Today's Pickup: Beyond Software In The AV Space; SmartWay Slashes Emissions, Fuel Costs

Good day,

As the self-driving vehicle space matures, industry experts are calling attention to technology challenges that aren't quite as sexy as AV software but are just as important in getting the car or truck on the road to commercialization. "A lot of attention is paid to software and truck companies like ours working out of Silicon Valley," Ike Robotics CEO Alden Woodrow told FreightWaves. "But what's interesting is there is a lot of work to be done on Tier One and OEMs to develop the underlying platforms that allow the truck to drive itself. Richard Bishop, a consultant on smart and autonomous vehicles, echoed that sentient, and took it one step further. "It's going a level deeper," he said. "It's about how do these technology packages interact with the various kinds of operations in the trucking industry. There's a huge variety - it's really about what segments of the trucking industry you're targeting." 

Did you know?

U.S. trucking companies enrolled in the voluntary emissions tracking SmartWay program have saved $33.4 billion on fuel costs, contributing to lower prices while helping American truckers.

— U.S. EPA

Quotable:

"With the help of Navis and PSA Singapore, we were able to accomplish a tremendous feat – not only planning, but successfully executing a vessel call with more than 19,100 containers on board."

— Captain Kunihiko Nishimura, General Manager Global Vessel Operations, ONE, on breaking the last reported world record for the largest amount of cargo ever stowed (Maritime Executive)

In other news:

Association says Trump trade tariffs cost businesses $2.7 billion in November

The group, which brands itself "Tariffs Hurt the Heartland," crunched tariff payment data nationally and by state. (CNBC)

Washington state snowstorms caused more than 3,000 vehicle crashes

The carnage included jack-knifed trailers and live chicken spills. (SeattlePI)

Greece-based owner of LNG carriers scores in 2018 with record annual and quarterly results 

Gaslog's profit increased to $126.4 million in 2018 from $84.2 million a year earlier. (WorldMaritimeNews)

Bombardier sees rail project Issues solved by the end of 2020

North America's biggest maker of rail equipment has put in place fixes for five troubled projects. (Bloomberg)

Final thoughts:

Is Wall Street going to fund the Green New Deal?  Investors told Bloomberg they will be more than happy to sink millions into the project wish list: renewables, building a nationwide energy grid, and renovating existing buildings for energy efficiency. They do want one thing in return, the same thing all investors want: regulatory certainty. "Once you have certainty in that policy, then that capital will know where to go," said Jon Powers, president of financial technology company CleanCapital and former federal chief sustainability officer under President Obama.

Hammer down everyone!

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