What We’re Reading

• California needs a million EV charging stations – but that’s ‘unlikely’ and ‘unrealistic’ (KPBS, July 16, 2024)

  With state projections expecting to reach 7 million electric vehicles on California roads by the end of 2030 – 10 times more electric vehicles than at the end of last year – California will have to build an unprecedented number of public charging stations to meet demands. To reach a target of 2.1 million chargers in 2035, the state will have to create 129,000 new stations every year for the next seven years, which is more than 7 times the current pace.

  “It is very unlikely that we hit our goals, and to be completely frank, the EV goals are a noble aspiration, but unrealistic,” stated Bruce Cain, a Stanford professor and co-author of a policy briefing on California’s electric vehicle charging issues. California will need billions of dollars for power grid upgrades to connect the chargers, as well as ensuring public chargers are available in rural and less-affluent areas of the state.

  “The infrastructure is continuing to be rolled out at a rapid pace,” said Liane Randolph, board chair of the California Air Resources Board. “It doesn’t all have to be perfect instantly. It’s a process. And it’s a process that’s continuing to move.”

• Musk signals delays to robotaxi unveiling for key design change (Reuters, July 15, 2024)

  Elon Musk announced earlier this year that Tesla would be unveiling its fully autonomous robotaxi on August 8th, but a recent response to a post about the event signals otherwise.  "Requested what I think is an important design change to the front, and extra time allows us to show off a few other things," Musk said on X. No date has been announced by the automaker as to when we can expect a launch.  Musk has given minimal details about the robotaxis other than some would be owned and operated by Tesla and some would be owned by individuals and rented out on Tesla’s network.  Time will tell if Musk debuts his robotaxi this year or if it will be delayed like many of his other promised releases.

• Autonomous Vehicles Face Real-World Challenges: A Look at Baidu’s Recent Incident in China (Power Nation, July 9, 2024)

  In Wuhan, China, a Baidu-operated autonomous vehicle recently hit a pedestrian crossing against a red light. When the light turned green, the car moved and only made minor contact with the pedestrian, who was hospitalized but not seriously injured. Social media reactions in China mainly blamed the pedestrian for crossing against the signal, with news outlets echoing this sentiment. The incident underscores a key challenge for autonomous vehicles: dealing with unpredictable human actions. Despite extensive research and testing, autonomous cars still struggle in such scenarios. Baidu’s Apollo Go service, with a significant fleet in Wuhan, continues to refine this technology. On a broader scale, there are consumer concerns about the safety of self-driving cars. A Forbes Advisor survey revealed that 93% of Americans are wary of these vehicles, primarily due to safety and technology malfunction worries.