Passport’s Picks of the Week
As the transportation industry continues to make waves, this weeks installment of Passport’s Picks of the Week is a compilation of autonomous semi-trucks, a hoverboard that exceeds 100mph, and how Disney’s Zootopia is the perfect depection of the transportation landscape. Get the latest news in the tech industry below:
$30K Retrofit Turns Dumb Semis Into Self-Driving Robots
Autonomous cars have been deemed ‘sexy’, however, the real beauty are autonomous semi-trucks. Not only would they make driving safer and less polluted, but they’d even make deliveries cheaper. Just a year ago, Daimler unveiled the first autonomous semi-truck and now Volvo is following suit. Trucks deliver 70% of freight deliveries across the United States, but don’t expect to see them hitting the pavement until about 2025.
CA: Waze Tests Carpooling In Bay Area
Google mapping company tests out a carpooling feature in California’s Bay Area. The app is well-known for its ability to provide users with the best route to their destination by showing where accidents, detours, and road congestions are located. As Waze unveils its new Waze Rider app, carpooling will be available by invitation from select employers and employees. Like Uber and Lyft, Waze Rider will allow users to coordinate, track, communicate, and pay for fare through the app. Specifically, the Waze Rider is targeting Silicon Valley firms, however, since it’s in pilot mode – there’s no set future plans in store.
Google’s New Allo Messaging App Gets Its Edge From AI
Facebook has messaging apps, WhatsApp and Messenger. Apple has iMessage. Microsoft has Skype. Now Google has released its very own messaging app: Allo. Allo will be available via Android and Apple devices and word on the street is it’s smarter than most messaging apps, specifically using artificial intelligence services. Whether it’s successful or not, it’s a first step towards a new Google.
Mobile Utopia Is Just A Hop Away
Disney’s Zootopia is not that much different than the parking and transportation landscape. If you haven’t seen it, you need to. Now, Zootopia is an incredibly advanced city. Disney’s animators spared no expense in crafting a state-of-the-art city, bustling with all the new shiny innovations that modern software can dream up. Amidst this futuristic backdrop, here is a little bunny hopping along, using software that is available in the field today.
The Hoverboard Has Arrived. If Only Someone Could Make It Useful
The hoverboard is here to stay. The real question is if it will actually be useful. Franky Zapata’s Flyboard Air could be the next best thing to future innovations. With its ability to fly 100 mph and utilize an oxygen mask encouraging 10,000 feet. This hoverboard might just be bringing Back to the Future Part II to reality.