#95 – Tekin Meriçli | Locomation – Robotics, A Phased Approach to Automated Driving & Leading an AV Company to Commercialization

Tekin Meriçli, Ph.D. is a co-founder and the CTO of Locomation, a company re-engineering the world’s supply chain for autonomy with a portfolio of AV products and a suite of tools that enable their clients to implement an operating model for autonomous vehicles Key topics in this conversation include: Tekin’s background in robotics and how he got into automated driving, including the DARPA Urban Challenge The efficiency and sustainability benefits of Locomation’s Autonomous Relay Convoy How Locomation is providing backend tools to enable their customers to realize the full potential of automated driving How Tekin thinks about his role as CTO, and what it takes to excel The importance of safety and reliability as Locomation heads towards commercialization Links: Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/tekinmericli Locomation website: https://locomation.ai/ Tekin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tekinmericli/ Future of Mobility episode 27 with Locomation’s CEO, Çetin Meriçli: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/27-%C3%A7etin-meri%C3%A7li-locomation-automated-driving-for-semi/id1511658261?i=1000499886635 Locomation’s announcement with Christenson Transportation: https://locomation.ai/christenson-transportation-selects-locomation-to-deploy-its-autonomous-truck-service-will-boost-capacity-increase-profits-and-reduce-emissions/ Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo Tekin’s Bio: Tekin Meriçli, Ph.D. is a co-founder and the CTO of Locomation. Prior to Locomation, he was a Special Faculty – Commercialization Specialist at the National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC) of Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Institute where he was also a Senior Robotics Engineer. Since 2003, Dr. Meriçli has been practicing systems engineering across a wide variety of robots and systems including autonomous and semi-autonomous ground vehicles, mapping, state estimation, and operator assist systems, perception and motion planning for ground and aerial robots, industrial automation and process improvement, wheeled tour guide and service robots, intelligent assistive robotic manipulators and search and rescue robots, and various legged robots. He also has over 40 publications in the areas of robotics and computer sciences, including best paper award recipients. About Locomation: Locomation is re-engineering the world’s supply chain for autonomy with a portfolio of AV products and a suite of tools that enable our clients to implement an operating model for autonomous vehicles. Launched in 2018 by veterans of Carnegie Mellon’s National Robotics Engineering Center, the Locomation team includes some of the world’s foremost experts in robotics technology, artificial intelligence, trucking, freight optimization, safety, and automotive. Future of Mobility: The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields. linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/