>>> NEXT CASE, WAYMO LAUNCHING
THE THEIR FIRST DRIVERLESS CAR
SERVICE IN ARIZONA.
IT IS ON THE ROADS, A TAXI.
OUR NEXT GUEST IS THE
VICE PRESIDENT OF STRATEGY AND
POLICY AT COGNATA.
THAT IS A COMPANY WHICH HELPS
SELF-DRIVING CAR TECHNOLOGY.
HE IS WITH US FROM COGNATA.
HOW FAR AWAY, YOU HAVE GOT TO
CONVINCE PEOPLE, IF YOU'RE
HELPING CAR COMPANIES GET INTO
THE SYSTEM DRIVING CAR BUSINESS,
YOU HAVE GOT TO CONVINCE PEOPLE
LIKE ME THAT IT'S SAFE TO GET
INTO ONE OF THESE THINGS, TO
TRUST IT.
HOW FAR AWAY ARE WE FROM THAT?
>> SAFETY IS AN ONGOING PROCESS.
THERE IS NO END TO SAFETY.
WHAT WE DO IS PROVIDE ABILITY TO
TIS THE CAR IN VIRTUAL WORLD, IN
SIMULATION.
WE BUILD A 3D REALISTIC WORLD,
FILL IT WITH WEATHER, TRAFFIC,
PEOPLE, THINGS THEY FACE ONCE IN
THE REAL WORLD, WE MEASURE
SAFETY BEFORE THE CARS ARE
THERE.
STUART: YOU WORK WITH AUDI?
>> WE WORK WITH AID, THE
AUTONOMOUS SUBSIDIARY OF AUDI.
STUART: SO YOU CONSTRUCT A CAR,
SELF-DRIVING CAR, KIND OF A TEST
CAR IN SOME KIND OF A LABORATORY
AND YOU SEE HOW IT RESPONDS TO
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND OTHER
CARS ON THE ROAD, THAT KIND OF
THING?
>> BETTER YET, WE DELIVER A
SOFTWARE SOLUTION WHERE OUR
CUSTOMERS, MAKERS OF THE
SELF-DRIVING CARS CAN TEST THEIR
SOFTWARE BEFORE THEY EVEN START
NEEDING TO BUILD THE CAR ITSELF.
SO THEY CAN PUT THEIR SOFTWARE
INTO OUR SYSTEM AND TEST IT
ACROSS ALL THESE ENVIRONMENTS
EARLY ON.
STUART: OKAY.
SO IT'S A SOFTWARE PACKAGE, THAT
IS WHAT YOU PRODUCE AND YOU SELL
IT TO A CAR COMPANY, THEY PUT IT
INTO THEIR CARS AND BINGO,
YOU'VE GOT YOURSELF A
SELF-DRIVING CAR, THAT'S ISN'T.
>> SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
STUART: I'M TRYING TO SIMPLIFY
IT.
>> WE'RE INVOLVED WITH THE
CARMAKERS AT A VERY EARLY STAGE
SO THAT THEY CAN TAKE THEIR
SOFTWARE, PUT IT INTO A VIRTUAL
WORLD, TEST IT AGAINST
EVERYTHING THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE
TO ENCOUNTER BEFORE THEY'RE ON
THE ROADS WITH YOU AND I.
STUART: CAN YOU MAKE ME FEEL
SECURE A COUPLE YEARS DOWN THE
ROAD, I'M IN A SELF-DRIVING CAR,
THERE IS NOBODY BEHIND THE
WHEEL?
I'M IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, WE'RE
GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, I'M
SURROUNDED BY WHOPPING GREAT BIG
DRUGS AND OTHER CARS WITH A
DRIVER?
ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE ME FEEL
COMFORTABLE?
YOU THINK I WILL BE COMFORTABLE
WITH THAT ENVIRONMENT?
>> THIS IS THE EXACTLY THE VALUE
OF SIMULATION.
BY BEING ABLE TO TEST THESE CARS
VIRTUALLY BEFORE THEY'RE ON THE
ROAD, WE CAN MEASURE HOW SAFE
THE CARS ARE, HOW WELL-THEY'RE
PERFORMING, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY
HOW MUCH THE SAFETY IS IMPROVING
OVER TIME, TEST AFTER TEST AFTER
TEST.
WE DO THIS AT ENORMOUS SCALE.
IN SIMULATION THERE IS NO REASON
A CAR CAN'T DRIVE MILLIONS OF
MILES, GAPE THAT EXPERIENCE
OVERNIGHT IN THE CLOUD.
STUART: IT'S PRETTY GOOD.
HOW LONG BEFORE WE'RE ALL
SITTING IN SELF-DRIVING CARS?
>> THIS ROLLOUT WILL CONTINUE TO
BE GRADUAL.
AS YOU MENTIONED WE'RE SEEING
CARS IN LIMITED SITUATIONS
TODAY.
ROLLOUT WILL CONTINUE.
IT WILL TAKE TIME.
CHALLENGES WILL INCREASE OR
RATHER, THE CAPABILITIES WILL
INCREASE BUT I THINK WE'LL SEE A
LOT OF PROGRESS IN THE NEXT FIVE
YEARS.
STUART: IS WAYMO WAY OUT FRONT?
>> WAYMO IS PRETTY WELL OUT
FRONT.
PART OF WHAT ENABLED THEM TO GET
THERE IS THEIR EXPENSIVE USE OF
SIMULATION.
THEY HAVE BEEN VERY PUBLIC ABOUT
THE FACT THAT THEY DRIVE
MILLIONS OF MILES A DAY IN
SIMULATION.
STUART: SO YOU ESSENTIALLY ARE
SIMULATOR GUY?
