What will I learn about: why traditional gas-powered vehicles are shockingly inefficient, utilizing less than 30 percent of their fuel energy and sitting idle 95 percent of the time?

Discover why traditional gas-powered vehicles are shockingly inefficient, utilizing less than 30 percent of their fuel energy and sitting idle 95 percent of the time.

What will I learn about: how the impending automation revolution promises to replace massive parking lots and heavy traffic with clean, on-demand, self-driving vehicles?

Understand how the impending automation revolution promises to replace massive parking lots and heavy traffic with clean, on-demand, self-driving vehicles.

What will I learn about: Learn how a freezing winter commute at the University of Michigan inspired Google co-founder Larry Page to dream of an automated world?

Learn how a freezing winter commute at the University of Michigan inspired Google co-founder Larry Page to dream of an automated world.

What will I learn about: how the tragic events of 9/11 pushed auto executives to realize the dangerous global consequences of fossil fuel dependence and champion sustainable transportation?

Find out how the tragic events of 9/11 pushed auto executives to realize the dangerous global consequences of fossil fuel dependence and champion sustainable transportation.

What will I learn about: Explore how the DARPA Grand Challenge, an intense 150-mile desert robot race originally meant to protect soldiers, laid the critical groundwork for the self-driving car industry?

Explore how the DARPA Grand Challenge, an intense 150-mile desert robot race originally meant to protect soldiers, laid the critical groundwork for the self-driving car industry.

Autonomy

The Quest to Build the Driverless Car – And How It Will Reshape Our World

Lawrence D. Burns

★ 4.1 / 5(64 ratings)

Start ListeningDownload QR code that opens AudiobookHub on the App Store

Try free on iPhoneScan to start in 5 seconds

Categories:

Technology & the Future

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡Did you know that the revolution of self-driving cars actually began with a high-stakes military race through the Mojave Desert?
💡What if you could reclaim thousands of hours of your life while making the traditional concept of car ownership completely obsolete?
💡Are you curious about how a group of 'Silicon Valley geeks' managed to outmaneuver the century-old giants of the global auto industry?

Listen to Autonomy — Free Audiobook

Loading player...

Key Takeaways from Autonomy

✓Discover why traditional gas-powered vehicles are shockingly inefficient, utilizing less than 30 percent of their fuel energy and sitting idle 95 percent of the time.
✓Understand how the impending automation revolution promises to replace massive parking lots and heavy traffic with clean, on-demand, self-driving vehicles.
✓Learn how a freezing winter commute at the University of Michigan inspired Google co-founder Larry Page to dream of an automated world.
✓Find out how the tragic events of 9/11 pushed auto executives to realize the dangerous global consequences of fossil fuel dependence and champion sustainable transportation.
✓Explore how the DARPA Grand Challenge, an intense 150-mile desert robot race originally meant to protect soldiers, laid the critical groundwork for the self-driving car industry.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Autonomy

Mind Map

Autonomy

The Crisis of Current Vehicles+

Catalysts for the Automation Dream+

Technological Milestones+

Detroit vs. Silicon Valley+

Industry Disruption+

The Autonomous Future+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8

According to the book, what is a primary reason the internal combustion engine is considered highly inefficient?

A. It requires constant maintenance from specialized mechanics.
B. Less than 30 percent of the energy from gasoline is actually used to drive the car along the road.
C. The manufacturing process of gas-powered engines produces more emissions than the cars themselves.
D. It cannot be easily adapted to run on modern synthetic fuels.

Question 2 of 8

How much of the time does the average vehicle actually spend being used, according to the text?

A. 5 percent
B. 15 percent
C. 25 percent
D. 50 percent

Question 3 of 8

What dramatic event led the author, Lawrence D. Burns, to conclude that the auto industry needed to transition away from gas-powered engines?

A. Experiencing a severe winter storm while waiting for a bus at the University of Michigan.
B. Witnessing the 9/11 terrorist attacks and reflecting on America's dependence on Middle Eastern oil.
C. A massive pile-up on a Los Angeles freeway that trapped him for several hours.
D. Reading a leaked DARPA report on the environmental impact of urban traffic jams.

Question 4 of 8

What was the original motivation behind the US government (DARPA) sponsoring automated vehicle races?

A. To compete with emerging technological advancements in Japan and Germany.
B. To reduce the carbon footprint of the US military's global operations.
C. To develop automated vehicles that could transport supplies and prevent soldier deaths from roadside bombs.
D. To find a profitable commercial application for military GPS technology.

Question 5 of 8

What was the purpose of the 'shake and shimmy' method developed by Red Whittaker's team during the DARPA races?

A. To dislodge sand and debris from the vehicle's laser sensors.
B. To allow the robot to stop, reverse, and reassess confusing terrain or obstacles.
C. To recalibrate the vehicle's GPS connection when traveling through deep canyons.
D. To test the structural integrity of the vehicle's chassis before navigating steep inclines.

Question 6 of 8

How does the book characterize the primary difference in approach between Detroit and Silicon Valley regarding vehicle manufacturing?

A. Detroit focused on hardware and traditional mechanics, while Silicon Valley focused on software and experimental coding.
B. Detroit prioritized electric batteries, while Silicon Valley prioritized hydrogen fuel cells.
C. Detroit wanted to eliminate private car ownership, while Silicon Valley wanted to sell expensive luxury autonomous cars.
D. Detroit relied on government subsidies, while Silicon Valley relied exclusively on private venture capital.

Question 7 of 8

When the author compared a disassembled Chevy Malibu, a Toyota Prius, and GM's E-Flex electric architecture, what major realization did he have?

A. Electric vehicles would require significantly more complex parts to manage their software systems.
B. The traditional auto parts supply chain would be severely disrupted because electric vehicles have far fewer parts.
C. Hybrid vehicles like the Prius were actually more efficient to manufacture than fully electric vehicles.
D. General Motors would need to acquire Silicon Valley tech companies to survive the transition.

Question 8 of 8

According to the book's vision of the future, what will happen to the concept of private car ownership?

A. It will become a luxury reserved only for the very wealthy.
B. It will transition completely to a mandatory government-run leasing program.
C. It will come to an end, replaced by app-summoned, autonomous ride-sharing fleets.
D. It will remain popular, but all privately owned cars will be legally required to be electric.

Autonomy — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
21 — Gasoline-powered vehicles are everywhere, yet surprisingly inefficient.
32 — Frustration with a gas-guzzling world inspired innovators to imagine automation.
43 — Robot races played an important early role in developing automated vehicles.
54 — DARPA’s robot races produced key advances that would shape the future of automation.
65 — Detroit and Silicon Valley were central to the rise of automated vehicles.
76 — As GM developed electric vehicles, it became clear that major changes were coming.
87 — We’re entering a new era of automation that will be hugely disruptive.
98 — A typical morning commute may look very different in the future.
109 — Final summary

Autonomy Summary & Overview

Autonomy (2018) chronicles the long story of driverless vehicles and imagines a future that’s almost upon us. From the perspective of an auto-industry insider, the book goes deep into the history of automation, from the US Defense Department’s sponsored races in the Mojave Desert to the innovations of traditional car manufacturers. Lawrence D. Burns describes a world of Silicon Valley geeks and rugged inventors in a narrative that should interest anyone pondering the world to come.

Who Should Listen to Autonomy?

Technology buffs interested in the story of automation
Car aficionados worried about a future full of driverless vehicles
Budding roboticists

About the Author: Lawrence D. Burns

Lawrence D. Burns was corporate vice president of research, development and planning at General Motors, overseeing GM’s advanced technology programs from 1998 to 2009. He was also professor of engineering practice at the University of Michigan from 2010 to 2016 and served as an advisor to the Google self-driving car project now known as Waymo. He lives in Franklin, Michigan.

Autonomy

If You're Curious About These Questions...

Listen to Autonomy — Free Audiobook

Key Takeaways from Autonomy

Learning Tools

Mind Map

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Autonomy — Full Chapter Overview

Autonomy Summary & Overview

Who Should Listen to Autonomy?

About the Author: Lawrence D. Burns

Books Similar to Autonomy