Fall 2019
PREMIERE
ISSUE Better living through technology
Why you probably don’t need a 4K TV right now Money, MONEY, MONEY! 5 podcasts to make more Here’s what it really takes to be your own boss PLUS: Protect family photos forever
Hate your keyboard? Try these
What’s new since you last bought a car? Electric engines. Cameras. Self-driving mode. Oh, and computers
WHERE YOU CAN FIND THE: HEALTHIEST FOOD TASTIEST TREATS GREATEST GIFTS www.tailsandtoys.com
Fall 2019
FROM THE EDITOR
W
information
3
Our goal: Make tech work for you STAFF
elcome to the premiere issue of ION, a national magazine that tries to help you make sense of how tech can fit into your lifestyle. This is not a rundown of the latest gadgets that Apple and Amazon tell us we “must have.” This is a look at how to make tech work for you — how to preserve your printed family photos digitally (Page 13), ideas of new shows to watch and books to read (it’s OK if you don’t use an e-reader or Netflix, we won’t tell) (Page 6) and whether you’re using that 4K TV to its full potential (you probably aren’t) (Page 16). We also profile people and experts who are living the dream — turning their passions into their professions. Maya Frost can (and does) live anywhere she likes while helping run a small business (Page 20), Patricia Lay-Dorsey turned her photography and love of Detroit techno music into a book that sold on Kickstarter (Page 26), and Marlo Anderson — the “Guru of Geek” — talks about trends he’s looking to invest in (Page 24). Our cover story is all about that computer you’re driving around in (Page 30). If you haven’t purchased a vehicle in awhile, there are a bunch of terms you should know, and Craig Fitzgerald, editor of BestRide.com and longtime auto writer, tells us how close we are to self-driving cars. GateHouse Media is publishing ION in select newspapers this year, so you may see another edition in December. If you don’t, you can keep up with us at facebook.com/ionnewsmag. Give us a shout anytime on social media or at ion@gatehousemedia. com to tell us what you like, what you don’t, what you want more or less of, or story ideas you’d like us to work on next. ION is for you. Best,
Join us
Lisa Glowinski Director, More Content Now GateHouse Media
Are you an expert in this stuff? Write for us! Contact Lisa at ion@gatehouse media.com
Editor LISA GLOWINSKI Copy Editor MICHAEL TOESET Art Director MARA CORBETT Designer MICHELLE LAUZON Vice President, Center for News & Design STEVE DORSEY Vice President, Marketing LORI CATRON Ad Sales GERRY JOYCE To advertise contact Nancy Holdgrafer, 507-440-8191 or nholdgrafer@ gatehousemedia.com Cover photo: Bigstock
©2019 GATEHOUSE MEDIA LLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without prior written permission of the Publisher. Permission is only deemed valid if approval is in writing. ION Magazine and GateHouse Media LLC buy all rights to contributions, text and images, unless previously agreed to in writing. While every effort has been made to ensure that information is correct at the time of going to print, GateHouse Media cannot be held responsible for the outcome of any action or decision based on the information contained in this publication.
4
information
FALL 2019 Fall 2019
PREMIERE
ISSUE Better living through technology
Why you probably don’t need a 4K TV right now Money, MONEY, MONEY! 5 podcasts to make more Here’s what it really takes to be your own boss PLUS: Protect family photos forever
Hate your keyboard? Try these
What’s new since you last bought a car? Electric engines. Cameras. Self-driving mode. Oh, and computers
IN THIS ISSUE: BRAVE NEW WORLD A look at the new tech landscape for vehicles
32: What’s new since you last bought a car 34: The rise of the EV 39: What to know about e-scooters 41: Why advanced safety features aren’t standard
FEATURES RECOMMENDATIONS What to watch, read and download now, 6 POD PEOPLE Great podcasts on money, 10
START ME UP Maya Frost turned her passion into a global product, 20 ‘Grandma Techno’ lights up Kickstarter, 24
HOW DO I … ? Digitize family photos, 13 ........... GO WITH THE FLOW Do I need a 4K TV?, 16 GO GO GADGETS Really cool keyboards, 17
ALL PHOTOS ARE RETAIL OR STOCK IMAGES UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED
FROM THE EXPERTS ‘Wantrepreneurs’ need to know these 5 things, 22 The ‘Guru of Geek’ tells us the tech he’s investing in now, 28 BONUS An excerpt from ‘Ninth Step Station’ from SerialBox.com, with a special deal just for ION readers, 45
conversation
Fall 2019
5
Your tech questions answered Q: I’ve noticed these new portable photo printers that connect to your phone. What should I look for in a good one? A: Choosing an instant photo printer involves, according to a pcmag.com report, such considerations as: • Whether one-pass or four-pass color (also referred to as multi-pass) printing is desired: PC Magazine’s online encyclopedia provides this distinction of one-pass: “A color laser printer in which the paper is moved over four drums, one for each color.” Contrast with multi-pass, which applies each color to the same drum and moves the paper over it four times. • Which size is preferred: Portable printers typically create photos that are 2 by 3 inches or 3 by 4 inches, though some go larger. • What is the cost per photo: Print packets will need to be purchased.
Q: I’m curious about those in-car monitors that auto insurance companies say can lower your rate. What kind of info do they collect? A: Privacy expert Jen King fears drivers may sacrifice more than they realize. “Where you go every day can tell people a lot about what you’re interested in, where you live, who you’re associating with,” King, director of consumer privacy for the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School, told NerdWallet.com. Even if the information isn’t sold, she says, it might be used in ways the driver didn’t anticipate. A data breach is another danger.
DO YOU HAVE A TECH QUESTION? Let one of our experts find the answer for you. Send it to ion@gatehousemedia.com.
Find out exactly what information the insurer will collect and whether it’s really related to good driving. Also ask: • How each bit of data affects your rate. • If you can decline to share the information without penalty. • If the company will share or sell your data. Q: I’m getting more and more calls that I think are scams. How can I report them? A: Report it to the Better Business Bureau at bbb.org/scam tracker/us/reportscam or the Federal Trade Commission at ftccomplaintassistant.gov.
6
diversion
Fall 2019
RECOMMENDATIONS
watch, read and download now
What to
‘Perfect Son’ is a perfect thriller
Book
“The Perfect Son” By Leslie North British author Lauren North’s debut novel, a thriller titled “The Perfect Son,” is 368 pages of nervous anxiety packed between two covers. Right off the bat a young mother, Tess, wakes up in a hospital bed, greeted by searing pain. Despite the heavy duty painkillers, she knows that the reason for her pain is a knife wound to the abdomen. But the greatest cause of discomfort is her boy, Jamie, who goes missing on his eighth birthday - the day she is stabbed. Tess is on her own. Her husband, Mark, was killed several weeks earlier in a plane crash. Tess still talks to Mark and she imagines what he’d say in response. These conversations are possibly the only stabilizing force in her life. She’s injured and grieving and her son is gone. The
Pay for workouts by the minute App
A new app is allowing people who want to get in a quick workout at the gym but not pay for an entire day pass. Launched in January, FlexIt offers a pay-per-minute workout plan and is partnered with 500 gyms across the country. The rates will vary between gyms, but the app will also allow people to use other facilities while traveling or test other gyms. Gym not in your area yet? Request it at https://flexit.fit. Available for Apple and Android devices.
stress is high and North is good at heaping on the troubles, a little at a time. The bulk of the story is told in flashbacks, starting 55 days before Jamie disappears and a month after the plane crash. Readers hear mostly from Tess, but we are also privy to hospital bed interviews between Tess and Elliot Sadler, who probes for information about the night of the stabbing. The twist in “The Perfect Son” is a big one. The surprising end of this story isn’t one that emerges from the groundwork the author has laid. In other words, detection isn’t the objective, anxiety-fed rapid page-turning is. “The Perfect Son” is a tense summer thriller likely to distract from heat waves and microbursts. — Rae Padilla Francoeur, ION magazine
Bingeworthy Amazon alt-history series “The Man in the High Castle” will end with its fourth season, premiering Friday, Nov. 15. Prime users can watch all episodes for free; find out more at amazon.com/ gp/video/storefront.
Stream
diversion
Fall 2019
Movie
Crosby documentary tempers warts-and-all approach with music “David Crosby: Remember My Name,” R, 1h 35m, in select theaters Even among his staunchest fans, there are those who feel that David Crosby might not be the nicest guy around. But even among those who only dabble in listening to the music he’s created, there’s no doubt that his songwriting and his voice are forces to reckon with. “David Crosby: Remember My Name” is a documentary that covers all of that and a lot more. The film by first time director A.J. Eaton spends most of its time following Crosby - the former member of The Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Young) who has also had a lengthy career as a solo artist - as he makes his way around old stomping grounds in Los Angeles and as he heads out on a six-week tour in 2017.
Laid back, relaxed, and unafraid of baring his soul - as well as the dicier sides of his life story — to an off-camera interviewer (rock journalist and filmmaker Cameron Crowe), Crosby tells stories about being fascinated by the intensity of the music when he saw John Coltrane perform, about learning to sing harmony by adding on his own third voice while listening to Everly Brothers records, about the fact that at age 76, and with diabetes and a few heart attacks in his past, he’s afraid of dying. And that’s just in the first few minutes of the film, before things get really intimate. Crosby does a lot of talking from the back seat of a car as it drives through various Los Angeles locations, making stops at his old stomping grounds. The director’s two wisest decisions, and what makes this sometimes challenging film so palatable, are that he always keeps music at its center, and that he ends it with Crosby returning home to Jan after another tour with hopes of becoming a better man still a priority. — Ed Symkus, ION magazine
7
8
diversion
Fall 2019
Some long-running TV series have begun or will soon begin their final seasons, according to TVSeriesFinale.com: TV
”The Good Place,” NBC: Season four is the end of this afterlife comedy series. Airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET beginning Sept. 26.
“Criminal Minds,” CBS: The venerable crime drama’s 15th and final season of 10 episodes will premiere in 2020.
”Homeland,” Showtime: Season eight will be this spy thriller’s final year, premiering Feb. 9, 2020.
Fall
2019
diversion
Fall 2019
9
“Madam Secretary,” CBS: The sixth season — which sees a big job change for Elizabeth McCord, premieres Oct. 6 at 10 p.m. ET.
“How to Get Away with Murder,” ABC: Season six of the Viola Davis series premieres Sept. 25 at 10 p.m. ET.
“Modern Family,” ABC: The mockumentary-style family sitcom’s 11th and final season premieres at 9 p.m. ET Sept. 25.
10
diversion
POD PEOPLE
Fall 2019
Great podcasts
How to save, spend and get more money By Matthew Girard ION magazine
W
hether you are looking to make an investment, pay off some bills or start a savings account, here are a few podcasts about money to listen to.
Stacking Benjamins Former financial adviser Joe SaulSehy leads informative discussions about money using the science of play to make finance more approachable. Along with characters known as the Other Guy and crazy Neighbor Doug, the Stacking Benjamins Show covers various financial topics like investing and creating multiple income streams. Recent episodes include: “Would The Godfather, Don Draper, or Pam Beasley Qualify For Life Insurance?,” “Hustling Like PT Barnum (with biographer Robert Wilson)” and “The 10th Annual Plutus Awards Reveal Show (and discussion).” Find it: stackingbenjamins.com
Suggested listening if: You're not boring — you don't want learning about money to be!
diversion
Fall 2019
11
The Dave Ramsey Show Dave Ramsey is a businessman, author, financial broadcaster, television personality and motivational speaker who is trying to help people save and spend their money as wisely as possible. Ramsey offers tips and tricks to saving, investing and how to get yourself out of debt. Recent episodes include: “What Has to Be True for You to Win?,” “How to Prioritize Money From a Settlement” and “Don’t Rationalize Your Stupid Credit Cards!” Find it: daveramsey.com/show/podcasts Suggested listening if: You want quotable bites of advice that you can easily remember
Radical Personal Finance Financial planner Joshua J. Sheats helps listeners on a journey to financial health. Sheats provides real-life stories and interviews to teach listeners how to work on their financial issues and build wealth with strategies and tools. Recent episodes include: “How My Ideas and Philosophies on Education Have Changed Over the Years,” “The Natural Symbiosis Between Prepping and Financial Planning” and “Mental Money Games to Change Your Behavior for the Better.” Find it: radicalpersonalfinance.com
Suggested listening if: Real-life examples are the best way you absorb new information
12
diversion
Fall 2019
Retire With MONEY This daily podcast from MONEY magazine helps you plan for and live a richer life in retirement, providing practical insight, expert advice and helpful tips. Recent episodes include “Here’s Exactly How Long You Should Keep Receipts, According to Experts,” “This 28-Year-Old Financial Advisor Says You Don’t Have to Understand the Stock Market to Be a Good Investor” and “Use This Simple Trick to Estimate Your Retirement Income Needs.” Find it: https://itunes.apple.com/us/ podcast/retire-with-money Suggested listening if:
Listen Money Matters Hosts Andrew Fiebert and Matt Giovanisci want people to “free their inner financial badass.” Fiebert and Giovanisci provide actionable financial advice in a down-to-earth manner. Fiebert and Giovanisci also interview the top minds in personal finance for the financial whiz or the person just starting out. Recent episodes include: “Learn How to Start and Monetize a Blog that Earns over $400k a year,” “The Smart Way to Buy Property” and “The Three P’s of Success.” Find it: listenmoneymatters.com/show Suggested listening if: You want to stick with the same podcast even as you learn more
You're any age before retirement. Seriously, don't wait to learn
Fall 2019
HOW DO I ... ?
diversion
13
Digitize family photos By Dale Parry For ION magazine
W
e had hundreds – no, thousands – of family photos piled up in shoeboxes and big plastic totes, stuffed into a closet, waiting for someday. “Someday I’ll put these into albums.” And years later: “Someday I’ll scan these into my computer.” With these pictures into digital form, I could easily sort and share and compile them into fun Shutterfly projects that told the story of our family. So I experimented with scanning the pictures, one at a time, on my flatbed printer/scanner and found that it took about two minutes each. Scanning thousands would take an eternity. Various commercial services can scan photos and return them on a disc or USB drive, for around $1 per photo. That’s not unreasonable for just a few pictures. But scanning thousands of photos could mean thousands of dollars. My solution: a high-speed scanner designed specifically for turning paper photos into digital photos. I found the Epson FastFoto FF-680W, which allows me to place a stack of pictures into an automatic feeder and scan them at a speedy one per second. The individual files
are transmitted wirelessly to any Windows or Apple computer. It’s as simple as making a copy of a written document. In a few short sessions, I scanned an entire lifetime of photos: all the pictures from our childhoods and our college years, our carefree days before kids, and the irreplaceable images of our twins as they were growing up. I even pulled photos out of the few albums we’d completed and scanned those pictures, too. I also scanned the boxes of loose photos my parents left behind, ensuring that these pieces of our family story won’t be lost to time. I considered a lot of scanners, but I picked the Epson FastFoto because it’s designed primarily for this archiving task. If you’re going to scan a lot of photos, you’ll definitely want a scanner with a generous automatic feeder and intelligent double-sided scanning. (When there’s writing on the back of a photo, the scanner recognizes and records it.) With the FastFoto, you can stack up to 36 pictures at a time, and the company bills it as the world’s fastest personal photo scanner.
The author using his first piece of tech PHOTO PROVIDED
14
diversion
With the entire library of our images seamlessly backed up to Dropbox or Google Drive (an optional setting), I no longer worry about a fire or flood wiping out our memories. And with all of our photos now in digital form, we don’t have to decide who gets the photo albums after we’re gone; both the kids can have all the family pictures — and we can share them right now. The Epson FastFoto FF-680W sells for just under $600, which is a good bit more than your average home printer/scanner. But this is really a specialty archiving device, and you might need it only once to scan your backlog of old pictures. So consider sharing the purchase cost with another family member, a friend or neighbor who has a similar one-time archiving need. Or just scan your pictures and then sell the scanner to somebody else who has a box full of photos. Dale Parry is a retired editor, publisher and empty-nester in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Fall 2019
Other things to look for in a photo scanner: Ability to scan at a high resolution, such as 300 or 600 dots per inch (DPI), which basically means your images will look good online or in print, for almost any family photo purpose. Instant and automatic enhancement and repair of lessthan-perfect images. With the FastFoto FF-680W, you can keep the original, the enhanced or both digital images. Easy setup. The Epson FastFoto is compact, lightweight and portable. It takes about 5 minutes to connect, and everything you need is included.
This is the scanner Dale used
Fall
2019
diversion
Fall 2019
15
Let’s talk storage Your photos are digitized and you’re ready for the next step: storing them somewhere safe. So where should you keep them? Here are some options to consider: Cloud storage Keeping your photos on the cloud means you can access them whenever and wherever you have an internet connection — and they’re almost impossible to lose. Talk about flexible! It’s important to pay attention to any storage maximum and/ or pricing if you use cloud storage. Some platforms might charge monthly fees or
limit how much space you can use. Cloud options include Dropbox, Google Photos and Amazon Photos.
sure you keep it safe. Or better yet – use this as a backup option instead of your primary storage.
Hard drive storage Yes, these photos are digital, but they can still be lost or damaged since they're stored on one physical object. If you want to store your photos on a hard drive, make
Shoebox storage Kidding! Even if you're looking to keep the hard copies of your photos in a shoebox, don't forget to back them up digitally.
16
diversion
Fall 2019
GO WITH THE FLOW
Will you get a TV that’s 50 inches or larger?
YES Do you have space for that?
YES NO
Whoops, good thing you checked before buying.
Sounds like you have what you need to take advantage of 4K technology.
Do you have a streaming service like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, or do you mostly watch cable or local channels?
STREAMING
NO
Don’t bother with 4K — picture quality is only enhanced noticeably on larger screen.
CABLE/LOCAL
Most of these channels are not yet broadcasting in 4K, so either consider a streaming service or Ultra HD Blu-Rays to make the most of your TV, get a set with 1080p resolution, or wait to buy.
Now look for a set that has: At least a 120 Hz As many HDMI ports as you refresh rate or, need for your devices, like better yet, 240 Hz. Apple TV or Roku
Get HDR — high dynamic range — for enhanced movie viewing
Go OLED if possible
GRAphic / Jennifer F. A. Borresen
diversion
Fall 2019
GO GO GADGETS Upgrade your home office By Melissa Erickson ION magazine
Reviews of cool stuff
A
mericans spend more than 11 hours a day in front of screens and interacting with media, according to a study from market research group Nielsen. For many that also means time typing on a keyboard. If it’s time for a new model, consider some of these that offer comfort, reliability, speed or simply fun.
Azio Retro Classic Bluetooth Keyboard Inspired by vintage typewriters, Azio’s Retro Classic is a streamlined mechanical keyboard that will evoke nostalgia and modern technology at the same time. The luxury keyboard offers clicky, backlit, round typewriter-style keys. Plus, it’s versatile. With an easy switch, the Retro Classic can go from wired to wireless in PC or Mac mode with both Bluetooth and USB connectivity. A built-in, rechargeable battery functions up to a year on a single charge without backlight and one to two months with backlight. Available in four options (copper Artisan, walnut Elwood, gunmetal black Onyx and white Posh) it sports either copper or chrome frames and wood or leather veneers.
DETAILS: $219.99 aziocorp.com
17
18
diversion
Fall 2019
Logitech Craft There are keyboards for typing and keyboards for gaming. The Logitech Craft is a keyboard for creatives. This slim, wireless keyboard features a unique input dial called the “crown� on its top left corner that adapts to the app in use such as Photoshop, Lightroom or Premiere Pro. Tap, spin or push and turn the dial to perform functions and adjust settings whether writing, illustrating or creating a PowerPoint, photo project or video. With smart illumination backlit keys light up when hands approach and adjust to changing lighting conditions. Battery life runs up to one week, then recharge with included USBC charging cable.
DETAILS: $199 Logitech.com
DETAILS: $129 daskeyboard.com
Fall
2019
diversion
Fall 2019
19
Corsair K83
DETAILS: $99.99 Bestbuy.com
This wireless entertainment keyboard is just the tool needed to control a range of devices, from smart TVs to streaming media players. Meant to be used with ease from your lap, the light and portable 76-key keyboard also features a joystick, two shoulder buttons and a trackpad. The keyboard’s battery promises 40 hours of use, and it can be used wirelessly over Bluetooth. Use the K83 to search for your next episode, browse playback or explore the latest game. An adjustable white backlight keeps it all visible in the dark.
com
Das Prime 13 With its minimalistic design and no-nonsense features the Das Prime 13 keyboard gets the job done and looks stylish, with pure lines sculpted in aluminum. With seven levels of brightness, the clean white backlit keys in a modern font allow users to type anywhere, even in a darkened room. Cherry MX red or brown mechanical switches make for a soft yet still clicky feel. A USB passthrough connects directly with any device. Plus, there’s an extra long 6.5-foot braided cable so the Das Prime 13 can find a home almost anywhere on your desktop.
20
conversation
START ME UP
Fall 2019
What it takes to be a successful entrepreneur
Turning passion into product By Melissa Erickson ION magazine
S
tarting a new career excites entrepreneur Maya Frost, who at 59 recently began managing outreach and customer care for ToMA Glass Straws while working remotely from Buenos Aires. Happily married and the mother of four (and soon to welcome her first two grandchildren, due in December and January), Frost welcomes the changes that have come her way. Born in the San Francisco Bay area, Frost grew up in Oregon working summers in local vegetable fields and fruit orchards. She attended the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, spending senior year on a nine-month Pacific Rim travel/study trip in nine countries to earn an Asian studies major. Her first job was teaching English in rural Japan, where she met her future husband, a fellow Oregonian. “We’ve worked side by side as parents, business owners and teachers,” Frost said. They’ve worked in Japan, China and Mexico, lived in Argentina and Uruguay, and traveled extensively in Southeast Asia, Europe and Africa. She’s the author of “The New Global Student,” a guide for families looking for affordable strategies for higher education. The mindfulness expert who likes to greet everyone with a hug shares a little more of her story: Q: How did the business get started? A: ToMA Glass Straws was launched earlier this year. My husband and I joined forces with our best friend, who has owned restaurants for years. He had encountered glass straws for the first time in Europe, and then tested them in his restaurants. Our mission is to make reusable glass straws an affordable alternative to plastic straws for bars, restaurants, cafes, events (such as weddings) and more. Q: Why glass rather than another alternative? A: There are some interesting new single-use options for take-out beverages, and we’re encouraging restaurants and bars across the U.S. to choose a reusable straw for sit-down dining. The high-quality borosilicate straws are durable and can withstand commercial use and go right into the dishwasher for easy cleaning. They save on storage space, reduce costs for businesses, and customers love the smooth elegance of glass. Q: What does the future hold for you and the company? A: Glass straws as party favors are one of the top wedding trends of 2019, and we’re helping brides create a lovely wedding table and memorable, practical gifts for their guests.
We can’t guess where ToMA will be a year from now, but we’re happy to serve U.S. businesses and brides. Q: Who are your customers? A: Not only do event planners love them, we have a range of restaurant clients from fine dining establishments to diners. Plus, we’ve got dentists excited about giving the straw to their patients. Using glass straws can reduce the discomfort of tooth sensitivity and help prevent tooth stains. We also supply retailers from online bead stores to boutiques. Q: Have there been any surprises? A: The biggest surprise has been the interest from individual users. We started off expecting to work with businesses because we sell our straws in packs of 25 only, but because our prices are low (25 straws start at $24.95), regular folks are buying a 25 pack and giving the extra straws as gifts to others! It’s become a fun gift that’s also a great way to raise awareness and help reduce the consumption of single-use straws. Q: What are your words to live by? A: Try new things and learn like crazy. Being open to new ideas is what inspires me. Q: What’s your greatest strength? A: My superpower is being a minimalist. I don’t hesitate to move or travel since I have nothing but my carry-on bag. That’s not for everyone, but I love the freedom of it. Q: What’s some advice for someone 50-plus who wants to change things up career-wise? A: Be open to learning new things. I’ve taken classes online in subjects like social entrepreneurship, design thinking, gamification theory — whatever interests me. Studying on my own has led to new passions and new work opportunities. Q: What do you think about “second-act” careers? A: Having a new career later in life is a wonderful way to stay engaged, meet new people and explore new fields. As an older adult, I think it’s easier to focus on what’s important and not get unhinged by competition or ego. It’s more fun now. I happen to be married, but I know a lot of single women who are creating new careers and businesses for themselves after the age of 50, and even doing so abroad. Many start online businesses for less than $1,000. Of course, not every business will be successful, but you won’t know until you try.
Fall 2019
conversation
21
My superpower is being a minimalist. I don’t hesitate to move or travel since I have nothing but my carry-on bag. That’s not for everyone, but I love the freedom of it. Maya Frost
PHOTO PROVIDED
22
conversation
FROM THE EXPERTS
5
essential truths
Fall 2019
‘wantrepreneurs’ must understand before quitting their day job
conversation
Fall 2019
If you’ve had your light bulb moment and think you are ready to launch your own company, there are crucial factors you need to understand first. Choosing to become an entrepreneur is an admirable pursuit, but it is not without its challenges. To have any chance of a successful outcome, there are formidable factors you will need to consider. Contemplate these before you quit your day job.
1 2 3 5
If you want to build a business that survives over the long haul, the ability to identify your core customer market is critical. Not knowing where your target customers can be found is like a farmer randomly throwing seeds into the wind. Know where your most profitable customers can be found and identify ways you can introduce them to your product or service offering.
An entrepreneur needs to be able to outline the business solution he or she is offering clearly. Long-winded explanations and graphs and charts shouldn’t be required to make someone outside your company understand your core business. If you can’t enunciate your business solution in a sentence or two, it’s time to rethink your company tagline.
In the same way, you should be able to narrow down the essence of your business solution, and you also need to be able to advise others of the need for your company. You have to be able to convince others your company’s offering is required, otherwise they’ll never invest in your services. Whether you’re operating an e-commerce venture from your home or building a company that will eventually seek investor funding, the ability to convince others of the need for your business is crucial.
4
Another vital component of building an active business is the ability to understand the competitive landscape. Just because another business doesn’t offer precisely the same product as you doesn’t mean they’re not competition. Consumers will investigate other companies within your sector; you need to be able to do the same. Understanding competitors’ strong suits and weak points is also an excellent way to discover growth opportunities for your business.
Depending on your growth goals, team building needs to be part of your long-term strategy. Running a single enterprise out of your home is one thing; developing a business that scales is quite another. The sooner you understand the importance of building a profit-focused team, the stronger your company will be. It’s not enough to focus on customer acquisition; you need to be focused on revenue per customer and the lifetime value of each of your customers.
Entrepreneurs who build businesses that survive don’t just focus on one component of their business at a time. They are constantly juggling multiple tasks and attending to a variety of priorities at once. If you have any hope of turning your entrepreneurial endeavor into a revenue-generating business, you need to be able to do the same. From introducing new customers to your company to hiring team members to help your business growth, your challenges as an
entrepreneur are going to be many. Jeff Shuford is president of Tech From Vets, an award winning veteran-owned technology company. Tech From Vets merges NFL veterans and military veterans in the tech industry and develops innovative websites and mobile applications for their clients nationwide. He is a syndicated columnist with GateHouse Media and other national and international publications.
23
24
conversation
GURU OF GEEK
Fall 2019
Marlo Anderson on tech
Predicting the next
GOLD RUSH Emerging tech to watch
While some gold miners during the California Gold Rush in 1849 made a few dollars, more people profited by providing services and supplies supporting the miners. As we move into the third decade of the 21st century, that may be true of technology as well. So what technologies should you pay attention to over the next 10 years? Here is my list.
3D printers This is not about printing plastic trinkets. The type of 3D printers (or adaptive printers) to watch are those that build houses and office buildings, print human organs and prosthetics, and make replacement parts for everything from your automobile to your phone.
conversation
Fall 2019
3D printed houses More than 1 million homes are built each year in the U.S. This is a result of replacing old inventory as well as a growing population in the country. A 3D printed house costs significantly less to produce than a traditional house and can be finished in a fraction of the time. As these machines become the preferred way to build a home, expect new housing prices to drop.
Bioprinting In the near future, the list of people on the organ transplant list (currently around 114,000) will disappear. This will be due to bioprinting, a type of 3D printing that can replicate organs. This life-saving technology will also be helpful as our country ages. Victims of fire will potentially be treated for burns with this technology, and joint replacement will get better (and less expensive). Expect this channel in the medical field to explode over the next decade.
Autonomous (self-driving) vehicles Self-driving vehicles will change the way we commute. The technology will also change the number of vehicles on the road. Many people will not even purchase a car in the future as ride-sharing companies like Lyft and Uber will sync with your calendar and just have a self-driving car waiting when you need to go somewhere. Because fewer people will need to own a vehicle, this will change our dwellings as well. Garages on houses will not be needed. Apartment and condo residents may have vehicles as part of a ride-share pool offered as part of their lease or condo fees.
Automobile manufacturers will also be more interested in leasing vehicles on a per-mile basis instead of selling inventory, as fewer cars will need to be manufactured. This could potentially make automobile manufacturers more profitable. Don’t forget about what fewer automobile accidents do to industries like insurance, car repair facilities and even health care.
Cryptocurrency Zcash, Ethereum, Ripple and Litecoin, among others, have emerged since Bitcoin has gained popularity. However, nothing has gained more attention in cryptocurrency than Facebook’s announcement of Libra, set to debut mid-2020. Facebook is promising partnerships with retailers, which may make cryptocurrency mainstream. In February 2013, Bitcoin was worth $22 each. In August it regularly traded over $10,000. Because of this huge increase in price, many products have emerged to support Bitcoin, including plug-andplay devices dedicated to mining cryptocurrency. So it may be that like the gold rush of 1849, moving forward more people will make money supporting cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin than those who make a profit on the currency itself. More information on this topic can be found on this podcast, https://thetechranch.com/top10-emerging-technologies/ Marlo Anderson is host of the tech talk show The Tech Ranch and a futurist. You can follow the “Guru of Geek” on Twitter @GuruOfGeek, facebook.com/ GuruOfGeek and Instagram @GuruOfGeekUSA
25
26
conversation
START ME UP
Fall 2019
What it takes to be a successful entrepreneur
‘Peace, love and energy’ Life becomes art for Detroit’s Grandma Techno
Patricia Lay-Dorsey, aka “Grandma Techno,” is living her best life
By Melissa Erickson ION magazine “Grandma Techno” says she likes to be in the heart of the action. Her fans say she is the heart of the action. A celebrity at Detroit’s Movement Festival, which takes place annually over Memorial Day weekend, Patricia LayDorsey can usually be found on her mobility scooter hustling to the thump of electronic music, most likely with a wide smile and an arm raised, living life to its fullest.
conversation
Fall 2019
This year, a setback in her struggle with chronic, progressive multiple sclerosis limited her hours at the festival — and with “her favorite people in the world” — to six or seven a day rather than her usual 10 to 12. But age and disability cannot keep 77-year-old Lay-Dorsey from doing what she loves. She is an award-winning artist and passionate photographer who has documented the action she’s seen in her 14 years of Movement Festival attendance in a new book, “They Call Me Grandma Techno.” The limited-edition 144-page hardcover photo book began as a Kick-
starter project and features a conversation between the artist and Detroit Free Press pop music critic Brian McCollum. During the festival this year, Lay-Dorsey promoted the book and helped sell “They Call Me Grandma Techno” hats, stickers and other merchandise. Available now, the official book launch took place at the Sheometry Music & Art Festival at Detroit’s Marble Bar on Aug. 10. Rather than highlighting the musical artists of the Movement Festival, the book is a look at the festival through Grandma Techno’s eyes.
27
28
conversation
Fall 2019
“It’s not about me. It’s about the people who are there, the community,” Lay-Dorsey said. She does photograph the DJs and stage action, but the majority of her work is “the story from the inside, from where I am right in the middle of it all,” she said. She captures the festivalgoers, the dancers, the ambiance. The idea for “They Call Me Grandma Techno” sparked in 2018 when Lay-Dorsey got to talking with Jesse Cory, co-founder and chief executive officer of 1xRun, a publisher of fine art editions and online destination for original art.
The cover of her book
PHOTOS PROVIDED
conversation
Fall 2019
her vibrant energy. “I want to be in where the action is. I want to feel like I’m in the middle of it all,” she said. She got her rave name in 2007 when attempting to move from one stage to another. “The kids let me get right up to the front. That way I can hold on to the barricade, stand and dance,” she said. Moving through the mass of people proved difficult, so she asked for help from a security guard. As she moved through the crowd, a voice from the back bellowed “Grandma Techno’s in the house! Let her through!” which was quickly picked up by the crowd that joined in a Grandma Techno chant.
‘GRANDMA TECHNO’S IN THE HOUSE’
‘GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION AND GO FOR IT’
A beloved staple of the festival, Lay-Dorsey first attended with a friend in in 2005. “I didn’t know anything. I didn’t know the difference between techno and house. I just love to dance. At that point I could stand and hold onto my scooter. I danced my heart out. It was loud, but I loved it,” Lay-Dorsey said. The next year, she went back. “I fell in love with it. The music, the energy, the kids. It’s very sweet. It’s kind of like being kicked back to the ’60s — the peace, love and energy,” Lay-Dorsey said. By her third year, Lay-Dorsey was hooked, and she attended all three days of the festival. As a professional photographer, Lay-Dorsey travels with her camera. She estimates she may have taken 100,000 photos at the festival over the years of the lights and the crowds, closeups of blissed-out ravers and outrageous characters with face paint, neon, glitter and chains. There are also calmer scenes of parents holding small children and the striking concrete-and-steel backdrop of the city’s riverfront plaza. With a cloud of white hair and a bright smile, Grandma Techno draws people in with
An accomplished artist, Lay-Dorsey represents Michigan on Time magazine‘s website in an article on “Instagram Photographers to Follow in All 50 States.” “Falling Into Place,” her self-portrait essay, documents her life dealing with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis, which she was diagnosed with in 1988. In 2016 the book became part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s library collection. She has exhibited around the world and is the focus of a mini-documentary also titled “They Call Me Grandma Techno.” Reviving after her recent medical issue, Lay-Dorsey is doing well but getting used to a new normal, she said. “I just started driving again. Being independent is really important to me. I may never be as independent as I once was but I am working to be as independent as I can be,” she said in August. Want to live life like Grandma Techno? Here’s her advice: “As best you can try and find out what gives you the greatest passion in life. Give yourself permission to go for it. Keep following it and never give up. You have to dare and take risks.”
29
COVER STORY
A look at the new tech landscape for vehicles
Y
our car became a computer about 50 years ago. But what started with Volkswagen’s computer-controlled electronic fuel injection system in 1968 has multiplied into a network of sensors, cameras, lasers and connections for phones, GPS and more. And because the average American hangs on to a vehicle for about 11 years, the differences between decades of car shopping can be astounding. We’re here to help make sense of what you’ll see on new vehicles now, and to get ready for what’s on the horizon.
Inside First, there’s the new tech in late-model vehicles. Features like automatic emergency braking — powered by myriad sensors and cameras — and tech that keeps you in your lane and a safe distance from the car in front of you are now standard. See Page 32 Electric vehicles bring a whole new tech factor to autos, with Tesla leading the way. (But for how long?) See Page 34 Mobility tech goes beyond the street, however. A look at the electric scooter and e-bike craze taking hold in U.S. cities. See Page 39 Everyone is waiting for their flying car. Or at least their driverless vehicle. The latest on tech companies’ and automakers’ efforts to bring us safe automation. See Page 41
32
passion
Fall 2019
What’s new since you last bought a car? If you haven’t purchased a new car in the past decade, you’re missing out By Craig Fitzgerald For ION magazine
D
espite what you may read in consumer publications and recall notices, cars are getting better all the time. As a result, the average age of a car on the road today is 11.7 years. That
number has risen dramatically since the early 1990s, when the average car driving around was just 8.1 years old. Economically speaking, that’s great because you’ve avoided spending money on a new car for quite some time. But you’ve also missed a lot of significant advances in just the last few years in terms of reliability, economy and safety.
Some cars have an ESC button to turn the feature on and off
passion
Fall 2019 Electronic Stability Control Electronic stability control has been around for almost 20 years, but in those days, it was limited to the most expensive cars on the road. Beginning in 2011, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 126 required this equipment to be standard on every single new car, truck, SUV and van with a gross vehicle weight rating under 10,000 pounds. Stability control works in conjunction with myriad systems in the vehicle, including the anti-lock braking system, wheel speed sensors, throttle position sensors and transmission control units. ESC brakes individual wheels when the system senses that the car is either understeering (plowing to the outside of a turn) or oversteering (fishtailing toward the inside of a turn), correcting the skid and allowing the driver to maintain control. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that this technology reduces the number of single vehicle car crashes by 34% and single vehicle SUV crashes by 59%, saving between 5,300 and 9,600 lives every year.
Auto Stop/Start Technology Auto stop/start isn’t mandatory, but it’s increasingly present in new cars. For example, GM vehicles had it in 13 models in 2018 and it increased to 19 in 2019. Chances are good that your next car will have it because, regardless of the political climate, manufacturers are working to make their vehicles as fuel efficient as possible. It works like this: Every time you come to a stop in traffic, the engine will shut itself off. As you lift your foot off the brake pedal to start moving again, the engine automatically starts and you drive off normally. Surprisingly, this takes a lot of technology and software to happen. Fluids for the cooling and air conditioning system need to keep moving whether the engine is running or not, and there are pumps required to keep fluid running in the automatic transmission. The result is a savings of about 3 to 5 percent in overall fuel economy. Spend a lot of time in traffic and that number can be even higher. Some manufacturers execute this transition from not running to running much more smoothly, and some consumers aren’t crazy about how it works. Most manufacturers provide a defeat switch near the start/stop button to turn the feature off, but you need to reset it every time you start the car.
Auto Emergency Braking This isn’t a mandated feature either, but the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety requires it and several other technologies to achieve Top Safety Pick+ ratings, so many manufacturers are simply making it standard across the board. Auto emergency braking uses radar or cameras to monitor traffic ahead. If it senses that a vehicle, a pedestrian or another object has come to a stop in your path and you’re closing at a speed that makes a crash imminent, the system will first issue a visual and audible “BRAKE” alert on the
33
instrument panel. If the driver doesn’t respond, the system will apply full braking power automatically. This technology can either help a driver avoid a crash completely, or reduce the severity of a crash if it does happen. The system also provides dynamic braking support. In this case, the driver may react to the object quickly enough, but doesn’t apply full braking force. The system pre-charges the hydraulic braking system, and then applies full braking power to help slow the car more effectively.
Adaptive Headlamps For generations, with relatively few exceptions, automotive headlamps have thrown light straight ahead into oncoming traffic, no matter which direction the car is heading. Adaptive headlamps – which are becoming more common all the time – help both you and the cars coming in the other direction by turning the headlamp beams in the direction of the turn. The U.S. Department of Transportation has been way behind in accepting advanced headlamp technologies, including the adoption of halogen and xenon lighting. We’ve been similarly slow in adopting technologies like multibeam smart headlamps, because they don’t have a driver-activated high and low beam switch.
Adaptive Cruise Control This is another feature required by the IIHS for a Top Safety Pick+ rating, so you’ll find it included as standard equipment in many new cars now, even in less expensive models. Adaptive Cruise Control maintains a set speed the way ordinary cruise control does, but it also maintains a set distance between your car and the vehicle ahead of you. If that vehicle slows from 65 to 55, for example, adaptive cruise control will slow your car to maintain a safe following distance. Not all these systems work the same, but most will maintain that distance all the way down to a full stop, and then start the car rolling again as long as traffic hasn’t stopped for more than five seconds or so. If it has, you’ll have to touch the accelerator to get going again, but the system will then follow at the same safe distance as before.
Lane Keeping Assist This and adaptive cruise control are really the early stages of autonomous technology. Lane Keeping Assist won’t drive the car for you, but it monitors your position in a travel lane and makes subtle steering inputs to keep your car from wandering out of the lane, or off the highway. This is a different technology than Lane Departure Warning, which simply provides an audible and/or visual alert that you’re veering out of the lane. Lane Keeping Assist actually provides steering input to keep you on track. All of these technologies are either standard or widely available on cars in the 2019 and 2020 model years. Keep an eye out on your next test drive and ask you retailer about them for a demonstration.
34
passion
EV
The rise of the
By Craig Fitzgerald For ION magazine
Electric vehicles have been around as long as self-propulsion has. By 1900, electric-powered vehicles represented a third of the vehicles driving on America’s roadways. But the limitations of those cars – charging networks, the time to charge, and the range one could expect on a fully charged battery – meant that gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles quickly devoured the EV’s once respectable market share.
Fall 2019
Fall 2019
passion
35
36
passion
Fall 2019
Why an EV? By Melissa Erickson ION magazine
Asked why they drive an electric car, owners are quick to tout the benefits. Whether it’s for environmental or economic reasons, because of the advanced technology or the safety features, electric cars are cool, clean alternatives to traditional gas-guzzlers. Oh, and they’re super fun to drive.
“I bought an electric vehicle because it’s quick, super-cheap to run, and doesn’t poison my neighbors every time I leave the driveway.” Domenick Yoney, community engagement manager for — InsideEVs, a website dedicated to electric transportation and sustainable energy
“My [Nissan] Leaf is a beautiful car, quiet and comfortable, with every convenience I’d ever want in a car, and on top of that, my electric car allows me to drive trouble-free: No gas, no oil, no maintenance. Although we have some public charging (thanks in large part to the electric car sharing company BlueIndy), I charge almost exclusively at home in my garage; my driving habits and the range on my car just work out that way.” — Jane Cook of Indianapolis, an electric vehicle owner since 2011
“As an electrical contractor, I was naturally interested in electrical vehicles. One of my customers asked me to test drive one with him at the Tesla dealer in Westmont, Illinois. I fell in love with its smooth, quiet operation. I like that I don’t need to worry about oil changes and other costly maintenance items in gas-operated vehicles. Being an electrical contractor and certified electric vehicle installer, we have seen an uptick with installs of EV chargers in the last two years.” — Marty Morawski of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, owner of a Tesla Model 3
“When I saw the Tesla Model S stats I was drooling over it, but it was too big. When Tesla announced the Model 3 — I think it was March 31, 2016 — I immediately made a deposit. I got it to get rid of gas, to lower pollution, but the performance is incredible. It’s very quick, not fast. ... There’s no oil changes, no radiator, no transmission, no antifreeze. I can’t imagine I’ll ever own an ICE [internal combustion engine] car again. Tesla’s Summon mode, which can park a car in a tight spot while the driver is outside of the car, is super cool.” — Jim Simrall of Annapolis, Maryland, who’s looking forward to Enhanced Summon Mode, which will allow a Tesla to drive itself to its owner up to 150 feet in parking lots after pinning your location
“I really feel like the experience of driving a Tesla is the ultimate culmination of all driving experiences, and will likely be the last driving experience I will ever need. Indeed, if things go to plan, transportation in the future will be autonomous anyway, but I’m glad that it hasn’t quite gotten there yet, because my Model 3 is just that enjoyable. I’m forever glad I made the transition to electric. It wasn’t nearly as difficult as I feared, but the paradigm shift in my life is certainly noticeable. I love that the required maintenance for my electric vehicle is significantly less than for any combustion vehicle, that the energy efficiency inherent in them means I’m doing less harm to the environment, that the performance available to me is immediate and apparent, and the feeling that I’m driving something more technologically advanced than the other cars on the road that have remained largely the same for the last hundred years.” — Brian Girten of Lawrence, Kansas, owner of two electric vehicles, Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus model and a 2013 Nissan LEAF SL
2019
passion
Fall 2019
“Imagine waking up every morning with a free full tank of gas. That is what it is like charging at home with solar power.” — Myron Lunbery of San Antonio, owner of a BMW i3
“Used electric vehicles are a great value because the industry is new and people do not fully understand what buying a used electric vehicle means in terms of battery life, ownership and resale. Therefore there are a lot of great deals to be found. My favorite thing: acceleration. It’s fast. Also, with fewer moving parts than an internal combustion engine there are very few things to break. In four years of ownership of my 2-year-old electric vehicle I’ve had no maintenance issues with it.” — Andy Kinard of North Miami, Florida, owner of a Nissan Leaf
“You know that feeling in your gut that something makes sense? When that ‘something’ socially and environmentally aligns? When that ‘something’ crosses with financial responsibility and everyday needs? When you don’t comprise. You know that feeling in your gut when its just right, I like waking up with that feeling.” — Bill Pearson of Orchard Park, New York, owner of a Hyundai Kona Electric
“So many things ... I bought because of the cost effectiveness (rebates, low maintenance and low operating costs). I love both the experience (quiet ride with great torque and nimble handling) and bypassing the gas stations. In San Diego knowing that about 45% of our electricity is from renewable sources helps me feel good about the environment as well.” — Patti Juengst of San Diego, owner of a Nissan Leaf
“My wife and I chose to purchase an electric vehicle because of my experiences in working with alternative fuel vehicles. Our Toyota Prius saves a bundle on maintenance expenses. Oil changes are less frequent, and although our car has over 120,000 miles we have only to date replaced brake pads once and tires twice. We normally get about 51 mpg driving to work and home, and we feel good about driving this car.” — Micheal Smyth, interim director of the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium at West Virginia University, owner of a Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid
“The low total cost of ownership makes an electric car a no brainer. No oil changes, no brake jobs, no engine or transmission maintenance. We buy windshield washer blades, occasionally change the brake fluid, rotate the tires, then plug in and drive.” — Tom Zimmermann of Vernon, Connecticut, owner of a Nissan Leaf
“I love silently ‘walking’ through a city center with the windows open and even have conversations with bicyclists, while at the other hand leaving all ICE [internal combustion engine] competition behind at at stoplight. That and spending less money on fuel/maintenance. Driving on 80% solar and wind power makes all the other traffic look like industrial waste that belongs in a dystopian future ... and my techno mixes sound even better without the rattling of a combustion engine.” — Philip Van de Gehuchte of Ghent, Belgium, owner of a BMW i3 Tell us Do you own an EV? Why or why not? Email ion@ gatehousemedia.com, and your comments might be used in a future issue
37
38
passion
For an entire century, none of those limitations was addressed, but as the price, availability and environmental impact of fossil fuels have bocame harder to ignore, both legacy carmakers and newcomers are working feverishly to rival the ease of refueling and range of an internal combustion engine, and even beat the gas engines at their own game. EVs may have been more popular in the 1900s than they are now, but there’s never been a wider array of choices in EVs. Almost every traditional vehicle manufacturer has at least a plug-in hybrid available, which primarily uses an electric motor for propulsion while retaining a small gasoline engine for on-board charging of the batteries. Most have a fully electric option, as well, if not available in all 50 states, up for sale in the nine states that have adopted California’s Zero Emissions Memorandum of Intent. Electric vehicle sales increased 26 percent from 2016 to 2017, and that was in a year when the price of gasoline was relatively stable. That said, those 200,000 electric vehicles sold in 2017 only represented 1.15 percent of all the cars sold in the United States that year. That’s not great news for traditional auto manufacturers that expect large numbers of sales as a measure of success. But it’s been incredible for small niche manufacturers like Tesla, which have essentially stolen the entire large luxury sedan market out from under traditional manufacturers like BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. Not long ago, the well-heeled would’ve
Fall 2019
purchased a BMW 7 Series, Audi A8 or Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Sales of those cars have dropped precipitously thanks almost single-handedly to the Tesla Model S. Now Tesla is branching out into other vehicle segments with similar success. As Ford and Chevrolet announced the elimination of their entire sedan lineups, Tesla muscled its way in with the Model 3, selling 114,160 units through November 2018 and crushing every single traditional entry-luxury vehicle in its wake, outselling stalwarts like the Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2 to 1. New manufacturers like Rivian are making waves with a concept of an electric-powered full-size pickup to break into a wildly profitable segment, and the only one still dominated by the Big 3 American manufacturers. But it’s not all great news for EV builders. The 2020 budget proposal presented by President Trump aims to gut the $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit. That’s not necessarily bad news for Tesla, because it was reaching the sales threshold where those tax credits were reduced. Tesla buyers were only eligible for $3,750 in tax credits if they pur-
chased between Jan. 1 and June 30. The discount dropped to $1,875 on July 1. For those Americans not so interested in new cars, used EVs are unquestionably the best bargain in late model used cars. A quick search on BestRide.com reveals a 2013 Tesla Model S with just 22,456 miles for $36,699, about half of the non-negotiable price it sold for when it was new. A vehicle like a 2013 Nissan Leaf with under 50,000 miles sells for about $8,500, and 2015 Fiat 500e EVs with under 20,000 miles sell in the $8,000 range. You don’t get the federal tax credit, but you get all the advantages that states offer, including reduced tolls, use of HOV lanes and preferred parking at airports. For a regular commuter, a used EV could be the greatest bargain in automotive history. For now, at least, electric vehicles are still a novelty, representing just a percentage point of the new cars sold every year. But as charging networks and solutions become more available and the technology’s advantages are more widely understood, EVs are going to move into the mainstream, especially in congested areas. It’s only a matter of time.
passion
Fall 2019
39
All about e-scooters and e-bikes
By ION magazine If you’ve been to any major city in the past two years, you’ve seen an e-scooter, or likely many lined up at a docking station downtown or haphazardly dumped on street corners. The rentable e-scooter craze started with Bird in 2017, followed closely by Lime. The concept is simple, and like ridesharing: Download an app, see scooters available near you, choose one to unlock, and ride. Payments are taken care of digitally. The downsides came quickly: Lots of people had no idea how to ride one or what traffic laws to follow. They made a mess, ending up all over town if not dumped in rivers and lakes. As of June eight deaths across the country had been reported since 2017, says Consumer Reports. But darn it, they can get you around quicker, they’re cheaper than driving and they look fun.
Here’s what to know if you decide to mount up.
E-SCOOTERS There are four main brands: Bird: Originally used a Segway / Ninebot scooter but has since developed its own, the Bird Zero. It has the widest deck of any standup scooter available, according to Jalopnik in July, with a speedometer and battery meter on the handlebars. Maxes around 12 mph — a brisk walking pace is 3 mph, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The only brake is a bicycle-style cable disc brake on the rear wheel. In about 50 U.S. cities. bird.co Lime: Uses a Ninebot scooter with an 18- to 30mile range (depending on whether your city uses the latest models available or older ones). There’s a foot brake on the rear tire and a toggle on the left handlebar. In more than 100 U.S. cities. www.li.me
40
passion
Fall 2019
Jump: Owned by Uber, this service uses the Ninebot ES2 scooter with 19 miles of range and a claimed top speed of 15 mph, Jalopnik said. In 13 U.S. cities; jump.com. Use through the Uber app. Lyft: Uses a Ninebot ES2 scooter in about 20 U.S. cities. lyft.com/scooters If a scooter-share program is not in your area or you just want your very own ride, e-scooters can be purchased. In July C-Net gave top ratings to the Boosted Rev ($1,599), Swagtron Swagger 5 Elite (around $300 at Walmart and Best Buy, though sold out as of late August), Ninebot by Segway ES4 ($769) and Unagi E450 ($840).
What to know: Some companies restrict access and/or speed on certain areas like bike paths. They have GPS, of course, so it knows where you are trying to go. Bird scooters have exposed brake cables, so check those — and any scooter — for signs of tampering before riding. Some cities are banning such scooters so, even if you have your own, know all the legal and safety rules before riding.
E-BIKES Are bigger wheels more your thing? All of the above have fledgeling electric bike programs, as does a new company called Wheels (takewheels.com). E-bikes are either completely self-propelled or use a combination of electric and pedal power. And they’re more intuitive to ride for those of us who grew up on two wheels and not skateboards. C-Net also reviewed e-bikes you can have for your very own, recommending the Swagtron EB5 Pro electric bicycle ($499 and in stock at Walmart as of August, by the way) and Trek Super Commuter + 8S ($5,199). P.S.: Kits are available to turn standard bicycles electric as well. Finally, Harley-Davidson presented a line of prototype e-bikes, DigitalTrends. com reported Aug. 22 at the company’s annual dealers meeting. The bikes are pedalassisted and have only one handlebar brake, which is standard on motorcycles. So soon maybe you can have that Harley in your garage for under $5K.
Nicole Koblich zips along on a Lyft scooter in downtown Austin March 8. RICARDO B. BRAZZIELL/ FOR ION
passion
Fall 2019
41
We have the
TECHNOLOGY So when will advanced safety features be standard? By Craig Fitzgerald For ION magazine In May at the MIT MediaLab, the New England Motor Press Association held its annual conference on advanced vehicle technology. The panel included executives involved in incorporating autonomous, semiautonomous and infotainment technologies in our cars. The panelists came from auto manufacturers (Toyota and Hyundai), professional associations (SAE), suppliers (Qualcomm), academia (MIT) and consumer advocacy organizations (Consumer Reports). What has become evident over the last seven of these conferences is that we’re on an endless march toward at least some level of autonomy, but the point at which we’ll be reading newspapers behind the steering wheel is a long, long way off. The level of autonomy we have today, though, is helping in a lot of ways. It’s what the SAE describes in its J3016 standard as “Level 2.”
42
passion
Level 2 automation still requires that a human be in primary control of the automobile, but in some situations, the technology can provide steering, braking or acceleration support, will center the vehicle in the lane, and provides adaptive cruise control functionality that works with the lane centering function. That technology is present — at least at the optional level — on the average vehicle for sale here in the United States today, and if you trust the agencies that are providing analysis, at least some of that technology is helping Americans to avoid crashes.
SAFETY SELLS CARS The best available example of that at work is Automatic Emergency Braking. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the technology may be helping to save lives because it’s helping drivers avoid crashes before they
Fall 2019
ever happen. The study, announced in November 2018, showed that GM vehicles that were equipped with the technology had “43 percent fewer police-reported front-to-rear crashes of all severities and 64 percent fewer front-to-rear crashes with injuries” than the same cars that didn’t have the technology. Which led to a bit of a kerfuffle on the panel that involved Kelly Funkhouser, Consumer Reports’ head of Connected and Automated Vehicles. If a technology like this would add a couple hundred dollars to the cost of every vehicle, why on Earth wouldn’t it just be made standard across the board? Funkhouser’s specific argument was around Dedicated Short Range Communications. DSRC is an open-source protocol for wireless communication, similar to Wi-Fi but providing a highly secure, high-speed wireless communication between vehicles and the infrastructure.
Fall 2019
DSRC offers some limited, yet not unimportant benefits to drivers. Say you’re coming up to an offramp that has a significant decreasing radius at the end. DSRC can alert you that you’re approaching the curve too quickly, giving you time to slow down and negotiate the curve safely. It’s also been shown effective in alerting drivers to construction zones, and providing emergency vehicles priority at traffic lights. DSRC is relatively cheap, yet it’s not in every car. Funkhouser asked why when she was on the panel. “DSRC has a very minimal dollar amount to put into cars but has a high benefit to consumers,” she said. The automotive industry is committed to occupant safety today for one reason: It sells cars. With relatively few exceptions, a lousy IIHS or NHTSA crash test rating is going to have a significantly negative impact on how that car sells. The Jeep Wrangler is the one vehicle that can get away with sub-5 star crash ratings. Every other sedan and crossover SUV — the bulk of vehicles sold in the U.S. outside of pickup trucks — uses its IIHS and NHTSA crash test ratings as a key part of its marketing. But we still haven’t learned the lessons we learned in the 1980s and early 1990s. Back in those days, antilock brakes were optional, and they weren’t cheap. Take a look at the features list on a popular car like the Ford
passion
Thunderbird in 1992 and anti-lock brakes weren’t even available unless you stepped up to the Super Coupe trim, which started well over $22,000 in Bush 41-era dollars. Lesser trims didn’t even offer the technology.
WHEN THE GOVERNMENT STEPS IN Contrary to popular opinion, NHTSA never mandated antilock brakes its Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) the way it did seatbelts or airbags. Nevertheless, by the mid-2000s, antilock brakes were nearly ubiquitous in every single car, truck, van and SUV sold within our borders. Seems like it was a magnanimous gesture that the industry just started building every vehicle with ABS. Not quite. In March 2007, NHTSA introduced FMVSS No. 127, mandating that every vehicle with a gross vehicle weight under 10,000 pounds be equipped with Electronic Stability Control. ESC works to eliminate both oversteer and understeer, and helps a lot of drivers avoid crashes. Rather than allowing the vehicle to push to the outside of a corner if the driver enters too fast, the system brakes the wheels on the inside of the corner to help turn the vehicle. If the back end swings out (oversteer), the system brakes individual wheels to keep the car in line.
43
44
passion
Because the system uses the very same wheel speed sensors and vehicle speed sensors as the ABS system, ESC basically can’t exist without ABS. In NHTSA’s final ruling, it spells it out: “We assume that an ESC system combines two basic technologies: Anti-lock brakes (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC).” So even if ABS wasn’t mandated by NHTSA on its own, it snuck it in under the aegis of ESC. The costs for making ESC and ABS standard weren’t cheap, in an industry that attempts to drive every supplier to the brink of insolvency by shaving 0.0003 cents off the cost of every fastener it buys. According to NHTSA, “Vehicle costs are estimated to be $368 (in 2005 dollars) for antilock brakes and an additional $111 for electronic stability control for a total system cost of $479 per vehicle.”
MOVING SLOWLY Now, in 2019, manufacturers are slowly moving toward the same conclusion with technologies like Automatic Emergency Braking. The federal government — which is currently
Fall 2019
administered by leaders who are less inclined to mandate that safety or fuel saving technologies be included on every car — is letting the industry take the lead. Twenty manufacturers — which amount to about 99 percent of all cars and trucks sold in the U.S. — have committed to make Automatic Emergency Braking standard in all cars by 2022. Which is fantastic, but what about all the other Level 2 technologies like advanced cruise control and lane keeping assist? If those technologies are as potentially life-saving as they’re touted to be, why should someone who can only afford a baselevel car be less safe behind the wheel? “At CR we call for proven safety equipment to be standard on all cars. Adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist don’t have the data to show there is any benefit, yet,” she told us after the conference. “We hope they will, but until then it’s not fair or justified for us to ask for them to be standard features. When we make the formal call for a feature to be standard, we consider the cost to manufacturers, benefits to consumers, and look at the hard data.”
passion
Fall 2019
In partnership with Serial Box, ION is pleased to bring you the first chapter of “Ninth Step Station,” a work of original fiction created by Malka Olde. Serial Box presents “seasons” of episodic novels straight to your tablet, phone, computer or e-reader, one episode a week, for as low as 99 cents per episode. You get access to both the text and the audio versions. See more offerings at serialbox.com. In “Ninth Step Station,” set in 2033, two cops must set aside their differences in order to solve a mysterious crime plaguing a down-and-out Tokyo. Here is Episode 1.
45
46
T
passion
he streets were rainslicked and icy, but in Marunouchi, safely in the US zone of Tokyo, that was no deterrent. In the dark after-work hours, its tiny bars, ramen counters, karaoke boxes, and hostess spots were crammed with salarymen spending an extra few hours laughing at their superiors’ jokes or drinking off the stress of their jobs. A few spilled into the chilly streets, arguing drunkenly under one of the streetlights that still illuminated or checking for updates on their sleeves. Garish signs gleamed from every building, one over the other in tapestries of contrasting calligraphy. There were pockets of darkness, victims of the spike in energy prices or the drop in population. But on the whole, calamity and war increased the market for oblivion-tinged entertainment. Even the bounty of the US zone was not endless. The metro—those lines that still ran in this divided city—closed at midnight and gasoline shortages had made taxis almost extinct, cutting short a ritual that, pre-war, would have gone on into the early hours of the morning. From eleven thirty until midnight, men and the occasional severely suited woman poured out of the cramped establishments. They flooded roads, bought last-minute snacks, pushed intentionally or unintentionally against each other like molecules in boiling water. They filtered in unsteady gushes under the archway announcing the west entrance of the shopping district, cracked in the 2031 Nan-
Fall 2019
kai earthquake and still unrestored a year and a half later. They stumbled across the street to the Kanda metro station, where the late-night rush hour bottlenecked into a tightly packed fumble toward the turnstiles. Easy, in that crowd of black suits and narrow ties, to feel anonymous. Easy, once one had noticed the target slurping cheap ramen at a streetlevel establishment, to hover outside until he left. Not terribly difficult to keep him in sight through the crowd. All too easy, in the dense crush of the metro station, to unsheathe a knife close to the hip, where it would be invisible to the security cameras. Easy to jab it once, twice, three times into a dark raincoat-clad back. The stabbed man stumbled, was held up briefly by the press of the crowd, then slipped down to his hands and knees. There was a moment of disturbance in the flow as people stepped around his huddled form; then he slid completely to the ground. The energy-saving lights were dim; the people were drunk; the last train was leaving soon. No one noticed that they were stepping on a corpse. Miyako Koreda tapped her sleeve against the panel by the door of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department headquarters in Kudanshita, clocking in. After the old headquarters in Kasumigaseki were bombed in the final days of China’s brief, partially successful attempt to add the capital to its territory, this office building off Yasukuni Dori had been pressed into service as a temporary headquarters. It was a good location, hard up against the narrowest stretch of the ASEAN buffer zone, with good transportation options to most of
passion
Fall 2019
the American-administered eastern half of the capital, and close to the Yasukuni Shrine, which everyone expected to be a flash point one day or the next. But although someone had been thoughtful about which interior walls to knock down, Miyako still expected the old office every time she walked through the door, and the layout felt odd. “Ohayo gozaimasu,” Miyako called into the scattered desks of the fourth-floor Criminal Investigations Bureau. “Ohayo!” the greetings chorused back. “Ohayo, Koreda-san,” said a heavyset man in his fifties, passing the door on his way back to the desks. “Yamada-san,” Miyako replied, following him in. “What are you working on?” “The Shiodome arson case,” he answered. “You?” “Paperwork for that theft in Odaiba.” “Got someone?” Miyako nodded. “Looks like we might be able to pin a few other thefts on him too.” Miyako slung her dark wool coat onto the hook by her desk and went to the tea station. The leaves in the pot were soggy, and she dumped them into the sink, rinsed the strainer, and sifted in a new, fragrant layer from the tin. While she waited for the water to heat, Miyako browsed the snack offerings in lieu of breakfast. She selected a small sweet-potatostuffed cake—rare now that Kyushu was held by China; she wondered who had bought that— and a handful of sour plum–flavored hard candies. In her right ear, the news broadcast burbled its comforting hum.
She sat down at her desk, lukewarm cup in hand, and started to fill in the paperwork on the Odaiba arrest, speaking the answers into the voice recognition on her sleeve. Something in the newscast caught her attention on a subliminal level, and Miyako turned the volume up slightly and jumped back ten seconds. . . . the ASEAN representative in Tokyo made a statement condemning recent Chinese rhetoric. Miyako waited, eyebrows hoisted like the cables on a suspension bridge, but the story ended with that. There wasn’t even a response from China. The news announcer chattered on, and Miyako lowered the volume again to the point where the words were barely intelligible and all she was aware of was the constant, unpanicked tone. Nobody had started a war. Then again, nobody had started a war. Before she could get back to her paperwork, her sleeve sent a tingle along her forearm. That manufactured sensation triggered, as always, an echoing fizz in her gut, the combination of nerves and anticipation that came with every new case. Miyako slid her finger along the edge of her sleeve to bring up the details, and her pulse jumped again as she saw the crimson color- coding: a murder. Violent crime had ticked up since the war, but murders were still rare. Nobody was happy when it happened, but Miyako couldn’t deny the excitement of solving one. Standing to pull on her coat, she flipped quickly through the template sent by the responding officer: body found in Kanda Station; multiple stab wounds; no identification. She paused. This might be interesting.
47
WELL-CRAFTED STORIES
Cinematic audiobooks by bestselling authors Serial Box offers addictive, well-produced stories that you can listen to or read, delivered to your device in bite-sized installments. Download the app or visit serialbox.com.
S e e t h e m a l l a t w w w. s e r i a l b ox . c o m /s e r i a l s
10
%
And, just for ION readers, go to serialbox.com/redeem and use the code GATEHOUSE to get 10% off your purchase.
off your purchase
Read or listen to the first episode of any serial for free. Sign up to start exploring at
serialbox.com