Amazon

Amazon

Ed Hobson’s reaction to the Smart Transportation Infrastructure Initiative was twofold. The Amazon manager of production planning was first impressed with the high-speed track’s ability to address the toll e-commerce takes on public roadways.

Details like soil samples and pavement mixtures will make all the difference for consumers, according to Hobson. Such careful planning can only help answer consumer questions — from cost efficiency to environmental concerns.

“As you move to an autonomous environment where you’re worried about the nature of the pavement in which these vehicles are traveling and reduced emissions, I think you kind of head off some of the barriers that would naturally come up through this innovation,” he said.

The e-commerce juggernaut representative and father of a 17-year-old daughter was also awe-struck by just how much autonomy promises to increase safety.

“From a customer standpoint, any innovation that can help you rest assure that you and your family are going to be safe will quickly become personal,” Hobson said, “and nothing is more important for us than the lives of ourselves and our loved ones.”

Hobson believes this factor alone will thwart any element of public doubt.

“As you look at AI (artificial intelligence) and automation, there’s been a lot of fear baked in,” Hobson said. “But it’s going to be pretty difficult to implement any type of fear in what you have going here.”

“I feel like there’s been significant thought in forward looking with the work that you all are doing here,” he added.