March 12, 2024 • 18 mins
So far in this series, we have had so many incredible conversations with the leaders and visionaries of the autonomous revolution that it can be easy to lose sight of just how far we’ve come. Just eight years ago, some of the first commercial self-driving cars were crawling along at 10 miles per hour in California, and today, we have seen first-hand how fast these cars can go.
Today, on the Inside Track, we have the honor of speaking with Professor Sergio Savaresi from the Polytechnic University of Milan. Many consider Sergio one of the grandfathers of the autonomous revolution and he has authored over 500 papers and journals on automation research. Together, we’ll reflect on how quickly self-driving cars have advanced and where the industry is heading. Later, we’ll theorize how the world of transportation might change and whether or not humans will even be allowed to drive their own cars on public roads.
Today, on the Inside Track, we have the honor of speaking with Professor Sergio Savaresi from the Polytechnic University of Milan. Many consider Sergio one of the grandfathers of the autonomous revolution and he has authored over 500 papers and journals on automation research. Together, we’ll reflect on how quickly self-driving cars have advanced and where the industry is heading. Later, we’ll theorize how the world of transportation might change and whether or not humans will even be allowed to drive their own cars on public roads.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I mean the way to have only autonomous cars on
the roads is quite longer. Probably will be a transition
like the identrification, and that ibreed is the hybrid cars
are something between it. So something ibrid is going to happen.
But I believe yes, probably in twenty years from now
in some regions of the world, probably humans will be banned.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
The world around us is changing faster than ever before.
Ideas once only imagined in science fiction are becoming a reality.
Throughout the course of our amazing twenty three episode season,
we'll speak to some of the greatest minds in robotics
and artificial intelligence to discuss the groundbreaking work that's fueling
it all. I'm your host Ryan Marine joined Being and
my co host Paul Mitchell, the president of the Indian
(00:49):
Autonomous Challenge, and see why we call this the inside Track.
So far in this series, we have had so many
incredible conversations with the leaders and visionaries the autonomous revolution
that can be easy to lose sight of just how
far we've come. Just eight years ago some of the
first commercial self driving cars we're crawling along at ten
(01:10):
miles per hour in California, and today we have seen
firsthand how fast these cars can go today on the
inside track, we have the honor of speaking with Professor
Sergio Savareesi from the Polytechnic University of Milan. Many consider
Sergio one of the grandfathers of autonomous revolution, and he
has authored over five hundred papers and journals on automation research. Together,
(01:34):
will reflect on how quickly self driving cars have advanced
and where the industry is heading. Later, will theorize how
the world of transportation might change and whether or not
humans will ever be allowed to drive their own cars
on public roads. It's my pleasure to have Professor Sergio
(01:55):
Savareesi joining us from Polytechnico di Milano in Italy. He's
the what fact lead, you would say, for the poly
Move team in the Autonomous Challenge. They've been the winners
of the last three in the Autonomous Challenge competitions. First
of all, congratulations on your success. We're speaking to you
one day after your triumph at CEES in Las Vegas,
(02:17):
another very thrilling competition.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Thank you very much. I'm very pleased of your invitation
to talk with you.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Well, who better to speak to when we're talking about
autonomy within the automotive realm. Certainly this is something that's
been on your mind for quite some time. Your students
have been working on this particular project for a while.
But at what point did you start to think about
autonomy and the automotive industry, whether that's in motorsports or
(02:47):
simply road going cars. When did that enter your mindset professionally, I.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Mean considered that professionally. I'm i founder twenty years ago
a research group which is called Mover, so poly Move
takes part of then in front from this, and the
focus of my research group is indeed, let's say, automation
and control in vehicles. So it's the natural evolution for me.
So if I go back twenty years ago, we were
(03:13):
we were focusing on electronic suspension ABS, attraction control, stability control,
and then step by step the focus of the industry
went more and more on the let's say hybrid desition
so control problem of the advertisation and in recent years
towards the autonomous driving. So it's a very natural evolution
(03:35):
of the path of my research team. When you heard
about in the autonomous challenge, then jumping I would be
again jump in definitely, definitely, because because I was always
very passionate about motorsport. But my regret was that the
traditional motorsport, let's say Formula one. Of course in Italy
(03:57):
we have Ferrari Formula one step by step abolished and banned.
Every automation technology will active out, traction control out, a
bas out anything out and the motivation is quite clear.
So they motorsport try to keep the importance of the
(04:19):
human euro and so ironically the Formula one is top
on any let's say technical fielders or materials engine, mechanic
cyerodynamicson accepted the automation and control and ironically, the automation
and control, the automatization of the driver is probably going
(04:41):
to be the most important challenge technologically in the car
of the future. So there is this sort of contradiction
from one side. In the real cars, this is going
to be the most important trend from the technology point
of view, and this is the part missing in motorsport
and in the autonomous challenge. Was a greater port unity
to go to allow a research group like mine to
(05:05):
enter in the motorsport competition. So I took the opportunity immediately.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
How long have you and your students been working on
this project specific project, this project, as you know started
at the very end of twenty twenty, right the beginning
of twenty one, and we have worked on this project
(05:30):
since that.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
The initial partnerst with a simulation race and then we
moved to the real car and so on. So we
are here from the very beginning together with all the
other teams couple of years.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Describe the growth you've seen. That's a short timeframe when
we're talking about emerging technology like this, and yet we've
seen massive growth from first the competitions in the simulator
the first time is then that we saw the real
cars on track, to what we saw yesterday out at
Las Vega.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
It's really impressive. If you compare how much time in
industry a prototype is being developed, it was an amazing
short amount of time, and of course there are being problems,
but the challenge is so big that reaching this level
in let's say more or less in one year or
(06:23):
slightly more is really impressive. And I believe this is
essentially due to the collaboration. So if you count all
the people of all the team that corporated, it's a
huge number. It's a massive amount of talents, young talents.
There was a lot of corporation and this is why
we succeeded to reach this level. That's the only way.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
What I find fascinating is this is an immense challenge,
as you say, but it is universities that are stepping
up to answer this challenge, not a billion dollar billion
euro company like Fiat for instance, but it's university is
that are doing this. What is it about the university
system that makes this something that they are adapt at
(07:07):
handling the challenge? And then secondly, are the automotive companies
following along with what you're doing? Is this something that
they have an investment in indirectly at this stage?
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Okay, so for the first question, So for me, it's
important that this is so that we put in this way.
From my perspective, this is not a student competition, just
an exercise for students, but it's a research competition. So
we brought this competition at the edge of a research level.
This is why let's say top university like mine, like
(07:42):
all the other university are interested in being involved in
this type of experiment, let's say experimental activity, because we
are on the edge of the research that we know
today that the technology that we know today about the companies,
I found a lot of interest, so they are looking
very carefully of what we are doing, essentially, because we
(08:05):
are essentially we are training a lot of talents capable
of managing this technology in a very focused and practical way.
But also we are exploring some limits of the technology
that has been unexplored in the pasta So this is
I think that the most important part of this challenge.
(08:26):
We are let's say, focusing on a really unexplored part
of this let's say big problem or the autonomous card.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
To that point, we've seen a ton ofmous vehicle competitions
in the past. DARPA comes to mind, but this is
something different. The high speed nature of it, the head
the head nature of it is something we haven't exactly
seen before. What does this allow you to explore intellectually
and then potentially to have these lessons transfer into future Chechowtogy.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Yeah. I believe this is a very natural evolution. I
would call it the second win of research in this field.
Of course, the first wave of autonomy should focus naturally
on low speed situations, so it's the natural way you
start with. Of course, you take care of many issues
in low speed, but consider that those whenever you practice
(09:18):
at low speeder. Anything strange happens that you can stop
in a few meters, and it's from this point is
much easier. The second wave is to focus on high performance.
So what happens, what we can do when the car
must go high speed? Don't think about necessarily the one
(09:40):
hundred eighty miles per hour, but just the eighteen ninety
one hundred miles per hour on a highway in the
future is a very challenging situation, especially especially if there
is rain, there is snow, let's say critical situation. That
domain is essentially unexplored. So in some sense it's the
second wave of this research activity. Of course, today industry
(10:04):
is focusing on the first wave completely the first wave.
We are looking to the future and say, okay, at
some point the problem of critical condition high performance will
become extremely relevant. And I like to say that in
the future, when I will go on the robot taxi
on a highway one hundred miles per hour, snow or rain,
(10:27):
something happens, I want to have a pro driver at
the wheel. Yes, that's the point. And this is so
this is the imagine of what we think. It's the
most value contribution of what we are doing. Of course
it's not something is really needed today, but this is research.
You look in the future and you say, okay, the
(10:48):
next step will be that one, and we are working
in that direction. So to save lives in a challenging
situation in the future.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
It's interesting you put it that way because, as you know,
there are only so many humans that can be pro drivers,
that have the skill that is required. However, presumably that
limitation wouldn't exist with an AI algorithm we could have
in theory every car on the road has.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
It's really is because also today there are few drivers
who are capable to manage challenging situation. Right then, we
know most of the crashes in highways or in difficult
condition are due to the experience of using experience of
the driver. So in a sense, you're right. We can
put the pro drivers a Formula one Indy car drivers
(11:38):
on every car. This is a bit of a dream,
but it's a dream, let's say, to save lives, to
make sustainable not only from the let's say environmental point
of view, also from the safety point of view, the
future of the mobility. So we believe that this is
not just an entertaining environment, just competition, just the game.
(12:01):
But it's something that we are going to have a
big impact in the mobility revolution in the future.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Which elements of this do you expect to first creep
into the marketplace to first have that big impact? Is
the second wave as you put it, enters into the
automotive industry. And what is the timeline where we're looking at?
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Okay, what we are doing today is to make a
first small step and to bring this technology in something
between the autonomous motorsport or the motorsport and let's say
everyday cars. So now we are focusing on GT cars,
say supercars, hyper cars that go on track, but they
(12:44):
are not in a racing condition. So today there is
a lot of request for these cars which are extremely
powerful that our use of by non professional drivers to
have some assistance, and we want to explore also the
interaction between a human driver that can cooperate with an
AI driver. I believe that this as the shortest time
(13:08):
to market. There is a clear need. It's a significant step,
is not a huge step. From that point on, the
final step would be to bring these let's say drivers
professional drivers on everyday cars. For this step, I believe
the timeline would be let's say eight to ten years
from now, So it's a long time. But in automotive development,
(13:32):
let's say eight years is really very short time.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
That's it eight years ago, could you have imagined what
you're doing today? And with that in mind, how difficult
is it to look ahead eight years? Right?
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Absolutely? Absolutely So things are evolving so quickly in general
in the technology that it's really difficult to forecast. I
believe that the main direction is right. I'm pretty sure
that we are focusing the right direction. There will be,
for sure a need of what we are doing today
within the indo autonomous challenge. The exact timeline, honest, nobody
(14:09):
really knows, but it's it's a right direction.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
What has you most excited about the future with autonomy
and vehicles?
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Ah, this is a big question. My general vision, if
we let's say broad and a bit, let's say, the
vision is that autonomy will be the catalyzer or I
like to say, the big bang of the mobility revolution.
Let's let me put in this way. So today the
(14:38):
industry is very much focused on the electrification, which is
good in principle. It's it's important, but electrification cannot be
cannot be really done by keeping the traditional model, which
is personal ownership. So we developed the mobility model mostly
based on the personal ownership of the car. The US
(15:01):
they are so every one thousand people, there are one
thousand cars, which is extremely inefficient. The point is that
the electric car does not fit with a personal ownership
model because of reason because the battery typically you need
a long range, but your average range is very small,
so it's a huge waste of resources. And also for
(15:24):
the recharging part, if you are a personal owner of
the car, you need to be charged faster that time,
that place, which is another very inefficient way to manage
then electric car. So the real revolution will be to
move to a mobility as a service let's say car
sharing model. But the car sharing model can only work
(15:46):
with autonomous car. So this is the connection. So the
autonomous car will booster, will catalyze the shift to a
mobility as a service, and only the mobility as a
service can really boost the electrification. So in some sense
we are focusing on the end of the story. And
so this is why I believe that the autonomous car
(16:09):
technology is the key of this complete revolution. And people
today don't don't don't don't see this connection. So they see, okay,
autonomous car is something strange. I like, I don't like
if they don't really realize that it is going to
be the catalyzer, the big bang of this entire revolution
(16:30):
of the of the mobility model.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Do you envision a future then where at least on
the road there are no human drivers, that that AI,
that autonomy is the future or is there always going
to be a need even if it's in a very
specific circumstance to have the human element.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
I mean, the way to have only autonomous cars on
the roads is quite long. Probably will be a transition
like the electrification and the breed is the hybrid cars
are something between. So something hybrid is going to happen.
But I believe yes, probably in twenty years from now
in some regions of the world, probably humans will be
(17:12):
banned and this point, at that point is even even
easier in some sense. So the hybrid coexistence of human
drivers and AI is going to be an issue. So
probably that's that's the end, the end of the story.
It's like the story of the horses. Today. You can
see you can go with the horse on the on
the highway. That's fine. So you want to you want
(17:35):
to drive the car, go on a racetrack and have fun.
So probably that that that will be the end of
the story. It's going to take a long time because
contains a lot of cultural and acceptant issues, and so
it's going to take some time. But at the end
of at the end, probably the end of the story
will be will be that one.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
A fascinating conversation is always Sergio, Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
Thank you for much for the Thanks again, thanks for.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Joining us this week on the inside track. That was
Professor Sergio Savareesi from the Polytechnic University of Milan. Reflecting
on our origins is just as important as looking forward
to the future. Who knows, maybe you will be carpooling
to work in an autonomous car sooner than you think.
I'm your host, Ryan Marine and join us next time
(18:26):
to hear from Stephanie Meyer, the team lead for the
Autonomous Tiger Racing team from Auburn University, about how easily
a project like the IAC can spark a racing passion,
even for the most unlikely of engineers.
I mean the way to have only autonomous cars on
the roads is quite longer. Probably will be a transition
like the identrification, and that ibreed is the hybrid cars
are something between it. So something ibrid is going to happen.
But I believe yes, probably in twenty years from now
in some regions of the world, probably humans will be banned.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
The world around us is changing faster than ever before.
Ideas once only imagined in science fiction are becoming a reality.
Throughout the course of our amazing twenty three episode season,
we'll speak to some of the greatest minds in robotics
and artificial intelligence to discuss the groundbreaking work that's fueling
it all. I'm your host Ryan Marine joined Being and
my co host Paul Mitchell, the president of the Indian
(00:49):
Autonomous Challenge, and see why we call this the inside Track.
So far in this series, we have had so many
incredible conversations with the leaders and visionaries the autonomous revolution
that can be easy to lose sight of just how
far we've come. Just eight years ago some of the
first commercial self driving cars we're crawling along at ten
(01:10):
miles per hour in California, and today we have seen
firsthand how fast these cars can go today on the
inside track, we have the honor of speaking with Professor
Sergio Savareesi from the Polytechnic University of Milan. Many consider
Sergio one of the grandfathers of autonomous revolution, and he
has authored over five hundred papers and journals on automation research. Together,
(01:34):
will reflect on how quickly self driving cars have advanced
and where the industry is heading. Later, will theorize how
the world of transportation might change and whether or not
humans will ever be allowed to drive their own cars
on public roads. It's my pleasure to have Professor Sergio
(01:55):
Savareesi joining us from Polytechnico di Milano in Italy. He's
the what fact lead, you would say, for the poly
Move team in the Autonomous Challenge. They've been the winners
of the last three in the Autonomous Challenge competitions. First
of all, congratulations on your success. We're speaking to you
one day after your triumph at CEES in Las Vegas,
(02:17):
another very thrilling competition.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Thank you very much. I'm very pleased of your invitation
to talk with you.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Well, who better to speak to when we're talking about
autonomy within the automotive realm. Certainly this is something that's
been on your mind for quite some time. Your students
have been working on this particular project for a while.
But at what point did you start to think about
autonomy and the automotive industry, whether that's in motorsports or
(02:47):
simply road going cars. When did that enter your mindset professionally, I.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Mean considered that professionally. I'm i founder twenty years ago
a research group which is called Mover, so poly Move
takes part of then in front from this, and the
focus of my research group is indeed, let's say, automation
and control in vehicles. So it's the natural evolution for me.
So if I go back twenty years ago, we were
(03:13):
we were focusing on electronic suspension ABS, attraction control, stability control,
and then step by step the focus of the industry
went more and more on the let's say hybrid desition
so control problem of the advertisation and in recent years
towards the autonomous driving. So it's a very natural evolution
(03:35):
of the path of my research team. When you heard
about in the autonomous challenge, then jumping I would be
again jump in definitely, definitely, because because I was always
very passionate about motorsport. But my regret was that the
traditional motorsport, let's say Formula one. Of course in Italy
(03:57):
we have Ferrari Formula one step by step abolished and banned.
Every automation technology will active out, traction control out, a
bas out anything out and the motivation is quite clear.
So they motorsport try to keep the importance of the
(04:19):
human euro and so ironically the Formula one is top
on any let's say technical fielders or materials engine, mechanic
cyerodynamicson accepted the automation and control and ironically, the automation
and control, the automatization of the driver is probably going
(04:41):
to be the most important challenge technologically in the car
of the future. So there is this sort of contradiction
from one side. In the real cars, this is going
to be the most important trend from the technology point
of view, and this is the part missing in motorsport
and in the autonomous challenge. Was a greater port unity
to go to allow a research group like mine to
(05:05):
enter in the motorsport competition. So I took the opportunity immediately.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
How long have you and your students been working on
this project specific project, this project, as you know started
at the very end of twenty twenty, right the beginning
of twenty one, and we have worked on this project
(05:30):
since that.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
The initial partnerst with a simulation race and then we
moved to the real car and so on. So we
are here from the very beginning together with all the
other teams couple of years.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Describe the growth you've seen. That's a short timeframe when
we're talking about emerging technology like this, and yet we've
seen massive growth from first the competitions in the simulator
the first time is then that we saw the real
cars on track, to what we saw yesterday out at
Las Vega.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
It's really impressive. If you compare how much time in
industry a prototype is being developed, it was an amazing
short amount of time, and of course there are being problems,
but the challenge is so big that reaching this level
in let's say more or less in one year or
(06:23):
slightly more is really impressive. And I believe this is
essentially due to the collaboration. So if you count all
the people of all the team that corporated, it's a
huge number. It's a massive amount of talents, young talents.
There was a lot of corporation and this is why
we succeeded to reach this level. That's the only way.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
What I find fascinating is this is an immense challenge,
as you say, but it is universities that are stepping
up to answer this challenge, not a billion dollar billion
euro company like Fiat for instance, but it's university is
that are doing this. What is it about the university
system that makes this something that they are adapt at
(07:07):
handling the challenge? And then secondly, are the automotive companies
following along with what you're doing? Is this something that
they have an investment in indirectly at this stage?
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Okay, so for the first question, So for me, it's
important that this is so that we put in this way.
From my perspective, this is not a student competition, just
an exercise for students, but it's a research competition. So
we brought this competition at the edge of a research level.
This is why let's say top university like mine, like
(07:42):
all the other university are interested in being involved in
this type of experiment, let's say experimental activity, because we
are on the edge of the research that we know
today that the technology that we know today about the companies,
I found a lot of interest, so they are looking
very carefully of what we are doing, essentially, because we
(08:05):
are essentially we are training a lot of talents capable
of managing this technology in a very focused and practical way.
But also we are exploring some limits of the technology
that has been unexplored in the pasta So this is
I think that the most important part of this challenge.
(08:26):
We are let's say, focusing on a really unexplored part
of this let's say big problem or the autonomous card.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
To that point, we've seen a ton ofmous vehicle competitions
in the past. DARPA comes to mind, but this is
something different. The high speed nature of it, the head
the head nature of it is something we haven't exactly
seen before. What does this allow you to explore intellectually
and then potentially to have these lessons transfer into future Chechowtogy.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Yeah. I believe this is a very natural evolution. I
would call it the second win of research in this field.
Of course, the first wave of autonomy should focus naturally
on low speed situations, so it's the natural way you
start with. Of course, you take care of many issues
in low speed, but consider that those whenever you practice
(09:18):
at low speeder. Anything strange happens that you can stop
in a few meters, and it's from this point is
much easier. The second wave is to focus on high performance.
So what happens, what we can do when the car
must go high speed? Don't think about necessarily the one
(09:40):
hundred eighty miles per hour, but just the eighteen ninety
one hundred miles per hour on a highway in the
future is a very challenging situation, especially especially if there
is rain, there is snow, let's say critical situation. That
domain is essentially unexplored. So in some sense it's the
second wave of this research activity. Of course, today industry
(10:04):
is focusing on the first wave completely the first wave.
We are looking to the future and say, okay, at
some point the problem of critical condition high performance will
become extremely relevant. And I like to say that in
the future, when I will go on the robot taxi
on a highway one hundred miles per hour, snow or rain,
(10:27):
something happens, I want to have a pro driver at
the wheel. Yes, that's the point. And this is so
this is the imagine of what we think. It's the
most value contribution of what we are doing. Of course
it's not something is really needed today, but this is research.
You look in the future and you say, okay, the
(10:48):
next step will be that one, and we are working
in that direction. So to save lives in a challenging
situation in the future.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
It's interesting you put it that way because, as you know,
there are only so many humans that can be pro drivers,
that have the skill that is required. However, presumably that
limitation wouldn't exist with an AI algorithm we could have
in theory every car on the road has.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
It's really is because also today there are few drivers
who are capable to manage challenging situation. Right then, we
know most of the crashes in highways or in difficult
condition are due to the experience of using experience of
the driver. So in a sense, you're right. We can
put the pro drivers a Formula one Indy car drivers
(11:38):
on every car. This is a bit of a dream,
but it's a dream, let's say, to save lives, to
make sustainable not only from the let's say environmental point
of view, also from the safety point of view, the
future of the mobility. So we believe that this is
not just an entertaining environment, just competition, just the game.
(12:01):
But it's something that we are going to have a
big impact in the mobility revolution in the future.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Which elements of this do you expect to first creep
into the marketplace to first have that big impact? Is
the second wave as you put it, enters into the
automotive industry. And what is the timeline where we're looking at?
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Okay, what we are doing today is to make a
first small step and to bring this technology in something
between the autonomous motorsport or the motorsport and let's say
everyday cars. So now we are focusing on GT cars,
say supercars, hyper cars that go on track, but they
(12:44):
are not in a racing condition. So today there is
a lot of request for these cars which are extremely
powerful that our use of by non professional drivers to
have some assistance, and we want to explore also the
interaction between a human driver that can cooperate with an
AI driver. I believe that this as the shortest time
(13:08):
to market. There is a clear need. It's a significant step,
is not a huge step. From that point on, the
final step would be to bring these let's say drivers
professional drivers on everyday cars. For this step, I believe
the timeline would be let's say eight to ten years
from now, So it's a long time. But in automotive development,
(13:32):
let's say eight years is really very short time.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
That's it eight years ago, could you have imagined what
you're doing today? And with that in mind, how difficult
is it to look ahead eight years? Right?
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Absolutely? Absolutely So things are evolving so quickly in general
in the technology that it's really difficult to forecast. I
believe that the main direction is right. I'm pretty sure
that we are focusing the right direction. There will be,
for sure a need of what we are doing today
within the indo autonomous challenge. The exact timeline, honest, nobody
(14:09):
really knows, but it's it's a right direction.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
What has you most excited about the future with autonomy
and vehicles?
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Ah, this is a big question. My general vision, if
we let's say broad and a bit, let's say, the
vision is that autonomy will be the catalyzer or I
like to say, the big bang of the mobility revolution.
Let's let me put in this way. So today the
(14:38):
industry is very much focused on the electrification, which is
good in principle. It's it's important, but electrification cannot be
cannot be really done by keeping the traditional model, which
is personal ownership. So we developed the mobility model mostly
based on the personal ownership of the car. The US
(15:01):
they are so every one thousand people, there are one
thousand cars, which is extremely inefficient. The point is that
the electric car does not fit with a personal ownership
model because of reason because the battery typically you need
a long range, but your average range is very small,
so it's a huge waste of resources. And also for
(15:24):
the recharging part, if you are a personal owner of
the car, you need to be charged faster that time,
that place, which is another very inefficient way to manage
then electric car. So the real revolution will be to
move to a mobility as a service let's say car
sharing model. But the car sharing model can only work
(15:46):
with autonomous car. So this is the connection. So the
autonomous car will booster, will catalyze the shift to a
mobility as a service, and only the mobility as a
service can really boost the electrification. So in some sense
we are focusing on the end of the story. And
so this is why I believe that the autonomous car
(16:09):
technology is the key of this complete revolution. And people
today don't don't don't don't see this connection. So they see, okay,
autonomous car is something strange. I like, I don't like
if they don't really realize that it is going to
be the catalyzer, the big bang of this entire revolution
(16:30):
of the of the mobility model.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Do you envision a future then where at least on
the road there are no human drivers, that that AI,
that autonomy is the future or is there always going
to be a need even if it's in a very
specific circumstance to have the human element.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
I mean, the way to have only autonomous cars on
the roads is quite long. Probably will be a transition
like the electrification and the breed is the hybrid cars
are something between. So something hybrid is going to happen.
But I believe yes, probably in twenty years from now
in some regions of the world, probably humans will be
(17:12):
banned and this point, at that point is even even
easier in some sense. So the hybrid coexistence of human
drivers and AI is going to be an issue. So
probably that's that's the end, the end of the story.
It's like the story of the horses. Today. You can
see you can go with the horse on the on
the highway. That's fine. So you want to you want
(17:35):
to drive the car, go on a racetrack and have fun.
So probably that that that will be the end of
the story. It's going to take a long time because
contains a lot of cultural and acceptant issues, and so
it's going to take some time. But at the end
of at the end, probably the end of the story
will be will be that one.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
A fascinating conversation is always Sergio, Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
Thank you for much for the Thanks again, thanks for.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Joining us this week on the inside track. That was
Professor Sergio Savareesi from the Polytechnic University of Milan. Reflecting
on our origins is just as important as looking forward
to the future. Who knows, maybe you will be carpooling
to work in an autonomous car sooner than you think.
I'm your host, Ryan Marine and join us next time
(18:26):
to hear from Stephanie Meyer, the team lead for the
Autonomous Tiger Racing team from Auburn University, about how easily
a project like the IAC can spark a racing passion,
even for the most unlikely of engineers.
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