TechMobility Topics

It’s official:  Duolingo, the language learning tech company, will “gradually stop using contractors to do work that AI can handle,” – that’s a direct quote from the company.  In case you still think that AI displacement of workers is years in the future, guess again!  

Mercedes-Benz is working on a solar "paintwork" that could give EVs thousands of miles of additional range per year.  These are new types of solar modules that could be seamlessly applied to the bodies of electric vehicles.  These efforts could eventually pave the way for a wafer-thin layer of paint that could generate additional 8,699 miles of range per year. 

According to a recent article in Roads and Bridges magazine, testing shows the need for new roadside safety hardware standards for EVs.  Roadside safety hardware like guardrails, median barriers, bridge rails, crash cushions, end treatments and breakaway support structures are designed to protect life and minimize injuries in the event of a crash.    I discuss. 

Artificial Intelligence.  Its hard to imagine how we got here in just three short years from the introduction of ChatGPT.  As businesses and organizations around the globe rushed to infuse their very existence with AI, its ability to digest and summarize unimaginable amounts of data have already brought us to the brink of excluding human workers from the demands of daily commerce.  Few periods in modern history have been as unsettled and uncertain as the one that we are living through right now.  Can a case be made for saving human jobs?   You need to listen to this podcast to find out! 

The Hyundai Tucson.  Named after an Arizona city and launched in 2004, it is the automaker’s best-selling model globally, having sold over 7 million units since its introduction.  Positioned as a smaller alternative to the Santa Fe, the Tucson rides on a platform sourced from the Elantra sedan and is the mechanical sibling to the Kia Sportage.   Currently in its fourth generation, Tucson has been thoroughly refreshed for the 2025 model year.   I share my impressions in this review. 

As both trucking fleets and truck manufacturers wade through what the industry calls the "messy middle" from ICE to EVs, PACCAR's Kenworth and Peterbilt nameplates are making a compelling argument for EVs in the vocational truck segment.  Listen to this podcast to learn more. 

Throughout the United States, many a local new car dealer has a continuing need for experienced service technicians.  So much the more now, with the increasing sophistication of the engineering and technical design.  Working with local community colleges and high schools, shrinking budgets and changing priorities means that very often, the local resources are not available to the dealership for recruitment.   As you might expect, its technology to the rescue, but not in the way you may assume.  

A recent article in the business magazine Fast Company talked about a gas station of the future and the company behind it.  Nope, they haven’t given up on decarbonization, but what they are using for a feedstock to create the new fuels will surprise you.  Listen to this podcast to learn more. 

Trees.  They are amazing tools of nature – they absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen.  They shade our neighborhoods during the Spring and Summer, lowering temperatures by as much as fifteen degrees.  They absorb noise, reducing noise pollution.  And they are often pretty to look at.  What’s not to love?    Does your city benefit from this urban canopy?  Listen to this podcast to learn more. 

BYD, a leading Chinese EV manufacturer, has developed what it calls a Super e-Platform for its EVs that promises charging as fast as refueling, allowing for 249 of range in just five minutes of charging.  More importantly, the company is making that technology standard on almost all of its vehicles, regardless of price point.  Learn why this will quickly become a game changer for EV adoption rates.