain skeptical. Concerns about system failures and hacking risks are common—and understandably so. Would you really hand over full control to a machine without transparency? Experts stress the importance of sharing clear safety data, comparing autonomous vehicle incidents with those involving human drivers to help ease fears. 📊🔒

Here’s an interesting insight: emotional trust in autonomous vehicles (AVs) is deeply tied to personal identity. For instance, self-proclaimed “car experts” tend to be more cautious about AVs. Simply making controls user-friendly doesn’t automatically increase trust. It turns out that human psychology plays a complex role in how we accept these futuristic rides. 🧠🚘

The younger generation, Gen Z, offers a revealing perspective. Nearly two-thirds of young drivers aren’t quite ready to embrace AVs, citing concerns about hacking and technical flaws. Yet, about one-third are optimistic and willing to try driverless cars. Even geography influences trust—urban and rural residents often have differing views on the technology. 🌆🌄

On the practical side, companies like Waymo are expanding their autonomous fleets, showing promising progress. Meanwhile, Tesla’s robotaxi trials are under intense scrutiny by regulators following some high-profile incidents, highlighting the ongoing challenges in the field. 🛣️⚖️

So why does all this matter? Because trust in self-driving cars isn’t just about algorithms or sensors—it’s about bridging an emotional and cognitive gap. Simple measures like personalized voices and openly sharing safety records can transform hesitant passengers into confident riders. 🤝✨

Here’s a bonus tip for anyone curious about AVs: start engaging with the technology gradually. Take test rides, explore virtual demos, and follow credible safety data releases. Trust builds with familiarity, and the more you interact thoughtfully, the more comfortable you’ll feel with these incredible machines. 🎮🚘

To wrap up, let me share a wise thought from AI pioneer Alan Turing: “We can only see a short distance ahead, but we can see plenty there that needs to be done.” Building trust in AI, including self-driving cars, is a journey—one careful step at a time. 🕰️🔍

Don’t forget to connect with me, Shailendra Kumar, on YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Medium. Join the conversation, share your thoughts on self-driving cars, and hit subscribe so you never miss the latest AI insights. Drop your comments—I love hearing from you! 💬👍

Thanks for tuning in to *AI with Shaily.* Until next time, keep wondering, keep questioning, and keep exploring the amazing world of artificial intelligence! 🤖🌟

Trusting the Wheel: Can We Really Rely on Self-Driving Cars?

Unlock the secrets of data mastery with Shailendra, a 27-year veteran in AI, ML, and Data Science, driving AU$ 6 Billion in transformative value. As the author of 'Making Money out of Data,' their strategies redefine digital success. With expertise honed at IBM and Accenture, they drive innovation and data monetization. Explore how loyalty programs like Flybuys and Everyday Rewards revolutionize business—connect with Shaily today.

MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) Alliances serves as a gateway into the lab for industry and governmental institutions seeking a closer connection to the work, researchers, and students of CSAIL. Our podcast aims to provide inside access to topics covered by CSAIL and other leaders advancing computer science and AI research.

Software engineers, architects and team leads have found inspiration to drive change and innovation in their team by listening to the weekly InfoQ Podcast. They have received essential information that helped them validate their software development map. We have achieved that by interviewing some of the top CTOs, engineers and technology directors from companies like Uber, Netflix and more. Over 1,200,000 downloads in the last 3 years.

Overdrive: Cars, Transport and Culture.

A weekly radio program featuring motoring & transport news from Australia & around the world, road tests, feature interviews & quirky stories.

David Brown is a respected motoring broadcaster heard online and across Australia on commercial, public and community radio.

Join Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman each week for discussions with leading roboticists, innovative robotics companies, and other key members of the robotics community.

New tracks tagged #autonomous vehicles