Google made a stunning revelation this morning: the existence of a secret self-driving car project. Even more amazing: it has been in testing for months, on actual roads across California, and things seem to be running smoothly. Fans of Total Recall, Minority Report, and Knight Rider are hyperventilating at the prospects. And while the technology is likely still a long way from being widely implemented (The New York Times piece on it suggests eight years), there is one big question: why?
Google’s answer seems to be a “betterment of society” one. “We’ve always been optimistic about technology’s ability to advance society, which is why we have pushed so hard to improve the capabilities of self-driving cars beyond where they are today,” Google engineer Sebastian Thrun, who spearheaded the project (and also runs Stanford’s AI Labs, and co-invented Street View), writes today.
That’s great. But Google is still a public company in the business of making money for its shareholders. So one can’t help but wonder what, if any, money-making prospects there are here?
“The Google researchers said the company did not yet have a clear plan to create a business from the experiments,” according to the NYT. Further, they quote Thrun as saying that this project is an example of Google’s “willingness to gamble on technology that may not pay off for years.”
We know Google has a history of idealism — co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, in particular — but this project cannot come cheap. And the fact is that Google remains basically a one-trick-pony when it comes to making money. They are so reliant on search advertising revenues, that if something suddenly happened to the market, they’d be totally screwed. Android may prove to be their second trick, but it’s not there yet.
But there may be more to these automated cars than just an awesomely cool concept. At our TechCrunch Disrupt event a couple weeks ago, Google CEO Eric Schmidt gave a speech about “an augmented version of humanity.” He noted that the future is about getting computers to do the things we’re not good at. One of those things is driving cars, Schmidt slyly said at the time. “Your car should drive itself. It just makes sense,” he noted. “It’s a bug that cars were invented before computers.”
If your car can drive itself, a lot of commuters would be freed up to do other things in the car — such as surf the web. One of Google’s stated goals for this project is to “free up people’s time”. That matched with Schmidt’s vision of mobile devices being with us all the time every day, likely will translate into more usage of Google.
That may sound silly and not worth all the R&D an undertaking as huge as this will require, but don’t underestimate Google. This is a company who cares deeply about shaving fractions of a second off of each search query so that you can do more of them in your waking hours. Imagine if you suddenly had an hour or more a day in your car to do whatever you wanted because you no longer had to focus on driving? Yeah. Cha-ching.
Or imagine if your on-board maps where showing you Google ads. Or you were watching Google TV in your car since you didn’t have to drive. Or you were listening to Google Music with Google ads. It’s all the same. This automated driving technology would free you up to use more Google products — which in turn make them more money. Make no mistake, Google will enter your car in a big way. And automated driving would up their return in a big way.
And, of course, none of this speaks to what, if anything, Google would actually charge for such technology implementation. You would have to believe that if and when it’s available, this automated driving tech would be built-in to cars. Would car manufacturers pay Google for it and pass off some of the costs to customers? Or would this all be subsidized by the above ideas?
It’s way too early to get into that, I’m sure. And in 8 years, there will be things out there that we can’t even imagine right now. But it’s interesting to think about. The Google Car.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I have little doubt Google is being sincere in their broader hopes for such a technology. Here’s their key blurb on that:
According to the World Health Organization, more than 1.2 million lives are lost every year in road traffic accidents. We believe our technology has the potential to cut that number, perhaps by as much as half. We’re also confident that self-driving cars will transform car sharing, significantly reducing car usage, as well as help create the new “highway trains of tomorrow.” These highway trains should cut energy consumption while also increasing the number of people that can be transported on our major roads. In terms of time efficiency, the U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that people spend on average 52 minutes each working day commuting. Imagine being able to spend that time more productively.
That first part is awesome. If we could halve the number of traffic deaths each year, it would be world-changing. And if energy consumption could be cut, it could re-shape economies and save our future. But again, don’t gloss over the last part. Freeing up those 52 minutes a day to be productive — that’s a lot of potential money for Google.
And that’s great too. If Google can spend the time and money working on such amazing technology they should be rewarded for it. There’s no rule that says you shouldn’t be able to make money by changing the world. And Google can’t be praised enough for trying.
More:
- Google Has A Secret Fleet Of Automated Toyota Priuses; 140,000 Miles Logged So Far.
- Google’s Self-Driving Car Spotted On The Highway Almost A Year Ago
[images: Dreamworks and TriStar Entertainment]
[On weekends, we will be re-posting some pieces from the previous week that we wanted to call attention to again that some readers might have missed.]
After Disney named two longtime Internet execs–Playdom’s John Pleasants and Jimmy Pitaro of Yahoo–as co-presidents of its Internet unit, BoomTown did a longer interview with CEO Bob Iger about the entertainment giant’s next Web moves.
I always enjoy talking digital with Iger–who is pictured above in an interview I did with him in 2006 at the fourth D: All Things Digital conference–since he has been one of the old media moguls who seems unafraid of the challenges of new media.
While appropriately wary, Iger acted early and often in exploring digital initiatives at Disney (DIS) that others in Hollywood’s and New York’s media worlds were loath to consider.
“I have tried to keep two obvious philosophies,” Iger said in a phone interview yesterday. “First, that our current business not get in the way of adopting new technologies, and, second, that our business belongs on these new platforms.”
Easy to say, of course, but it’s still nice to hear, given the longtime, incessant and ultimately wearying push-and-pull between those who make bucks making content and those who make bucks making technology.
“My premise is that technology is about an opportunity for us,” said Iger. “And we cannot will it away and should not…because you can’t stop these things from happening.”
That’s presumably the impetus behind the hiring of Pleasants and Pitaro (picture here, left to right).
With an assist by recent Disney board member and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, Pitaro came to his attention earlier this year, Iger said.
Pitaro left his job as SVP of Media at Yahoo (YHOO) last week.
And Pleasants was CEO of Playdom, the online social gaming company that Disney acquired for $763 million in late July.
The pair, who will report directly to Iger as co-chiefs of the Disney Interactive Media Group, replace outgoing head Steve Wadsworth.
The shift is a big move by the entertainment giant and yet another attempt to clarify and bolster its Web strategy, which has had a long and often rocky history.
Under the previous regime of former CEO Michael Eisner, for example, Disney bought search engine Infoseek and tried to create a portal called Go.com.
That failed, and was one of many efforts to define the media company’s Web goals.
More recently, in 2008, Disney gathered most of its Internet properties within DIMG under Wadsworth.
Still, money-making has not been part of the mix. In its most recent quarter, DIMG lost $65 million on revenue of $197 million.
In the interview about the new structure, Iger said: “I think we’ve built a framework of assets, and now is the time to create a structure in a more focused way. In splitting the divisions, we can focus more on them better and in a way they deserve.”
He outlined the new set-up, which will have Pleasants focus on the online gaming and mobile landscape and Pitaro on the Web arena.
Iger said he felt Pleasants and Pitaro brought different backgrounds to the task, as well as longtime experience in the Internet arena.
He said that upon considering a fresh approach, he felt that Wadsworth was “spread too thin,” given all the various online arenas for Disney.
In fact, today, Disney owns a number of big Internet properties, including Disney.com, Family.com and Club Penguin, although there does not seem to be a particularly cohesive strategy among them.
Of course, that’s no surprise, given it is all part of a multifaceted media company with a variety of businesses.
Due to its powerful content assets, said Iger, it might be a perfect time for a more cogent plan. With the explosion of devices, such as the Apple (AAPL) iPad and others, the importance of cooperation between content and technology is more critical than ever.
“I think a lot of technology companies are really finally ready to handle more premium content in a way that is beneficial to all of us,” said Iger.
And, he added, it was time for Disney to get more involved in technology, which was the reason for the purchase of Playdom. The move has made it more a publisher than a licensor.
“If we wanted to get significant in size, we need the investment to be greater,” Iger said about the big payout to get into the fast-growing social gaming arena.
And that has meant less emphasis on console games, on which he said Disney had focused too much in the past.
No longer–now Iger said he has planted Playdom, as well as its purchase of the Tapulous music app start-up, in a spanking new facility in Palo Alto, Calif., right in the heart of Silicon Valley.
“We need to be part of the culture and world there in a significant way,” said Iger. “And I believe I have convinced the senior team within Disney that Playdom is a huge opportunity for them.”
That includes online gaming related to units such as sports at ESPN, as well as other Disney brands, such as the theme parks or Marvel, into Playdom games.
While Pleasants will run his part of the show from Silicon Valley, Iger said, Pitaro will work out of Los Angeles on Web initiatives and in upgrading the Disney online experience.
“We want to make Disney sites more of a community and entertainment center than a marketing hub,” said Iger. “Where is gets complicated is the levels of exclusivity and the other places we want to distribute our content.”
That includes being part of the premium Hulu online video site, as well as perhaps even creating a Disney-branded pay service, but also being open to working more with Netflix (NFLX).
And that means a multifaceted approach to all kinds of payment models for Disney online, from subscription to advertising-supported to pay-per-view.
“In certain areas, we will be very aggressive with our content and in others less aggressive, to the extent that each offers us revenues,” said Iger. “Obviously, where there is potential cannibalization, we will be a little more careful…but we are going to push forward.”
When asked about the most obvious management issue–the possibility of clashing with two heads of one division (MySpace, anyone?), Iger said that while there was overlap, he thought the jobs Pitaro and Pleasants had to do were also wide-ranging and different enough.
Plus, added Iger, “They both report directly to me and I am there to see to it that it works.”
In other words, as Disney continues to move forward into the digital future, the content and technology buck stops, as it should, at Iger.
eric seiger
Arrowheadlines: Chiefs <b>News</b> 10/11 - Arrowhead Pride
Well, that happened. Good morning Chiefs fans, and welcome to Arrowheadlines. As you'd expect, there are a lot of Kansas City Chiefs stories out there this morning. We've gathered them here for you. Enjoy.
Call of Duty DS dev "down but not out" DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 <b>...</b>
Read our DS news of Call of Duty DS dev. ... Latest News. Treyarch supports Medal of Honor team . Chrysler issues Call of Duty Jeep . Activision has no plans for online fees . Release Date 9/11/2010; More on Call of Duty: ...
October 10th: Astronomy in the <b>News</b>
(http://www.geodesium.com) Description: Carolyn Collins Petersen, TheSpacewriter, looks at recent astro-news. Bio: Carolyn Collins Petersen is a science writer and show producer, as well as vice-president of Loch Ness Productions, ...
eric seiger
Google made a stunning revelation this morning: the existence of a secret self-driving car project. Even more amazing: it has been in testing for months, on actual roads across California, and things seem to be running smoothly. Fans of Total Recall, Minority Report, and Knight Rider are hyperventilating at the prospects. And while the technology is likely still a long way from being widely implemented (The New York Times piece on it suggests eight years), there is one big question: why?
Google’s answer seems to be a “betterment of society” one. “We’ve always been optimistic about technology’s ability to advance society, which is why we have pushed so hard to improve the capabilities of self-driving cars beyond where they are today,” Google engineer Sebastian Thrun, who spearheaded the project (and also runs Stanford’s AI Labs, and co-invented Street View), writes today.
That’s great. But Google is still a public company in the business of making money for its shareholders. So one can’t help but wonder what, if any, money-making prospects there are here?
“The Google researchers said the company did not yet have a clear plan to create a business from the experiments,” according to the NYT. Further, they quote Thrun as saying that this project is an example of Google’s “willingness to gamble on technology that may not pay off for years.”
We know Google has a history of idealism — co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, in particular — but this project cannot come cheap. And the fact is that Google remains basically a one-trick-pony when it comes to making money. They are so reliant on search advertising revenues, that if something suddenly happened to the market, they’d be totally screwed. Android may prove to be their second trick, but it’s not there yet.
But there may be more to these automated cars than just an awesomely cool concept. At our TechCrunch Disrupt event a couple weeks ago, Google CEO Eric Schmidt gave a speech about “an augmented version of humanity.” He noted that the future is about getting computers to do the things we’re not good at. One of those things is driving cars, Schmidt slyly said at the time. “Your car should drive itself. It just makes sense,” he noted. “It’s a bug that cars were invented before computers.”
If your car can drive itself, a lot of commuters would be freed up to do other things in the car — such as surf the web. One of Google’s stated goals for this project is to “free up people’s time”. That matched with Schmidt’s vision of mobile devices being with us all the time every day, likely will translate into more usage of Google.
That may sound silly and not worth all the R&D an undertaking as huge as this will require, but don’t underestimate Google. This is a company who cares deeply about shaving fractions of a second off of each search query so that you can do more of them in your waking hours. Imagine if you suddenly had an hour or more a day in your car to do whatever you wanted because you no longer had to focus on driving? Yeah. Cha-ching.
Or imagine if your on-board maps where showing you Google ads. Or you were watching Google TV in your car since you didn’t have to drive. Or you were listening to Google Music with Google ads. It’s all the same. This automated driving technology would free you up to use more Google products — which in turn make them more money. Make no mistake, Google will enter your car in a big way. And automated driving would up their return in a big way.
And, of course, none of this speaks to what, if anything, Google would actually charge for such technology implementation. You would have to believe that if and when it’s available, this automated driving tech would be built-in to cars. Would car manufacturers pay Google for it and pass off some of the costs to customers? Or would this all be subsidized by the above ideas?
It’s way too early to get into that, I’m sure. And in 8 years, there will be things out there that we can’t even imagine right now. But it’s interesting to think about. The Google Car.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I have little doubt Google is being sincere in their broader hopes for such a technology. Here’s their key blurb on that:
According to the World Health Organization, more than 1.2 million lives are lost every year in road traffic accidents. We believe our technology has the potential to cut that number, perhaps by as much as half. We’re also confident that self-driving cars will transform car sharing, significantly reducing car usage, as well as help create the new “highway trains of tomorrow.” These highway trains should cut energy consumption while also increasing the number of people that can be transported on our major roads. In terms of time efficiency, the U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that people spend on average 52 minutes each working day commuting. Imagine being able to spend that time more productively.
That first part is awesome. If we could halve the number of traffic deaths each year, it would be world-changing. And if energy consumption could be cut, it could re-shape economies and save our future. But again, don’t gloss over the last part. Freeing up those 52 minutes a day to be productive — that’s a lot of potential money for Google.
And that’s great too. If Google can spend the time and money working on such amazing technology they should be rewarded for it. There’s no rule that says you shouldn’t be able to make money by changing the world. And Google can’t be praised enough for trying.
More:
- Google Has A Secret Fleet Of Automated Toyota Priuses; 140,000 Miles Logged So Far.
- Google’s Self-Driving Car Spotted On The Highway Almost A Year Ago
[images: Dreamworks and TriStar Entertainment]
[On weekends, we will be re-posting some pieces from the previous week that we wanted to call attention to again that some readers might have missed.]
After Disney named two longtime Internet execs–Playdom’s John Pleasants and Jimmy Pitaro of Yahoo–as co-presidents of its Internet unit, BoomTown did a longer interview with CEO Bob Iger about the entertainment giant’s next Web moves.
I always enjoy talking digital with Iger–who is pictured above in an interview I did with him in 2006 at the fourth D: All Things Digital conference–since he has been one of the old media moguls who seems unafraid of the challenges of new media.
While appropriately wary, Iger acted early and often in exploring digital initiatives at Disney (DIS) that others in Hollywood’s and New York’s media worlds were loath to consider.
“I have tried to keep two obvious philosophies,” Iger said in a phone interview yesterday. “First, that our current business not get in the way of adopting new technologies, and, second, that our business belongs on these new platforms.”
Easy to say, of course, but it’s still nice to hear, given the longtime, incessant and ultimately wearying push-and-pull between those who make bucks making content and those who make bucks making technology.
“My premise is that technology is about an opportunity for us,” said Iger. “And we cannot will it away and should not…because you can’t stop these things from happening.”
That’s presumably the impetus behind the hiring of Pleasants and Pitaro (picture here, left to right).
With an assist by recent Disney board member and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, Pitaro came to his attention earlier this year, Iger said.
Pitaro left his job as SVP of Media at Yahoo (YHOO) last week.
And Pleasants was CEO of Playdom, the online social gaming company that Disney acquired for $763 million in late July.
The pair, who will report directly to Iger as co-chiefs of the Disney Interactive Media Group, replace outgoing head Steve Wadsworth.
The shift is a big move by the entertainment giant and yet another attempt to clarify and bolster its Web strategy, which has had a long and often rocky history.
Under the previous regime of former CEO Michael Eisner, for example, Disney bought search engine Infoseek and tried to create a portal called Go.com.
That failed, and was one of many efforts to define the media company’s Web goals.
More recently, in 2008, Disney gathered most of its Internet properties within DIMG under Wadsworth.
Still, money-making has not been part of the mix. In its most recent quarter, DIMG lost $65 million on revenue of $197 million.
In the interview about the new structure, Iger said: “I think we’ve built a framework of assets, and now is the time to create a structure in a more focused way. In splitting the divisions, we can focus more on them better and in a way they deserve.”
He outlined the new set-up, which will have Pleasants focus on the online gaming and mobile landscape and Pitaro on the Web arena.
Iger said he felt Pleasants and Pitaro brought different backgrounds to the task, as well as longtime experience in the Internet arena.
He said that upon considering a fresh approach, he felt that Wadsworth was “spread too thin,” given all the various online arenas for Disney.
In fact, today, Disney owns a number of big Internet properties, including Disney.com, Family.com and Club Penguin, although there does not seem to be a particularly cohesive strategy among them.
Of course, that’s no surprise, given it is all part of a multifaceted media company with a variety of businesses.
Due to its powerful content assets, said Iger, it might be a perfect time for a more cogent plan. With the explosion of devices, such as the Apple (AAPL) iPad and others, the importance of cooperation between content and technology is more critical than ever.
“I think a lot of technology companies are really finally ready to handle more premium content in a way that is beneficial to all of us,” said Iger.
And, he added, it was time for Disney to get more involved in technology, which was the reason for the purchase of Playdom. The move has made it more a publisher than a licensor.
“If we wanted to get significant in size, we need the investment to be greater,” Iger said about the big payout to get into the fast-growing social gaming arena.
And that has meant less emphasis on console games, on which he said Disney had focused too much in the past.
No longer–now Iger said he has planted Playdom, as well as its purchase of the Tapulous music app start-up, in a spanking new facility in Palo Alto, Calif., right in the heart of Silicon Valley.
“We need to be part of the culture and world there in a significant way,” said Iger. “And I believe I have convinced the senior team within Disney that Playdom is a huge opportunity for them.”
That includes online gaming related to units such as sports at ESPN, as well as other Disney brands, such as the theme parks or Marvel, into Playdom games.
While Pleasants will run his part of the show from Silicon Valley, Iger said, Pitaro will work out of Los Angeles on Web initiatives and in upgrading the Disney online experience.
“We want to make Disney sites more of a community and entertainment center than a marketing hub,” said Iger. “Where is gets complicated is the levels of exclusivity and the other places we want to distribute our content.”
That includes being part of the premium Hulu online video site, as well as perhaps even creating a Disney-branded pay service, but also being open to working more with Netflix (NFLX).
And that means a multifaceted approach to all kinds of payment models for Disney online, from subscription to advertising-supported to pay-per-view.
“In certain areas, we will be very aggressive with our content and in others less aggressive, to the extent that each offers us revenues,” said Iger. “Obviously, where there is potential cannibalization, we will be a little more careful…but we are going to push forward.”
When asked about the most obvious management issue–the possibility of clashing with two heads of one division (MySpace, anyone?), Iger said that while there was overlap, he thought the jobs Pitaro and Pleasants had to do were also wide-ranging and different enough.
Plus, added Iger, “They both report directly to me and I am there to see to it that it works.”
In other words, as Disney continues to move forward into the digital future, the content and technology buck stops, as it should, at Iger.
eric seiger
Arrowheadlines: Chiefs <b>News</b> 10/11 - Arrowhead Pride
Well, that happened. Good morning Chiefs fans, and welcome to Arrowheadlines. As you'd expect, there are a lot of Kansas City Chiefs stories out there this morning. We've gathered them here for you. Enjoy.
Call of Duty DS dev "down but not out" DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 <b>...</b>
Read our DS news of Call of Duty DS dev. ... Latest News. Treyarch supports Medal of Honor team . Chrysler issues Call of Duty Jeep . Activision has no plans for online fees . Release Date 9/11/2010; More on Call of Duty: ...
October 10th: Astronomy in the <b>News</b>
(http://www.geodesium.com) Description: Carolyn Collins Petersen, TheSpacewriter, looks at recent astro-news. Bio: Carolyn Collins Petersen is a science writer and show producer, as well as vice-president of Loch Ness Productions, ...
eric seiger
eric seiger
eric seiger
Arrowheadlines: Chiefs <b>News</b> 10/11 - Arrowhead Pride
Well, that happened. Good morning Chiefs fans, and welcome to Arrowheadlines. As you'd expect, there are a lot of Kansas City Chiefs stories out there this morning. We've gathered them here for you. Enjoy.
Call of Duty DS dev "down but not out" DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 <b>...</b>
Read our DS news of Call of Duty DS dev. ... Latest News. Treyarch supports Medal of Honor team . Chrysler issues Call of Duty Jeep . Activision has no plans for online fees . Release Date 9/11/2010; More on Call of Duty: ...
October 10th: Astronomy in the <b>News</b>
(http://www.geodesium.com) Description: Carolyn Collins Petersen, TheSpacewriter, looks at recent astro-news. Bio: Carolyn Collins Petersen is a science writer and show producer, as well as vice-president of Loch Ness Productions, ...
eric seiger
Google made a stunning revelation this morning: the existence of a secret self-driving car project. Even more amazing: it has been in testing for months, on actual roads across California, and things seem to be running smoothly. Fans of Total Recall, Minority Report, and Knight Rider are hyperventilating at the prospects. And while the technology is likely still a long way from being widely implemented (The New York Times piece on it suggests eight years), there is one big question: why?
Google’s answer seems to be a “betterment of society” one. “We’ve always been optimistic about technology’s ability to advance society, which is why we have pushed so hard to improve the capabilities of self-driving cars beyond where they are today,” Google engineer Sebastian Thrun, who spearheaded the project (and also runs Stanford’s AI Labs, and co-invented Street View), writes today.
That’s great. But Google is still a public company in the business of making money for its shareholders. So one can’t help but wonder what, if any, money-making prospects there are here?
“The Google researchers said the company did not yet have a clear plan to create a business from the experiments,” according to the NYT. Further, they quote Thrun as saying that this project is an example of Google’s “willingness to gamble on technology that may not pay off for years.”
We know Google has a history of idealism — co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, in particular — but this project cannot come cheap. And the fact is that Google remains basically a one-trick-pony when it comes to making money. They are so reliant on search advertising revenues, that if something suddenly happened to the market, they’d be totally screwed. Android may prove to be their second trick, but it’s not there yet.
But there may be more to these automated cars than just an awesomely cool concept. At our TechCrunch Disrupt event a couple weeks ago, Google CEO Eric Schmidt gave a speech about “an augmented version of humanity.” He noted that the future is about getting computers to do the things we’re not good at. One of those things is driving cars, Schmidt slyly said at the time. “Your car should drive itself. It just makes sense,” he noted. “It’s a bug that cars were invented before computers.”
If your car can drive itself, a lot of commuters would be freed up to do other things in the car — such as surf the web. One of Google’s stated goals for this project is to “free up people’s time”. That matched with Schmidt’s vision of mobile devices being with us all the time every day, likely will translate into more usage of Google.
That may sound silly and not worth all the R&D an undertaking as huge as this will require, but don’t underestimate Google. This is a company who cares deeply about shaving fractions of a second off of each search query so that you can do more of them in your waking hours. Imagine if you suddenly had an hour or more a day in your car to do whatever you wanted because you no longer had to focus on driving? Yeah. Cha-ching.
Or imagine if your on-board maps where showing you Google ads. Or you were watching Google TV in your car since you didn’t have to drive. Or you were listening to Google Music with Google ads. It’s all the same. This automated driving technology would free you up to use more Google products — which in turn make them more money. Make no mistake, Google will enter your car in a big way. And automated driving would up their return in a big way.
And, of course, none of this speaks to what, if anything, Google would actually charge for such technology implementation. You would have to believe that if and when it’s available, this automated driving tech would be built-in to cars. Would car manufacturers pay Google for it and pass off some of the costs to customers? Or would this all be subsidized by the above ideas?
It’s way too early to get into that, I’m sure. And in 8 years, there will be things out there that we can’t even imagine right now. But it’s interesting to think about. The Google Car.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I have little doubt Google is being sincere in their broader hopes for such a technology. Here’s their key blurb on that:
According to the World Health Organization, more than 1.2 million lives are lost every year in road traffic accidents. We believe our technology has the potential to cut that number, perhaps by as much as half. We’re also confident that self-driving cars will transform car sharing, significantly reducing car usage, as well as help create the new “highway trains of tomorrow.” These highway trains should cut energy consumption while also increasing the number of people that can be transported on our major roads. In terms of time efficiency, the U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that people spend on average 52 minutes each working day commuting. Imagine being able to spend that time more productively.
That first part is awesome. If we could halve the number of traffic deaths each year, it would be world-changing. And if energy consumption could be cut, it could re-shape economies and save our future. But again, don’t gloss over the last part. Freeing up those 52 minutes a day to be productive — that’s a lot of potential money for Google.
And that’s great too. If Google can spend the time and money working on such amazing technology they should be rewarded for it. There’s no rule that says you shouldn’t be able to make money by changing the world. And Google can’t be praised enough for trying.
More:
- Google Has A Secret Fleet Of Automated Toyota Priuses; 140,000 Miles Logged So Far.
- Google’s Self-Driving Car Spotted On The Highway Almost A Year Ago
[images: Dreamworks and TriStar Entertainment]
[On weekends, we will be re-posting some pieces from the previous week that we wanted to call attention to again that some readers might have missed.]
After Disney named two longtime Internet execs–Playdom’s John Pleasants and Jimmy Pitaro of Yahoo–as co-presidents of its Internet unit, BoomTown did a longer interview with CEO Bob Iger about the entertainment giant’s next Web moves.
I always enjoy talking digital with Iger–who is pictured above in an interview I did with him in 2006 at the fourth D: All Things Digital conference–since he has been one of the old media moguls who seems unafraid of the challenges of new media.
While appropriately wary, Iger acted early and often in exploring digital initiatives at Disney (DIS) that others in Hollywood’s and New York’s media worlds were loath to consider.
“I have tried to keep two obvious philosophies,” Iger said in a phone interview yesterday. “First, that our current business not get in the way of adopting new technologies, and, second, that our business belongs on these new platforms.”
Easy to say, of course, but it’s still nice to hear, given the longtime, incessant and ultimately wearying push-and-pull between those who make bucks making content and those who make bucks making technology.
“My premise is that technology is about an opportunity for us,” said Iger. “And we cannot will it away and should not…because you can’t stop these things from happening.”
That’s presumably the impetus behind the hiring of Pleasants and Pitaro (picture here, left to right).
With an assist by recent Disney board member and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, Pitaro came to his attention earlier this year, Iger said.
Pitaro left his job as SVP of Media at Yahoo (YHOO) last week.
And Pleasants was CEO of Playdom, the online social gaming company that Disney acquired for $763 million in late July.
The pair, who will report directly to Iger as co-chiefs of the Disney Interactive Media Group, replace outgoing head Steve Wadsworth.
The shift is a big move by the entertainment giant and yet another attempt to clarify and bolster its Web strategy, which has had a long and often rocky history.
Under the previous regime of former CEO Michael Eisner, for example, Disney bought search engine Infoseek and tried to create a portal called Go.com.
That failed, and was one of many efforts to define the media company’s Web goals.
More recently, in 2008, Disney gathered most of its Internet properties within DIMG under Wadsworth.
Still, money-making has not been part of the mix. In its most recent quarter, DIMG lost $65 million on revenue of $197 million.
In the interview about the new structure, Iger said: “I think we’ve built a framework of assets, and now is the time to create a structure in a more focused way. In splitting the divisions, we can focus more on them better and in a way they deserve.”
He outlined the new set-up, which will have Pleasants focus on the online gaming and mobile landscape and Pitaro on the Web arena.
Iger said he felt Pleasants and Pitaro brought different backgrounds to the task, as well as longtime experience in the Internet arena.
He said that upon considering a fresh approach, he felt that Wadsworth was “spread too thin,” given all the various online arenas for Disney.
In fact, today, Disney owns a number of big Internet properties, including Disney.com, Family.com and Club Penguin, although there does not seem to be a particularly cohesive strategy among them.
Of course, that’s no surprise, given it is all part of a multifaceted media company with a variety of businesses.
Due to its powerful content assets, said Iger, it might be a perfect time for a more cogent plan. With the explosion of devices, such as the Apple (AAPL) iPad and others, the importance of cooperation between content and technology is more critical than ever.
“I think a lot of technology companies are really finally ready to handle more premium content in a way that is beneficial to all of us,” said Iger.
And, he added, it was time for Disney to get more involved in technology, which was the reason for the purchase of Playdom. The move has made it more a publisher than a licensor.
“If we wanted to get significant in size, we need the investment to be greater,” Iger said about the big payout to get into the fast-growing social gaming arena.
And that has meant less emphasis on console games, on which he said Disney had focused too much in the past.
No longer–now Iger said he has planted Playdom, as well as its purchase of the Tapulous music app start-up, in a spanking new facility in Palo Alto, Calif., right in the heart of Silicon Valley.
“We need to be part of the culture and world there in a significant way,” said Iger. “And I believe I have convinced the senior team within Disney that Playdom is a huge opportunity for them.”
That includes online gaming related to units such as sports at ESPN, as well as other Disney brands, such as the theme parks or Marvel, into Playdom games.
While Pleasants will run his part of the show from Silicon Valley, Iger said, Pitaro will work out of Los Angeles on Web initiatives and in upgrading the Disney online experience.
“We want to make Disney sites more of a community and entertainment center than a marketing hub,” said Iger. “Where is gets complicated is the levels of exclusivity and the other places we want to distribute our content.”
That includes being part of the premium Hulu online video site, as well as perhaps even creating a Disney-branded pay service, but also being open to working more with Netflix (NFLX).
And that means a multifaceted approach to all kinds of payment models for Disney online, from subscription to advertising-supported to pay-per-view.
“In certain areas, we will be very aggressive with our content and in others less aggressive, to the extent that each offers us revenues,” said Iger. “Obviously, where there is potential cannibalization, we will be a little more careful…but we are going to push forward.”
When asked about the most obvious management issue–the possibility of clashing with two heads of one division (MySpace, anyone?), Iger said that while there was overlap, he thought the jobs Pitaro and Pleasants had to do were also wide-ranging and different enough.
Plus, added Iger, “They both report directly to me and I am there to see to it that it works.”
In other words, as Disney continues to move forward into the digital future, the content and technology buck stops, as it should, at Iger.
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eric seiger
Arrowheadlines: Chiefs <b>News</b> 10/11 - Arrowhead Pride
Well, that happened. Good morning Chiefs fans, and welcome to Arrowheadlines. As you'd expect, there are a lot of Kansas City Chiefs stories out there this morning. We've gathered them here for you. Enjoy.
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Read our DS news of Call of Duty DS dev. ... Latest News. Treyarch supports Medal of Honor team . Chrysler issues Call of Duty Jeep . Activision has no plans for online fees . Release Date 9/11/2010; More on Call of Duty: ...
October 10th: Astronomy in the <b>News</b>
(http://www.geodesium.com) Description: Carolyn Collins Petersen, TheSpacewriter, looks at recent astro-news. Bio: Carolyn Collins Petersen is a science writer and show producer, as well as vice-president of Loch Ness Productions, ...
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Arrowheadlines: Chiefs <b>News</b> 10/11 - Arrowhead Pride
Well, that happened. Good morning Chiefs fans, and welcome to Arrowheadlines. As you'd expect, there are a lot of Kansas City Chiefs stories out there this morning. We've gathered them here for you. Enjoy.
Call of Duty DS dev "down but not out" DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 <b>...</b>
Read our DS news of Call of Duty DS dev. ... Latest News. Treyarch supports Medal of Honor team . Chrysler issues Call of Duty Jeep . Activision has no plans for online fees . Release Date 9/11/2010; More on Call of Duty: ...
October 10th: Astronomy in the <b>News</b>
(http://www.geodesium.com) Description: Carolyn Collins Petersen, TheSpacewriter, looks at recent astro-news. Bio: Carolyn Collins Petersen is a science writer and show producer, as well as vice-president of Loch Ness Productions, ...
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Arrowheadlines: Chiefs <b>News</b> 10/11 - Arrowhead Pride
Well, that happened. Good morning Chiefs fans, and welcome to Arrowheadlines. As you'd expect, there are a lot of Kansas City Chiefs stories out there this morning. We've gathered them here for you. Enjoy.
Call of Duty DS dev "down but not out" DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 <b>...</b>
Read our DS news of Call of Duty DS dev. ... Latest News. Treyarch supports Medal of Honor team . Chrysler issues Call of Duty Jeep . Activision has no plans for online fees . Release Date 9/11/2010; More on Call of Duty: ...
October 10th: Astronomy in the <b>News</b>
(http://www.geodesium.com) Description: Carolyn Collins Petersen, TheSpacewriter, looks at recent astro-news. Bio: Carolyn Collins Petersen is a science writer and show producer, as well as vice-president of Loch Ness Productions, ...
eric seiger
Arrowheadlines: Chiefs <b>News</b> 10/11 - Arrowhead Pride
Well, that happened. Good morning Chiefs fans, and welcome to Arrowheadlines. As you'd expect, there are a lot of Kansas City Chiefs stories out there this morning. We've gathered them here for you. Enjoy.
Call of Duty DS dev "down but not out" DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 <b>...</b>
Read our DS news of Call of Duty DS dev. ... Latest News. Treyarch supports Medal of Honor team . Chrysler issues Call of Duty Jeep . Activision has no plans for online fees . Release Date 9/11/2010; More on Call of Duty: ...
October 10th: Astronomy in the <b>News</b>
(http://www.geodesium.com) Description: Carolyn Collins Petersen, TheSpacewriter, looks at recent astro-news. Bio: Carolyn Collins Petersen is a science writer and show producer, as well as vice-president of Loch Ness Productions, ...
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Arrowheadlines: Chiefs <b>News</b> 10/11 - Arrowhead Pride
Well, that happened. Good morning Chiefs fans, and welcome to Arrowheadlines. As you'd expect, there are a lot of Kansas City Chiefs stories out there this morning. We've gathered them here for you. Enjoy.
Call of Duty DS dev "down but not out" DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 <b>...</b>
Read our DS news of Call of Duty DS dev. ... Latest News. Treyarch supports Medal of Honor team . Chrysler issues Call of Duty Jeep . Activision has no plans for online fees . Release Date 9/11/2010; More on Call of Duty: ...
October 10th: Astronomy in the <b>News</b>
(http://www.geodesium.com) Description: Carolyn Collins Petersen, TheSpacewriter, looks at recent astro-news. Bio: Carolyn Collins Petersen is a science writer and show producer, as well as vice-president of Loch Ness Productions, ...
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Arrowheadlines: Chiefs <b>News</b> 10/11 - Arrowhead Pride
Well, that happened. Good morning Chiefs fans, and welcome to Arrowheadlines. As you'd expect, there are a lot of Kansas City Chiefs stories out there this morning. We've gathered them here for you. Enjoy.
Call of Duty DS dev "down but not out" DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 <b>...</b>
Read our DS news of Call of Duty DS dev. ... Latest News. Treyarch supports Medal of Honor team . Chrysler issues Call of Duty Jeep . Activision has no plans for online fees . Release Date 9/11/2010; More on Call of Duty: ...
October 10th: Astronomy in the <b>News</b>
(http://www.geodesium.com) Description: Carolyn Collins Petersen, TheSpacewriter, looks at recent astro-news. Bio: Carolyn Collins Petersen is a science writer and show producer, as well as vice-president of Loch Ness Productions, ...
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Arrowheadlines: Chiefs <b>News</b> 10/11 - Arrowhead Pride
Well, that happened. Good morning Chiefs fans, and welcome to Arrowheadlines. As you'd expect, there are a lot of Kansas City Chiefs stories out there this morning. We've gathered them here for you. Enjoy.
Call of Duty DS dev "down but not out" DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 <b>...</b>
Read our DS news of Call of Duty DS dev. ... Latest News. Treyarch supports Medal of Honor team . Chrysler issues Call of Duty Jeep . Activision has no plans for online fees . Release Date 9/11/2010; More on Call of Duty: ...
October 10th: Astronomy in the <b>News</b>
(http://www.geodesium.com) Description: Carolyn Collins Petersen, TheSpacewriter, looks at recent astro-news. Bio: Carolyn Collins Petersen is a science writer and show producer, as well as vice-president of Loch Ness Productions, ...
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