Wired magazine
Transportation Editor at Wired magazine
PROFILE
Alex Davies
Guest
FROM Alex Davies
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Uber self-driving car kills pedestrian in Arizona An Uber self-driving car hit a woman crossing the street Sunday night in Tempe, Arizona. She later died at the hospital. Now Uber’s autonomous program is being suspended -- again. What does it all mean for Uber’s business, and the future of self-driving cars?
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Traffic bringing you down? Consider Uber's flying cars The company that revolutionized the taxi world and introduced self-driving cars in Pittsburgh now wants to introduce flying cars within a decade. Is it possible?
To the Point
Federal government unveils self-driving car guidelines You may not see self-driving cars in your neighborhood -- unless you're in Pittsburgh. But federal regulators are already developing guidelines for a revolutionary technology. They aren't yet common on American streets and highways, but they're on their way to becoming major factors in our national transportation system. Jeffrey Zeintz, Director of the National Economic Council, joined Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx to unveil the new guidelines. "Self-driving cars will give new mobility to millions who lack it today, including elderly and disabled Americans and importantly will help prevent the 94% of car crashes caused by human error." Alex Davies, Transportation Editor at Wired , has more on the fed's latest move.
To the Point
First Fatal Collision for Tesla's Autopilot Feature Some 30 thousand people die in car collisions each year in the U.S. But a single fatal collision this May is suddenly getting special attention. It was the first time that a driver using the Tesla Model S “Auto-pilot” feature died on the road. In other words it was the first fatal crash involving a car using semi-autonomous technology that is still being tested. It didn’t come as a complete surprise to industry watchers who’ve warned for months that Tesla drivers were abusing the autopilot feature. Alex Davies was part of that chorus, he’s the editor of WIRED’s transportation section. Photo: Tesla Model S (Wikicommons)
To the Point
The First Self-Driving Semi-Truck Revs Up The spotlight on self-driving vehicles has been focused on Google and other companies that are automating four-door sedans. That's because "trucks aren't sexy." But they're critical to the economy. Alex Davies, associate editor of Wired magazine, rode along on a test drive of the world's first self-driving 18-wheeler on Interstate roads in Nevada.
Recommended
To the Point
Replacing Obamacare: Now you see it… now you don’t As the Senate deliberates replacing Obmacare, health coverage for millions of people is at stake. There've been no public hearings, and a draft measure won't be made public. Is the House version so unpopular that that Senate is hiding a version that looks much the same?
To the Point
What is Trump's plan for Middle East peace? On his first foreign tour, President Trump has promised "peace" between Israel and the Palestinians. Are there any details for re-starting talks that have been stalled for the past three years?
To the Point
Is the threat from Russia missing from the Russia meddling probe? There's much being made about the Trump administration's possible ties with Russia. But the bottom line is Russia's effort to influence American democracy. Do the President and his aides care enough to take action before voters go back to the polls?
To the Point
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.