Here Are The Automotive TED Talks You Want To Present
If there's one thing I know about car enthusiasts it's that we just can't ever shut up about cars. We have spent our entire lives reading books and articles, watching Top Gear and various YouTube channels, taking classes, wrenching and bench racing, and we have got to prove to other enthusiasts that we know more about cars than they do. OK, maybe that's just me. I could stand in front of an audience of hundreds with a microphone and I would almost certainly run out of audience members before I ran out of automotive-related topics to talk about. It seems that the readers of Jalopnik are also jam packed full of knowledge and are willing to impart some of that information to the gathered masses.
Earlier this week we asked you all to give us your wildest potential automotive-related TED Talk topics, and you did not disappoint. There are some pretty great topics in that thread, and it seems like many of you could talk for an hour or more if we let you. I put the limit at ten minutes, but this is obviously a theoretical exercise and nobody is stopping you from recording your 30 or 90 minute TED Talks and posting them online for all to see. If you do, make sure you send me the link, I want to see it.
Read more: Here's Why You Always Board Planes On The Left
Transportation of Hazardous Materials - I taught an 80 hour course (4 college credits) for the last two years of my career. Just ten minutes on everything you want to know about placards on the sides of vehicles, what the numbers mean (I.e. 1203 - gasoline), along with grisly tales and photos of failures, I can keep you awake.
Oh, and the use of turn signals.
Suggested by steveone
The life wrecking results of DUIs, as a former tow truck driver I had many opportunities the clean up afterwards, the title of my mini TED talk: "Is that an eyeball on the asphalt?"
Suggested by towman
I got a few. How Dodge shaped Auburn Hills Michigan. 1970s -80s JDM motorcycles were the most innovative motorcycles ever an even influenced Harley Davidsons Stillborn Nova Line
Suggested by Scott The Stagehand
How to own and drive a classic for less than the total ownership cost of a new car. (A graph-heavy presentation with a few sexy pics of girls posing by Porsches)
Suggested by 007 Guest
I could talk endlessly about distracted driving, almost complete disregard for stop signs, the inability of drivers of large vehicles to stay on one side of the double yellow and the complete absence of law enforcement expect when it looks like a ticket could ruin the driver's life.
Suggested by jiffylush
I used to periodically give a 10-minute instructional talk about how to change a flat tire. I had some funny lines in it, and it was well received. Not an earth-moving message, for sure, but then some of the TED talks I've seen missed that epic standard too.
Suggested by jrhmobile
I would give a TED Talk on how the US auto industry successfully lobbied to kill the street car and how that led to America being very car-dependent, outside only our largest of cities.
Suggested by Dave M.
I could give a TED talk on the benefits of applying Project Management expertise during car restorations. Similar to a Project Manager for a construction project, I believe there is a gap in a similar role for classic and exotic car restorations.
I applied my project management background on my '55 Bel-Air build that was being built by a talented builder and friend. I have no technical or mechanical knowledge, but I applied project management techniques with my builder to ensure the end result of the major restoration was as successful as possible. We created a prioritization list of upgrades ranked on need, importance to the overall project, and cost. I sourced vendors directly and tracked availability of parts to ensure they were properly coordinated and arrived at my buddy's shop on time in the right order. We created a backlog of "nice to haves" that weren't critical, and moved elements of the build up in the rank order that all of a sudden became critical. This was all during COVID so many challenges came up, but he and I working together in that fashion ended in a great result. I feel that anyone undergoing a very expensive restoration could use a Project Management service in that capacity.
Suggested by Sector7GWagen
Bicycle commuting. I could talk about prep and safety, and bike maintenance. I could talk about bike lane design and routing. I could talk about climate benefits.
I have years of experience working with our City both as an active bike-commuter and as a member of an advisory group. I worked on our City's bike lanes pilot project, helping with routing and reducing driver-impact.
Suggested by JohnnyWasASchoolBoy
Electronically controlled, flappy paddle automatic transmissions that have enabled those of us with clutch-torn knees to enjoy driving again
Suggested by kent wynn
Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox...
Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Figure AI CEO skips live demo, sidesteps BMW deal questions onstage at tech conference
Brett Adcock, co-founder and CEO of the humanoid robotics startup Figure AI, made a rare public appearance at the Bloomberg Tech conference on Thursday. Figure has recently been the subject of a couple news articles that questioned its progress with marquee customer BMW. Figure objected so strenuously to at least one of these reports that Adcock publicly threatened to sue the publication. When asked about the skepticism surrounding the BMW relationship and whether it is a pilot or has commercial value to the company, Adcock replied with an explanation of the technical benefit of having robots on a factory floor but didn't provide specifics about the contractual relationship with BMW. "We get a lot of value, and it's really important that we need to figure out how to run robots every day. We get to see how well they perform. We get to track all the metrics," he said. Two months ago, Figure also published a YouTube video showing a couple of its robots working in a BMW factory. Adcock did, however, say that Figure AI has signed a contract with a second, unnamed customer for initial deployment, a customer that Bloomberg has reported to be UPS. Figure AI has drawn attention for making claims that its AI-powered robots possess human-like fine motor skills and can manipulate objects with precision. Despite releasing numerous videos of its robots at work, the company hasn't done a live demonstration of the humanoids. The interviewer, Bloomberg's Ed Ludlow, pointed out that while two other robotics companies, Agility Robotics and Boston Dynamics, showcased their robots at the conference, Figure AI did not. 'It kind of goes back to our whole philosophy around we don't go to a lot of events," said Adcock. "I think it's a giant waste of time. To be frank, I have to bring a team here to bring robots here. They could be at the office,' he said, adding that the company is showcasing the robots in videos. Adcock confirmed that Figure AI is expecting to manufacture and deploy roughly 100,000 units within four years. The skepticism about Figure's commercial relationship comes amid the company's attempts to raise a $1.5 billion round at a $39.5 billion valuation, sources told Bloomberg, a fifteenfold increase from the $2.6 billion valuation it achieved in February 2024. TechCrunch reported in April that Figure AI has been issuing cease-and-desist letters to secondary market brokers, demanding they stop marketing its shares because they are not authorized to do so. This article originally appeared on TechCrunch at
Motor 1
11 hours ago
- Motor 1
'Missed My Bonus By One': Dodge Salesman Says May Was Terrible For Sales. Here's Why
So much for Memorial Day sales. Memorial Day weekend is usually one of the best times of the year to buy a car, as dealerships are eager to move older inventory to make room for fall's new models. But despite big banners and flashy promos, this year was a flop, according to a car salesperson who had an unexpectedly bad sales month. Are tariffs to blame, or is something else scaring off potential buyers? Dodge Salesman Vents About Bad Month In a trending video, Dodge salesman Dalton Stacey (@daltonstaceycars97), who's based in Oklahoma, shared what it's really like to sell cars in this market. Surprise, surprise, it's not pretty. Stacey explained that despite his employer giving the team an extra day to wrap up deals (instead of the cutoff being on Sunday, when customers might still be wavering on a decision), he made way fewer sales than he expected. 'I had so many people back out on me,' Stacey explained. 'It ain't even funny.' Because of all of the reneges, Stacey missed his bonus. What really hurts is that he was just one car shy of making the cutoff. 'Today sucked. May sucked. June better come correct,' Stacey said in the caption, clearly frustrated by the situation. Some people might hear this and think Stacey is making too big a deal about missing a bonus. But most people in the United States live paycheck to paycheck, and if you're relying on that extra income to cover your expenses, not getting it (especially by such a small margin) stings. Why Did People Back Out? Stacey doesn't explicitly state why his customers backed out, but we've got some context that'll help put things in perspective. Cars are getting more expensive—are tariffs to blame? Short answer: yes and no. In April, the average price of a new car jumped by a rare 2.5% to just under $49,000—a sharp rise for just a month's turnaround, Kelley Blue Book (KBB) reported . Even used car pricing increased. KBB described it as 'likely the first, softest wave of a storm.' Why? Tariff-related sticker shock is only a few months or just a few weeks away, depending on the brand. Right now, dealers are trying to get rid of their pre-tariff inventory. But when tariffs hit, vehicles could have up to a 25-percent markup baked in. (That 2.5 percent doesn't look so bad now.) The other factor affecting affordability is loans. Most people don't have the cash on hand to buy a car outright, so they rely on loans. But a good loan (meaning one with a low interest rate) is getting harder to qualify for. So even if you cop a deal, the loan may be what screws you over. No wonder so many people were sending Stacey the 'Actually, I need to think about it' texts. What to Do If You're Thinking About Buying a Car It depends on your situation, but here's a good place to start: If you're ready to buy soon: Shop around now while there's still pre-tariff inventory available, and take advantage of the slow market to negotiate, negotiate, negotiate. If you're using a car loan: Shop around for loan rates and consider getting pre-approved through a credit union or your bank. If you're on the fence: If your vehicle is running fine, then waiting things out could help you avoid peak tariff prices. But have a backup plan, like a budget, in case your car ends up needing a major repair. If you're selling or trading in: You're in a good position here since used inventory is tight. Get multiple quotes and don't forget online retailers like Carvana and CarMax, which may offer you a better price. Motor1 reached out to Stacey for comment via email and TikTok direct message and to Dodge's parent company, Stellanis, via email. We'll be sure to update this article when we hear back. Now Trending Woman Starts Driving. Then Water Starts Pouring Onto Her Mercedes G-Wagon's Dashboard and Touchscreen Woman Gets Into Her Kia. Then Out of Nowhere, Her Screen Starts Smoking Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Motor 1
12 hours ago
- Motor 1
‘The Best Or Dumbest Thing I've Ever Done': Woman Buys $500 Toyota Tacoma. Then She Takes It Off-Roading
A Toyota Tacoma pickup truck cost this woman just $500. It's either the best or worst project the TikToker has ever undertaken, according to her. Luckily, this Tacoma is from a golden era for all-terrain vehicles. TikToker and YouTuber Chloe Kuo (@chloekuotaco) posted the video on May 28. It's since gone viral. "I know $500 for a Tacoma is relatively inexpensive, but this one basically fell in my lap after some unexpected family stuff," she says to start the video. 'Which is not perfect. I mean, somebody named her 'Beater' for a reason.' The Tacoma is a 2002 model with more than 200,000 miles. 'This thing is basically a time capsule from when Tacomas were small, simple, functional, and built like tanks,' she said. 'So I immediately took it off-road for some real-world testing. And she did an awesome job at Diablo Dropoff. The shocks made the truck feel like I was riding a pogo stick.' The Diablo Dropoff is an off-road trail in Southern California's Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, known for its challenging terrain. She continued, 'But, honestly, having a truck I don't have to worry about beating is kind of amazing. So, yeah, this is either the best $500 I've ever spent or the start of a very expensive mistake. But yeah, let's build it or blow it up.' In the comments, used car owners couldn't believe the deal Kuo got on the Tacoma. 'Nah, where are you finding a $500 Tacoma????' one wrote. 'Where I live, people be asking $4,000 for 350k miles and rust.' A second user agreed, '200k miles is barely breaking in for a 2002.' A third user wrote, 'They gave you GOLD. That truck will outlast any other car or truck you will ever own.' Someone else wrote, 'Thing's got a factory moonroof. That's a rare option.' Can You Really Buy a 2002 Toyota Tacoma for $500? It doesn't seem like the commenters on TikTok are blowing smoke in Kuo's direction. A quick Carfax search shows that a used 2002 Toyota Tacoma can range in price anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000, depending on mileage and condition. So she got a screaming deal. In general, reviewers praise the 2002 Tacoma's durability and off-road handling. 'This truck does it all,' wrote one owner. Carfax, an organization that tracks used car service history, agrees. 'It's ideal for drivers who need an inexpensive small pickup for professional or recreational use, rather than a bigger, bulkier, and less fuel-efficient full-size model,' it reports. What is the Golden Era of the Tacoma? Well, according to a vote of Reddit's r/ToyotaTacoma, the third generation of Tacoma from 2016-2023 is the favorite. More than 228 voters chose the 3rd Gen model years. Kuo's 2002 Tacoma falls under the 1.5 Gen (2001-2004), and it got 33 votes. One Redditor suggested, 'I like to think that a majority of the owners on here are 3rd Gen so it may be skewed. I've driven all three gens, and I like the 2nd the best. I own a 2nd, so I'm also biased. We need another poll on ownership to go along with this poll.' Motor1 contacted Kuo via TikTok direct messages for comment. We also contacted Toyota via email for comment. We'll be sure to update this article when we hear back. Now Trending Woman Starts Driving. Then Water Starts Pouring Onto Her Mercedes G-Wagon's Dashboard and Touchscreen 'Doesn't Even Smell Like Gas': Texas Man Drives Volkswagen to 76 Gas Station. Then He Realizes He Filled Up On a Mystery Liquid Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
