Stan Schneider with Real-Time Innovations

Scott MacKenzie and Stan Schneider discuss the latest advancements in autonomous vehicles and teleoperation at the IoT Solutions World Congress in Barcelona. Schneider highlights the complexity of autonomous systems, noting that true autonomy is a spectrum and may take years to achieve. He explains the shift from traditional ECU-based vehicles to software-defined vehicles, which reduce wiring and increase computational power. Schneider also outlines RTI's role in creating intelligent, distributed systems, emphasizing the importance of low-latency, real-time data processing. He shares examples of RTI's projects, including NASA's launch control and Canada's air traffic control, and stresses the need for new architectures to handle modern challenges.

Action Items

• [ ] Connect with Stan Schneider on LinkedIn.
• [ ] Follow up with Stan via email at stan@rti.com.

Outline

IoT Solutions World Congress Introduction

• Scott MacKenzie welcomes listeners to the Industrial Talk podcast, emphasizing its focus on industry professionals and innovations.
• The podcast is broadcasting live from IoT Solutions World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, highlighting the importance of attending the event.
• Scott introduces Stan Schneider, a frequent guest on the podcast, and sets the stage for their discussion.
• Stan acknowledges the invitation and expresses his appreciation for being on the podcast.

Discussion on Autonomous Vehicles and Teleoperation

• Stan mentions his session on data-centric technology for teleoperation, focusing on automotive systems and autonomous vehicles.
• Scott and Stan discuss the complexity and sophistication of autonomous vehicle code and the importance of cybersecurity.
• Stan explains the concept of autonomous vehicles and the varying levels of autonomy, using the example of different environments like snow or dirt roads.
• They delve into the challenges of achieving full autonomy and the consumer's perspective on autonomous vehicles.

Challenges and Future of Autonomous Vehicles

• Stan emphasizes that true full autonomy may take years to achieve, depending on the environment and specific use cases.
• He highlights the variety of autonomous vehicles his company works on, including flying, underwater, surface, mining, construction, and delivery robots.
• The conversation touches on the importance of teleoperation and the challenges of handing off control between autonomous and human-driven segments.
• Scott and Stan agree that autonomous vehicles are happening and are already in commercial operations, though not yet profitable.

Software-Defined Vehicles and Industry Disruption

• Stan explains the concept of software-defined vehicles, which involve reducing the number of electronic control units (ECUs) and increasing centralized computing power.
• He describes the traditional ECU-based architecture and its limitations, contrasting it with the new software-defined approach.
• The discussion covers the benefits of software-defined vehicles, including reduced wiring, higher performance, and the ability to update software without hardware recalls.
• Stan mentions that most of their customers are focusing on new architectures for vehicles, rather than autonomous driving.

RTI's Role in the Smart World

• Stan introduces RTI, the largest infrastructure software company in the smart world, and their focus on making large systems more intelligent.
• He provides examples of RTI's projects, including Canada's air traffic control system, NASA's launch control system, and power balancing in North America.
• The conversation shifts to the three main markets in IoT: monitoring, distributed analytics, and edge autonomic systems.
• Stan explains how RTI's software helps in real-time data processing and low-latency communication, essential for autonomous systems.

Questions to Identify RTI's Value

• Stan outlines five questions to determine if a project would benefit from RTI's software:
• Is the system critical and cannot fail?
• Does the project involve real-time, millisecond-level data processing?
• Does the project require a large team of software engineers?
• Is the project focused on data collection or real-time action?
• Is the project willing to build a new architecture?
• Scott and Stan discuss the challenges of retrofitting existing systems and the importance of starting with a well-designed architecture.

Examples of RTI's Projects and Challenges

• Stan shares examples of RTI's projects, including Grand Coulee Dam and NASA's launch control system, highlighting the complexity and scale of their work.
• He explains the risks and challenges associated with building new architectures, including the high cost and the need for trustworthy partners.
• The conversation touches on the importance of low latency and the ability to handle real-time data for critical systems.
• Stan emphasizes RTI's role in providing trust and expertise to help customers navigate the challenges of building new architectures.

Conclusion and Contact Information

• Scott and Stan wrap up the discussion, with Scott expressing his appreciation for Stan's insights and expertise.
• Stan provides his contact information for listeners who want to connect with him, including his LinkedIn profile and email address.
• Scott encourages listeners to attend IoT Solutions World Congress and highlights the value of the event for industry professionals.
• The podcast concludes with a reminder to connect with Stan and stay tuned for future episodes of Industrial Talk.