Garage Garage - A Big Step

As we were driving home from San Francisco late one afternoon, my partner Steve and I started discussing the future of vehicles and the need for a more efficient system to power them.

“You know,” said Steve, “drivers are always complaining about the inefficiency of the traditional automotive manufacturing system.”

I thought about that for a minute and then said, “That's funny because I was just complaining about that.”

“Really?” Steve asked. “Why?”

“Well,” I said, “you know how much time drivers waste sitting in traffic, right?”

“Yes,” said Steve, “but I was thinking more about the inefficiency of the whole distributed systems of manufacture concept.”

“Think about it,” I said. “Everyone is trying to improve highway efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but no one is doing anything about it.”

“So what are you going to do about it?” asked Steve.

“I'm going to start a business,” I said. “I'm going to try to change the way we look at automotive engineering and manufacture.”

“And what is your business?” asked Steve.

“I call it auto mation ,” I said. “I'm going to make it easy for anyone to design and build their own vehicle using 3D printing and other advanced technologies.”

“That's pretty cool,” said Steve. “You're certainly passionate about this.”

“I'll admit it,” I said. “I love cars and driving, and I think anyone can enjoy that if they try. It's just a matter of convincing people to give it a try.”

“So when are you starting this business?” asked Steve.

“Well,” I said, “I have some money tucked away, so I don't have to worry about that. All I need is a garage to work in and some spare time.”

“And when are you going to start using all this technology that you've developed?” Steve asked.

“As soon as I can,” I said. “I have a lot to do before then, though. I need to figure out a way to make my garage into an office, and I have a lot of projects that I need to get started on.”

“Have you ever worked on anything like this before?” Steve asked.

“No,” I said, “and I have to admit that I'm a little scared. This is a big step, but it's also kinda cool. I mean, it's always been my dream to own my own garage, and this is kind of like making that dream a reality.”

“I love it,” said Steve. “This is really exciting.”

“I'm just glad that I found someone as enthusiastic about changing the status quo as I am,” I said. “I mean, we're both kind of shy and introverted, but we work well together.”

“I'm looking forward to helping you with this project,” Steve said. “It's going to be a lot of work, but I think it's going to be worth it.”

“Thanks,” I said. “This is going to be a lot of work, but it's worth it.”

“Anytime,” said Steve, and he meant it.

I have a lot of respect for traditional automakers and the way that they've done things in the past, but I think that they need to evolve with the times or they'll be left in the dust. A car company that does that is Eviation, and their vehicles are a great example of what can be accomplished when a traditional automaker finds a way to work with the best of the tech industry.

One of the great things about Eviation is that they took a page from the tech world and used a distributed systems of control approach to creating their vehicles. That means that instead of having all the controls located in one control tower, like the ones found in traditional automobiles, their system uses a combination of the internet of things, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics to distribute control across a network. In the case of their driverless car, this means that everything from accelerating and braking to turning the wheel and changing the radio station is handled remotely. In addition, each subsystem is designed and built by a different company or university, and then integrated into the whole using a distributed manufacturing approach.

While this may sound like science fiction, it's not. In fact, it's one of the many ways that the tech industry is evolving and adapting to the future of vehicles. For example, McLaren's “Senna” is a testament to what is possible when a traditional automaker works with the best of the tech industry. On the outside, “Senna” seems like a standard, run-of-the-mill supercar. But under the hood, it's a different story. With all the computing power and AI behind the scenes, the handling of this highly-modified McLaren is actually semi-automated. The computer handles acceleration, shifting, and braking while the driver takes care of maintaining a safe distance and the occasional gear change. Much like the Tesla Model 3, the “Senna” is an example of a vehicle that is designed and built using a distributed systems of control approach and then fitted with bespoke components. The end result is that something that looks traditional is able to accomplish things that it couldn't before. As a semi-automated vehicle, “Senna” is a whole lot more efficient than something that is fully manual. And what's more, it has a whole lot more fun to drive. While everyone else is focused on emissions and fuel economy, those who own a McLaren “Senna” know that there's a whole lot more to a car than just its fuel economy and emissions. If you're lucky enough to find one, you're definitely going to have a blast driving it. So, as I said, there are many ways that the tech industry is evolving and adapting to whatever future holds for vehicles, and that includes designing and building cars that are more efficient and easier to operate than anything that came before them.

If you've been following my articles for any length of time, then you probably know that I'm a big fan of Elon Musk and his companies. I think that they're doing amazing work in the future of vehicles, and while we're still waiting for the Boring Company to bring us a cross-country tunnel, we can enjoy the fact that Musk and his companies are making life easier for the average person. Much like traditional automakers and the tech industry, Musk's companies are also using a distributed systems of control approach to designing and building their vehicles. But instead of using humans, they use AI and robotics. Most of Musk's companies' designs are pretty cool, but one of my favorite examples is his Tesla Gigafactory. Located in Reno, Nevada, the Gigafactory is a massive production plant that is focused on making electric vehicles more affordable for the average person. What's more, the factory is designed and built using a “build-to-order” model. This means that anyone can walk in and have a completely custom-made car or pickup truck delivered to them in a few weeks. Much like traditional automakers and the tech industry, Musk is also focused on making life easier for the average person.