☕ So solid

A dispatch from Detroit's Battery Show.

October 11, 2024 Presented by It's Friday. Tech Brew's Jordyn Grzelewski was at the Battery Show in Detroit this week. Today, she's got updates about the, ahem, state of solid-state battery tech, with more to come on Monday. In today's edition: Why some automakers still see solid-state batteries as a 'game-changer' Mozilla's new accelerator aims to support small, open-source AI ChatGPT could help passengers communicate better with AVs, study finds —Jordyn Grzelewski, Patrick Kulp, Annie Saunders FUTURE OF TRAVEL Status update Boston Globe/Getty Images Solid-state batteries have long been seen as something of a holy grail for the EV sector because of the technology's benefits, from higher energy density to lower fire risk. Bringing them to the masses, however, has proved challenging as battery makers struggle to scale the technology. But numerous companies are still determined to make it happen—and claim EVs powered by solid-state batteries could be on the road by the end of the decade. The question of timing, and how exactly solid-state battery companies and their automotive partners plan to scale the technology, was a hot topic at the Battery Show in Detroit this week, where thousands of industry professionals convened to talk shop. "From Nissan's perspective, we believe solid-state batteries will be a game-changer technology for EV," Dianne Atienza Hay, manager of Nissan Technical Center North America, said during a panel discussion. "We have a lot of challenges, but it is very important for us to get this technology tested, certified, and to the vehicle by fiscal year 2028." Keep reading here.—JG Presented by Verisign Myths vs. facts about .com Billions of internet users and trillions of dollars in global commerce rely on the security, stability, and resiliency of the .com top-level domain (TLD). That's why it's vital for conversations about this topic to be rooted in fact. Get clarity on the myths and facts about .com in this Verisign blog. By maintaining 100% .com DNS uptime for 27+ years, Verisign's stewardship has helped keep the internet running smoothly for users around the globe. With 329 billion DNS transactions processed daily, Verisign helps ensure uninterrupted internet navigation for end users. Purpose-built infrastructure supports over 157 million .com domain names. Learn more about the reliability and security of the .com TLD. AI Keep it compact Jhvephoto/Getty Images Much of the race to own the latest generation of AI is about size—for tech giants rolling out large language models (LLMs), bigger is often better. The first class of Mozilla's accelerator program doesn't share this preoccupation. Instead, the nonprofit org behind the Firefox browser explicitly called for smaller AI models that are able to run locally without the need for cloud servers. The program recently announced the 14 projects selected, which will each receive up to $100,000 in funding and mentorship from Mozilla. Their use cases range from drug discovery in the Global South and a Swahili LLM to a coding agent assistant and a data tool for artists. Unlike other Silicon Valley startup programs, the organizers weren't necessarily looking for projects that could scale into big businesses with VC-sized returns, according to Mozilla Ecosystem Development Lead Liv Erickson. "We're really looking to spark innovation in the broader open-source AI ecosystem," Erickson told Tech Brew. "Our cohort is a mix of for-profit ventures that utilize and contribute back to open-source to community-driven open-source projects and nonprofits that are all working on technology within the open-source and local AI space for the evaluation process." Keep reading here.—PK FUTURE OF TRAVEL Let's chat John Underwood/Purdue University Riding in an autonomous vehicle might have you missing friendly chit-chat with a driver. Would talking to ChatGPT help? Researchers at Purdue University found that integrating AI-powered chatbots into AVs could help out in at least one way: making driverless vehicles better at taking orders from passengers. The study suggested that ChatGPT made it easier than the vehicle's existing system for passengers to communicate things like being in a hurry or wanting a different temperature. The researchers, who presented their findings for the first time last month, believe it's one of the first experiments into how an autonomous vehicle can use large language models to interpret passenger commands. "The conventional systems in our vehicles have a user interface design where you have to press buttons to convey what you want, or an audio recognition system that requires you to be very explicit when you speak so that your vehicle can understand you," Ziran Wang, an assistant professor in Purdue's Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering and leader of the study, said in the news release. "But the power of large language models is that they can more naturally understand all kinds of things you say. I don't think any other existing system can do that." Keep reading here.—JG Together With Cisco Cybersecurity in 2024 and beyond. Did you know that 54% of companies have experienced a cybersecurity incident in the past year? Yep—the truth is that in this era of AI, hyperconnectivity, and distributed work, the threat landscape is complicated and diverse. That's why Cisco has outlined recommendations designed to up your cybersecurity game. Read them here. BITS AND BYTES Stat: 20–30%. That's the recommended charge level for EVs parked in areas that could experience saltwater flooding as the result of a hurricane, the New York Times reported in a story about the rare risk of EVs catching fire after being submerged in saltwater. Quote: "I'll have to admit to you that I've been surprised at how difficult it's been to implement the kinds of policies that will solve the climate crisis."—Al Gore, to Grist on his 40-year crusade against carbon emissions Read: License plate readers are creating a US-wide database of more than just cars (Wired) Make it work: Secure, stable, and resilient service. Learn more about how Verisign's technology makes .com and the internet work for everyone.* *A message from our sponsor. COOL CONSUMER TECH Illustration: Anna Kim, Photos: Adobe Stock Usually, we write about the business of tech. Here, we highlight the *tech* of tech. What do you want to watch? TV is sort of in a weird spot, yeah? Open up one of your countless streaming apps and try to find something that piques your interest. There's *so much* before your very eyes that you feel your chest tightening as you scroll. You do one of two things: You give up or you rewatch Parks and Recreation. Just us? Probably not. The New York Times Magazine recently published what amounts to a detailed history of Netflix—and how it changed television for us all. Give it a read next time you simply cannot decide what to watch. Disappear for a while: Whether you're dealing with online harassment or just value your privacy, there's an allure to the promises of (often pricey) data-removal services. But do they work? Marketplace Tech put the question to Consumer Reports's Yael Grauer, and the results of Grauer's research is mixed at best, finding it's "still tough to wipe your slate clean online." JOBS Break free from the job-board cycle. CollabWORK connects you with relevant job openings curated specifically for communities you're already part of—like Tech Brew. Find high-quality opportunities and land your next big break by joining CollabWORK today. Product Manager at AUI (in person) Senior Software Engineer at Elk Capital Markets (in person) Senior Production Manager at an undisclosed organization (in person) SHARE THE BREW Share Tech Brew with your coworkers, acquire free Brew swag, and then make new friends as a result of your fresh Brew swag. We're saying we'll give you free stuff and more friends if you share a link. One link. Your referral count: 0 Click to Share Or copy & paste your referral link to others: emergingtechbrew.com/r/?kid=b3968dba Written by Jordyn Grzelewski, Patrick Kulp, and Annie Saunders Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here.   Guide → What is AI?   Guide → What is 5G? 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