Ride AI

For the inaugural episode of the new Ride AI podcast, author and analyst Ed Niedermeyer discusses the hype and disillusionment surrounding several new mobility technologies—namely autonomous vehicles—with Mike Ramsey, a vice president at Gartner. Ramsey explains the five parts of a hype cycle, including the innovation trigger and the trough of disillusionment, and provides historical analysis for where he believes autonomy is today on the road to mass adoption. Ed and Mike discuss the concept of the five-part "hype cycle" in technology adoption: innovation trigger, peak of inflated expectations, trough of disillusionment, slope of enlightenment, and plateau of productivity. The "slope of enlightenment" is explained as the phase where technologies become useful and start to see real-world applications. Autonomy in vehicles, while not profitable yet, is advancing (especially in robotaxis) Meanwhile autonomous technology is diffusing into other industries like agriculture, mining, and construction, where simple design domains allow for easier implementation. Despite challenges, significant investment in autonomy has advanced technologies like vision systems and edge AI. The hype surrounding autonomy is similar to that of other emerging technologies like generative AI, which may have significant impacts but will likely manifest in smaller, more practical applications initially. Media attention tends to focus on hype, but the most significant advancements often occur quietly, requiring deliberate effort to discover and understand. ⌲ Subscribe to our free newsletter to stay on the forefront of the intersection of AI and mobility 👉 https://rideai.beehiiv.com/

Prabin and Augustin discuss the Tier and Dott merger in the micromobility industry. Augustin predicts more consolidation with companies like Bold, Lime, and Voi. They explore software-defined vehicles and AVs in Europe, noting the lag behind the US and China. The potential for government support to advance AVs and shared mobility.

Apple is reportedly exiting the car industry to focus on software and mobility services. The company's strengths in software and user experience may be better applied to smart accessories and micromobility. The growing demand for sustainable transportation and urbanization trends align with Apple's transition. Smartphones are already integrated with cars through Apple CarPlay, and AI could enhance mobility experiences. Apple's secretive innovation and embrace of AI technology promise personalized, artificial worlds through the retina. The importance of accident prevention in wearable technology, such as Apple's devices, is emphasized for cyclist safety. The potential features of Apple's upcoming product, Apple Vision Pro, could revolutionize driving experiences with advanced sensors and navigation overlays.

On this episode of Ride On! we are talking with Tyson Roehrkasse, the Chief Reviewer at our sister company, Ride Review. Tyson has been with us now for around 4 months and comes from a tremendous background in electric bike reviews, with the majority of his time spent working with Electric Bike Review, the OG of the ebike review space.  Highlights: - 🚲 Reviews play a crucial role in the success of small electrical vehicles, with online reviews impacting pre-orders, investments, and revenue. - 🛵 The importance of local dealers and retailers in providing better customer experience and service for e-bike buyers. - 🌐 The rise of influencers in the scooter and one-wheel market, focusing on lifestyle and fun rather than technical attributes and formal reviews. We also use this episode to make some announcements around Ride AI, a platform covering all the technology that moves us. We have started with a newsletter, you can subscribe at http://rideai.org and very soon we will be launching a Ride AI podcast with Ed Neidemeyer who has tirelessly covered the AV and vehicle tech landscape for over 15 years now. Finally, as part of the new launch, we will also be announcing our Ride AI Conference in Costa Mesa, CA the week of November 11th that will also coincide with Micromobility America.  So big news there is 1) a new event Ride AI highlighting all the technology that moves us with our first ever event along with Micromobility America moving from the Bay Area to Southern California.  Why Southern California? On top of the being the largest market in the United States for small electric vehicles we also think it represents the renaissance happening in the hard tech world both as it relates to AI and mobility. SoCal is home to incredible mobility history like Hughes AirForce Base, the first west coast refineries from Rockefeller and now home to SpaceX and many startups looking to change the way we move.  We hope you buy tickets and join us at the event, go to Micromobility.io to learn more about it.

Arnold Kamler, CEO of Kent International, discusses the evolution of his family's three generations of the bicycle business, from retail to wholesale, adapting to market trends, challenges during the financial crisis and COVID-19, manufacturing in the US, Europe, and China, and remaining resilient in the dynamic industry that has now gone electric.

In an emergency podcast episode, guest Prabin Joel Jones and James Gross discuss Bird's bankruptcy and the challenges faced by shared micromobility companies. They explore the implications for the industry and opportunities for new companies. Topics include market entry strategies, scooter lifespan, competitive advantages, and potential acquisitions.

Oliver Bruce is back for this episode! Upway is an innovative company in the e-bike marketplace, specializing in the refurbishment and resale of electric bikes. Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Paris, France, Upway has made significant strides in the e-bike industry. Toussaint Wattinne, the CEO and co-founder of Upway, along with co-founder Stéphane Ficaja, have backgrounds in leading roles at Uber Eats, bringing their expertise in tech-driven business models to the e-bike industry. The company is notable for refurbishing and certifying a vast array of electric bikes, offering customers a wide selection of over 400 brands. As of March 2023, Upway had refurbished and certified more than 20,000 electric bikes, showcasing its commitment to providing quality and sustainable transportation options. The company has successfully expanded its services beyond France, with availability in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States. This expansion is a testament to the growing demand for sustainable and affordable mobility solutions. Upway's approach to e-bike sales centers around a seamless ordering and delivery process, ensuring that the bikes and their batteries are of high quality and safe for use. This business model has attracted notable investors like Sequoia Capital, Global Founders Capital, Exor Seeds, and Origins, contributing to Upway's impressive total funding of $60.6 million. Highlights 🚲 Upway, a company specializing in selling refurbished electric bikes, has successfully raised over $30 million in Series B funding. 🌍 Founded in 2021 and based in Paris, Upway has expanded to Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States. 🔄 They have refurbished over 20,000 electric bikes from more than 400 brands, offering up to 35% discount compared to new bikes. 🛠️ Upway's business model focuses on rebuilding trust in the used ebike market by refurbishing bikes to a high standard and offering a one-year warranty. 📈 Despite initial skepticism, the market demand for used ebikes has been strong, with Upway receiving high customer satisfaction ratings. 🤝 Upway collaborates with over 1500 retailers and ebike dealers, using trading software for customer trade-ins and managing returns for D2C manufacturers. 📊 The business mix varies by region, with a significant portion of sourcing in Europe coming from dealers, while in the US, direct consumer purchases and manufacturer returns play a larger role.

Melvin Lian is the Founder and CEO of @VoroMotors . He discusses his company's journey, from its beginnings in Singapore to its current base in Los Angeles. Melvin detailed the challenges he faced in Singapore, including strict regulations that culminated in an overnight ban on scooters. Melvin also talks about the company's innovations in seated scooters, its distribution of Kaboo and Dualtron scooters, as well as its own EMOVE line of vehicles. Highlights - 🛴 Melvin Lim, founder and CEO of Voro Motors, explained how the firm began in Singapore due to the city's need for convenient and portable e-scooters. - ⚖️ He explained the various laws in Singapore that gradually constrained scooter usage, leading to an unexpected overnight ban on scooters in 2019. - 🖊️ Following this, Melvin made the decision to move operations to Los Angeles where he believed the desire for e-scooter use was increasing. - 🚀 In L.A. they primarily sold their own models, the Emove Cruiser and the Emove Touring, however consumer demand led to them also distributing dula motor scooters by other brands like Kaboo and Dualtron. - 🌍 Despite the challenges from strict regulations and sudden changes in operating environments, Voro Motors has successfully adapted and grown, serving different customer bases with varied products.

Automotive journalist and author Ed Niedermeyer discusses with Waymo how autonomous vehicles can improve cyclist safety in cities like San Francisco. The panel emphasizes the importance of infrastructure and social norms for cyclist safety. Waymo team members explain their role in automating driving tasks and the need for autonomous vehicles to respect human needs. The discussion also includes the evolution of San Francisco as a bike-friendly city and the challenges of sharing the road with different types of road users.

At Micromobility America 2023, policymakers and fire-safety experts discuss why li-ion batteries in ebikes and scooters are suddenly catching on fire and how cities can minimize the risk - Panelists include Tristan Brown, Deputy Administrator of the Pipeline Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA), Jason Levine, the Executive Director of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and Laura Kavanagh, the FDNY Fire Commissioner. - The discussion focuses on the challenges and safety concerns related to lithium-ion batteries in micromobility vehicles, particularly in densely populated areas like New York City. - Commissioner Kavanagh highlights the unique challenges faced by the FDNY in a delivery-intensive city like New York, including issues with battery charging and swapping - Deputy Administrator Brown emphasizes that the problem extends beyond micromobility and is related to the misuse of batteries in general. - The discussion also touches on the underground economy surrounding battery charging, DIY conversion kits and the need for safety regulations and certifications. - The panelists express the importance of public safety and innovation coexisting and working towards safe solutions.