Skip to content

Sam Abuelsamid

Nvidia Drive Labs

Building a reliable and robust automated driving system is really hard. In the past half decade a lot of progress has been made thanks to the advancements in machine learning and deep neural networks. One of the companies on the forefront of that effort is Nvidia. While most people think of Nvidia GPUs for graphics cards and bitcoin mining, they also have thousands of engineers that works on software. Neda Cvijetic is a senior manager on the automated driving team and she hosts the Nvidia Drive Labs video series explaining some of the core principles of how they are tackling this problem. Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would like to chip in toward the cost of producing and hosting it you can join at https://www.patreon.com/wheelbearingsmedia

Fiat Chrysler UConnect Market Demo

Fiat Chrysler recently launched a market feature in its UConnect telematics system that enables users to utilize apps to access a variety of services from the dashboard. FCA UConnect marketing manager Mike Novak gives us a demo of the new UConnect Market. Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would like to chip in toward the cost of producing and hosting it you can join at https://www.patreon.com/wheelbearingsmedia

Formula E cars make a great noise

Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would like to chip in toward the cost of producing and hosting it you can join at https://www.patreon.com/wheelbearingsmedia

Quality Track Time With the 2019 Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang

For the first time in 50 years, there will be two distinct Shelby Mustang models available for sale by the end of 2019. While the new supercharged GT500 will arrive this fall, Ford is keeping the GT350 in the lineup with some fresh updates designed to make it both a better performer and a better all-around sports car. Ford recently rented the Champion Motor Speedway north of Detroit for a day of lapping in the 2019 GT350. Read the rest of the story Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would like to chip in toward the cost of producing and hosting it you can join at https://www.patreon.com/wheelbearingsmedia

Leo and Sam Drive the 2019 Kia Niro EV

Leo Laporte and Sam try out the 2019 Kia Niro EV, an impressive compact electric crossover with a 239 mile range Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would like to chip in toward the cost of producing and hosting it you can join at https://www.patreon.com/wheelbearingsmedia

2020 Lincoln Corsair Takes Flight

Lincoln president Joy Falotico unveils the 2020 Corsair

Five years ago, Lincoln was a brand that seemed to be on its last legs. The products felt uninspired and no one seemed to know why Ford was still pouring money into its last premium brand. Despite that, Ford recommitted to the brand, appointing Kumar Galhotra as president of Lincoln and the resurgence began. That continues under current Lincoln president Joy Falotico with this week’s reveal of the 2020 Corsair. Lincoln has fleshed out its SUV lineup with new or revamped products from bottom to top, leaving the MKZ and MKT for as long as they last as the only remnants of the old product lineup.

Read More »2020 Lincoln Corsair Takes Flight

Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would like to chip in toward the cost of producing and hosting it you can join at https://www.patreon.com/wheelbearingsmedia

Welcome To Escapeville, Introducing The 2020 Ford Escape

Another day, another compact crossover utility vehicle introduction. Today, Ford is revealing the all-new 2020 Escape, the fourth-generation model to bear that badge. As Ford’s second best selling nameplate after the F-series pickups, the Escape is particularly important to the brand as works its way through a massive realignment from cars to utilities. Based on a first look at the new Escape, it looks like Ford is making a lot of the right moves with this model. Read the full story at Forbes Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would like to chip in toward the cost of producing and hosting it you can join at https://www.patreon.com/wheelbearingsmedia

The Tech Guy #1579

Sam says that even with driverless cars, he’s not sure if Lyft can still make any money. There’s no networking effect. There’s no loyalty or switching costs. So the only way to make it work is to have a lot of drivers and lower fares. Also, companies like Lyft and Uber have no real hard costs or assets. They don’t own the cars, or have to maintain them, or pay for the gas. When you go driverless, suddenly you have to pay for cars and maintain them. Those hard investments and will be in the billions at first. Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would like to chip in toward the cost of producing and hosting it you can join at https://www.patreon.com/wheelbearingsmedia

The Tech Guy #1577

Sam joins Leo to talk about the etiquette of charging an electric vehicle.  Sam says that some EV users believe it’s OK to park next to a charger, thereby making that charger unusable for hours. Tesla has addressed this issue by charging people after their car has been filled up. Users now get a 5 minute grace period. Leo says while that’s true, if you’re traveling and are parking at the airport, you don’t really have a choice. While that’s a special case, most EV owners are just using charging spots at the mall and other locations as parking spots. Thereby preventing other EV drivers from charging.  Meanwhile, Mercedes Benz has included What3words navigation to their 2019 vehicles. All you need to do is input the three words of your destination, and it’ll take you there. What3words is a system that assigns three words to every ten… Read More »The Tech Guy #1577

The Tech Guy #1575

Sam joins Leo in studio, and he says that while electric vehicles are getting more popular, it would still take 20-30 years to replace the entire fleet in the US. He drove to Eastside Studios in a KIA NIRO electrified vehicle. The NIRO Hybrid gets 50 mph, but you can get a plugin hybrid as well, which gets 27 miles on a charge. Or you can get a fully electric NIRO, which has a 239-mile range.  Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would like to chip in toward the cost of producing and hosting it you can join at https://www.patreon.com/wheelbearingsmedia