Driving Behavior by Design: MIT CSAIL Professor Sam Madden on the Science of Safer Roads with AI

Can your phone make you a safer driver? Or is it part of the problem? MIT CSAIL Professor Sam Madden shares the origin story of Cambridge Mobile Telematics, a CSAIL spinout using smartphones and AI to prevent car crashes and save lives. In this episode, Professor Madden joins host Kara Miller to explore how accelerometers, algorithms, and well-timed incentives are transforming how we understand and improve driver behavior. Professor Madden reflects on surprising data trends, like why crash rates haven’t fallen despite better car tech, and how the ubiquitous smartphone became a key tool for reducing risk on the road. He also dives into how generative AI is reshaping software development, what it means for education and programming skills, and why trust and privacy remain top concerns when deploying AI across sensitive industries. Covering distracted driving, autonomous vehicles, behavioral nudges, and business infrastructure, Professor Madden reveals what’s working and where the road ahead leads. Topics include: The history of Cambridge Mobile Telematics The realities of traffic accidents How your phone can track your driving safety Turning your data into a narrative The corrosive effects of phones Learn more about Professor Madden on his website: https://db.csail.mit.edu/madden/ Or his CSAIL page: https://www.csail.mit.edu/person/sam-madden Read our case study on Cambridge Mobile Telematics: https://cap.csail.mit.edu/sites/default/files/2023-05/CMT_Case%20Study%20Template_2022.pdf Connect with CSAIL Alliances: On our site: https://cap.csail.mit.edu/about-us/meet-our-team On X: https://x.com/csail_alliances On LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/mit-csail