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Autonomous vehicle company Waymo is about to launch a pilot progam in Atlanta fusing self-driving trucks to transport cargo to Google’s datacenters. The venture will be an adventurous and risky one for Waymo, which has previously only delved into self-driving sedans.
“Our software is learning to drive big rigs in much the same way a human driver would after years of driving passenger cars,” the company said in a blog post. The principles are the same, but things like braking, turning, and blind spots are different with a fully loaded truck and trailer.”
Uber has also entered the freight industry, posing a significant threat to Waymo’s piece of the big rig market.
“This pilot will let us further develop our technology and integrate it into the operations of shippers and carriers, with their network of factories, distribution centers, ports, and terminals,” Waymo added.
Atlanta is seen as a ripe testing ground for Waymo as the city has positioned itself as a smart city. Earlier this year, Atlanta issued a request for proposal (RFP) for a SmartCity Strategic Infrastructure Initiative. The aim is for the city to foster working relationships with businesses in planning and developing smart city projects.
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MARTA is smarta. At least that’s what they say. The Atlanta transit agency is hosting an informational event called Industry Concessions Day to help people market their products or services to its customers.
The agency is betting that as the ninth-largest transit system in North America with over 126,427,817 annual trips, some companies will want to hawk wares to MARTA’s 404,600 daily riders.
Some example products include: Convenience, Accessories, Coffee, Small Electronics, Grab-n-Go Food, Natural Snacks, and more!
“The purpose of this event is to inform interested business owners about the opportunity to participate in MARTA’s retail concessions program.,” the agency’s flyer says. “Industry Day is a precursor to MARTA’s planned release of a Request for Proposals for Retail Concessions later this Spring.”
Wed, March 14, 2018
9:30 AM – 11:00 AM EDT
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If you’re into scenic running with a little (lotta) art thrown in there, you’ll love the Runstreet Atlanta Shakeout Art Run with Clif Bar!
The event includes some incredible murals across a 4-mile span of intown Atlanta. Runers can participate at a relaxed (10-minute mile pace) Art Run in Little Five Points to get started.
“You won’t want to miss Atlanta’s best street art while getting in a chill workout before the Publix Georgia Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K organized by Atlanta Track Club,” the flyer says.
All levels of runners welcome! There will be a few stops for photos along the route. There will be pacers so no one gets left behind.
The run begins and ends at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, from the Clif Bar booth. There will be a bag drop available but runners are encouraged to keep their valuables with them on the run.
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Saturday, March 17 at 1 PM – 2:30 PM
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Hyatt Regency Atlanta265 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30303
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Marvel Entertainment, the comic book’s movie house, is having a moment. Actually that moment is more accurately about 17 years. That’s how long it’s been since the first “X-Men” movie debuted in theaters, sparking the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Now, it’s latest and greatest franchise, The Avengers is going to hit us with “Infinity War” this spring. Mind you, this is on the heels of the certified blockbuster “Black Panther,” which has probably guaranteed itself at least two sequels in the coming years.
This week, new images from “Infinity War” has got the internet all hyped up. We see a mesh of superheroes from all the big films, Iron Man, Captain America, T’Challa and some of Wakanda’s finest. And to think, it was mostly filmed and pre-produced right here in metro Atlanta.
In large part because of Marvel, but even before it hit its stride, Atlanta was becoming a movie and entertainment mecca. But with the Avengers, it has just recently been gilded as such.
With Avengers, Marvel has found a way to tap into our inner child. Even though the movies are coming out every year, they all seem fresh and new somehow. This time, the film’s writers have promised that their will be some on-screen deaths, the biggest hint yet that we will lose a superhero.
“It’s safe to say we will say farewell to people,” co-writer Steven McFeely confirmed to Entertainment Weekly.
Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios told EW that “Infinity War” and its follow-up film, which was shot at the same time, will end with a bang unlike anything in moviedom.
“The notion of an ending, the notion of a finale, became very intriguing to us, in large part because you don’t see it that often in this particular genre,” he was quoted as saying.
But still, don’t expect the films to stop coming. Disney has already scheduled at least 10 more films in the pike. And that means more production work in Atlanta.
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One week after Georgia lawmakers removed a crucial tax break for Delta Airlines, Facebook announced that it is coming to the Peach State. Wednesday’s announcement was confirmed by Gov. Nathan Deal.
Facebook will build a $750 million data center in Newton County, about 45 miles (east of downtown Atlanta. The Menlo Park, California-based company has been added to its data capabilities with a string of data centers around the nation.
The data center, which will be located in Stanton Springs, is expected to bring about 100 jobs to Newton by the time in opens in 2020. The company says the campus will be 100 percent renewable energy.
“Georgia’s business-friendly climate and world-class technological infrastructure continue to attract innovative companies like Facebook,” said Deal. “It is fitting that the No. 1 company in the world in terms of active users has chosen the No. 1 state for business for this project. We appreciate Facebook’s leadership for recognizing Georgia as a state that serves not only as a major hub for general business, but also as a place where tech firms can be successful in the future. This project represents a significant investment and will create meaningful opportunities for the surrounding community. We welcome Facebook to Georgia and look forward to the growth of this partnership.”
About $2.5 billion will be invested in infrastructure improvements and equipment through 2029, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, which first reported the story.
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CWL Atlanta was supposed to bring together the biggest and brightest stars to compete head to head in one of the most popular games out there.
But controversy has struck before the games have even begun.
Doug Censor Martin tweeted Wednesday night that he was no longer aligned with Blazt. it is unclear what the spat is about.
“I will NOT be attending CWL Atlanta,” Martin tweeted. “Blazt left our team last minute to join eRa which put us in a terrible position. I would personally like to thank Most Wanted for everything they’ve done for us. Moving forward I am a F/A for all events.”
I will NOT be attending CWL Atlanta.
Blazt left our team last minute to join eRa which put us in a terrible position.
I would personally like to thank Most Wanted for everything they've done for us.Moving forward I am a F/A for all events.
— Doug Censor Martin (@FaZe_Censor) March 8, 2018
CWL Atlanta is March 9 -11, 2018. More than 160 teams are headed to Atlanta to play “Call of Duty” over the the $200,000 prize pool.
GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER, HALL B5
285 ANDREW YOUNG INTERNATIONAL BLVD NW, ATLANTA, GA 30313
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Atlanta has been chosen as one of two launch cities for a new barbershop media network.
Now, you may be wondering what is a barbershop media network? Well, the company, which is run by CEO Euan Davis, believes that much of a community’s events and entertainment comes from or through the barbershop.
The BarberTime Media Network, Inc (BarberTime) aims to be a dynamic new digital advertising and streaming media tool as well. Every participating barbershop or beauty salon gets their own network channel, widening their reach in the online community.
“The barbershop is the original soclal media,” Davis said in a presentation posted online.
Companies that participate can expect to be branded via advertising and informational content through the city’s networks of barbershops and beauty salons, via online and in-shop, touch screen monitors.
Along with Atlanta, the Washington, D.C. area has been chosen as a launch city as well. The network has partnered with Microsoft to help ensure its success.
The network looks to leverage local businesses with ad partners, discounted deals and other forms of income to create monetary benefits for the barbershop and salon owners.
Eliza Mulcahy, Community Development Specialist for Microsoft, was quoted as saying, “This sector’s strength is attributed to the fact that most people come together where there is a purpose, and they feel their voice is heard. In the hair and beauty industries across the country, these businesses are thriving and working on behalf of their communities to make things better.”
“We believe our media platform will change how business is done. The BarberTime Media Network merges information, commerce, and entertainment — everything on a touch-screen streaming live right in your shop,” said Davis.
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“Stranger Things” was renewed for a third season by Netflix in December and since then producers have been scouting locations for pre-production. Expect some casting calls to pop up in the coming weeks as the hit show’s third season begins shooting.
The fantasy thriller will begin filming around the city in April and conclude in September, according to news reports. Some new faces are also joining the fold.
Maya Thurman-Hawke, the daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, will make her debut in season 3. Also, Atlanta actress Priah Ferguson will play a bigger role as Erica, Lucas’ little sister.
Maya’s character will be “equal parts sharp and playful. Bored with her mundane day job, she just wants a little excitement in her life,” according to Deadline.
The show is about the search for a missing boy, but also takes some terrifying, supernatural and other-worldly turns.
“Stranger Things” is a nostalgic look at a small town called Hawkins, Indiana. The time is 1983. As townspeople search for a missing boy, they are drawn “into an extraordinary mystery involving top-secret government experiments, terrifying supernatural forces and one very strange little girl,” the series promotional summary says.
Stay with AtlantaFi for more news on all things “Stranger Things.”
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On the heels of a report that said Atlanta’s traffic congestion was the 8th-worst on the planet, a group of state leaders have devised a radical plan to solve much of the traffic woes in the city and suburban areas.
Georgia transportation officials are floating a plan to build a nearly 40-mile truck-only highway from Macon to Atlanta. The proposal would cost $1.8 billion and meet a number of the region’s development linchpins such as easing commuter traffic and improving safety.
The plan, reported by NPR, is not a new idea: Several states have dedicated highways and lanes to trucks, but the Georgia one would be the largest.
Georgia and metro Atlanta officials are also in talks to bring a light-rail system to the region. The success of light rail in some international cities has piqued the interest of transportation officials, especially those in Atlanta.
The truck-only highway is not without its scrutiny though. There are those that oppose any such plans on its face.
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Atlanta has made another top 10 list, but this time it’s a dubious one. The city has the eighth-worst traffic in the world, according to a recent study.
The findings, published in February by Inrix Global Traffic Scorecard, show that that ATL commute is just as bad as you thought it was.
The rankings have some economic ramifications as well: Because of the congestion, the city lost $7.1 billion or an average of $2,212 per motorist.
If there’s any consolation, it’s that ATL is only the fourth worse in the United States. Gridlock in Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco was rated worse.
So why is ATL traffic so bad? There are many reasons, but one of them is that some say the city is in a virtual no-man’s land with no natural way out.
Tom Weyandt, ex-Mayor Kasim Reed’s former transportation adviser, told WABE this:
“There’s no mountain chain; there’s no desert; there’s no water – we’re here because of the railroads. The railroads came together right in downtown. The zero mile post is in Underground Atlanta. And the city grew out along the railroads. That’s why we have these eccentric five-point intersections in many different places in the downtown area.”
Another reason is urban sprawl, which Atlanta has become a poster child case. And it has been called “a strip mall in a forest,” which means that it has long catered to parking rather than getting around.
Why do YOU think traffic is so bad in Atlanta? Let us know in the comments.
