The truck platooning market experiences growing pains

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Volvo Trucks North America and FedEx Successfully Demonstrated a 3 Truck Platoon in North Carolina VOLVO

Truckload carriers and private fleet owners are paying increased attention to truck platooning. In platooning, trucks are connected using direct vehicle to vehicle communication. This allows the rear truck to react nearly simultaneously to the actions of the front truck. By electronically coupling the trucks in this way, the trucks can operate at closer distances. They do this in order to create drafting, which creates fuel savings analogous to what a race car gets when one race car follows another car closely. Peloton claims savings of 7% from platooning – 4.5% for the lead truck, and 10% for the following truck.

Peloton Technology is the leading proponent of the opportunistic model of platooning where trucks find each other on the interstate and initiate a platoon. Peloton is testing two truck platoons. In this system, two truckers affirm that they are ready to platoon via a radio connection. Inside the two trucks, each driver hits a button. A verbal cue indicates the system has authorized the trucks to platoon. Then the follower speeds up, pulling their truck up so it’s tailgating about 70 feet from the leader and the platoon is initiated. The feet of the driver of the trailing truck are not controlling the brakes or the accelerator. But this driver still maintains control of their steering wheel.

Continue reading… “The truck platooning market experiences growing pains”

This $1,500 mirror streams live fitness classes to compete with Peloton and ClassPass

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Another at-home fitness company is making its debut today. Mirror is coming out of stealth mode with the introduction of its eponymous device. It’s a mirror atop a 40-inch, 1080p vertical display that plays live or prerecorded fitness classes. The idea is that you can stand in front of the mirror, follow a trainer’s instructions that are displayed behind your reflection, and still see yourself working out. It’s in stark contrast to people having to prop their phones up to watch a class or working out in their living rooms because it’s where their TV is. The device costs $1,495. Yes, that’s right. It’s very expensive. With it, you get a heart rate monitor that straps across your chest and resistance bands. A monthly content subscription costs $39.

The device includes built-in speakers, so there’s no need to hook up external audio, although you can over Bluetooth. You can play your own music through Spotify Premium or rely on Mirror’s own music. The class will automatically load a playlist, but users can swap those out as they want. It also features a 5-megapixel built-in camera at the top with a privacy cover. This is only used if users pay for personal training sessions.

Continue reading… “This $1,500 mirror streams live fitness classes to compete with Peloton and ClassPass”

The Cult of Peloton: Reinventing the Fitness Industry, and Becoming a Microcultural Phenomenon

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High-tech cycling platform creates a connected community.

At Peloton, Robin Arzon, vp, fitness programming, says classes are known as ‘shows’ and instructors as ‘talent.’

Until a month ago, I had never taken a spin class. While friends and colleagues made regular pilgrimages to boutique fitness studios like SoulCycle or Flywheel, the allure of sweating buckets and feverishly cycling en masse to the beat of Beyoncé as an all-too enthusiastic instructor shouts encouragement about “feeling the burn, baby!” eluded me.

Mostly, I prefer to exercise alone.

Continue reading… “The Cult of Peloton: Reinventing the Fitness Industry, and Becoming a Microcultural Phenomenon”

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