From the Ground Up—Zoox Turns a Corner with New AV and Sensor System Designs

Moore's Lobby · 11 Oct 2022 · 40m · Episode 3

What this episode covers

Ryan McMichael, Director of Sensors and Systems at Zoox, discusses the company's purpose-built, driverless robotaxi designed for mobility-as-a-service. He details the sensor suite—including LIDAR, radar, cameras, thermal imaging, and microphones—and the strategy of using diversity and redundancy to ensure safety and uptime. McMichael also reflects on his transition from aerospace instrumentation at Johns Hopkins APL to automotive, highlighting the shift from low-volume, high-stakes systems to high-volume manufacturing with rigorous reliability standards.

Mentioned

Companies
Zoox, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, NASA, Amazon
Products
New Horizons, Toyota Highlander
Chips
LIDAR, radar, thermal imaging
Also
Knight Rider

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