Paresh N.

Santana Row shopping center in San Jose has implemented a ticketless parking system that eliminates the need for drivers to take a ticket upon entry and pay at a pay station upon exit. Instead, drivers can simply scan a QR code (see photo) posted throughout the garage using their phones, enter their license plate number and credit card information on the website that pops up, and a camera will read their license plate and open the gate as they exit. While this system may seem convenient and efficient, I think there is a significant security concern! There is a risk that perpetrators could replace the posted QR code with their own, which would redirect drivers to a fake website where they would unknowingly enter their credit card information. This could lead to unauthorized charges and potential identity theft. It is crucial for the shopping center to address this security concern by taking appropriate measures to protect drivers' personal and financial information. They must ensure that the QR codes posted are authentic and that there are no vulnerabilities that could allow perpetrators to manipulate the system. As an alternative solution, pay stations could be installed for shoppers to use instead of relying on their own phones.

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More and more of this will get into various markets and the burden of owning a car and having it parked kind of falls away. But how will the insurance markets deal with pricing this for any insured event. For example two driver less cars hit each other and create third party losses.

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Exciting Adventures and Tech Discoveries with Waymo Every summer, I visit my sister in California, and we typically explore the beaches, trails, valleys, mountains, and other scenic spots. This time, we decided to dive deeper into the heart of San Francisco, where we stumbled upon a Waymo driverless car. Without missing a beat, we decided to experience it firsthand. Flashback to a few years ago, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when I was preparing for a Machine Learning certificate course and immersing myself in every video by the renowned AI/ML guru Andrew Ng. One of his YouTube videos segued into autonomous cars and the feedback loops used to train and improve these models. That was the moment I became a believer in this technology and its potential to drive new innovations. From the early days of large computers mounted on vans to the millions of Teslas on the road today, the progress has been astounding. Experiencing Waymo's driverless car was a revelation. It's not just a tech marvel; it's a user-centric innovation. From the seamless booking process to the constant updates inside the car, and the personalized touch of displaying my initials "SC" when the car arrived, every detail was meticulously crafted to enhance passenger comfort. The price point was comparable to Uber, which was another pleasant surprise. Ultimately, the success of any product hinges on User Experience, Cost, and Accessibility. Waymo has built a competitive product that I believe will see massive adoption, potentially paving the way for more competitors in this space. My 10-year-old son asked, "When is it coming to West Chester?" That question sums it up perfectly. Here's hoping to see autonomous cars in West Chester, Philly, Palakkad, and everywhere else soon! #Innovation #Technology #AI #AutonomousVehicles #Waymo #UserExperience #FutureOfTransport

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Caltrain plans to introduce bi-level dual electric and battery-powered train to extend its zero-emission service. These trains will charge their batteries in electrified zones between San Francisco and San Jose and use the stored power for non-electrified segments, such as the extensions to Gilroy. This is the next step in battery-operated vehicles for mass transportation, towards sustainable and eco-friendly transit solutions.#sustainability #transportation

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Interesting comparison of human-based ride hailing services (UberX, Lyft) vs autonomous-driving one from Waymo. TLDR: Waymo is more expensive and a lot slower to get you to your destination. And this is in the city where Waymo vehicles and software are probably most optimized for. This isn't to bash on Waymo and other self-driving car platforms, which have made incredible progress. That being said, the problem is not solved and it will take many more billions and many more years to get autonomous driving services like this to be price and performance competitive to current ride hailing services. https://lnkd.in/eb4uZ2Um #autonomouscars #AI

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Some Passengers Riding in Waymo's Driverless Cars Face Uncomfortable Situations: Alphabet's Waymo robotaxis are providing "hundreds of thousands of driverless rides each month," reports the Washington Post. But as the robotaxi service expands in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin, some passengers "have found that traveling by robotaxi can make riders into sitting ducks for a new form of public harassment." The Washington Post spoke with four Waymo passengers, three of them women, who said they experienced harassment or what felt like threats to their safety from people who followed, obstructed or attempted to enter a driverless vehicle they were riding in... Elliot, a tech worker in San Francisco, recalled in a phone interview a "scary" situation during a Waymo ride late one night in October. A pedestrian tried to enter the driverless vehicle as it waited at a red light. "Go away," Elliot yelled at the man as he knocked on the window before briefly flashing what looked like a knife, video of the incident viewed by The Post showed... In the moment, Elliot said, he wished someone could have "slammed on the gas and gotten away from this guy," adding that Waymo should change how its vehicles respond in such situations... Madelline, a 25-year-old restaurant server in San Francisco, said that during a recent Waymo ride at around 2 a.m., the driverless vehicle had to stop after two drivers ahead began yelling at each other and throwing things out of their cars in what appeared to be a road rage dispute. The two cars blocked an intersection and one person got out of one of the vehicles. "I was definitely panicking a little bit," Madelline said, as her car waited for the road to clear instead of turning off as a human driver might do... She would like to have more control over a robotaxi's route but still prefers Waymo rides to using Uber or Lyft, whose drivers sometimes make her uncomfortable... In September, Amina V. was on her way to a hair appointment when a man stepped in front of her robotaxi and the car stalled in the middle of the street. She already had been recording herself in the Waymo, so she turned the camera to capture the man hitting on her while her car stood frozen in San Francisco's Soma neighborhood. And one Saturday night at 10:30 p.m., a tech worker named Stephanie took a driverless Waymo robotaxi with her sister, and reports confronting "several young men close to the robotaxi honking and yelling, 'Hey, ladies — you guys are hot.' If she or another human had been driving, it would have been easy to reroute the car to avoid leading the pursuers to her home. But she was scared and didn't know how to change the robot's path. She called 911, but a dispatcher said they couldn't send a police car to a moving vehicle, Stephanie recalled... [S]he said the other car gave up the chase when the Waymo was a minute from her house. She and her sister arrived home safely, though terrified. Stephanie didn't catch the car's license

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Here’s a list of the top 10 riskiest professions and an analysis of whether robots can replace them. Will you be able to drive like this? 1. Logging Workers Risks: Falling trees, heavy machinery, and rough terrain. Robots: Autonomous tree-felling machines exist and can handle dangerous tasks, but uneven terrain and decision-making still require human supervision. Verdict: Partial replacement. 2. Fishers and Related Fishing Workers Risks: Drowning, storms, and heavy equipment accidents. Robots: Autonomous fishing vessels and underwater drones can assist, but precision harvesting and unpredictable seas limit full automation. Verdict: Partial replacement. 3. Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers Risks: Plane crashes, mechanical failures, and extreme weather. Robots: Autonomous drones are advanced for cargo but passenger flights still require human pilots due to safety concerns and trust issues. Verdict: Partial replacement for cargo; unlikely for passenger flights. 4. Roofers Risks: Falls, burns, and exposure to extreme weather. Robots: Drones and robotic systems can inspect and perform minor repairs but lack the flexibility for full-scale roofing. Verdict: Limited replacement. 5. Construction Workers Risks: Falls, equipment injuries, and structural collapses. Robots: Robots can handle tasks like bricklaying and demolition, but human adaptability is needed for creative and dynamic work. Verdict: Partial replacement for specific tasks. 6. Iron and Steel Workers Risks: Falls from extreme heights, heavy materials, and hazardous environments. Robots: Robotic welders and heavy machinery are used in factories, but site-based work remains challenging for robots. Verdict: Limited replacement. 7. Truck Drivers and Delivery Workers Risks: Road accidents, fatigue, and long hours. Robots: Self-driving vehicles and delivery drones are being tested but face regulatory and technological challenges. Verdict: Likely replacement in the long term for predictable routes. 8. Firefighters Risks: Burns, smoke inhalation, building collapses, and toxic exposure. Robots: Firefighting robots and drones can assist with extinguishing fires and monitoring, but rescuing people requires human strength and empathy. Verdict: Supportive role; unlikely to replace. 9. Power Line Installers and Repairers Risks: Electrocution, falls, and harsh weather. Robots: Drones and robotic arms can inspect and repair lines, reducing human exposure to danger. Verdict: Likely replacement for routine tasks. 10. Police Officers and Security Personnel Risks: Confronting armed individuals, high-stress situations, and violence. Robots: Drones and robots can assist with bomb disposal and surveillance, but human judgment and empathy are irreplaceable in many scenarios. Verdict: Supportive role; unlikely to replace. #Risk #Motivation #robot #innovation

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Exactly a year ago, I found myself in the back seat of a Waymo driverless car in Downtown San Francisco. I had watched countless videos of it before, but nothing prepared me for the reality of sitting there, watching the car navigating by its own. It felt like one of those dreams where you're driving from the backseat 😂 Today, Waymo is providing over 100,000 paid robotaxi rides per week in the US. Their vehicles have clocked over 14.8 million rider-only miles. Even more impressive, the Waymo Driver is 3.5 times better at avoiding crashes that cause injuries and 3 times better at avoiding police-reported crashes compared to human drivers. https://lnkd.in/e_VKa_CB #TechInnovation #AI #DriverlessCars #Waymo

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Waymo passenger almost misses his flight doing donuts in an AI car. Waymo is incredible, but as you continue to move AI into professional services and customer information you will need RAG based options to validate your final outputs. https://lnkd.in/gRgnrZTJ

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What is it like to be driven by #AI? Took several #driverless #rides with Waymo this week. It feels very safe, the car is smart, and able to re-route if there’s too much traffic. Only you can unlock/lock the doors with the app and once inside, you can see all your surroundings detected by the lidar, including people walking or any object near the car. The cabin is very chill with music. After taking it at different times of day (day, night, rush hour, non-rush hour), the optimal time to take it is probably during non-rush hour as the car is very conservative (for good reasons!) and can get stuck in traffic/red lights for too long during rush hours. Conclusion: very impressed and will definitely consider it as an alternative to Uber. #AutonomousVehicle #SelfDrivingCars #DriverLessCars #AI #FutureofDriving #FutureofMobility

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Meanwhile in China 🇨🇳👀 Maybe the future of transportation isn’t autonomous EVs but AI-powered robo-horses… Which you can summon via Waymo-like app to ride around. Would be insanely epic. P.S. for more interesting stuff, check out 🔔linas.substack.com🔔, it's the only newsletter you need for all things when Finance meets Technology. For founders, builders, and leaders.

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I experienced the mobile computing shift in the trenches as a PM of Samsung’s mobile processors and later in the C-Suite as a consultant. Reflecting on those days, I see distinct similarities between the nascent stages of mobile technology and the current, early days of artificial intelligence. Some observations: OPERATING SYSTEM WARS VS. FOUNDATIONAL MODEL WARS In 2007, the mobile OS war was in full swing and it was not at all clear who would win. Apple had the hype factor, while Windows Mobile seemed to be a sure thing due to its familiarity and domination of the Office productivity suite. Nokia, with its Symbian OS, had the largest market share, and Blackberry had the early cult following. In a few short years, however, the mobile OS space quickly became a duopoly of iOS (premium & closed) and Android (free! and open source). In the early days of mobile, the momentum of app developers created insurmountable moats. Today the moats in foundation models are created by CapEx and access to data. I don’t necessarily think the AI foundational model wars will rationalize into a duopoly, but I do think that 1) a smaller number of players will emerge as the winners, 2) open source will have an important role and will force closed players to refine their strategies, and 3) developers will have to pay close attention to which models emerge victorious. Looking back to the mobile OS wars, startups that tied their fate to Windows Mobile or Symbian are probably not around today. THE ENTREPRENEURIAL LEARNING CURVE Apple was not early to the smartphone game. Palm, Blackberry, and others had mobile devices in consumers’ hands. The proliferation of smartphones, which Apple masterfully accelerated, was enabled by inflections of existing technologies such as fast, cheap, and low power processors, fast mobile networks, software assisted GPS, capacitive multi-touch, and more. Following the launch of the iPhone in 2007, it took entrepreneurs a few years, and lots of experimentation in leveraging these technologies before companies like Uber (2009), Whatsapp (2009), and Instagram (2010) emerged. Before that, there were countless startups that saw early experimental adoption and then quickly fizzled out (e.g., Flashlight apps, iBeer, Bump). Fast forward 17 years. It has now been 18 months since the public release of ChatGPT sparked the frenzy of today’s AI boom. The rate of model development and the corresponding boom in AI entrepreneurial activity have been dizzying. But much like the 2+ years that it took entrepreneurs to create truly iconic businesses in the mobile world, I believe that entrepreneurs are emerging from the experimentation phase and today are building AI native companies that will fundamentally change the way we do things for many years to come.

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The future of UI/UX design. A well defined set of requirements is our job and GPT is able to do the next steps well. While AI will not replace human designers entirely, it will act as a powerful co-pilot, accelerating workflows and enabling designers to focus on higher-level creative and strategic aspects of UI/UX design. My daughter is a designer and I can see how she can apply her design thinking skills, be so much more productive and enabled to apply her creative side while letting GPT.4o do the routine implementation aspects quickly. in reviewing some of the new features available now, GPT-4o will significantly streamline and enhance UI/UX design workflows in several ways: Rapid Prototyping: GPT-4o can generate HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code for UI components and layouts based on natural language descriptions or visual mockups. This allows designers to quickly iterate on ideas and see them come to life without manual coding. Design Ideation: By providing high-level prompts, GPT-4o can generate novel UI design concepts, color palettes, typography combinations, and layout ideas, augmenting the designer's creativity and ideation process. Responsive Design: GPT-4o can automatically generate responsive layouts and adjust designs for different screen sizes and devices, saving designers time and effort in creating multi-device experiences. Accessibility Improvements: GPT-4o can analyze designs and suggest accessibility improvements, ensuring UI/UX designs are inclusive and meet accessibility standards. Workflow Integration AI assistants like GPT-4o can be integrated into design tools and workflows, providing real-time suggestions, automating repetitive tasks, and streamlining the overall design process.

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