May 12, 2025 • 41 mins
Drop me a text and let me know what you think of this episode!
California's charging revolution has quietly reshaped the electric vehicle landscape, with the Golden State now boasting an astonishing 48% more EV chargers than gas nozzles. This remarkable milestone challenges the persistent narrative about charging scarcity, though important questions remain about fast charger availability and accessibility for apartment dwellers. The dramatic 70% year-over-year growth demonstrates how quickly infrastructure can evolve when necessity drives innovation.
Behind the wheel of the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander reveals a vehicle that represents the automaker's best effort yet. This seven-passenger SUV delivers surprising refinement with its mid-cycle refresh, featuring upgraded interior materials that push it toward luxury territory alongside meaningful improvements in sound insulation and driving dynamics. While the third row remains best suited for emergency use only, the overall package represents compelling value with its extensive feature set and competitive pricing between $29,645 and $43,145.
Meanwhile, America's affordable housing crisis might find partial relief through innovative tiny house villages, as demonstrated by a thoughtfully designed community in upstate New York. These developments balance privacy with community connection, offering homes between 500-1,100 square feet arranged in clusters that foster belonging without sacrificing independence. Unfortunately, restrictive zoning laws continue blocking similar projects nationwide despite their potential to simultaneously address housing affordability and rural revitalization.
Most alarming is China's commanding lead in autonomous trucking technology, with logistics giant ZTO Express already accumulating an incredible 124 million miles with their cabless "ghost trucks." While American companies celebrate pilot programs measuring success in thousands of miles, Chinese firms are deploying hundreds of fully autonomous vehicles that communicate with infrastructure through vehicle-to-everything technology. This widening technology gap threatens to reshape global shipping economics, with Chinese companies targeting 50% labor savings through automation.
What mobility technologies are you most excited or concerned about? Join the conversation by calling our TechMobility hotline at 872-222-9793 or emailing talk@techmobilityshow.
Be sure to tell your friends to tune in to The TechMobility Podcast!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the Tech Mobility Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
I'm Ken Chester On the docket my impressions and
review of the 2025 MitsubishiOutlander SUV.
Can tiny house villages revivesmall towns and China's army of
ghost trucks Revive Small Townsand China's Army of Ghost Trucks
.
To add your voice to theconversation by asking a
question, sharing an opinion oreven suggesting a topic for
(00:31):
future discussion, call or textthe Tech Mobility hotline that
number, 872-222-9793.
Or, if you prefer, you canemail the show directly.
Talk at techmobilityshow.
Also, be sure to subscribe,like and follow us on social
media our YouTube channel andour two podcasts, the Tech
(00:55):
Mobility Podcast and TechMobility Topics.
And for those of you thatsubscribe to Substack, you can
find me there too, as a proudmember of the Iowa Writers
Collaborative, and that's at KenC Iowa.
So that's Ken, the letter C,and Iowa spelled out I-O-W-A.
Ken C Iowa.
From the TechMobility News Desk.
(01:23):
One of the major complaints thatis leveled against EVs is the
fact that there are so fewchargers, there's so few high
speed chargers available, andthat when the chargers are
available, that they don't work,that they're broken or
(01:45):
otherwise offline.
What if I told you that onestate in the United States of
America has almost 50% more EVchargers than gasoline nozzles?
Now I know, I know and thistime you would be right You're
(02:05):
going to say well, it's got tobe California.
Well, it is California, believeit or not.
And the point I want to make isthis I had told you that over
time this network would be builtout.
It takes time.
I mean it takes time to build,engineer and design this stuff,
(02:25):
just like it took time to build,engineer and design this stuff.
Just like it took time to buildthe gasoline retail
infrastructure.
It took years.
It didn't just pop up one day.
It took a number of years to dothat and they had to refine the
concept.
I would say that by the 1950sthat was probably the high
watermark for the typicalstandalone gasoline station.
(02:46):
But they did it.
So I don't know why peoplewould be surprised that it would
take the EV industry a while tobuild a level of EV chargers
that were comparable and asconvenient.
They're getting the number ofchargers right Now.
They're working on technologiesthat will allow you to charge
(03:09):
vehicles in as little as fiveminutes.
We covered that last week.
So let me read a little bitmore about what's going on in
California, and this is fromAutomotive News, which is a
trade publication of the autoindustry.
It's been around for over 100years.
Let me just give you thenumbers.
(03:30):
According to California EnergyCommission, they said California
has 178,549 electric vehiclechargers.
That is of last year, comparedwith California Energy
(03:52):
Commission's estimates of120,000 gasoline nozzles and
that works out to having 48%more electric vehicle chargers
than gas pump nozzles in thestate, a milestone that
highlights its steady marchtowards an electric future,
despite headwinds from thefederal government.
Steady march towards anelectric future, despite
headwinds from the federalgovernment.
Okay, you've heard all the fussabout California and you're like
I don't understand whyCalifornia's special or
(04:14):
different.
If you've never been toCalifornia, let me help you.
The topography of the GoldenState, particularly in the Los
Angeles Basin, has the abilityto trap all the emissions and
(04:37):
with the bright sun it wascreating something back in the
70s called photochemical smog.
In fact, the pollutants weregoing up into the air,
interacting with the sun andbecoming completely different
compounds that even they didn'tknow what they were, but they
were carcinogenic, deadly, andit was bad all the way around.
When the Clean Air Act waspassed in 1970, congress gave
(04:59):
special permission to Californiato actually enact standards
that were stricter than federallaw.
Folks might remember back in thedays, particularly the 80s and
the early 90s, of the 49 plus 1cars, that you had one standard
for 49 states and you had theCalifornia standards, which were
stricter.
(05:19):
You probably didn't know thatin the United States today.
You probably didn't know thatin the United States today there
are 40 different blends ofunleaded regular.
Why?
Because of pollution standards,because of certain geographical
areas, high altitude,california, other reasons.
You did know that there was adifference between your summer
(05:47):
blend and winter blend.
Right In case you didn't.
Now you know that, yeah, thegasoline that you buy isn't the
same everywhere all the time andit depends on season, it
depends on location and itdepends on the level of
pollution going on where youlive.
We'll determine what theformula is for the gasoline that
you're putting in your vehicle.
It's different Getting back toCalifornia putting in your
vehicle, it's different Gettingback to California.
(06:08):
Everything that made the statedesirable for people to go to
also made it a place to die.
If they didn't get thistogether, people were dying
Respiratory problems, highpollution.
It was not pretty.
So that's the thing.
But here's something that Iwant to point out Not only does
California have more chargersthan gas nozzles.
(06:31):
This increase is up 70% from2023.
In 2023, there were 105,012chargers in the state.
Last year, it was 178,549.
What that means is is that,when everything is right, the
(06:57):
money will be spent to build outthe infrastructure.
I was in the California deserttwo years ago, and I mean in the
desert.
I was north of Bakersfield andat this hotel in the middle of
nowhere and I mean the middle ofnowhere there were two electric
chargers One was for Teslas,another one for everybody else.
(07:20):
At the hotel right there and Ido mean the middle of nowhere,
off of a two lane state highway,I was at an event for major
automaker and, while the lunchwas very delicious, we were
really, really, really on themiddle of nowhere.
We were in a high desert.
There were two charges outthere.
California's commitment youthink California is in
(07:43):
California.
California had to do thisbecause they had no choice From
an air quality standpoint.
They had no choice.
That's why you've heard of theCalifornia Air Resources Board,
or CARB as it's called, and it'sbeen around for years, because
they needed to get ahead of itand they still need to get ahead
(08:04):
of it, and they still need toget ahead of it With all those
cars and all that pollutiongoing up into the air.
California had to take the leador the state was going to be
inhospitable to human life, andwith everything else going on in
California, the last thing youneeded to do was not being able
to breathe, or what you breathedin was harmful to you.
(08:27):
So that's why the big move,that's why California is all
about this stuff.
Now, of those 178,000 chargers,only 17,000 are fast chargers.
That's an issue for me, becauseit should be the other way
around.
(08:48):
A level two charger, unlessyou're able to plug in and walk
away for a while, ain't going todo you no good, because it's
going to take hours to charge,so it doesn't really address the
problem.
So, while, yes, californiashould be commended for the
progress, have they really madeprogress, though?
Only 17,000?
Eh, not so much, and the issueis that I don't know what it
(09:12):
would cost to retrofit thoselevel 2 chargers.
Let me add this while we're onthe subject the state estimates
the consumers have installedmore than 700,000 level 2
chargers in single-family homes,and home charging is the method
most owners use to repowertheir EVs.
(09:33):
And my beef with that is itdiscriminates against those of
us either unable, unwilling ordon't want to own a home.
If we want to own an EV, we areeither at the mercy of a public
charger or we're just stuck.
We can't buy one, and I don'tthink that's right, because that
tends to give privilege to themoney class and not the people
(09:56):
who really need it, which arepeople in the low-income,
high-pollution areas of thesecities which would benefit from
a lot of EVs if they couldcharge them.
But since they don't own a home, they don't have a level two
charger, so they can't play itovernight.
Oh well, the current MitsubishiOutlander is the automaker's
best ever.
(10:16):
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Social media is the main place to be these days, and
we are no exception.
I'm Ken Chester of the TechMobility Show.
If you enjoy my program, thenyou will also enjoy my weekly
Facebook videos, from my latestvehicle reviews to timely
commentary of a variety ofmobility and technology-related
topics.
These short features aredesigned to inform and delight
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Be sure to watch, like andfollow us on Facebook.
(11:17):
You can find us by typing theTech Mobility Show in the search
bar.
Be sure to subscribe to ourFacebook page.
Social media is the place to bethese days.
We're no exception.
I'm ken chester, the techmobility show.
If you enjoy my program, thenyou will also enjoy my weekly
instagram videos, from thelatest vehicle reviews to timely
(11:39):
commentary on a variety ofmobility and technology related
topics.
These short features aredesigned to inform and delight
you be sure to watch, like andfollow us on Instagram.
You can find us by typing theTech Mobility Show in the search
bar.
For those of you that listen topodcasts, we have just the one
for you.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester.
(12:00):
Tech Mobility Topics is apodcast where I upload
topic-specific videos each week,shorter than a full show.
These bite-sized programs arejust the thing, particularly if
you're interested in aparticular topic covered on the
weekly Thank you.
Nobody stands behind their carslike Mitsubishi, because every
(12:42):
new Mitsubishi now comes with a10-year powertrain limited
warranty, 5-year new vehiclelimited warranty and 5-year
roadside assistance.
Mitsubishi the best back carsin the world.
He came back when I came in my10-year.
That was from 2005.
The vehicle that they showed inthat television commercial was
(13:03):
actually the Mitsubishi Endeavor, which was their first
domestically built SUV, whichfor the time and they built it
for five years was prettyadvanced.
It was pretty gnarly, it wasone generation.
It was built at their plant innormal Illinois and I remember
(13:23):
being invited to California toevaluate the vehicle and I was
very impressed.
The problem is between therecession and getting crunched
in the marketplace.
Mitsubishi never put in anymoney into the endeavor to
upgrade it.
So it was one generation andone generation only, which was
too bad because it could havebeen so much more.
(13:44):
But now we have the MitsubishiOutlander, so let me introduce
this SUV to you.
The Outlander was originallyintroduced to the American
motorists in the 2001 NorthAmerican International Auto Show
in Detroit as the MitsubishiASX concept vehicle, with ASX
(14:05):
standing for Active SportsCrossover.
This represented theautomaker's approach to the
industry-wide crossover SUVtrend at the time for retaining
all-season and off-roadabilities offered by a high
ground clearance and four-wheeldrive, while still offering
car-like levels of emissioneconomy and size.
Replacing the body-on-frameMontero Sport in North America,
(14:27):
the Outlander went on saleduring the 2003 model year.
The fourth and currentgeneration of Outlander debuted
in 2021.
For the 2022 model year, aspart of the
Renault-Nissan-Mishibishialliance, the Outlander is based
on the Nissan Rogue, whichrides on the CMF CD platform.
For 2025, the seven-passengerOutlander gets a mid-cycle
(14:52):
refresh with revised front andrear styling, along with greater
levels of luxury in materialsand design throughout the
interior and inside thepassenger cabin.
These upgraded and redesignedmaterials bring Outlander even
closer to the luxury class, withthe addition of sound-deadening
material in significant areas.
Upgraded and redesignedmaterials bring Outlander even
closer to the luxury class, withthe addition of sound-deadening
(15:14):
material in significant areas,bringing about a reduction more
than a half a decibel in roadnoise and nearly six decibels in
overall sound insulationcompared to last year.
Occupants will discoverredesigned placement and sizing
of the cup holders, a morefunctional area for wireless
mobile phone charging and alarger arm rest center console
area with more storage.
Underneath.
The Outlander sees arecalibrated power steering
(15:35):
system, delivering more precisesteering feel, with recalibrated
springs, shock absorbers andstabilizer bars, which bring
greater assurance in drivingconfidence.
Available in four trim levels,power for the front drive
Outlander is generated by a2.5-liter gasoline four-cylinder
engine that makes 181horsepower and 181 foot-pounds
(15:56):
of torque.
Energy is communicated to thefront wheels via a continuously
variable automatic transmissionwith an eight-speed sport mode.
The automaker's legendary superall-wheel control.
All-wheel drive system isoptional.
Epa fuel economy numbers are 24city 31 highway for front-wheel
(16:16):
drive, 24 city 30 highway forall-wheel drive.
Cargo capacity is 64.3 cubicfeet with a second and third row
seating folded flat.
4.3 cubic feet with a secondand third row seating folded
flat.
Towing capacity comes in at2,000 pounds.
Here's what I liked about thevehicle.
The 2025 Mitsubishi Outlanderis designed to be bold and
(16:39):
stylish and, without a doubt,the best Outlander ever.
The Mitsubishi SUV has a lookof sophistication inside and out
and there's so to love.
I don't even really know whereto begin.
The Outlander is capable and atalented highway performer when
underway Smooth, quiet andresponsive.
The driver can choose from sixdrive mode settings on demand
(17:02):
Eco, normal, tarmac, gravel,snow and Mud.
There's also an auto holdfunction as well, and a manual
shift mode via steering wheelmount and paddle shifters,
giving the driver a variety ofoptions depending on road
conditions.
The Outlander boasts solidoverall construction head-up
display, retained accessorypower, lcd interior lighting,
(17:23):
heated cooled front seats,heated outbound second row seats
and a second row climatecontrol, as well as a low
stepping height and decentsecond row legroom.
And put a pin in that, becauseI said second row Displays,
controls and switchgear are easyto read and use and, as I
mentioned earlier, the secondand third row seats fold flat
with the cargo floor, adding alevel of versatility and
(17:46):
functionality.
And, speaking of seating and Idon't know if somebody needs to
know this, but I'm putting itout there both power front seats
fully recline.
Here's what I didn't like aboutthe vehicle.
The accommodations for thethird row seat Okay, I'm just
going to say it like this Do notfit for child, man or beast and
(18:08):
honestly, it is not really aproblem that is unique to
Mitsubishi.
It is any auto manufacturertrying to put in a compact or a
mid-sized package a third row ofseating.
While it's commendable thatthey try, very often they fail
because it either means I got tochoose either carrying people
(18:28):
or carrying stuff, because Idon't have, except in a very few
vehicles, enough room behindthat third row seat to carry any
meaningful volume of anything.
Unfortunately, the Outlander isno better right there with that
particular thing.
I'd be better off doing it as afive passenger and not even
(18:49):
using the third row of seating.
There are no USB ports for thesecond and third row of seating,
and I need to clarify that,because Mitsubishi actually has
a set, but it's at the very backof the center console and I
guess they mean for that to beused by the second row
passengers.
I'm not thrilled with itbecause it's not really
(19:10):
user-friendly and if you're inthe third row you ain't got none
at all.
Here's something else.
Not that you would ever need todo it, but if you got to go
look at the engine to check theoil, to add winter wiper fluid,
be careful that hood is allsteel and it's heavy, don't get
(19:30):
hurt.
And then finally, and I don'tget this, there's no spare tire,
and I've tried to find outwhether the tires that it's
running on are run flats, whichthey're not self-sealing or
puncture resistant, which isusually the thing they'll do.
If they're not going to includea spare tire, I am not sure
that these tires are any ofthose things.
(19:51):
They are Toyo Open Country HTsand they're 20-inch tires, which
gives me pause and you know why.
You know they're expensive andyou'll have to probably order
them.
So here's the bottom line.
Despite some of the drawbacks,the Mitsubishi Outlander
continues to be a bright,shining star in the automaker's
(20:12):
limited North American lineup.
Now this particular, theOutlander, offers a little
something for everybody and ifyou want to take economy to the
next level, there's even theavailability of a plug-in hybrid
, which we did not review andmaybe next time we will.
The manufacturer suggestedretail price for the 2025
(20:32):
mishubishi outlander starts from29,645 for the es up to 43,145
for the platinum edition, which,by the way, platinum edition
comes all-wheel drive.
Standard destination charges$1,495.
Msrp is tested.
(20:53):
Test vehicle was the OutlanderSEL equipped with all-wheel
drive.
It was outfitted with thefollowing factory installed
options Premium package,two-tone exterior paint,
door-ground Mitsubishiillumination, to-note cover,
chrono hood emblem and welcomepackage.
Total cost of the options$4,385.
Total MSRP $44,675.
(21:15):
Can a tiny home village bringnew life to a small town?
We investigate.
This is the Tech Mobility Show.
Do you listen to podcasts?
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Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
If you missed any of our weeklyepisodes on the radio, our
(21:36):
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(21:59):
to be, and we're no exception.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
Several times a week, I post toTikTok several of the topics
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It's another way to keep up onmobility technology news and
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I've built quite a library ofshort videos for your viewing
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That's the Tech Mobility Showon TikTok.
(22:20):
Check it out.
Tiny houses.
With the stock of affordablehousing severely diminished in
many parts of the country, therise of tiny houses offers some
people an alternative whenconsidering a safe place to live
.
A twist on that concept isactually the rise of tiny house
(22:44):
villages, often near or justoutside small towns in rural
America.
Could this concept be a win-winfor all?
This is topic B.
I was looking at an article, andthis article talked about an
(23:05):
example in upstate New York Yorkwhere a general contractor,
some 29 years ago, got inspiredto build in, during the slow
season, three small rentalswhich mimicked gingerbread
houses from a you know childstory that he was reading his
granddaughter.
People loved him.
(23:27):
The next year, during the slowseason, he built three more and
as this went on, he actuallyended up in a small town in
upstate New York buying a 2.8acre lot and putting 12 of these
little homes on that lot andmaking them available for people
(23:47):
.
Folks loved them.
Here's why.
Number one, an obviousaffordability.
Number two, the way that heapproached building them.
You had privacy but yet you hadcommunity.
They were in groups of three,but the homes were turned in
such a way that when you lookedout the window you weren't
(24:09):
staring into your neighbor'sliving room.
The average size ran fromanywhere from roughly 500 square
feet to a little over 1,100square feet, depending and the
way that he designed and builtthem, they still were quite airy
for their size.
So what you're looking at isanything from roughly a studio
apartment size to maybe a smalltwo-bedroom, but it worked.
(24:35):
He took 40 acres of land andbuilt an actual community of
these near a small town, and thebeautiful part about that is,
even though it's rural, that itactually has bus service, so you
can live literally rural NewYork and still have access
without having to own a car,which I think is really super
(24:59):
cool.
That are putting a crimp intothe ability to replicate.
This obviously, to me, is onesolution to a very prickly
problem.
Bet, you can't guess what it isZoning laws, zoning laws and
(25:22):
the fact that people have anot-in-my-backyard mentality
when it comes to this stuff.
Now, we're not talking about abunch of noise.
We're not talking about a bunchof crime.
We're not talking about a bunchof crime.
The way he's got it designed isvery nice and very elegant.
It looks really classy.
But people need a place to liveand a lot of people can't afford
what's out there right now.
(25:42):
And if you are semi-retired ormaybe you're a widower or maybe
you're a young family startingout husband and wife, this is
exactly what you would need, notto mention being in the
countryside.
You get the beauty of thescenery and you get a quality of
life without the kind of crowdmentality of an apartment
(26:04):
building complex.
You don't get all those peoplepacked in there so you actually
get some freedom that, literally, if you will breathe, which in
and of itself makes it almostworth doing.
Why do people not want thesehomes in their community?
It's a question we need to ask.
(26:25):
What we're doing right now as acountry relative to what we're
calling affordable housing isnot working for more and more
people.
And, honestly, the averagehouse, even if you're able to
afford to get into it, themaintenance, the taxes, the
upkeep is going to break you andthere have been stories in the
last couple of years.
(26:45):
We've talked about the cost ofactually doing it, not to
mention property tax values andsnow removal, maintaining the
lawn, fixing appliances whenthey go on the fritz, having
plumbing issues, electricalissues all that stuff falls on
the homeowner and it's not cheap.
(27:05):
And that's on top of insurance,that's on top of the mortgage
and that's assuming, dependingwhere you live, that you can get
homeowner's insurance, which isa whole other subject we're not
going to deal with here.
But imagine a community within acommunity that promotes
community Everybody knowseverybody but nobody's nosy that
(27:29):
promotes peace and quiet andquality of life that you cannot
replicate in the city.
Would you live in a tiny home?
Our apartments about 1350square feet.
This 1100 square feet wouldwork for us.
We've lived, actually, in anapartment slightly smaller than
(27:51):
that at one time of about 965square feet.
It was snug but we made it work.
11001,100 would be a littlebetter.
It's doable.
And if you are on a fixed income, if you have health challenges
can't get around a lot thiswould be the ideal thing for you
, not to mention a communitysetup where people are looking
(28:13):
out for everybody.
So you would have a built-incommunity to make sure you're
checking on your neighbors, yourneighbors checking on you.
You're not alone.
You have on you.
You're not alone.
You have privacy, but you'renot alone.
And again, if you're over acertain age, loneliness is a
major cause of depression,dementia, suicide, et cetera.
(28:33):
So being able to be part of acommunity like this, on your own
terms, is pretty good.
It really, really is.
And I'm telling you, I'mlooking this is Fast Company
magazine and I'm looking atthese homes and they look pretty
classy.
I wouldn't mind living in oneof them.
They're nice.
Not to mention the view theygot.
In this case, he built a numberof homes overlooking a lake.
(28:57):
Can you imagine that that isyour view when you get up in the
morning, you can hear thewildlife and you can see the sun
and smell the breeze and enjoyeven you know the water and the
noise of the water lulling youto sleep at night.
It would be really, reallyawesome.
But again, zoning laws.
(29:19):
Zoning laws favor large lots,single homes, single families.
The problem with that is thatmight have worked in the 50s,
maybe even the 60s, but itdoesn't work now.
It is an incredible waste ofvaluable land and there are a
whole bunch of approaches, ofwhich the tiny house village is
(29:40):
one approach.
The other one is unattacheddwellings, or granny flats as
they're called, or mother-in-lawflats if you will, where
certain laws and certaincommunities allows the homeowner
to build a separate structurethat they can either rent out or
have family live in.
There are a lot of differentapproaches, but the bottom line
(30:03):
is affordability, communitybeing able to enjoy quality of
life and have some freedom.
In this case, with thisparticular builder who's
fielding calls all over thecountry and he tells builders
who are interested inreplicating what he's done in
New York State, he said theproblem is going to be zoning
(30:25):
Number one problem.
It's going to be the zoning inyour community that's going to
fight you tooth and clockbecause they don't want it.
To me, I think I'd rather havethese small homes in a cluster
than a major large overbearingapartment building with all that
noise and all those people allsquished together.
This is a much better qualityof life because it's spread out
(30:46):
a little bit and it was plannedso.
It wasn't built willy-nilly.
He actually put some planningin it and it looks quite nice
and I think a lot of peoplecould relate.
He said they've been realpopular and he's going to keep
building them.
He'd like to replicate thisacross the country.
People could relate he saidthey've been real popular and
he's going to keep building them.
He'd like to replicate thisacross the country, but time
(31:07):
will tell if planning and zoningwill get the message and be
willing to make those changes tofacilitate this, at least in
some part of town Called ghosttrucking and a fleet of
driverless trucks are shapingthe future shipping in China.
Is this what's next for theUnited States?
We are the Tech Mobility Show.
To learn more about the TechMobility Show, start by visiting
(31:28):
our website.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
The website is a treasure troveof information about me and the
show as well as where to findit on the radio across the
country.
Keep up with the happenings ofthe Tech Mobility Show by
visiting techmobilityshow.
That's techmobilityshow.
You can also drop us a line attalk at techmobilityshow.
(31:51):
Did you know that Tech Mobilityhas a YouTube channel?
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe TechMobility Show.
Each week I upload a few shortvideos of some of the hot topics
that I cover during my weeklyradio program.
I've designed these videos tobe informative and entertaining.
(32:12):
It's another way to keep up oncurrent mobility and technology
news and information.
Be sure to watch, like andsubscribe to my channel.
That's the TechMobility Show onYouTube.
Check it out.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
Are you tired of juggling multiple apps and
platforms for meetings, webinarsand staying connected?
Look no further thanAONmeetingscom, the all-in-one
browser-based platform that doesit all.
With AON Meetings, you caneffortlessly communicate with
clients, host virtual meetingsand webinars and stay in touch
with family and friends all inone place and for one price.
Here's the best part you canendure a 30-day free trial.
(32:45):
It's time to simplify your lifeand boost your productivity.
Aonmeetingscom, whereinnovation meets connection.
Get started today andrevolutionize the way you
communicate.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
Social media is the place to be these days, and
we're no exception.
I'm Ken Chester of the TechMobility Show.
If you enjoy my program, thenyou will also enjoy my weekly
Instagram videos, from thelatest vehicle reviews to timely
commentary on a variety ofmobility and technology-related
topics.
These short features aredesigned to inform and delight
you.
Be sure to watch, like andfollow us on Instagram.
(33:19):
You can find us by typing theTech Mobility Show in the search
bar.
Imagine passing a truck on theinterstate at highway speed that
doesn't have a space for thedriver.
There's no cab that is, in fact, just a flat wall crowned with
(33:39):
sensors and cameras.
In China, these futuristic yetcheap-looking trucks are part of
a fleet of driverless lighttrucks that can carry a thousand
parcels autonomously and thatmeans autonomously with no
oversight, over a range of 110miles.
Sound far-fetched.
Well, in China, like I said,it's happening right now, and
(34:03):
some form of this is inAmerica's immediate future.
This is topic C.
Let me say this when it comesto autonomous trucking China, is
head and shoulders above us.
You're talking truckingcompanies evaluating in the
Southwest with maybe thousandsof miles of pilot testing under
(34:28):
their belt with a few trucks.
China's talking hundreds oftrucks.
And get this now for one fleetone autonomous trucking fleet
one 124 million miles.
There is not a developer rightnow developing either autonomous
(34:49):
taxis or autonomous trucks thatcan boast that kind of mileage.
Not one, in fact.
I doubt all of them combinedcould do that right now.
In America.
They've made progress andthey've been at it hard.
The first time we talked aboutautonomous anything was back in
(35:11):
2016.
Our local radio show, cnhIndustrial they make case
tractors, was at the FarmProgress Show in Boone, iowa,
and they were showing videosback 10 years ago of two
autonomous, fully autonomoustractors working a farm in
(35:31):
Kentucky.
One had a cab, the other onedid not.
This was 2016.
China's taken this and run withit.
They have got in a variety ofprovinces.
They've got these on the roadworking now and they are not in
a pilot mode.
This is real life going on.
(35:53):
The company that's doing thisis called it's a logistics giant
called ZTO Express, and they'reat the vanguard of a silent,
state-sponsored effort torevolutionize the way China
ships goods around the country.
This next sentence is on them.
Their fleet is already vastlyoutperforming the efforts of
(36:19):
startups in the United States.
Again, again, they navigatethis particular province's
suburban and rural routes thanksto an artificial
intelligence-powered computerthat sees the world in 3D.
Using lasers andhigh-resolution cameras.
The trucks are capable ofobeying traffic lights, dodging
(36:40):
obstacles get this yielding topedestrians and talking to the
road itself and other vehicles.
And let me stop right here.
They have embraced vehicle toinfrastructure V2X and they've
spent money the government hasspent money to build that
infrastructure into the roads tofacilitate autonomous trucking
(37:04):
Unlike here.
And did I mention, under theirbelt, 124 million miles
autonomously, 124 million?
Most of these companies, ztoincluded, have been active on
this realm for now four yearsand they're taking it all the
(37:30):
way.
This particular article shows adelivery of 400 autonomous
heavy-duty trucks 400.
These areduty trucks 400.
These are not a pilot.
These trucks are being deployedin hauling freight right now in
China, thisvehicle-to-everything
(37:53):
communication that they've gotset up.
This technology allows them totalk to traffic lights, road
sensors and other vehicles inreal time.
As we talked about, v2x reducescollisions and optimizes
traffic flow by sharing datalike speed, direction and road
conditions.
What are we going to do?
(38:14):
This delivery of 400 heavytrucks marked the largest single
delivery of intelligent freighttrucks globally at the time,
each equipped with lightdetection and ranging sensors
that create 3D maps ofsurroundings, redundant braking
systems and autonomous drivingsoftware A proprietary system
(38:37):
developed by an outfit calledInceptio software a proprietary
system developed by an outfitcalled Inceptio.
Our trucking industry isnavigating the messy middle, and
what they're talking about isdecarbonization.
China's like don't even worryabout all that.
We're going full autonomousright now, to the wall all the
(38:59):
way, and we're not even playing.
We want to rewrite this wholebit.
Yet it's been nine years sincea farm implement manufacturer
showed the world workingautonomous tractors and,
(39:20):
honestly, the farm implementindustry, the manufacturers,
have embraced autonomy big time,and if you've ever sat in the
seat of a brand new combine, itpretty much does everything but
turn at the end of the corn row.
In another few years, you'llprobably be able to do that
without the driver inside.
So how did we get so behind?
Why can't we get it together,people, they expect these
(39:48):
light-duty trucks.
Just in one province, theyexpect to have 1,500 on the road
, and what they're targeting isa 50% reduction in labor cost
50%, because while their laborcosts in China have gone up by
8%, e-commerce parcel volumesexceeded $130 billion last year.
(40:13):
They don't have a choice.
Chinese retail giant JD'sLogistics Division has and this
is right now 600 autonomousvehicles in operation, making
millions of deliveries.
That's right now of fullydriverless delivery trucks in
(40:37):
major urban area centers likeBeijing and Shenzhen.
According to its third quarter,2024 earnings call.
And then there are othersChina's embraced autonomous
trucking.
China's embraced autonomouscommercial delivery.
These vehicles are on the roadracking up millions of miles
(41:00):
right now.
The government facilitated itby making the roads, giving the
roads ability to communicatewith these vehicles, making the
whole thing better.
They made the investment.
Private investment covered therest of it.
We should be able to do thesame.
(41:20):
We've got one company that'sbragging about self-driving tech
in the United States 1,200miles to Inceptio's 124 million
miles.
That's not even comparable interms of evaluation.
But trust me, if they perfectit there, they can export it,
and they will in due time,because it makes too much
economic sense.
Welcome to the Tech Mobility Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
I'm Ken Chester On the docket my impressions and
review of the 2025 MitsubishiOutlander SUV.
Can tiny house villages revivesmall towns and China's army of
ghost trucks Revive Small Townsand China's Army of Ghost Trucks
.
To add your voice to theconversation by asking a
question, sharing an opinion oreven suggesting a topic for
(00:31):
future discussion, call or textthe Tech Mobility hotline that
number, 872-222-9793.
Or, if you prefer, you canemail the show directly.
Talk at techmobilityshow.
Also, be sure to subscribe,like and follow us on social
media our YouTube channel andour two podcasts, the Tech
(00:55):
Mobility Podcast and TechMobility Topics.
And for those of you thatsubscribe to Substack, you can
find me there too, as a proudmember of the Iowa Writers
Collaborative, and that's at KenC Iowa.
So that's Ken, the letter C,and Iowa spelled out I-O-W-A.
Ken C Iowa.
From the TechMobility News Desk.
(01:23):
One of the major complaints thatis leveled against EVs is the
fact that there are so fewchargers, there's so few high
speed chargers available, andthat when the chargers are
available, that they don't work,that they're broken or
(01:45):
otherwise offline.
What if I told you that onestate in the United States of
America has almost 50% more EVchargers than gasoline nozzles?
Now I know, I know and thistime you would be right You're
(02:05):
going to say well, it's got tobe California.
Well, it is California, believeit or not.
And the point I want to make isthis I had told you that over
time this network would be builtout.
It takes time.
I mean it takes time to build,engineer and design this stuff,
(02:25):
just like it took time to build,engineer and design this stuff.
Just like it took time to buildthe gasoline retail
infrastructure.
It took years.
It didn't just pop up one day.
It took a number of years to dothat and they had to refine the
concept.
I would say that by the 1950sthat was probably the high
watermark for the typicalstandalone gasoline station.
(02:46):
But they did it.
So I don't know why peoplewould be surprised that it would
take the EV industry a while tobuild a level of EV chargers
that were comparable and asconvenient.
They're getting the number ofchargers right Now.
They're working on technologiesthat will allow you to charge
(03:09):
vehicles in as little as fiveminutes.
We covered that last week.
So let me read a little bitmore about what's going on in
California, and this is fromAutomotive News, which is a
trade publication of the autoindustry.
It's been around for over 100years.
Let me just give you thenumbers.
(03:30):
According to California EnergyCommission, they said California
has 178,549 electric vehiclechargers.
That is of last year, comparedwith California Energy
(03:52):
Commission's estimates of120,000 gasoline nozzles and
that works out to having 48%more electric vehicle chargers
than gas pump nozzles in thestate, a milestone that
highlights its steady marchtowards an electric future,
despite headwinds from thefederal government.
Steady march towards anelectric future, despite
headwinds from the federalgovernment.
Okay, you've heard all the fussabout California and you're like
I don't understand whyCalifornia's special or
(04:14):
different.
If you've never been toCalifornia, let me help you.
The topography of the GoldenState, particularly in the Los
Angeles Basin, has the abilityto trap all the emissions and
(04:37):
with the bright sun it wascreating something back in the
70s called photochemical smog.
In fact, the pollutants weregoing up into the air,
interacting with the sun andbecoming completely different
compounds that even they didn'tknow what they were, but they
were carcinogenic, deadly, andit was bad all the way around.
When the Clean Air Act waspassed in 1970, congress gave
(04:59):
special permission to Californiato actually enact standards
that were stricter than federallaw.
Folks might remember back in thedays, particularly the 80s and
the early 90s, of the 49 plus 1cars, that you had one standard
for 49 states and you had theCalifornia standards, which were
stricter.
(05:19):
You probably didn't know thatin the United States today.
You probably didn't know thatin the United States today there
are 40 different blends ofunleaded regular.
Why?
Because of pollution standards,because of certain geographical
areas, high altitude,california, other reasons.
You did know that there was adifference between your summer
(05:47):
blend and winter blend.
Right In case you didn't.
Now you know that, yeah, thegasoline that you buy isn't the
same everywhere all the time andit depends on season, it
depends on location and itdepends on the level of
pollution going on where youlive.
We'll determine what theformula is for the gasoline that
you're putting in your vehicle.
It's different Getting back toCalifornia putting in your
vehicle, it's different Gettingback to California.
(06:08):
Everything that made the statedesirable for people to go to
also made it a place to die.
If they didn't get thistogether, people were dying
Respiratory problems, highpollution.
It was not pretty.
So that's the thing.
But here's something that Iwant to point out Not only does
California have more chargersthan gas nozzles.
(06:31):
This increase is up 70% from2023.
In 2023, there were 105,012chargers in the state.
Last year, it was 178,549.
What that means is is that,when everything is right, the
(06:57):
money will be spent to build outthe infrastructure.
I was in the California deserttwo years ago, and I mean in the
desert.
I was north of Bakersfield andat this hotel in the middle of
nowhere and I mean the middle ofnowhere there were two electric
chargers One was for Teslas,another one for everybody else.
(07:20):
At the hotel right there and Ido mean the middle of nowhere,
off of a two lane state highway,I was at an event for major
automaker and, while the lunchwas very delicious, we were
really, really, really on themiddle of nowhere.
We were in a high desert.
There were two charges outthere.
California's commitment youthink California is in
(07:43):
California.
California had to do thisbecause they had no choice From
an air quality standpoint.
They had no choice.
That's why you've heard of theCalifornia Air Resources Board,
or CARB as it's called, and it'sbeen around for years, because
they needed to get ahead of itand they still need to get ahead
(08:04):
of it, and they still need toget ahead of it With all those
cars and all that pollutiongoing up into the air.
California had to take the leador the state was going to be
inhospitable to human life, andwith everything else going on in
California, the last thing youneeded to do was not being able
to breathe, or what you breathedin was harmful to you.
(08:27):
So that's why the big move,that's why California is all
about this stuff.
Now, of those 178,000 chargers,only 17,000 are fast chargers.
That's an issue for me, becauseit should be the other way
around.
(08:48):
A level two charger, unlessyou're able to plug in and walk
away for a while, ain't going todo you no good, because it's
going to take hours to charge,so it doesn't really address the
problem.
So, while, yes, californiashould be commended for the
progress, have they really madeprogress, though?
Only 17,000?
Eh, not so much, and the issueis that I don't know what it
(09:12):
would cost to retrofit thoselevel 2 chargers.
Let me add this while we're onthe subject the state estimates
the consumers have installedmore than 700,000 level 2
chargers in single-family homes,and home charging is the method
most owners use to repowertheir EVs.
(09:33):
And my beef with that is itdiscriminates against those of
us either unable, unwilling ordon't want to own a home.
If we want to own an EV, we areeither at the mercy of a public
charger or we're just stuck.
We can't buy one, and I don'tthink that's right, because that
tends to give privilege to themoney class and not the people
(09:56):
who really need it, which arepeople in the low-income,
high-pollution areas of thesecities which would benefit from
a lot of EVs if they couldcharge them.
But since they don't own a home, they don't have a level two
charger, so they can't play itovernight.
Oh well, the current MitsubishiOutlander is the automaker's
best ever.
(10:16):
You are listening to the TechMobility Show.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Are you tired of juggling multiple apps and
platforms for meetings, webinarsand staying connected?
Look no further thanAONMeetingscom, the all-in-one
browser-based platform that doesit all.
With AONMeetings, you caneffortlessly communicate with
clients, host virtual meetingsand webinars and stay in touch
with family and friends all inone place and for one price.
Here's the best part you canendure a 30-day free trial.
(10:45):
It's time to simplify your lifeand boost your productivity.
Aonmeetingscom, whereinnovation meets connection.
Get started today andrevolutionize the way you
communicate.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Social media is the main place to be these days, and
we are no exception.
I'm Ken Chester of the TechMobility Show.
If you enjoy my program, thenyou will also enjoy my weekly
Facebook videos, from my latestvehicle reviews to timely
commentary of a variety ofmobility and technology-related
topics.
These short features aredesigned to inform and delight
you.
Be sure to watch, like andfollow us on Facebook.
(11:17):
You can find us by typing theTech Mobility Show in the search
bar.
Be sure to subscribe to ourFacebook page.
Social media is the place to bethese days.
We're no exception.
I'm ken chester, the techmobility show.
If you enjoy my program, thenyou will also enjoy my weekly
instagram videos, from thelatest vehicle reviews to timely
(11:39):
commentary on a variety ofmobility and technology related
topics.
These short features aredesigned to inform and delight
you be sure to watch, like andfollow us on Instagram.
You can find us by typing theTech Mobility Show in the search
bar.
For those of you that listen topodcasts, we have just the one
for you.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester.
(12:00):
Tech Mobility Topics is apodcast where I upload
topic-specific videos each week,shorter than a full show.
These bite-sized programs arejust the thing, particularly if
you're interested in aparticular topic covered on the
weekly Thank you.
Nobody stands behind their carslike Mitsubishi, because every
(12:42):
new Mitsubishi now comes with a10-year powertrain limited
warranty, 5-year new vehiclelimited warranty and 5-year
roadside assistance.
Mitsubishi the best back carsin the world.
He came back when I came in my10-year.
That was from 2005.
The vehicle that they showed inthat television commercial was
(13:03):
actually the Mitsubishi Endeavor, which was their first
domestically built SUV, whichfor the time and they built it
for five years was prettyadvanced.
It was pretty gnarly, it wasone generation.
It was built at their plant innormal Illinois and I remember
(13:23):
being invited to California toevaluate the vehicle and I was
very impressed.
The problem is between therecession and getting crunched
in the marketplace.
Mitsubishi never put in anymoney into the endeavor to
upgrade it.
So it was one generation andone generation only, which was
too bad because it could havebeen so much more.
(13:44):
But now we have the MitsubishiOutlander, so let me introduce
this SUV to you.
The Outlander was originallyintroduced to the American
motorists in the 2001 NorthAmerican International Auto Show
in Detroit as the MitsubishiASX concept vehicle, with ASX
(14:05):
standing for Active SportsCrossover.
This represented theautomaker's approach to the
industry-wide crossover SUVtrend at the time for retaining
all-season and off-roadabilities offered by a high
ground clearance and four-wheeldrive, while still offering
car-like levels of emissioneconomy and size.
Replacing the body-on-frameMontero Sport in North America,
(14:27):
the Outlander went on saleduring the 2003 model year.
The fourth and currentgeneration of Outlander debuted
in 2021.
For the 2022 model year, aspart of the
Renault-Nissan-Mishibishialliance, the Outlander is based
on the Nissan Rogue, whichrides on the CMF CD platform.
For 2025, the seven-passengerOutlander gets a mid-cycle
(14:52):
refresh with revised front andrear styling, along with greater
levels of luxury in materialsand design throughout the
interior and inside thepassenger cabin.
These upgraded and redesignedmaterials bring Outlander even
closer to the luxury class, withthe addition of sound-deadening
material in significant areas.
Upgraded and redesignedmaterials bring Outlander even
closer to the luxury class, withthe addition of sound-deadening
(15:14):
material in significant areas,bringing about a reduction more
than a half a decibel in roadnoise and nearly six decibels in
overall sound insulationcompared to last year.
Occupants will discoverredesigned placement and sizing
of the cup holders, a morefunctional area for wireless
mobile phone charging and alarger arm rest center console
area with more storage.
Underneath.
The Outlander sees arecalibrated power steering
(15:35):
system, delivering more precisesteering feel, with recalibrated
springs, shock absorbers andstabilizer bars, which bring
greater assurance in drivingconfidence.
Available in four trim levels,power for the front drive
Outlander is generated by a2.5-liter gasoline four-cylinder
engine that makes 181horsepower and 181 foot-pounds
(15:56):
of torque.
Energy is communicated to thefront wheels via a continuously
variable automatic transmissionwith an eight-speed sport mode.
The automaker's legendary superall-wheel control.
All-wheel drive system isoptional.
Epa fuel economy numbers are 24city 31 highway for front-wheel
(16:16):
drive, 24 city 30 highway forall-wheel drive.
Cargo capacity is 64.3 cubicfeet with a second and third row
seating folded flat.
4.3 cubic feet with a secondand third row seating folded
flat.
Towing capacity comes in at2,000 pounds.
Here's what I liked about thevehicle.
The 2025 Mitsubishi Outlanderis designed to be bold and
(16:39):
stylish and, without a doubt,the best Outlander ever.
The Mitsubishi SUV has a lookof sophistication inside and out
and there's so to love.
I don't even really know whereto begin.
The Outlander is capable and atalented highway performer when
underway Smooth, quiet andresponsive.
The driver can choose from sixdrive mode settings on demand
(17:02):
Eco, normal, tarmac, gravel,snow and Mud.
There's also an auto holdfunction as well, and a manual
shift mode via steering wheelmount and paddle shifters,
giving the driver a variety ofoptions depending on road
conditions.
The Outlander boasts solidoverall construction head-up
display, retained accessorypower, lcd interior lighting,
(17:23):
heated cooled front seats,heated outbound second row seats
and a second row climatecontrol, as well as a low
stepping height and decentsecond row legroom.
And put a pin in that, becauseI said second row Displays,
controls and switchgear are easyto read and use and, as I
mentioned earlier, the secondand third row seats fold flat
with the cargo floor, adding alevel of versatility and
(17:46):
functionality.
And, speaking of seating and Idon't know if somebody needs to
know this, but I'm putting itout there both power front seats
fully recline.
Here's what I didn't like aboutthe vehicle.
The accommodations for thethird row seat Okay, I'm just
going to say it like this Do notfit for child, man or beast and
(18:08):
honestly, it is not really aproblem that is unique to
Mitsubishi.
It is any auto manufacturertrying to put in a compact or a
mid-sized package a third row ofseating.
While it's commendable thatthey try, very often they fail
because it either means I got tochoose either carrying people
(18:28):
or carrying stuff, because Idon't have, except in a very few
vehicles, enough room behindthat third row seat to carry any
meaningful volume of anything.
Unfortunately, the Outlander isno better right there with that
particular thing.
I'd be better off doing it as afive passenger and not even
(18:49):
using the third row of seating.
There are no USB ports for thesecond and third row of seating,
and I need to clarify that,because Mitsubishi actually has
a set, but it's at the very backof the center console and I
guess they mean for that to beused by the second row
passengers.
I'm not thrilled with itbecause it's not really
(19:10):
user-friendly and if you're inthe third row you ain't got none
at all.
Here's something else.
Not that you would ever need todo it, but if you got to go
look at the engine to check theoil, to add winter wiper fluid,
be careful that hood is allsteel and it's heavy, don't get
(19:30):
hurt.
And then finally, and I don'tget this, there's no spare tire,
and I've tried to find outwhether the tires that it's
running on are run flats, whichthey're not self-sealing or
puncture resistant, which isusually the thing they'll do.
If they're not going to includea spare tire, I am not sure
that these tires are any ofthose things.
(19:51):
They are Toyo Open Country HTsand they're 20-inch tires, which
gives me pause and you know why.
You know they're expensive andyou'll have to probably order
them.
So here's the bottom line.
Despite some of the drawbacks,the Mitsubishi Outlander
continues to be a bright,shining star in the automaker's
(20:12):
limited North American lineup.
Now this particular, theOutlander, offers a little
something for everybody and ifyou want to take economy to the
next level, there's even theavailability of a plug-in hybrid
, which we did not review andmaybe next time we will.
The manufacturer suggestedretail price for the 2025
(20:32):
mishubishi outlander starts from29,645 for the es up to 43,145
for the platinum edition, which,by the way, platinum edition
comes all-wheel drive.
Standard destination charges$1,495.
Msrp is tested.
(20:53):
Test vehicle was the OutlanderSEL equipped with all-wheel
drive.
It was outfitted with thefollowing factory installed
options Premium package,two-tone exterior paint,
door-ground Mitsubishiillumination, to-note cover,
chrono hood emblem and welcomepackage.
Total cost of the options$4,385.
Total MSRP $44,675.
(21:15):
Can a tiny home village bringnew life to a small town?
We investigate.
This is the Tech Mobility Show.
Do you listen to podcasts?
Seems that most people do.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
If you missed any of our weeklyepisodes on the radio, our
(21:36):
podcast is a great way to listen.
You can find the Tech MobilityPodcast just about anywhere.
You can enjoy podcasts.
Be sure to follow us from ApplePodcasts, iheart Radio and many
platforms in between.
We are there.
Just enter the Tech MobilityPodcast in the search bar.
Wherever you listen to podcasts, social media, it's the place
(21:59):
to be, and we're no exception.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
Several times a week, I post toTikTok several of the topics
that I cover on my weekly radioshow.
It's another way to keep up onmobility technology news and
information.
I've built quite a library ofshort videos for your viewing
pleasure, so be sure to watch,like and subscribe.
That's the Tech Mobility Showon TikTok.
(22:20):
Check it out.
Tiny houses.
With the stock of affordablehousing severely diminished in
many parts of the country, therise of tiny houses offers some
people an alternative whenconsidering a safe place to live
.
A twist on that concept isactually the rise of tiny house
(22:44):
villages, often near or justoutside small towns in rural
America.
Could this concept be a win-winfor all?
This is topic B.
I was looking at an article, andthis article talked about an
(23:05):
example in upstate New York Yorkwhere a general contractor,
some 29 years ago, got inspiredto build in, during the slow
season, three small rentalswhich mimicked gingerbread
houses from a you know childstory that he was reading his
granddaughter.
People loved him.
(23:27):
The next year, during the slowseason, he built three more and
as this went on, he actuallyended up in a small town in
upstate New York buying a 2.8acre lot and putting 12 of these
little homes on that lot andmaking them available for people
(23:47):
.
Folks loved them.
Here's why.
Number one, an obviousaffordability.
Number two, the way that heapproached building them.
You had privacy but yet you hadcommunity.
They were in groups of three,but the homes were turned in
such a way that when you lookedout the window you weren't
(24:09):
staring into your neighbor'sliving room.
The average size ran fromanywhere from roughly 500 square
feet to a little over 1,100square feet, depending and the
way that he designed and builtthem, they still were quite airy
for their size.
So what you're looking at isanything from roughly a studio
apartment size to maybe a smalltwo-bedroom, but it worked.
(24:35):
He took 40 acres of land andbuilt an actual community of
these near a small town, and thebeautiful part about that is,
even though it's rural, that itactually has bus service, so you
can live literally rural NewYork and still have access
without having to own a car,which I think is really super
(24:59):
cool.
That are putting a crimp intothe ability to replicate.
This obviously, to me, is onesolution to a very prickly
problem.
Bet, you can't guess what it isZoning laws, zoning laws and
(25:22):
the fact that people have anot-in-my-backyard mentality
when it comes to this stuff.
Now, we're not talking about abunch of noise.
We're not talking about a bunchof crime.
We're not talking about a bunchof crime.
The way he's got it designed isvery nice and very elegant.
It looks really classy.
But people need a place to liveand a lot of people can't afford
what's out there right now.
(25:42):
And if you are semi-retired ormaybe you're a widower or maybe
you're a young family startingout husband and wife, this is
exactly what you would need, notto mention being in the
countryside.
You get the beauty of thescenery and you get a quality of
life without the kind of crowdmentality of an apartment
(26:04):
building complex.
You don't get all those peoplepacked in there so you actually
get some freedom that, literally, if you will breathe, which in
and of itself makes it almostworth doing.
Why do people not want thesehomes in their community?
It's a question we need to ask.
(26:25):
What we're doing right now as acountry relative to what we're
calling affordable housing isnot working for more and more
people.
And, honestly, the averagehouse, even if you're able to
afford to get into it, themaintenance, the taxes, the
upkeep is going to break you andthere have been stories in the
last couple of years.
(26:45):
We've talked about the cost ofactually doing it, not to
mention property tax values andsnow removal, maintaining the
lawn, fixing appliances whenthey go on the fritz, having
plumbing issues, electricalissues all that stuff falls on
the homeowner and it's not cheap.
(27:05):
And that's on top of insurance,that's on top of the mortgage
and that's assuming, dependingwhere you live, that you can get
homeowner's insurance, which isa whole other subject we're not
going to deal with here.
But imagine a community within acommunity that promotes
community Everybody knowseverybody but nobody's nosy that
(27:29):
promotes peace and quiet andquality of life that you cannot
replicate in the city.
Would you live in a tiny home?
Our apartments about 1350square feet.
This 1100 square feet wouldwork for us.
We've lived, actually, in anapartment slightly smaller than
(27:51):
that at one time of about 965square feet.
It was snug but we made it work.
11001,100 would be a littlebetter.
It's doable.
And if you are on a fixed income, if you have health challenges
can't get around a lot thiswould be the ideal thing for you
, not to mention a communitysetup where people are looking
(28:13):
out for everybody.
So you would have a built-incommunity to make sure you're
checking on your neighbors, yourneighbors checking on you.
You're not alone.
You have on you.
You're not alone.
You have privacy, but you'renot alone.
And again, if you're over acertain age, loneliness is a
major cause of depression,dementia, suicide, et cetera.
(28:33):
So being able to be part of acommunity like this, on your own
terms, is pretty good.
It really, really is.
And I'm telling you, I'mlooking this is Fast Company
magazine and I'm looking atthese homes and they look pretty
classy.
I wouldn't mind living in oneof them.
They're nice.
Not to mention the view theygot.
In this case, he built a numberof homes overlooking a lake.
(28:57):
Can you imagine that that isyour view when you get up in the
morning, you can hear thewildlife and you can see the sun
and smell the breeze and enjoyeven you know the water and the
noise of the water lulling youto sleep at night.
It would be really, reallyawesome.
But again, zoning laws.
(29:19):
Zoning laws favor large lots,single homes, single families.
The problem with that is thatmight have worked in the 50s,
maybe even the 60s, but itdoesn't work now.
It is an incredible waste ofvaluable land and there are a
whole bunch of approaches, ofwhich the tiny house village is
(29:40):
one approach.
The other one is unattacheddwellings, or granny flats as
they're called, or mother-in-lawflats if you will, where
certain laws and certaincommunities allows the homeowner
to build a separate structurethat they can either rent out or
have family live in.
There are a lot of differentapproaches, but the bottom line
(30:03):
is affordability, communitybeing able to enjoy quality of
life and have some freedom.
In this case, with thisparticular builder who's
fielding calls all over thecountry and he tells builders
who are interested inreplicating what he's done in
New York State, he said theproblem is going to be zoning
(30:25):
Number one problem.
It's going to be the zoning inyour community that's going to
fight you tooth and clockbecause they don't want it.
To me, I think I'd rather havethese small homes in a cluster
than a major large overbearingapartment building with all that
noise and all those people allsquished together.
This is a much better qualityof life because it's spread out
(30:46):
a little bit and it was plannedso.
It wasn't built willy-nilly.
He actually put some planningin it and it looks quite nice
and I think a lot of peoplecould relate.
He said they've been realpopular and he's going to keep
building them.
He'd like to replicate thisacross the country.
People could relate he saidthey've been real popular and
he's going to keep building them.
He'd like to replicate thisacross the country, but time
(31:07):
will tell if planning and zoningwill get the message and be
willing to make those changes tofacilitate this, at least in
some part of town Called ghosttrucking and a fleet of
driverless trucks are shapingthe future shipping in China.
Is this what's next for theUnited States?
We are the Tech Mobility Show.
To learn more about the TechMobility Show, start by visiting
(31:28):
our website.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
The website is a treasure troveof information about me and the
show as well as where to findit on the radio across the
country.
Keep up with the happenings ofthe Tech Mobility Show by
visiting techmobilityshow.
That's techmobilityshow.
You can also drop us a line attalk at techmobilityshow.
(31:51):
Did you know that Tech Mobilityhas a YouTube channel?
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe TechMobility Show.
Each week I upload a few shortvideos of some of the hot topics
that I cover during my weeklyradio program.
I've designed these videos tobe informative and entertaining.
(32:12):
It's another way to keep up oncurrent mobility and technology
news and information.
Be sure to watch, like andsubscribe to my channel.
That's the TechMobility Show onYouTube.
Check it out.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
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Social media is the place to be these days, and
we're no exception.
I'm Ken Chester of the TechMobility Show.
If you enjoy my program, thenyou will also enjoy my weekly
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(33:19):
You can find us by typing theTech Mobility Show in the search
bar.
Imagine passing a truck on theinterstate at highway speed that
doesn't have a space for thedriver.
There's no cab that is, in fact, just a flat wall crowned with
(33:39):
sensors and cameras.
In China, these futuristic yetcheap-looking trucks are part of
a fleet of driverless lighttrucks that can carry a thousand
parcels autonomously and thatmeans autonomously with no
oversight, over a range of 110miles.
Sound far-fetched.
Well, in China, like I said,it's happening right now, and
(34:03):
some form of this is inAmerica's immediate future.
This is topic C.
Let me say this when it comesto autonomous trucking China, is
head and shoulders above us.
You're talking truckingcompanies evaluating in the
Southwest with maybe thousandsof miles of pilot testing under
(34:28):
their belt with a few trucks.
China's talking hundreds oftrucks.
And get this now for one fleetone autonomous trucking fleet
one 124 million miles.
There is not a developer rightnow developing either autonomous
(34:49):
taxis or autonomous trucks thatcan boast that kind of mileage.
Not one, in fact.
I doubt all of them combinedcould do that right now.
In America.
They've made progress andthey've been at it hard.
The first time we talked aboutautonomous anything was back in
(35:11):
2016.
Our local radio show, cnhIndustrial they make case
tractors, was at the FarmProgress Show in Boone, iowa,
and they were showing videosback 10 years ago of two
autonomous, fully autonomoustractors working a farm in
(35:31):
Kentucky.
One had a cab, the other onedid not.
This was 2016.
China's taken this and run withit.
They have got in a variety ofprovinces.
They've got these on the roadworking now and they are not in
a pilot mode.
This is real life going on.
(35:53):
The company that's doing thisis called it's a logistics giant
called ZTO Express, and they'reat the vanguard of a silent,
state-sponsored effort torevolutionize the way China
ships goods around the country.
This next sentence is on them.
Their fleet is already vastlyoutperforming the efforts of
(36:19):
startups in the United States.
Again, again, they navigatethis particular province's
suburban and rural routes thanksto an artificial
intelligence-powered computerthat sees the world in 3D.
Using lasers andhigh-resolution cameras.
The trucks are capable ofobeying traffic lights, dodging
(36:40):
obstacles get this yielding topedestrians and talking to the
road itself and other vehicles.
And let me stop right here.
They have embraced vehicle toinfrastructure V2X and they've
spent money the government hasspent money to build that
infrastructure into the roads tofacilitate autonomous trucking
(37:04):
Unlike here.
And did I mention, under theirbelt, 124 million miles
autonomously, 124 million?
Most of these companies, ztoincluded, have been active on
this realm for now four yearsand they're taking it all the
(37:30):
way.
This particular article shows adelivery of 400 autonomous
heavy-duty trucks 400.
These areduty trucks 400.
These are not a pilot.
These trucks are being deployedin hauling freight right now in
China, thisvehicle-to-everything
(37:53):
communication that they've gotset up.
This technology allows them totalk to traffic lights, road
sensors and other vehicles inreal time.
As we talked about, v2x reducescollisions and optimizes
traffic flow by sharing datalike speed, direction and road
conditions.
What are we going to do?
(38:14):
This delivery of 400 heavytrucks marked the largest single
delivery of intelligent freighttrucks globally at the time,
each equipped with lightdetection and ranging sensors
that create 3D maps ofsurroundings, redundant braking
systems and autonomous drivingsoftware A proprietary system
(38:37):
developed by an outfit calledInceptio software a proprietary
system developed by an outfitcalled Inceptio.
Our trucking industry isnavigating the messy middle, and
what they're talking about isdecarbonization.
China's like don't even worryabout all that.
We're going full autonomousright now, to the wall all the
(38:59):
way, and we're not even playing.
We want to rewrite this wholebit.
Yet it's been nine years sincea farm implement manufacturer
showed the world workingautonomous tractors and,
(39:20):
honestly, the farm implementindustry, the manufacturers,
have embraced autonomy big time,and if you've ever sat in the
seat of a brand new combine, itpretty much does everything but
turn at the end of the corn row.
In another few years, you'llprobably be able to do that
without the driver inside.
So how did we get so behind?
Why can't we get it together,people, they expect these
(39:48):
light-duty trucks.
Just in one province, theyexpect to have 1,500 on the road
, and what they're targeting isa 50% reduction in labor cost
50%, because while their laborcosts in China have gone up by
8%, e-commerce parcel volumesexceeded $130 billion last year.
(40:13):
They don't have a choice.
Chinese retail giant JD'sLogistics Division has and this
is right now 600 autonomousvehicles in operation, making
millions of deliveries.
That's right now of fullydriverless delivery trucks in
(40:37):
major urban area centers likeBeijing and Shenzhen.
According to its third quarter,2024 earnings call.
And then there are othersChina's embraced autonomous
trucking.
China's embraced autonomouscommercial delivery.
These vehicles are on the roadracking up millions of miles
(41:00):
right now.
The government facilitated itby making the roads, giving the
roads ability to communicatewith these vehicles, making the
whole thing better.
They made the investment.
Private investment covered therest of it.
We should be able to do thesame.
(41:20):
We've got one company that'sbragging about self-driving tech
in the United States 1,200miles to Inceptio's 124 million
miles.
That's not even comparable interms of evaluation.
But trust me, if they perfectit there, they can export it,
and they will in due time,because it makes too much
economic sense.
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