AI in Automotive - #405 - Andrew Fleury, CEO Luna Systems and Chris Tingley, CEO EVWare
Dec 14, 2023
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On this episode, CEOs of Luna Systems and EVWare discuss how AI is transforming cities. Luna Systems uses computer vision to make micromobility safer, while EVWare brings high-tech features to vehicles. They explore challenges in large metropolitan areas, the impact of technology on city planning, and the importance of improving safety in two-wheelers.
Luna Systems and EVWear are using AI to enhance mobility and make cities safer and more sustainable.
AI can play a crucial role in shaping the future of cities by promoting active travel, appropriate transport usage, and smarter infrastructure.
Deep dives
Using AI to Make Cities Safer and Smarter
Luna Systems and EVWear are using the power of artificial intelligence to make cities safer, smarter, and more sustainable. Luna Systems, led by CEO Andrew Fleury, uses computer vision capabilities to enhance mobility by placing cameras on micro-mobility scooters. The data collected helps improve safety and identifies areas where infrastructure changes are needed. Meanwhile, EVWear, headed by CEO Chris, focuses on providing a hardware and software platform that enables manufacturers to incorporate high-tech features and functionalities in various vehicles. Their goal is to make vehicles safe, connected, and intelligent. Both companies contribute to enhancing the future of cities by leveraging AI and data-driven insights.
The Evolving City Landscape
As cities face various challenges such as inequality and aging infrastructure, the role of AI in shaping their future becomes crucial. AI can help cities evolve by promoting active travel, appropriate transport usage, and smarter infrastructure. The CEO of Luna Systems, Andrew Fleury, emphasizes cities transitioning to environmentally friendly transportation options like bikes and scooters, with infrastructure designed to support these choices. Additionally, data analysis from companies like Luna Systems and EVWear can pinpoint areas for improvement, such as protected bike lanes and smarter road layouts, ultimately creating safer, greener, and more efficient cities.
Technology Challenges in Urban Planning
Cities face both cultural and technological challenges when it comes to adopting AI and implementing smart mobility solutions. Culturally, governments and city authorities need to shift towards data-driven decision-making and collaborate with innovative startups like Luna Systems and EVWear. From a technological perspective, data collection and analysis through computer vision and machine learning can inform cities of mobility patterns, risks, and safety improvements. By investing in these technologies, cities stand to save millions while making significant strides in reducing fatalities, improving infrastructure, and ultimately creating a more secure and efficient urban environment.
Behavior Change and Future Goals
Changing behavior plays a vital role in creating safer and more sustainable cities. The use of AI technology, data analysis, and city initiatives are ways to encourage behavior change. Luna Systems and EVWear emphasize behavior change alongside technological advancements. Luna Systems focuses on making safety a priority, while EVWear seeks to democratize access to advanced vehicle features, such as intelligent driving capabilities. Incentive structures like insurance premiums linked to safe driving and distance-based pricing for micro-mobility options are additional strategies to promote behavior change. The shared goal is to leverage technology, data, and influence to reshape cities into safer, interconnected, and cleaner urban spaces.
Since the beginning of time, cities have been incredibly important to civilization. Today, the World Bank estimates that cities contribute 80% of global GDP. Cities are central to our growth and prosperity, but every single major city in the world is facing challenges ranging from poor air quality to creaking infrastructure.
So how do cities evolve to prepare for the future? And what role does AI play in this evolution?
On this unique episode of the AI in Automotive Podcast, I invited the CEOs of two companies that are enabling our cities to become safer, smarter and more sustainable using the power of artificial intelligence.
Andrew Fleury is the CEO of Luna Systems, a company that is making mobility smarter using their computer vision capabilities. They are putting cameras on micromobility scooters, and using AI to help micromobility operators give their riders a safer experience.
Chris Tingley runs EVWare, a company whose hardware and software platform makes vehicles safe, connected and intelligent. They do this by bringing high-tech features and functionality to vehicles of all shapes and sizes, including micromobility scooters.
The modern city generates bucketloads of data. It has been for a while now. Till a few years back, there was limited use for this data. Perhaps the quality of data was suboptimal. Perhaps it was in a form that was not adequately usable to identify patterns and generate insights. Maybe we did not have enough tools and infrastructure to leverage this data.
All that is changing fast. With the rise of AI and the commoditisation of cloud infrastructure, the data that cities generate carries immense potential in improving decision making and crashing decision time by orders of magnitude. Companies like Luna Systems and EVWare are - in their own way - creating a collaborative ecosystem of partners that can make our cities smarter, safer and more sustainable.
I hope you enjoy listening to my chat with Andrew and Chris. If you do, go ahead and rate the AI in Automotive Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.