Uber is Exploring Autonomous Bikes and Scooters (techcrunch.com) 76
Uber is looking to integrate autonomous technology into its bike and scooter-share programs. Details are scarce, but according to 3D Robotics CEO Chris Anderson, who said Uber announced this at a DIY Robotics event over the weekend, the division will live inside Uber's JUMP group, which is responsible for shared electric bikes and scooters. From a report: The new division, Micromobility Robotics, will explore autonomous scooters and bikes that can drive themselves to be charged, or drive themselves to locations where riders need them. The Telegraph has since reported Uber has already begun hiring for this team. "The New Mobilities team at Uber is exploring ways to improve safety, rider experience, and operational efficiency of our shared electric scooters and bicycles through the application of sensing and robotics technologies," Uber's ATG wrote in a Google Form seeking information from people interested in career opportunities.
Autonomous bikes and scooters??? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Autonomous bikes and scooters??? (Score:4, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
If they're looking for a smaller vehicle, why not build something more like an auto rickshaw? There are plenty of times you need multiple passengers and these do take up a lot less road sp
Re: (Score:3)
Gyroscope.
This is what most people think is the reason why bikes tend to stay stable. It's also mostly wrong.
Sure, if running really fast with heavy wheeled motorbikes, the gyrostabilization effect is noticeable. But it's negligible for light bikes at lower speeds or smaller wheels.
The main reason is how the front frame is angled. As long as a bike is going forward, a dip to the side combined with the rider's weight will angle the steering towards the middle, which helps right the bike.
This is something to look fo
Re: (Score:2)
Agreed - however, the leaning of the passenger is also a big component of the stability of most two-wheel vehicles. Not having that, most autonomous two-wheel vehicles need to add a gyroscopic balancing system.
Also - when buying a first bike for a toddler, consider a pedal-less balance bike. It lets them lean to balance and steer a bike (the actually difficult part), without the distraction of learning to maintaining a pedal cadence (the mostly labor-intensive part, once you know how to balance and steer)
Re: (Score:2)
Agreed - however, the leaning of the passenger is also a big component of the stability of most two-wheel vehicles. Not having that, most autonomous two-wheel vehicles need to add a gyroscopic balancing system.
As kids, we had fun pushing our bicycles off a small hilltop and watched how they stayed upright - the one that got the farthest would "win". Most made it all the way, and my best friend had a bike that hardly ever fell over until it was at a standstill. Looking at it with hindsight, I suspect that his bike had a sharp enough front angle and heavy enough frame that it would auto-adjust better.
Re: (Score:2)
Intriguing...
Re:Autonomous bikes and scooters??? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
fully autonomous navigation and travel, and SAFELY, absolutely requires dedicated transit ways that are completely locked down so that NOTHING foreign can enter the system.
no computer regardless of how many sensors it has at its disposal, regardless of how accurate mapping is, can cope with the literally infinite scenarios that could arise when dealing with people, wildlife and other things in our world. it's a pipe dream that cannot be realized with current or even upcoming near-future tech. impossible.
not
Re: (Score:2)
>no computer regardless of how many sensors it has at its disposal, regardless of how accurate mapping is, can cope with the literally infinite scenarios
Obviously that's not true - the computer between our ears does a good enough job, if far from flawless. Our more primitive artificial computers just aren't really up to the task yet. Or perhaps more accurately, they fail in scenarios completely unlike those that we fail in. Which is not surprising considering they operate in a completely alien manner,
Re: (Score:2)
It is a machine that processes information - a.k.a.... a computer. It operates in a manner very alien to digital computers, with different strengths and weaknesses, but they serve a common purpose. In fact "computer" originally referred to a person whose job was to perform computations - a job rendered obsolete by digital devices that far exceeded human capabilities.
Re: (Score:2)
It will take a generation to achieve full vehicular autonomy, but unmanned return of bikes and scooters is a valid and safe usage for the early-stage tech we have now.
Re: (Score:2)
This is literally the most ridiculous thing I've heard of in recent times. It HAS to be a prank, it CAN'T be real.
I've figured out that Uber wen't to the same school of marketing as Ryanair.
1. Make incredulous statement to get name in the media.
2. ?????
3. Free Marketing.
I couldn't write Profit there whilst Uber seem to be copying Ryanair's marketing, they aren't following Ryanair's ability to make money.
Re: (Score:2)
"Wouldn't they, uh... fall over?"
Fall over like a Segway you mean?
Those only fall over when granny is standing on it, alone it's quite OK.
I'm holding out (Score:4, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
Re: (Score:1)
I'm waiting for autonomous boots that kick jerks in the ass.
Re: (Score:2)
Let's cut to the chase: how about the antonymous shit that takes itself. Or... I'll think of something.
Why? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: Why? (Score:2, Insightful)
And why is everyone pumping this story?
Re: (Score:3)
Who needs this? Who is asking for this? What is the problem that this is trying to solve?
A lot of people have been complaining about the fact that bikes and scooters are littering the landscape. This is a solution to that problem. So, lots and lots of people have been asking for a solution, and this is a potential solution.
I guess my point is what the fuck is wrong with these people?
Capitalism.
Re: Why? (Score:2)
Give 'em some credit; sure, they're thinking with their asses... but it's all they've got.
Re: (Score:2)
Give 'em some credit; sure, they're thinking with their asses... but it's all they've got.
. . . and they're doing it with other people's money.
Extra credit, for sure.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Maybe they could start selling brown paint.
Re: (Score:2)
Who needs this? People who needs to go from Point A to Point B. Who doesn't have a bike of their own, or it is difficult to store it. (Street Apt on the 8th floor)
Who is asking for this? People who wants services like Uber, but doesn't necessarily need a Car.
What is the problem that this is trying to solve? Getting a Person from Point A to Point B, without having a Car, or paying for a physical driver, because it is difficult to fit a driver onto a scooter.
Now this wouldn't work for me. And especially toda
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
Who needs this:
All the bike/scooters sharing companies
Who is asking for this:
All the towns/cities who have bike/scooter sharing programs.
What is the problem that this is trying to solve:
Bikes/scooters left/abandoned all over the place with no regards for pedestrians and other bikers.
I guess my question is:
What the fuck is wrong with you, dumbass?
Re: (Score:1)
And if you don't stop being a smartass, you'll suffer from foot-rectal co-location.
Re: (Score:2)
To the smartass moderator who modded me flamebait: look up my name and learn something new today, dumbass.
Re: (Score:2)
Obviously you don't live in a metropolitan city where people are constantly complaining about electric scooters blocking the sidewalks and littering city streets.
An autonomous scooter is the next logical step. Why look on your phone for a nearby charged scooter, and walk to it, when you can summon one to you instead? And when you're done, there's no need to think about where to park it; you step off of it, and it heads off to its next customer, or back to a
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Who needs this? Uber
Who is asking for this? Uber
What is the problem that this is trying to solve? The problem that Uber does not make enough money to satisfy the greed of their investors and executives. Also that even externalising costs and breaking laws to reduce costs, Uber still isn't profitable. Malicious, amoral AND incompetent - that's Uber.
What is wrong with these people? They are amoral profit seekers who want to make as much money as possible and have no problem with externalising costs as much as
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
People who don't want their pizza getting cold because it's stuck in traffic.
Re: (Score:2)
Who needs this? Who is asking for this? What is the problem that this is trying to solve? I guess my point is what the fuck is wrong with these people?
The problem with this is Uber's growing irrelevance. They need to keep their name in the news to detract from the fact that they're running out of money, losing hundreds of millions each quarter and are only left with the drivers who literally cant get a job at McDonalds.
For Brits, this is basically what Michael O'Leary of Ryanair does. Every few months they'll announce something silly that will never get approved by any aviation authority like coin slots on the lavatory, replacing the co-pilot with a bl
A taxi app (Score:2)
Payback! (Score:2)
I can see a market (Score:2)
for autonomous cargo bikes for local deliveries.
Re: (Score:2)
It seems like a better idea then a Drone.
But if the technology works correctly, it could solve a lot of problems with logistics. A lot of time is wasted with the delivery person handling the last mile problem. Because the delivery truck may have space for say 50 - 100 deliveries, and he is spending all his time in serial going from house to house. If these 50-100 deliveries could be on automated small cars, that have a 10 mile range (5 miles in and 5 miles back). A truck can stop at each town, deploy the
Where will they drive? (Score:2)
Where will they drive? On the road? On the sidewalk? Either way they would be a menace to cars and/or pedestrians. It's hard enough to see a rider on a bike, imagine dealing with a riderless scooter (basically a skateboard with tiny handle) zipping down a busy sidewalk or street. Then again, maybe the entire purpose of this is to get the rental devices to drive themselves from
Re: (Score:2)
I think they would be less of a menace. A riderless bike would presumably obey traffic laws and regulations, unlike a great many human bike riders who don't give a shit.
Re: (Score:2)
Given that I don't have a cell phone, I'm not sure what laws I'm ignoring...
Re: (Score:2)
Your reading comprehension is terrible, because I never made a claim about all cyclists, just some of them. Learn about qualifiers.
Re: (Score:2)
Then again, maybe the entire purpose of this is to get the rental devices to drive themselves from the private property where they are abandoned (or stolen), back to a public sidewalk where they can be retrieved by the owners without legal complications.
Let me know when they can build one that can transform into a robot and kick the shit out of bike thieves.
Re: (Score:2)
Taser in the seat. Done.
Won't work (Score:1)
Re: (Score:3)
Business failures, are not always overall failures. A lot of lessons can be learned from the attempt. I much rather see a company put in some risk and try something new, then just do the same old as before because doing something new is risky.
Now if it fails, they may have spent millions, but they also have an interesting case study on why it had failed. Technology isn't up to snuff, not enough demand, gain valuable insight in customers needs. Just doing the research alone with marketing could cost a co
Liability (Score:2)
How much do I get to sue for when one of these runs into me?
Seriously though, with enough sensors to not be a safety hazard, and an expensive lithium battery, these thing will become prized collectibles to hackers everywhere.
How does that even work (Score:2)
In Soviet Uber, Segway leans YOU.
Self-righting scooters?
Re: (Score:2)
One of the reasons I'm not a fan of bike hire places is that you have to end your trip at a bike station, which is usually not close enough to my destination (not enough bike stations in my city). This could allow me to hop off, and let the bike return itself to the nearest depot - that would be really convenient.
Not to mention it would be rather amusing to watch bikes riding themselves back along the sidewalk.
Autonomous Unicycles are the holy grail (Score:1)