1. Tesla TV
Imagine having two of your most-used video-streaming services in your car. Sounds cool right? Elon Musk says that Teslas will soon be able to stream Netflix and YouTube. Tesla has already unveiled games that drivers can play on the vehicle displays and use the steering wheel as the controller but only when the car is parked. Tesla will allow passengers to steam while the car is in motion. And when cars can eventually drive themselves, passengers will want something to do while riding to their destination. But does that not raise a safety question? Test vehicles are required to have a driver behind the wheel to take over in case something goes wrong, and even as self-driving technology improves, it’s hard to imagine that going away completely. There has been “one high-profile incident in which TV was a problem: a fatal crash in 2017 between an Uber self-driving vehicle and a pedestrian, in which the car’s test driver was watching The Voice on Hulu.”
(Source: The Verge)
2. Clean-Up Online Fears for 2020
Data based-laws has become more prominent due to the many data breaches in the past few years, particularly those attributed to Facebook. Alex Stamos, Facebook Chief Security said, “ pressures on Facebook to protect user privacy is making it harder to see and combat misuses on the platform, such as disinformation and election interference.”
“The cybersecurity experts want a better system for the companies to share key intelligence with law enforcement”, including a law that sets standards for political engagements. Last Wednesday, Facebook paid $5 billion to resolve the privacy issues that involved the British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica.
In addition, The Federal Trade Commission requires Facebook to create an independent privacy committee where they can have greater oversight over third-party apps.
(Source: Reuters)
3. OYO Takes Over The Hospitality Scene
OYO hotels, a six-year-old Indian budget hotel startup, has dominated the hospitality industry in India and China. Now the company is establishing an office in Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood, which will become “the home to Oyo’s regional sales, operations, finance, and product teams.”
The startup operates more than 50 hotels in 35 cities in the United States, including Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, and Miami. The company’s Northwest operations are run by Alejandro Chouza, former Uber GM who emphasizes the importance of customers feeling safe under their roof. According to Chouza, “no matter how much money you have in your pocket, everybody deserves to be able to stay in a clean bed and a safe environment and I am humbly proud to see how OYO is addressing this need-gap.”
Click here for more history and growth of OYO hotels.
(Source: GreekWire)
