When I wrote about my experience with writer’s block, I mentioned that I don’t tend to experience this problem when writing for work. This led some people to ask me about the kinds of writing I do for work. I’ve done all kinds of writing as part of my work life. I’ve written flyers, newsletters, manuals, web pages, policy briefs, social media posts, memos, guidelines, emails, reports, journal articles, book chapters, and more. You can find a selection of writing samples on my website.
These days, a type of writing I commonly do for work is blogging. One company I do this kind of work for contracts with clients who want blog posts on a variety of topics. For example, one client I write for is interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education. Another client I used to write for was interested in Deep Tech (I’ll explain what this is a little later). Unfortunately, this client changed his mind about keeping a blog after I had been writing for him for a while, so I no longer get to write about that topic. Before he canceled his contract, though, I had a blog post ready to go to him. Since I never sent it, I thought I could share it here as an example of the kind of writing I do for work.
I’ve edited the following post a bit to remove any information that might reveal who the client was (he did not work for Embark, the company I highlight in the blog post that follows). I needed to make these edits because I’m bound by a nondisclosure agreement to keep client identities secret. Otherwise, this post is pretty much just as it would be had it been submitted and published. I hope you enjoy it and maybe learn something new!
Embark: One Company Improving the Safety and Efficiency of US Trucking
The Deep Tech movement is currently sweeping society, with Deep Tech companies developing new science and technology solutions to tackle the world’s biggest problems. These problems include world hunger, climate change, incurable diseases, irresponsible production and consumption of goods, unaffordable and dirty energy, water pollution, and insufficient sanitation, among others. Within the Deep Tech movement, industrial transformation is one area of focus. Embark is one company that is having a big impact in the transportation industry, particularly autonomous trucking. Read on to learn more about this industry and this exciting company.
These days, a type of writing I commonly do for work is blogging. One company I do this kind of work for contracts with clients who want blog posts on a variety of topics. For example, one client I write for is interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education. Another client I used to write for was interested in Deep Tech (I’ll explain what this is a little later). Unfortunately, this client changed his mind about keeping a blog after I had been writing for him for a while, so I no longer get to write about that topic. Before he canceled his contract, though, I had a blog post ready to go to him. Since I never sent it, I thought I could share it here as an example of the kind of writing I do for work.
I’ve edited the following post a bit to remove any information that might reveal who the client was (he did not work for Embark, the company I highlight in the blog post that follows). I needed to make these edits because I’m bound by a nondisclosure agreement to keep client identities secret. Otherwise, this post is pretty much just as it would be had it been submitted and published. I hope you enjoy it and maybe learn something new!
Embark: One Company Improving the Safety and Efficiency of US Trucking
The Deep Tech movement is currently sweeping society, with Deep Tech companies developing new science and technology solutions to tackle the world’s biggest problems. These problems include world hunger, climate change, incurable diseases, irresponsible production and consumption of goods, unaffordable and dirty energy, water pollution, and insufficient sanitation, among others. Within the Deep Tech movement, industrial transformation is one area of focus. Embark is one company that is having a big impact in the transportation industry, particularly autonomous trucking. Read on to learn more about this industry and this exciting company.
 |
| Autonomous truck cab on display. (Flickr/Oregon Department of Transportation) |
Transportation Industry 4.0
You might wonder how the transportation industry can play a role in solving the world’s biggest problems. The answer lies in Industry 4.0, which stands for the fourth industrial revolution currently underway. Klaus Schwab, the founder of the World Economic Forum, has written a thorough explanation of the fourth industrial revolution for Encyclopaedia Brittanica. As he notes, in the first industrial revolution, steam power was life-changing. In the second industrial revolution, it was electricity that changed the world. In the third, computers changed both industry and the way people live. Now, the fourth industrial revolution is blending digital and physical technologies to make an impact on the world.
As noted by the Chief Director of the Korea Transport Institute, the blending of digital and physical technologies that marks Industry 4.0 translates to Transportation Industry 4.0 in the form of internet-connected vehicles, autonomous vehicles, cloud-based vehicle sensors, and more. He notes that capitalizing on these technologies can reduce traffic congestion by optimizing traffic flows, lessen carbon-based emissions by determining the most efficient transportation routes, and improve access to transportation by bringing vehicles to areas of need. According to him, all of these effects hold the promise of improving quality of life for the world’s population.
About Embark
Embark is long haul automated trucking company that developed its technology in a brief timeline. In fact, the company notes it took only 15 months from the purchase of its first truck for it to achieve its first automated drive. Embark boasts of setting many records, including being the first to drive an automated truck across the country, the first to operate automated trucks in rain and fog, and the first to navigate automated trucks between transfer hubs. The company website notes it is currently operating in the southwestern United States where it is under contract with five Fortune 500 companies to transport goods.
As outlined in a video produced by the company, Embark’s transportation process involves several steps. First, a local driver delivers a trailer load of goods to a transfer hub. Then, the traditional cab is removed from the trailer and a cab equipped with autonomous driving software is attached. The autonomous truck then makes the long haul drive to a transfer hub in a different city. Finally, the autonomous cab is removed from the trailer and another local driver arrives in a traditional cab to bring the trailer of goods to its final destination.
To develop this autonomous trucking capability, Embark employs top technology leaders. Highlighted on its website are employees with previous experience at such companies as Tesla, Google, and Facebook. The website also mentions NASA and Audi as previous employers of its staff. In addition, the company’s employees boast top educational backgrounds, including from the technology powerhouse Carnegie Mellon University.
Embark’s CEO is Alex Rodrigues, and the company’s co-founder and CTO is Brandon Moak, both of whom are former robotics students at the University of Waterloo. Rodrigues revealed in an interview with Forbes that as college students, the two developed Canada’s first self-driving vehicle, a golf cart. Eventually, they decided to use their talents to start Embark rather than to complete their degrees.
Embark’s Focus on Safety and Efficiency
Although Embark’s trucks are capable of making long haul drives completely on their own, they do not do so. Instead, the company explains that a professional driver sits in the cab behind the wheel, ready to take control of the vehicle if needed. Furthermore, although only one computer is necessary to operate the vehicle, an extra computer is in place, running simultaneously as a backup. The company notes that one of its primary goals is to improve road safety, so it shares data with government regulators at both the state and federal levels.
Embark’s CEO Rodrigues noted in a CNBC interview that fuel efficiency is another area of interest for the company. According to the CNBC report, it is expected that autonomous vehicles will reduce the amount of fuel used per trip. This is in part because these vehicles can use vehicle and traffic sensors to optimize performance.
Media Coverage of Embark
Embark has enjoyed wide coverage in the media. As highlighted on its website, the company has been reported on by such national media outlets as The New York Times, CNBC, Forbes, Wired, FastCompany, The Verge, and TechCrunch. Embark’s CEO was even profiled at TechCrunch Disrupt, a leading startup technology conference, in 2017.
No comments:
Post a Comment