The world's romance with the automobile may be shorter than its romance with the computer. Several seriously capable companies are spending serious money to create autonomous cars, allowing you to not only have Google Maps plot your way to your destination, but directly steer the car. Apple is also invested in automobiles, suggesting that CarPlay may be about something beyond music over your car's sound system.
Discussing this at the February General Meeting will be Johana Bhuiyan, Senior Transportation Editor for Recode, (formerly Re/code, founded by Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher). Johana has been following the transportation revolution in all its diverse glory, from the iOS app-based Uber "I am not a taxi service" to the "San Francisco to Los Angeles while eating a bagel" Hyperloop high speed rail. Microprocessors guide your toy drone, your toy radio-controlled car and plane, and a whole bunch of microprocessors do almost everything but drive your car. Soon you may spend your commute reading, sleeping, or deleting spam rather than steering.
Johana has been following it all; a recent article boldly asked the question, "When will self-driving cars be everywhere?" Come and hear what she has to say.
We will begin the meeting with the latest installment of our (sadly, still waiting for the trophy) award-winning Question & Answer session, now working on its 40th year. We will also have more details on the 2017 Washington Apple Pi Photo Contest, and possibly a give away or two. (But no Teslas.)
The General Meeting will be one floor up from our usual location, in Enterprise building, Room 276 on the George Mason University campus in Fairfax VA. Check back closer to the meeting date for any updates or changes.
Enterprise Hall, our normal meeting place, is #16. Click on the map for a much larger version of the George Mason University campus map.
The meeting will be held in Enterprise Hall, Room 276.
Address: 4400 University Dr., Fairfax, VA (near Rte 123 and Braddock Road). Directions and Map: http://www.gmu.edu/welcome/Directions-to-GMU.html
Interactive map of campus: http://eagle.gmu.edu/map/fairfax.php
The Shenandoah Parking Garage (formerly the Sandy Creek Parking Garage because it is located on Sandy Creek) is fee-based facility. It is more convenient and closer to the meeting location. The Pi will subsidize the facility's parking fee by providing vouchers for donation request of $4.00.
If using the parking garage, park in Visitor's area; i.e., the lowest level. Take the elevator to the third floor (Campus Level), and exit along the sky bridge.
After the meeting, exit the garage using the exits marked for Validated Tickets. Your parking ticket goes in first. Then the validation ticket goes in next. If you have any problems, there is a speaker box for calling the parking lot attendant at the checkout point.
Free parking in Lot A
Park as close to Mattaponi River Lane as possible, then walk north along that road toward the main campus buildings. The sidewalk route takes you directly to the side of Enterprise Hall, on your left. The meeting room is located on the second floor, accessible via outside stairs or via an elevator on your right as soon as you enter the building through the doors behind the outside stairs. We will endeavor to have signs posted to help guide you to the right location. It is at least a five-minute walk from Lot A and up a slight incline. We will be using a golf cart along the route, to offer rides to those who want or need a lift.
Handicapped Parking: There are three handicap parking spaces next to Enterprise Hall that can be used by members, on a first come first served basis. Have your Handicap Sticker showing on the dashboard or on the rear-view mirror.