In a transformative breakthrough poised to reshape the ride-hailing sector and the gig economy across Africa, inDrive ( www.inDrive.com) has made a bold advancement. The company has rapidly expanded its services to 20 African cities in less than 12 months throughout 2023, all while not charging any commission fees to its drivers.

Revolutionizing Ride-Hailing: inDrive Conquers 20 African Cities in 2023 with Groundbreaking Zero Commission Model

Rapido, the eight-year-old Indian bike taxi startup, is expanding into the cab market in the South Asian nation, where Uber and its homegrown competitor Ola dominate. The Bengaluru-based startup has begun a pilot of its cab service in the Southern city of Hyderabad,

India’s bike taxi startup Rapido is getting into the cab business

India's bike taxi startup Rapido is getting into the cab business

An online ride-hailing mobility firm, inDrive has said it has been recording exponential growth in its operations in Nigeria, especially during the fuel subsidy removal that raised the pump prices of petrol from N195/litre to over N600/litre.

E-hailing firm records growth with subsidy removal

In December 2021, inDrive, former inDriver, soared to operating in more than 450 cities across 32 countries with 900 employees and an impressive record of 550 million completed trips.

inDrive @10 Reiterates Commitment to ExcellentP Delivery

Simplifying payment methods even further for both drivers and riders in Brazil, inDrive has chosen dLocal as its provider for their new cashless solution MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, October 26, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--inDrive, a global mobility and urban services ...

dLocal for Platforms brings cashless solution to inDrive Brazil

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, October 26, 2023--inDrive, a global mobility and urban services platform, has added a new payment solution to its app in Brazil thanks to dLocal, a technology-first payments platform enabling global enterprises to connect with billions of consumers in emerging markets.

Drive, celebrated a remarkable achievement - its 10th anniversary. Oladimeji Timothy, the Business Development Representative for inDrive in

inDrive Celebrates A Decade Of Success

The newly launched, global non-profit film initiative Alternativa Film Project, founded by global technology company inDrive, announced the jury for the first edition of its Alternativa Film Awards, which will be held in December.

Cannes-winning director Brillante Mendoza to head jury at Indrive’s Alternativa Film Awards

Cannes-winning director Brillante Mendoza to head jury at Indrive’s Alternative Film Awards

inDrive

indriver

Here's Why We Need To Build A Lunar Economy - Now!

I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then
— Alice, Lewis Carroll As you move deeper into your engineering career, a peculiar phenomenon starts to set in — a phase I like to call the onset of "Senior Wisdom". It's the juncture where your career trajectory pivots from a steep upward learning curve to a more nuanced expansion either vertically into leadership or horizontally across technologies. But alongside this wisdom comes a less discussed but equally important companion: "Senior Fatigue". The Paradox of Slowing Down to Speed Up Senior Fatigue is characterized not by a decline in productivity but by a deliberate deceleration. The vibrant energy of younger engineers, bursting with rapid pull requests and overflowing with design documents, starts to give way to a more measured pace. At this stage, seniors might send fewer pull requests or be quieter in meetings, but this isn't an indicator of lost productivity. Quite the opposite — seniors are often finding more efficient, impactful ways to contribute, leveraging their vast experience. The seasoned engineer learns that sometimes the best code is the code you never wrote. They become adept at delegating tasks, capitalizing on the strengths of their colleagues, and asking the dreaded question, "But why?" — a question that often leads to the heart of what needs to be solved, avoiding unnecessary work and focusing on what truly adds value. Imagine you sit, you spend a long time working on a PROBLEM, you think about a SOLUTION while using a TOOL. You go to an expert, and instead of telling about this tool, he asks you questions — you have to do everything over again — you are doing the wrong thing. Such an asshole. I heard this question very often, and over time I joined the camp of those who ask it. And you don't have to ask it straight in the forehead, you can torture with leading "why" and "why", but the task is always the same — to get to the original statement of the problem, which is always quite understandable. Efficiency Over Activity With age comes the understanding that value isn't always created through hands-on keyboard activity. Seniors start recognizing the importance of strategic thinking over operational hustle. They might push for additional resources to avoid shouldering entire projects alone, advocate for robust discussions on alternatives in design docs to preempt 'why' questions, and ultimately, they guide their teams toward high-impact projects and away from potential time sinks. This shift isn't about slowing down in the traditional sense — it's about optimizing effort to where it can make the most significant difference. It’s about being surgical with interventions rather than carpet-bombing problems with code. The Question of Value and Relevance A critical challenge for senior engineers is staying relevant in a field that evolves by the minute. The front-end frameworks and new technologies that were once crucial to keep up with can often seem like a relentless and somewhat Sisyphean task in later years. Seniors may opt out of this race not out of inability, but from a strategic decision to focus on depth rather than breadth. This does not mean seniors become obsolete; they simply shift their focus from being the first to adopt new technologies to being the best at selecting and implementing the right tools for the right job. Their value lies in their ability to foresee technical debt, prevent architectural blunders, and cultivate a culture of thoughtful, deliberate progress. The Intangible Wisdom of Experience There's an analogy often mentioned in driver safety training that resonates well with software development: "seasoned drivers are those who've survived incidents not because of sheer luck but because of their heightened sense of awareness and prediction". Similarly, seasoned engineers bring a layer of foresight and experience that can't be replicated by those who've never faced down a legacy codebase turning into spaghetti code or navigated through the treacherous waters of enterprise-level deployments without CI/CD. This wisdom allows them to spot potential pitfalls and guide their teams away from them, much like how an experienced driver might slow down at an intersection, knowing that not all drivers on the road react the same way in emergencies. Conclusion Senior fatigue is, perhaps paradoxically, a sign of maturity in engineering. It's an indicator that you’re transitioning from doing everything to ensuring that everything that needs to be done gets done in the most effective way. As for the younger engineers looking to one day step into those shoes, value these moments of apparent slowdown—they're the unspoken lessons in how to endure and excel in an ever-demanding field. If you find yourself questioning your pace or approach as a senior engineer, it might just be a sign that you’re adapting to this new phase of your career. It's not fatigue in the weary sense but an evolution towards a more refined, strategic role in your engineering journey. You're not doing less; you're doing differently, and most importantly, you're doing what matters. Thank you for reading! Any questions? Leave your comment below to start fantastic discussions! Check out my blog or come to say hi 👋 on Twitter or subscribe to my telegram channel. Plan your best! I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then — Alice, Lewis Carroll I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then — Alice, Lewis Carroll As you move deeper into your engineering career, a peculiar phenomenon starts to set in — a phase I like to call the onset of "Senior Wisdom". It's the juncture where your career trajectory pivots from a steep upward learning curve to a more nuanced expansion either vertically into leadership or horizontally across technologies. But alongside this wisdom comes a less discussed but equally important companion: "Senior Fatigue". The Paradox of Slowing Down to Speed Up Senior Fatigue is characterized not by a decline in productivity but by a deliberate deceleration. The vibrant energy of younger engineers, bursting with rapid pull requests and overflowing with design documents, starts to give way to a more measured pace. At this stage, seniors might send fewer pull requests or be quieter in meetings, but this isn't an indicator of lost productivity. Quite the opposite — seniors are often finding more efficient, impactful ways to contribute, leveraging their vast experience. The seasoned engineer learns that sometimes the best code is the code you never wrote. They become adept at delegating tasks, capitalizing on the strengths of their colleagues, and asking the dreaded question, "But why?" — a question that often leads to the heart of what needs to be solved, avoiding unnecessary work and focusing on what truly adds value. "But why?" Imagine you sit, you spend a long time working on a PROBLEM , you think about a SOLUTION while using a TOOL . You go to an expert, and instead of telling about this tool, he asks you questions — you have to do everything over again — you are doing the wrong thing. Such an asshole. PROBLEM SOLUTION TOOL I heard this question very often, and over time I joined the camp of those who ask it. And you don't have to ask it straight in the forehead, you can torture with leading "why" and "why", but the task is always the same — to get to the original statement of the problem, which is always quite understandable. Efficiency Over Activity With age comes the understanding that value isn't always created through hands-on keyboard activity. Seniors start recognizing the importance of strategic thinking over operational hustle. They might push for additional resources to avoid shouldering entire projects alone, advocate for robust discussions on alternatives in design docs to preempt 'why' questions, and ultimately, they guide their teams toward high-impact projects and away from potential time sinks. This shift isn't about slowing down in the traditional sense — it's about optimizing effort to where it can make the most significant difference. It’s about being surgical with interventions rather than carpet-bombing problems with code. The Question of Value and Relevance A critical challenge for senior engineers is staying relevant in a field that evolves by the minute. The front-end frameworks and new technologies that were once crucial to keep up with can often seem like a relentless and somewhat Sisyphean task in later years. Seniors may opt out of this race not out of inability, but from a strategic decision to focus on depth rather than breadth. This does not mean seniors become obsolete; they simply shift their focus from being the first to adopt new technologies to being the best at selecting and implementing the right tools for the right job. Their value lies in their ability to foresee technical debt, prevent architectural blunders, and cultivate a culture of thoughtful, deliberate progress. The Intangible Wisdom of Experience There's an analogy often mentioned in driver safety training that resonates well with software development: "seasoned drivers are those who've survived incidents not because of sheer luck but because of their heightened sense of awareness and prediction" . Similarly, seasoned engineers bring a layer of foresight and experience that can't be replicated by those who've never faced down a legacy codebase turning into spaghetti code or navigated through the treacherous waters of enterprise-level deployments without CI/CD. "seasoned drivers are those who've survived incidents not because of sheer luck but because of their heightened sense of awareness and prediction" This wisdom allows them to spot potential pitfalls and guide their teams away from them, much like how an experienced driver might slow down at an intersection, knowing that not all drivers on the road react the same way in emergencies. Conclusion Senior fatigue is, perhaps paradoxically, a sign of maturity in engineering. It's an indicator that you’re transitioning from doing everything to ensuring that everything that needs to be done gets done in the most effective way. As for the younger engineers looking to one day step into those shoes, value these moments of apparent slowdown—they're the unspoken lessons in how to endure and excel in an ever-demanding field. If you find yourself questioning your pace or approach as a senior engineer, it might just be a sign that you’re adapting to this new phase of your career. It's not fatigue in the weary sense but an evolution towards a more refined, strategic role in your engineering journey. You're not doing less; you're doing differently, and most importantly, you're doing what matters. Thank you for reading! Thank you for reading! Any questions? Leave your comment below to start fantastic discussions! Check out my blog or come to say hi 👋 on Twitter or subscribe to my telegram channel . Plan your best! my blog Twitter my telegram channel

Exploring Senior Engineer Fatigue

If there’s anything we don’t pay attention to at airports, it's how airplanes move when they’re on the tarmac. We’re talking beyond the wheels, but the vehicles that help steer the planes in and out of their parking spots. While such a thing feels so rudimentary, it's actually quickly evolving to become more sustainable, and reduce carbon emissions. One company in Germany is changing the game when it comes to tug vehicles, the seemingly golf cart-like cars that drag or push airplanes in and around the tarmac. One expert on this niche is Björn Rösch, the Head of Software at TowFLEXX, who walks us through the evolution of tug vehicles. Who knew that the very same vehicles that are responsible for maneuvering and parking aircraft have undergone a significant change over the past 50 years? Björn is partially responsible for ushering in the new age of tug vehicles, which is bringing the industry into the age of autonomy. “Today, the evolution of automated tug vehicles represents the latest chapter in this history,” said Rösch, a specialist in electronically controlled steering systems for commercial and dual-use vehicles. Having worked as a programmer for steering systems at Mobil Elektronik in the 1990s, to founding an electronics development department at a space and aviation firm called PHBTronics, he is no stranger to designing zero-emission shunting vehicles, and has worked with TowFLEXX since 2018. “Companies are leading the charge with electric, remote-controlled, and increasingly autonomous tugs,” he adds. “These modern vehicles address contemporary challenges such as the need for cost efficiency, reduced environmental impact, and enhanced safety in airport operations.” So when did tug vehicles begin? It all started in the 1940s, as tug vehicles were originally adapted from early military and industrial tractors (yes, you read that right, tractors). These early models were pretty simple and manually operated (obviously) machines that were clunky and took up too much space. But they evolved, just as the aviation industry did. In the Postwar Era, the need for more specialized tug vehicles increased. “They needed to maneuver around the tarmac more easily, but also handle larger aircraft,” said Rösch. “But they still needed a driver behind the wheel.” For a time, the industry remained in a holding pattern with slightly more nimble but still cumbersome tractors being the main form of these tug vehicles. It wasn’t until the 1990s that we saw real innovation with tug vehicles, as there was a significant shift away from the older vehicles. “This shift,” Rösch notes, “began with towbarless tugs, which eliminated the need for specific towbars for different aircraft.” This was a massive change and helped to streamline the process. It also helped smooth over the process for all ground operations of aircraft. The next and exciting step in the evolution of tug vehicles came in the 2000s with the move towards autonomous technology in the tow vehicles. “This progression is driven by the growing complexity of modern airport operations and environments, and the industry's push for greener, more efficient technologies, ultimately setting the stage for a future where fully autonomous ground handling operations of aircraft become the norm,” he said. This move towards integrating autonomous technology is the new standard. With Rösch’s dedication to innovation there has been a decided move towards electric, remote-controlled and autonomous tugs. These modern vehicles help to reduce environmental and sound impact, increase maneuverability and increase efficiency at airports globally, so aircraft can get out and up in the air easily and effortlessly. Getting a tug to push an aircraft from the gate to the taxiway – an aircraft that weighs thousands of pounds – is no easy feat, especially in tiny airports, or even worse, on a US Navy seaplane barge. That’s where autonomous tug vehicles come in – to save space. “Instead of turning the nose landing gear of the aircraft by moving the aircraft forwards or backwards with extreme caution to prevent oversteering of the nose landing gear (NLG) and avoid damage, our technology rotates tug vehicles 360° around the NLG.” It’s no surprise that airports are ushering in the next generation of electric vehicles to help assist aircraft, while reducing carbon emissions. They can “ultimately increase to use a hangar space up to 40% more,” said Rösch. Yes, the shift to electric power in tugs is a given. “It aligns with the global trend toward sustainability, offering zero emissions and reduced noise pollution,” he said.” This not only meets increasing environmental regulations but also supports the aviation industry's broader goals of reducing its carbon footprint. Additionally, electric vehicles tend to have lower maintenance costs and increased reliability, ensuring higher uptime and reduced operational disruptions.” Who knew that towbarless tug vehicles have been an integral part of military, aviation schools, the US Navy and more for over a decade? These tug vehicles have been helping to get them (and their planes) up to speed with increasing effeciency. So what’s next for tug vehicles, you ask? “Future generations of tug vehicles are poised to include AI-powered autonomy, ultimately enabling autonomous towing of aircraft, which will mark a significant leap forward in airport ground handling,” said Rösch. “As the aerospace and defense industry seeks to enhance efficiency, safety, and sustainability, these autonomous tugs are set to play a crucial role in the future,” he adds. “The next, more immediate stages of tug vehicles, however, will be stepping stones towards full autonomy, providing semi-autonomous features for ground handling operations of aircraft at first.” If there’s anything we don’t pay attention to at airports, it's how airplanes move when they’re on the tarmac. We’re talking beyond the wheels, but the vehicles that help steer the planes in and out of their parking spots. don’t While such a thing feels so rudimentary, it's actually quickly evolving to become more sustainable, and reduce carbon emissions. One company in Germany is changing the game when it comes to tug vehicles, the seemingly golf cart-like cars that drag or push airplanes in and around the tarmac. One expert on this niche is Björn Rösch, the Head of Software at TowFLEXX, who walks us through the evolution of tug vehicles. Who knew that the very same vehicles that are responsible for maneuvering and parking aircraft have undergone a significant change over the past 50 years? Björn is partially responsible for ushering in the new age of tug vehicles, which is bringing the industry into the age of autonomy. “Today, the evolution of automated tug vehicles represents the latest chapter in this history,” said Rösch, a specialist in electronically controlled steering systems for commercial and dual-use vehicles. Having worked as a programmer for steering systems at Mobil Elektronik in the 1990s, to founding an electronics development department at a space and aviation firm called PHBTronics, he is no stranger to designing zero-emission shunting vehicles, and has worked with TowFLEXX since 2018. “Companies are leading the charge with electric, remote-controlled, and increasingly autonomous tugs,” he adds. “These modern vehicles address contemporary challenges such as the need for cost efficiency, reduced environmental impact, and enhanced safety in airport operations.” So when did tug vehicles begin? It all started in the 1940s, as tug vehicles were originally adapted from early military and industrial tractors (yes, you read that right, tractors). These early models were pretty simple and manually operated (obviously) machines that were clunky and took up too much space. But they evolved, just as the aviation industry did. tractors). In the Postwar Era, the need for more specialized tug vehicles increased. “They needed to maneuver around the tarmac more easily, but also handle larger aircraft,” said Rösch. “But they still needed a driver behind the wheel.” For a time, the industry remained in a holding pattern with slightly more nimble but still cumbersome tractors being the main form of these tug vehicles. It wasn’t until the 1990s that we saw real innovation with tug vehicles, as there was a significant shift away from the older vehicles. “This shift,” Rösch notes, “began with towbarless tugs, which eliminated the need for specific towbars for different aircraft.” This was a massive change and helped to streamline the process. It also helped smooth over the process for all ground operations of aircraft. The next and exciting step in the evolution of tug vehicles came in the 2000s with the move towards autonomous technology in the tow vehicles. “This progression is driven by the growing complexity of modern airport operations and environments, and the industry's push for greener, more efficient technologies, ultimately setting the stage for a future where fully autonomous ground handling operations of aircraft become the norm,” he said. This move towards integrating autonomous technology is the new standard. With Rösch’s dedication to innovation there has been a decided move towards electric, remote-controlled and autonomous tugs. These modern vehicles help to reduce environmental and sound impact, increase maneuverability and increase efficiency at airports globally, so aircraft can get out and up in the air easily and effortlessly. Getting a tug to push an aircraft from the gate to the taxiway – an aircraft that weighs thousands of pounds – is no easy feat, especially in tiny airports, or even worse, on a US Navy seaplane barge. That’s where autonomous tug vehicles come in – to save space. “Instead of turning the nose landing gear of the aircraft by moving the aircraft forwards or backwards with extreme caution to prevent oversteering of the nose landing gear (NLG) and avoid damage, our technology rotates tug vehicles 360° around the NLG.” It’s no surprise that airports are ushering in the next generation of electric vehicles to help assist aircraft, while reducing carbon emissions. They can “ultimately increase to use a hangar space up to 40% more,” said Rösch. Yes, the shift to electric power in tugs is a given. “It aligns with the global trend toward sustainability, offering zero emissions and reduced noise pollution,” he said.” This not only meets increasing environmental regulations but also supports the aviation industry's broader goals of reducing its carbon footprint. Additionally, electric vehicles tend to have lower maintenance costs and increased reliability, ensuring higher uptime and reduced operational disruptions.” Who knew that towbarless tug vehicles have been an integral part of military, aviation schools, the US Navy and more for over a decade? These tug vehicles have been helping to get them (and their planes) up to speed with increasing effeciency. So what’s next for tug vehicles, you ask? “Future generations of tug vehicles are poised to include AI-powered autonomy, ultimately enabling autonomous towing of aircraft, which will mark a significant leap forward in airport ground handling,” said Rösch. “As the aerospace and defense industry seeks to enhance efficiency, safety, and sustainability, these autonomous tugs are set to play a crucial role in the future,” he adds. “The next, more immediate stages of tug vehicles, however, will be stepping stones towards full autonomy, providing semi-autonomous features for ground handling operations of aircraft at first.”

The Evolution of Automated Tug Vehicles At Airports–With Expert Commentary

Welcome to our brand new series - The HackerNoon Company of the Week, where we feature the top tech brands from our tech company database, making their evergreen mark on the internet. This unique HackerNoon database ranks S&P 500 companies and top startups of the year alike.This week, we present our business blogging partner__inDrive__ (former inDriver, short for “Independent Drivers“) - a ride-hailing service with one big edge from its competitors: the fare for the trip is set by the passengers themselves! Who doesn't like autonomy and self sovereignty ✊ Wanna be part of HackerNoon’s evergreen tech company database? Request Your Tech Company Page on HackerNoon! Meet inDrive: #FunFact Did you know that inDrive started as a small community of independent drivers in Yakutsk? According to the inDrive's ex-CTO: "As far as cab services were concerned, it was difficult and expensive to get a ride in Yakutsk before inDrive made its appearance on the scene. Things worked the old-fashioned way, and you had to call first and book a vehicle via the dispatcher and then wait a long time for the driver to arrive.In the winter of 2012, several smart guys created a Vkontakte group called Community of Independent Drivers of Yakutsk. In it, you could indicate that you needed to go from point A to point B and leave your phone number. Then a caring driver who just happened to be headed that way might call you to arrange a ride." From a small community of independent drivers to one of the top ride hailing services known globally, inDrive has come a long way! inDrive’s Featured Business Stories on HackerNoon inDrive.tech has shared some amazing content via the HackerNoon Business Blogging Program, and has generated 3 months 9 days 6 hours and 36 minutes of reading time! Here are our top 3 favorite stories by InDrive: Understanding Dynamic Programming So You Can Use It Effectively
How We Automated the Verification of Car Photos
How to Run 5000+ Tests on Mobile Devices Everyday; From inDrive's Playbook That's all this week, hackers!Stay Creative, Stay Iconic.The__HackerNoon Team__ Welcome to our brand new series - The HackerNoon Company of the Week, where we feature the top tech brands from our tech company database , making their evergreen mark on the internet. This unique HackerNoon database ranks S&P 500 companies and top startups of the year alike. This week, we present our business blogging partner__ inDrive __ (former inDriver, short for “Independent Drivers“) - a ride-hailing service with one big edge from its competitors: the fare for the trip is set by the passengers themselves! Who doesn't like autonomy and self sovereignty ✊ tech company database tech company database inDrive Wanna be part of HackerNoon’s evergreen tech company database? Request Your Tech Company Page on HackerNoon! Wanna be part of HackerNoon’s evergreen tech company database? Request Your Tech Company Page on HackerNoon ! Request Your Tech Company Page on HackerNoon Meet inDrive: #FunFact Did you know that inDrive started as a small community of independent drivers in Yakutsk? According to the inDrive's ex-CTO : inDrive's ex-CTO inDrive's ex-CTO "As far as cab services were concerned, it was difficult and expensive to get a ride in Yakutsk before inDrive made its appearance on the scene. Things worked the old-fashioned way, and you had to call first and book a vehicle via the dispatcher and then wait a long time for the driver to arrive.In the winter of 2012, several smart guys created a Vkontakte group called Community of Independent Drivers of Yakutsk. In it, you could indicate that you needed to go from point A to point B and leave your phone number. Then a caring driver who just happened to be headed that way might call you to arrange a ride." "As far as cab services were concerned, it was difficult and expensive to get a ride in Yakutsk before inDrive made its appearance on the scene. Things worked the old-fashioned way, and you had to call first and book a vehicle via the dispatcher and then wait a long time for the driver to arrive.In the winter of 2012, several smart guys created a Vkontakte group called Community of Independent Drivers of Yakutsk. In it, you could indicate that you needed to go from point A to point B and leave your phone number. Then a caring driver who just happened to be headed that way might call you to arrange a ride." "As far as cab services were concerned, it was difficult and expensive to get a ride in Yakutsk before inDrive made its appearance on the scene. Things worked the old-fashioned way, and you had to call first and book a vehicle via the dispatcher and then wait a long time for the driver to arrive. In the winter of 2012, several smart guys created a Vkontakte group called Community of Independent Drivers of Yakutsk. In it, you could indicate that you needed to go from point A to point B and leave your phone number. Then a caring driver who just happened to be headed that way might call you to arrange a ride." From a small community of independent drivers to one of the top ride hailing services known globally, inDrive has come a long way! inDrive’s Featured Business Stories on HackerNoon inDrive.tech has shared some amazing content via the HackerNoon Business Blogging Program , and has generated 3 months 9 days 6 hours and 36 minutes of reading time! Here are our top 3 favorite stories by InDrive: inDrive.tech HackerNoon Business Blogging Program Understanding Dynamic Programming So You Can Use It Effectively How We Automated the Verification of Car Photos How to Run 5000+ Tests on Mobile Devices Everyday; From inDrive's Playbook Understanding Dynamic Programming So You Can Use It Effectively Understanding Dynamic Programming So You Can Use It Effectively How We Automated the Verification of Car Photos How We Automated the Verification of Car Photos How to Run 5000+ Tests on Mobile Devices Everyday; From inDrive's Playbook How to Run 5000+ Tests on Mobile Devices Everyday; From inDrive's Playbook That's all this week, hackers! Stay Creative, Stay Iconic. The__ HackerNoon Team __ HackerNoon Team

Meet inDrive: The HackerNoon Company of the Week

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Lernen Sie inDrive kennen: Das HackerNoon-Unternehmen der Woche

Conozca inDrive: la empresa de la semana de HackerNoon

Rencontrez inDrive : l'entreprise HackerNoon de la semaine

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inDrive のご紹介: 今週の HackerNoon 企業

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Встречайте inDrive: компания недели HackerNoon

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结识 inDrive：本周 HackerNoon 公司

Annually, worldwide turn to ride-hailing apps for transportation, with Russia alone accounting for more than 2.5 billion rides per year. The responsibility of matching each passenger with the ideal driver for every trip falls squarely on the shoulders of the ride-hailing service. over 1.4 billion people So, how do market leaders tackle this complex task? By processing gigabytes of real-time data and deploying algorithms, including those based on machine learning, they ensure the passenger is paired with the most suitable driver. At a high level, the process involves several critical steps: But how exactly are all these data points synthesized? Gathering all available drivers in the vicinity. Filtering out those who are not currently available, for instance, drivers who are in an 'unavailable' status or those who do not meet the class criteria (such as Economy drivers for a Comfort ride). Ranking the remaining drivers based on known factors, such as their proximity to the pickup location, their intended direction, and their tendency to accept rides with a similar profile. aggregating nearby orders for a period and then intelligently redistributing drivers among these orders to ensure each one receives the best match. This strategy enables companies to allocate drivers in under half a minute, significantly reducing the wait time for clients. The next step involves batching: However, this level of efficiency is only achievable when you have: Drivers, Data about them, An effective algorithm. During my tenure at one of the world's leading taxi services, I served as a Product Manager in the Marketplace domain. My primary responsibilities revolved around ensuring client reliability and maximizing company profits, which were the key objectives. In this capacity, I oversaw partner integrations as a product and optimized supply allocation logic using machine learning tools. Let's go! Optimizing Reliability and Efficiency in the UK Taxi Market with ML The platform in the UK was launched in 2019. Each time we launched, we had to configure the setup in one way or another. Overall, it worked out for us: we achieved acceptable reliability figures (in the ride-hailing market, the main reliability metric usually represents the ratio of successfully completed rides to all customer orders). However, in many cases, our decisions were more "expertise-based" than data-driven: we relied on the knowledge of mobility platform staff to advise on the strengths of each partner. It was wonderful to see our unique value proposition actually working, being used by customers, and generating revenue. Nevertheless, the company had already gained experience in driver matching, and we knew we could optimize the ride exchange market. So, our ML engineers were put to work, and the results were encouraging: every key metric, on average, increased by 5%. It was also surprising to see how incorrectly some of our configurations had been set up before. Even though we were operating in two entirely different markets (more on the Russian experience below), the pattern repeated. There was still room for improvement by gradually fine-tuning the weights of features, introducing new features, or discarding some. However, some areas (remote cities or just places where the immobility platform does not have a strong customer base) had to remain under manual control. Yet, the "Ride Exchange platform" became smarter, more reliable, and cost-efficient. Not to mention, we became the first in the world to create a market of fully integrated transportation services for customers in one app, and also the first to power it with ML. The main metric for us is the percentage of satisfied customers who booked a ride and eventually took a ride to their desired destination (GC/GCR – Gross Completion Rate). Since the launch, I have experienced a lot with the platform and learned many lessons. Some of them include: Finding the right balance in the historical depth of data to account for both recent data about the supplier (from the last 24 hours) and the averages over the last three months. Understanding which features will be useful, and which will not? There are two ways to answer this: by conducting a simulation and/or a real experiment. How do you convince stakeholders that it's worth it if you only have an idea so far? Consider showing them a prototype or a clear concept of your solution. While this might not be the best move for consumer-focused products, it works wonders in B2B and B2B2C setups. In these environments, where feedback cycles can drag on, waiting for weeks just for another demo isn't ideal. A quick, tangible demo can speed up decision-making and keep the collaboration moving smoothly. Here’s How I Approached the Russian Market How it Started As we entered the 2020s, mostly private entities. The proliferation of commercial enterprises was attributed to a reduction in state restrictions on the issuance of permits and regulatory measures on tariff control. This led to a surge in small businesses and intense competition in the market. At that time, my mobility platform operated as a standard taxi service aggregator, competing with other market players like , , and Citymobil for both customers and drivers. The taxi market was facing losses due to escalating competition, while shifts in consumer demand further complicated the landscape. taxi services in Russia were provided by around 4,300 organizations, Uber Yandex Mission aimed to unite all possible transportation players worldwide on a single platform, creating a fundamentally new level of service for corporate clients that prioritizes the speed of car arrival and optimized trip costs. The mobility platform secured the largest driver base in Russia through strategic agreements and partnerships, particularly with Citymobil in 2020 and another major player in 2021. The mobility platform Our product team's objective After these partnership agreements, I had to synchronize numerous processes. One of the key tasks was to optimize the distribution of customer orders on the platform among providers to enhance reliability and reduce costs for each trip. However, a critical market question arose: How do we decide whom to use and the best pathways for the customer? Here are the steps we took: Started with manual rules for distributing orders among providers. Observed the results, but they were not satisfactory. Conceptualized an that could make decisions on the distribution of each specific trip based on its unique criteria: ML model Order profile: location, duration, time, etc. Market metrics of each provider. Real-time data on our partners: dynamic prices, driver locations. Historical market knowledge in each location and an assessment of the current situation at a given time. Two factors to consider: major expenses are unrelated to the trip—acquisition and operational costs. The following data points illustrate how ML-driven decisions surpass manually-made ones Top Metrics: Increased the percentage of successful orders by 1.7% Reduced driver search time by 12% Increased trip revenue by 9% Control - manual driver search configuration Test - using the ML model. GCR – gross completion rate (rides taken out of all booked), higher is better % Cancelled – how many rides get cancelled after a driver is found, lower is better GP per ride – gross profit per ride, higher is better Margin – revenue per ride, less driver/partner payments, higher is better AVG AT – time it takes to find a driver, lower is better Take these recommendations with you to make ML deployment processes more efficient: While optimizing for efficiency and cost-effectiveness is crucial, you should maintain a strong focus on user experience. Balancing the algorithmic decision-making process with user preferences and expectations is essential to ensure sustained customer loyalty. Regular feedback mechanisms and user surveys can provide valuable insights into evolving customer needs. User-focused optimization: Recognizing the differences between markets, especially the on-demand nature of the Russian taxi market, is vital. You should tailor its strategies to suit the specific demands and behaviors of each market it operates in. This may involve adjusting algorithms, promotional strategies, or service offerings to align with the unique characteristics of each region. Market-specific strategies: The success metrics showcased in the case study are positive indicators, but you should establish a continuous evaluation process. Regularly assessing the impact of ML-driven decisions on key performance indicators, market share, and customer satisfaction will allow for prompt adjustments and enhancements. Sustain investment in machine learning technologies across various operational facets, ensuring ongoing refinement and adaptation to market changes. This should extend beyond supply allocation logic to other critical operations. Regular evaluation and adjustment:

Optimizing Ride-Hailing with Machine Learning: A Product Manager's Journey

মেশিন লার্নিং সহ রাইড-হেইলিং অপ্টিমাইজ করা: একটি পণ্য পরিচালকের যাত্রা

Mitfahrdienste mit maschinellem Lernen optimieren: Die Reise eines Produktmanagers

Optimización del transporte compartido con aprendizaje automático: el viaje de un gerente de producto

Optimiser les services de covoiturage avec l'apprentissage automatique : le parcours d'un chef de produit

मशीन लर्निंग के साथ राइड-हेलिंग को अनुकूलित करना: एक उत्पाद प्रबंधक की यात्रा

機械学習による配車サービスの最適化: プロダクトマネージャーの旅

머신 러닝을 통한 차량 공유 최적화: 제품 관리자의 여정

Otimizando Ride-Hailing com aprendizado de máquina: a jornada de um gerente de produto

Оптимизация заказов пассажиров с помощью машинного обучения: путь менеджера по продукту

Araç Aramayı Makine Öğrenimiyle Optimize Etme: Bir Ürün Yöneticisinin Yolculuğu

Tối ưu hóa dịch vụ gọi xe bằng Machine Learning: Hành trình của Giám đốc sản phẩm

利用机器学习优化叫车服务：产品经理的旅程

The driver education sector is evolving rapidly with the advent of digital learning. Andrii Sheverdin, a pioneer in this realm, transforms traditional driver training with his innovative app, “Driving School in the Phone.” This platform disrupts the status quo, making quality driver education universally accessible, particularly for teenagers. In a revealing interview, Sheverdin shares insights into his groundbreaking approach and dedication to making driver training inclusive, driven by his philosophy: "Empowering every teenager to learn without barriers." Since 2021, the driving school industry has experienced significant changes. A major development is the adoption of online education. From the start of 2023, driver's license applicants in the USA must complete a five-hour online course for a "Pre-Licensing Course Certificate," an hour longer than in previous years. This change in teaching methods has sparked intense discussions. Many drivers worry that reducing in-person lessons with instructors might increase road accidents. , a driving school founder and winner of the International IT Project Competition Bridge in the EdTech Visionary category and the Skolkovo award, launched the innovative online platform "Driving School in the Phone." This platform played a crucial role in assisting countless educational institutions in maintaining their operations remotely amid the pandemic. It demonstrated that educational quality can be sustained even when shifting to digital platforms. In November 2023, Sheverdin expanded his operations by establishing CoreWaY LLC in New York, marking his entry into the American market. Our interview explores the future of driver training and the role of technology in this evolution. Andrii Sheverdin Andrii, before the launch of your driving school application, the online education market in this area was somewhat underdeveloped. Having been involved in driving instruction since the mid-2000s, could you share some insights into the challenges faced by students and schools before your innovative solution came into play? The vast majority of driving schools functioned solely in a traditional, offline manner. Theoretical training was conducted exclusively through in-person sessions, adhering to a fixed schedule. This necessitated students to accommodate, often involving significant travel time. Managing payments and handling administrative tasks previously required in-person attendance. This method restricted the frequency of interaction between the students and staff at the driving schools. Operations within these schools were predominantly paper-based, with little to no digital integration. Before our intervention, no complete strategies were in place for driving schools to an online educational model. Your product was a trailblazer in the field, combining mobility and modern technology, a feat acknowledged by the Russian National Business Awards. But what sparked the concept for the highly successful "Driving School in the Phone" application? The idea to create a mobile application for driving schools came after many years of working in this field and a deep understanding of its problems and needs. From my own experience, I encountered that the learning process in driving schools was often inconvenient for students precisely because of the need to adjust to the schedule and spend time on the road - about which I already mentioned - there were other inconveniences. As the head of a driving school, I saw difficulties in organizing effective interaction between employees and students within the driving school. In communicating with young students, I understood that they needed a more modern, mobile learning format. Eventually, I realized it was necessary to create an application that would allow for online learning, remote handling of organizational issues, and make getting a driver's license more comfortable for students. These ideas formed the basis of "Driving School in the Phone." Frequently, there's skepticism about online educational platforms, particularly for something as critical as learning to drive. Yet, the training provided through your application matches the effectiveness of conventional, in-person learning methods. How were you able to accomplish this? Yes, one of the critical tasks we set for ourselves when creating the "Driving School in the Phone" application was to ensure the same high quality of online learning as in the traditional offline format. And we put a lot of effort into this. First, our educational platform includes modern interactive tools: tests, video lessons, and 3D animations. This allows the student to immerse deeply in the material and gain the necessary knowledge. Moreover, we implemented functions for remote interaction of students with teachers through chats and video conferencing. Any question can be asked online and promptly receive qualified consultation. Also, in the application, there is an option to take theory exams online to prepare for the traffic police exam fully. Numerous driving schools have adopted your product and have reached thousands of driving students in your home country. Would this level of uptake be a success? Success is a relative concept. There is always something to strive for; however, we achieved impressive growth and business scaling thanks to the introduction of our application in driving schools. Our clients increased students' graduation several times with the same number of employees. This was made possible by optimizing and automating business processes using our platform. But the most important thing is that we are fundamentally changing the approach to training in driving schools, making it genuinely modern and convenient for students thanks to mobile technologies. My team and I take great pride in seeing how our product enhances the quality of educational services in driver training. And this is the best reward for us as a company-developer. With a substantial client base utilizing your platform, how does your company's organizational structure facilitate effective interaction with them? Can you describe how you established this structure? At CoreWaY LLC, we have formed a unique and multifunctional team that works in different corners of the world. This affords us a distinctive advantage: we can identify and utilize top talents, irrespective of their geographic location. This is incredibly crucial in our line of work. Managing such a distributed team requires flexibility and an innovative approach. We strive to maintain constant communication and ensure that all our employees, regardless of location, feel involved in the company's overall process and course. We use various technological tools and platforms to stay on the same wavelength, even in different time zones. It also helps us be closer to our clients worldwide and better understand their needs. Our company generally puts flexibility, open communication, and teamwork at the forefront, allowing us to effectively respond to rapidly changing market demands and stay at the forefront of innovation in driver training. Andrii, could you share some details about the new company you've established in the USA? What are your strategies for entering the American market, and how do you intend to tailor your approach to accommodate the unique aspects of driver training in the United States? Our new company, CoreWaY LLC, which I registered in November of this year in New York, represents an important step in our endeavor to bring innovation to driver training in the USA. We plan to offer a fresh look at the educational process, combining proven methodologies with modern technologies. The main goal of our company in the USA is to provide affordable, convenient, and practical driver training. We realize that educational requirements and preferences in the USA differ from those in Russia. Therefore, we will adapt our approach to each state's local features and legislative requirements to make our training as relevant and effective as possible. In the American market, the main focus will be on creating a comprehensive educational program for drivers of all categories: from passenger cars (category D, in Russia - category B) to motorcycles and trucks (CDL - Commercial Driver's License). Considering the popularity and demand for category CDL in the USA, we will pay special attention to the training of truck drivers. We also plan to cooperate closely with local driving schools and educational institutions to make our programs and methods entirely relevant. Our goal is to create a holistic educational ecosystem that will meet the needs of modern American drivers and contribute to road safety. With your driver training application gearing up for its imminent IOS release in the USA, could you highlight this app's distinctive features and functions? How does it stand out from other existing solutions in the market? Yes, we eagerly await the upcoming release of our new driver training application on mobile platforms in the USA. This application is developed with our commitment to innovation and providing high-quality training. In addition to adaptive learning and artificial intelligence support, we have introduced some unique features that make our application more inclusive and accessible. Firstly, we thought about schoolchildren. You know, teenagers learn differently; they need a different approach. Therefore, we introduced a special mode for grades 9-12 students. In it, everything is more straightforward and more enjoyable: simplified цtests, interactive guides, and all that. And most importantly - for school children, it is entirely free. We want every teenager to have the opportunity to learn to drive without any barriers. Another thing we cared about was support for immigrants. Our application is now available in eight languages. This means that no matter who you are and where you come from, you can easily switch to your native language in the application. Our application serves more than just the purpose of learning how to drive. It signifies the progression toward establishing a more inclusive, accessible educational environment. We want everyone, regardless of age or background, to have the opportunity to learn and develop. What is your planned course of action or strategy to implement? We are setting our sights high with plans to enhance our application's features and break into new markets. An essential advancement we've made is incorporating artificial intelligence to personalize learning experiences and support students from various countries. This involves real-time translation of messages, enabling seamless communication between clients and driving school staff in their preferred languages. Additionally, our goal is to collaborate with driving schools in every state across the U.S. This will allow us to provide a more complete range of services to those learning to drive.

Andrii Sheverdin: 'Every Teenager Should Have the Opportunity to Learn Without Barriers'

আন্দ্রে শেভারডিন: 'প্রতিটি কিশোরের বাধা ছাড়াই শেখার সুযোগ থাকা উচিত'

Andrey Sheverdin: „Jeder Teenager sollte die Möglichkeit haben, ohne Barrieren zu lernen“

Andrey Sheverdin: "Todo adolescente debería tener la oportunidad de aprender sin barreras"

Andrey Sheverdin : « Chaque adolescent devrait avoir la possibilité d'apprendre sans barrières »

एंड्री शेवरडिन: 'प्रत्येक किशोर को बाधाओं के बिना सीखने का अवसर मिलना चाहिए'

アンドレイ・シェバーディン：「すべてのティーンエイジャーは障壁なく学ぶ機会を持つべきだ」

Andrey Sheverdin: '모든 십대는 장벽 없이 학습할 수 있는 기회를 가져야 합니다'

Andrey Sheverdin: 'Todo adolescente deveria ter a oportunidade de aprender sem barreiras'

Андрей Шевердин: «Каждый подросток должен иметь возможность учиться без барьеров»

Andrey Sheverdin: 'Her Genç Engelsiz Öğrenme Fırsatına Sahip Olmalı'

Andrey Sheverdin: 'Mọi thanh thiếu niên nên có cơ hội học tập không rào cản'

安德烈·谢维丁：“每个青少年都应该有无障碍学习的机会”

229 Stories To Learn About Data Analytics

Despite the somewhat pretentious title, the purpose of this article is not to present a success story or give some “hot tips” based on useless platitudes and truisms. I just want to share a few stories about the company I've spent almost my entire professional career with. About how this service came to life in a distant and cold city called Yakutsk, I share my perspective on inDrive from an engineer's point of view. Hi everyone! My name is Michil Androsov, and I've been with for 10 years now. I joined the company when there were three people on the development team, and left it as CTO with 500 people under my command. Over the years, the company has grown from a local startup to a unicorn company with hundreds of invested by the world's top funds. inDrive millions of dollars (former inDriver, short for “ dependent s“), is a ride-hailing service from (the capital of ) with one big difference from all the others: the fare for the trip is set by the passengers themselves. inDrive In Driver Yakutsk Sakha Republic Unlike its competitors, inDrive’s pricing model involves no complicated algorithms based on hundreds of criteria. The entire system is as transparent as it can be, with only two parties involved in the process: the driver and the passenger who negotiate the fares amongst themselves and agree on a price that works for both parties. This is a self-balancing system. Sakha Republic, also known as Yakutia, is a republic located in the Far East of the Russian Federation. Mostly inhabited by the local indigenous people, the Yakuts, but quite multiculturalized. The republic has a reputation for an extreme and severe climate. The Yakutsk vibe Here is why the service emerged in Yakutsk, of all places. In my book, two reasons explain this: With temperatures outside dipping down to 50 degrees Celsius below zero, rather than go for a walk in the park or take a nature hike, people tend to stay at home. They have to find ways to keep themselves entertained and, more often than not, they spend their time in front of a computer. Combined with the top schools that lay a special focus on physics and math, of which there are many in the area, there is a chance that a lot of these kids will become programmers. At least, that's how I explain this to myself. Cold climate. Because of this, the Internet was very expensive and slow. The Internet worked with radio relay technology. And you had to pay for every megabyte. A couple of downloaded movies from the internet could cost a worker's salary. So employees of Internet service providers would download something from the Big Internet and put it on the . I remember some of the guys who even engaged in satellite fishing. Isolation from the mainland. intranet It’s due to these two factors that Yakutsk ended up having its own"Internet", and with it the Internet portal (currently down) - local web portals like yahoo or dmoz, craigslist, napster, image photo board, news, forums all in one. It was a local variety of Alphabet, and all of the few IT specialists in Yakutsk wanted to get a job there. The company that owned the portal was called Sinet(short for Sakha Internet) — a company within which inDrive was soon established. Ykt.ru It's worth pointing out here that in addition to Sinet, there was a large game-development company called in Yakutsk, and it also acted as a magnet for local IT guys. That company started with two brothers from the small northern village of Khonuu who borrowed some money from their parents to start developing their first indie game. As things stand today, inDrive and Mytona have "moved" out of Russia. Mytona Independent Drivers As far as cab services were concerned, it was difficult and expensive to get a ride in Yakutsk before inDrive made its appearance on the scene. Things worked the old-fashioned way, and you had to call first and book a vehicle via the dispatcher and then wait a long time for the driver to arrive. To make matters worse, your call might be forgotten and then the wait for the car exceeded all possible limits. A separate pain point was the New Year holidays(major holiday in the country, two weeks of partying, no one works), when cab services upped their prices multiple times over, thus pushing the passengers over the edge. In the winter of 2012, several smart guys created a group called "Community of Independent Drivers of Yakutsk". In it, you could indicate that you needed to go from point A to point B and leave your phone number. Then a caring driver who just happened to be headed that way might call you to arrange a ride. At the end of the trip, the passenger had to leave money with the driver to cover the cost of gas. Vkontakte Sure thing, very soon, instead of gas price compensation, people started paying for the ride. Over a short time, the group gained massive popularity and began to gradually cut out traditional cab services. inDrive. Early days At that time, Arsen Tomsky, the director of Sinet, saw this group as a promising idea for expanding his business and decided to buy it out. Essentially, that point marks the beginning of inDrive's existence. In October 2013, I joined the company as the third developer when the startup was in its fifth month of operations. At that time, the app's Android version was already available, and our guys were looking for an iOS developer. Before joining the company, I worked for a year in a small startup studio developing interactive books on iPad for kids, first in our native language. Right at that point, I was thinking of changing jobs. I had one big advantage going for me - my MacBook, which was a rarity in Yakutsk at the time. I thought this was my chance to try and get a job at Sinet. I had no experience in iOS development, but somehow (most likely due to a lack of suitable candidates) I succeeded in landing a job at my dream company. iOS development was native: I coded in Objective-C. Now the situation hasn't changed much, the only difference being that is now commonly used instead of Objective-C. While Android was coded in Java, the backend was written in PHP. Many of the things laid down back then remain at the core of the inDrive codebase today. Swift The core iOS development team at that time was just me. In 2015, a second person came on board to join me. Once a third one was hired in 2016, we started growing very fast. There were no cross-platform teams back then— just iOS-, Android-, backend development teams, and QA testers. It makes me wonder how the inDrive driver accepted ride requests in those days. It was called a : a passenger places an order, nearby drivers simultaneously see it on their request list, and those who like the offer click on it. The peculiar thing back then was that we just connected a driver and a passenger via the cellular communication network! Sometimes, multiple drivers would call in for the same ride request at the same time. After the call, we would show the passenger a list of all the drivers who had called so they could pick the most suitable one. The whole set-up seemed to operate based on the principle of "the order goes to whoever calls first". Because of this, there were customer support complaints from drivers reporting that they didn’t have enough time to pick up the order. call-based arrangement For a long time, there was a legend that iOS had a much higher chance of securing an order than Android. There was some truth to this, as the interface did indeed run faster on iOS. For a long time, we did not introduce"call-less" order acceptance processes, which were more commonly used by other ride-hailing services, thinking that passengers would have more trust in the driver if they had time to talk to each other on the phone before the ride. Obviously, such a strategy had its limitations, and quite serious ones at that. Also, the first version of the app had an interesting tab called "Available Drivers". By clicking on it, you could go to the map, find an available driver, call them personally, and arrange a ride. Understandably, back then there were no encrypted connections yet. In addition, there was a third way to find a driver: after creating a ride request (order), I could find a suitable driver on the map and send them my offer via a personal message. This was called "Personalized Order”. Nowadays, the guys sometimes miss the days when everything was as easy, fast, and as fun as possible. I didn't know what repositories were, and after the release of each version, I archived the project folder and saved it on my hard drive (hundreds of archives are still stored there) and Google Drive. In the early years, our project in Xcode was called , whereas our product tasks were written down directly on the whiteboard. startPage I wasn’t yet familiar with the basic programming patterns and architectures of iOS development. The end result was a stack of Massive View Controllers and storyboards with dozens of screens. This was genuine StackOverflow programming. Expanding beyond Yakutsk Gradually, our startup team began to grow. New people joined, and the first simple processes emerged. In 2014, the company already had 10 staff members. It was at that time that we flew over to Novosibirsk to participate in a conference. It was the three of us, the whole development team. This was another significant milestone in the company's history, as in Sakha Republic you feel isolated from the big wide world outside. Trips like this were a major event for us. At the end of 2013, we were joined by Sasha Pavlov, the creator of the VKontakte group, which was bought out by Arsen Tomsky. With him on board, we began our first attempts to launch in other cities. One day, Sasha flew to Sakhalin to talk things over with drivers. He printed out some promotional pamphlets and started handing them out in the mall parking lot, but was chased away by security. Eventually, though, we had a successful launch in Sakhalin and it immediately showed excellent growth. Then we started launching in other northern and eastern Russian cities: Irkutsk, Tomsk, etc. These areas resemble Yakutsk in that they have similar severe climatic conditions, and there are no other major apps there. In those cities, the app started showing growth almost instantly. We used to sit in our little office and daydream, "Just imagine, one day we will be earning more than ." We had a laugh, but in reality that moment came very quickly. Ykt.ru Our CEO always wanted a bigger story, and not related to Yakutsk. He's an entrepreneur to the core, and he always seeks new challenges. It seemed obvious and logical to us, so no one questioned why we were doing what we were doing. It was always cool to figure out how much we, some guys from Yakutsk, could compete with the big companies. At that time, our main competitors were and . We weren’t thinking about yet. But soon we had to give the situation plenty of thought, but I'll tell you more about it in my next posts if you're interested. Taxi Maxim Yandex Taxi Uber This is my first experience writing an article and I want to write more about the history of inDrive’s evolution, how I became CTO, and what technical and non-technical challenges we faced and had to overcome. So it would be awesome to get your feedback on what could be improved upon here and what you'd be interested in reading about in future posts. P.S. Share them in the comments! P.P.S. The milestones of Sinet’s and inDrive’s evolution are described in more detail in the book by the company's CEO: “inDriver: From Yakutsk to Silicon Valley”.

Building a Unicorn: My Decade-Long Career With inDrive

একটি ইউনিকর্ন তৈরি করা: ইনড্রাইভের সাথে আমার দশক-দীর্ঘ ক্যারিয়ার

Ein Einhorn bauen: Meine jahrzehntelange Karriere bei inDrive

Construyendo un unicornio: mi carrera de una década con inDrive

Construire une licorne : ma carrière d'une décennie avec inDrive

एक यूनिकॉर्न का निर्माण: इनड्राइव के साथ मेरा एक दशक लंबा करियर

ユニコーンの構築: inDrive での私の 10 年にわたるキャリア

유니콘 만들기: inDrive를 사용한 나의 10년 경력

Construindo um unicórnio: minha carreira de uma década com inDrive

Создание единорога: моя десятилетняя карьера в inDrive

Bir Tekboynuz Yaratmak: inDrive'daki On Yıllık Kariyerim

Xây dựng Kỳ lân: Sự nghiệp kéo dài hàng thập kỷ của tôi với inDrive

打造独角兽：我与 inDrive 长达十年的职业生涯

Picture this: a city where the streets flow like a choreographed dance, where vehicles move in perfect harmony, effortlessly gliding through intersections without a single honk or screeching brake. A city where the air is cleaner, traffic is a distant memory, and the cacophony of rush-hour congestion has been replaced by a tranquil urban symphony. Welcome to the future of urban living, where take the wheel and usher us into a new era of transportation. autonomous vehicles (AVs) As we stand on the threshold of this transformative technological revolution, the importance of urban planning for autonomous cities cannot be overstated. AVs hold the potential to revolutionize our urban landscapes, offering benefits from heightened safety to reduced gridlock and greater accessibility for all. Our journey throughout this article will take us through a series of essential waypoints, where we will examine the current state of AV technology, its implications for urban infrastructure, and the regulatory frameworks that are emerging to govern this new reality. We will also explore the potential challenges and ethical considerations that must be addressed along the way. So, fasten your seatbelts as we embark on a captivating exploration of urban planning for autonomous cities. The Rise of Autonomous Vehicles The technology behind AV has been in development for years, undergoing various stages of progression. These stages are classified from Level 0 to Level 5, depending on the degree of automation and AI integration: Vehicles in this category don't incorporate AI: drivers must control these vehicles solely based on their skills. No Automation (Level 0). Although the driver maintains control, the vehicle can offer limited assistance. Features might include Active Cruise Control (ACC) and Parking Sensors. Driver Assistance (Level 1). Vehicles at this level employ Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) to control steering and braking, potentially averting collisions. Nonetheless, drivers should remain attentive. Partial Automation (Level 2). Here, the vehicle's AI can manage most tasks, but human intervention might still be necessary in certain situations. Conditional Automation (Level 3). If a human doesn't intervene when required, the AI can still ensure the safety of its passengers. It autonomously navigates, assesses its surroundings, and adjusts in accordance. High Automation (Level 4). This level characterizes the vision many have for the future of transportation. Such vehicles don't need a driver: they can travel safely in any environment and under any weather conditions, thanks to their highly sophisticated AI systems. Full Automation (Level 5). As cities globally have started embracing the concept of autonomous vehicles, the state of their deployment varies due to different factors. Some cities have already initiated pilot programs, while others are still in the planning stages. Indeed, the adoption of AV is not without challenges: safety concerns, regulatory hurdles, infrastructure readiness, and public acceptance are among the most pressing issues cities face. Key Players in AV Development However, nowadays, the autonomous vehicle landscape is vast, with both legacy automakers and cutting-edge tech firms playing pivotal roles. Among these can be highlighted the well-known , which plans to launch its autonomous commercial vehicle based on the Ford Escape Hybrid in collaboration with Argo AI; aims to introduce the , IONIQ 5, in teamwork with Hyundai Motor Company; 's Autopilot feature is also a hallmark in driver assistance, evolving continuously through deep learning. Ford Aptiv PLC all-electric Robotaxi Tesla Among those who make their contributions to AV development are companies that are not associated with vehicles in the first place. is a pioneer in creating sensors and software for autonomous cars. Their partnership with Volvo resulted in the first car equipped with Luminar's LIDAR system as standard. Traditionally known for its graphic processing units, 's Drive Orin chip is a beacon in intelligent vehicle computing — their tech is already being employed by firms like Lucid Group and BYD. Luminar Technologies NVIDIA Transforming Urban Transportation: What Advantages AVs Can Introduce to Our Lives Autonomous vehicles possess the transformative ability to mitigate urban traffic congestion. Through advanced algorithms and real-time data, AVs can choose the most efficient routes, minimizing traffic jams. Additionally, platooning — vehicles traveling closely at consistent speeds — can optimize road space and enhance traffic flow. AVs have the potential to significantly benefit seniors, individuals with disabilities, and underserved communities by offering mobility solutions. No longer constrained by traditional vehicle operation challenges, these groups can enjoy newfound freedom and independence. For example, in reaching doctor and personal care visits, purchasing food and supplies, and attending community events. AVs could assist the elderly The environmental merits of AVs are noteworthy, too. Their precision driving can lead to a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions by reducing fuel consumption. Moreover, as many AVs are likely to be electric, the decrease in fossil fuel dependence signifies a cleaner urban environment. Preparing Urban Infrastructure: Where to Begin The Need for Smart Infrastructure As the dawn of the autonomous vehicle era approaches, cities must prioritize upgrading their infrastructure. It's important to integrate advanced traffic management systems that can communicate seamlessly with AVs. The incorporation of dedicated AV lanes can further ensure smooth traffic flow and safety. Cybersecurity and Data Management Autonomous vehicles' vast amounts of data must be securely managed to prevent breaches and misuse. Cities will need to implement robust cybersecurity protocols and develop frameworks for data management to protect both the vehicles and their passengers. Legal and Regulatory Framework The integration of AVs into urban spaces requires a comprehensive re-evaluation of existing legal and regulatory structures as well as cybersecurity, ensuring safety, addressing liability concerns, and establishing standards. Cities must actively collaborate with industry stakeholders and policymakers to draft initiatives that facilitate the harmonious coexistence of AVs and traditional vehicles. Nonetheless, as the global trend for AV integration continues, there are already great examples of cities across the world that implement consistent strategies to come to fruitful results. Case Studies: Cities Leading the Way is definitely at the forefront of adopting autonomous vehicles. A*STAR's Institute for Infocomm Research pioneered the movement with its self-driving vehicle, the first to be approved for public road testing in one-north in 2015. Concurrently, collaborations between the National University of Singapore and the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology have resulted in innovative prototypes, enabling on-demand shuttle services around the NUS campus and initiating public trials in locales like the Chinese and Japanese Gardens as early as 2014. Singapore has taken significant steps toward advancing autonomous vehicle adoption, notably through its collaboration with Volvo launched the project, recognized as the world's most advanced public autonomous driving experiment, rolling out the first autonomous Volvo XC90 SUV from its Torslanda facility. This vehicle is the pioneering model in a series set to be provided to Gothenburg families for public road use. Gothenburg . Volvo Cars Drive Me There are far more examples of both cities and companies bringing the future of AV, such as operating in and in , and in , and a myriad of others. If you are curious to know more, consider looking at of the cities provided by KPMG. Waymo Phoenix, Arizona, USA, Didi Chuxing Tesla Shanghai, China Nissan Honda Tokyo, Japan this list Community Engagement and Ethical Considerations However, to make use of the numerous potential advantages of AVs for every city in the world in the future — from increased safety to optimized mobility — it is vital that communities play an active role in the planning and decision-making processes. As AVs are conceived to reshape the fabric of our cities, ensuring that the voices of the people who inhabit these spaces are heard is the key to equitable development. As noted by Jennifer Henaghan, the editor of , by involving communities, planners can help strike a balance between technological advancements and the real-world needs of residents. the American Planning Association’s report The onset of AVs also presents a bundle of ethical concerns. AV decision-making algorithms, for instance, are under scrutiny. How should an AV react in situations where harm is unavoidable? Whom should it prioritize? Liability issues, too, become a grey area: should the vehicle's manufacturer, software provider, or owner be blamed? Moreover, with technology companies at the helm of AV advancements, there is a looming threat to privacy, data security, and personal safety. Addressing these concerns requires an interdisciplinary approach, incorporating inputs from tech experts, urban planners, legal consultants, and the public to ensure that the future of transport remains transparent, accountable, and fair. Driving Into the Future: What is Awaiting And What Can Do Now? We The aforementioned interdisciplinary approach, however, will inevitably lead us to the presence of a large number of, sometimes even opposing, opinions. reflecting the comparative analysis of users', urban planners, and developers' assumptions, hopes, and concerns about autonomous vehicles claims that positive results will be achieved only if AVs are introduced in alignment with the collective wishes of society. However, while some of the assumptions and hopes were shared across the focus groups, there were some concerns that varied from team to team, signifying that there is something to work on to finally come to an agreement and start acting harmoniously. A recent research paper Lastly, navigating the imminent transformation in urban mobility goes beyond just technology and stretches to ensuring alignment with society's broader aspirations. From future users to developers and urban planners, the consensus underscores the need for collaborative decision-making. As we steer into the era of autonomous cities, it's vital to remember that this journey is about co-creating a future that genuinely benefits society. Our shared drive towards this horizon promises an exhilarating journey, and united, we can make it transformative.

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