About ROBO HIGHWAY

I’m your Robility Host Ken Milburn!

ROBO HIGHWAY is fully independent and does not report to or have ownership from any other companies.  I think it’s important to point this out since this is a highly competitive mobility race from large and small companies around the world.  

In case you’re interested (and not bored too much by these details) here’s how my experience was shaped:    

Early Years

I was an energetic kid in the backwoods with my minibike, even before I had a driver’s license. This is where my curiosity of motorized vehicles began. I was able to experience how, through just the turn of the throttle, I could quickly explore and be carried to new areas I had never seen.
Later, in my youth I became fascinated with cars. I would often find myself under the hood on weekends trying to make my cars faster and engines more powerful.  This is also when I discovered the joy of competing on a race track.

Young Adult

Like many, I began building computers when I was young from parts I’d buy at computer swap meets. This gave me a deep understanding of digital architecture and how software and hardware work. It provided the basis for understanding system networking and the expanding role computers have in vehicles.

At about the same time, while starting college, I also became fascinated with airplanes and became a pilot. Flying offered me the enjoyment of combining two awesome experiences; interacting with advanced technologies and freedom of flight.

Later, in my Professional Career

While working at a company in 1998 I was asked to oversee what would become one of the first perception sensors used on consumer vehicles.  In my opinion this was one of the first mass produced sensors that helped start the self-driving vehicle revolution.  I’m referring to the Ultrasonic sensor or as some people call it the Sonar sensor.

In the early to mid-2000’s we started to add RADARs, LIDARs, and Cameras to the vehicle’s portfolio of perception sensors. I was tapped to lead my company’s US market development of these high-tech emerging technologies.

I was able to immerse myself in my favorite things; technology and vehicles. It was a dream come true. I went on to showcase these technologies to many international companies, organizations and government throughout the US and globally. I was able to establish strong working relationships with many individuals in this Autonomous Driving field.

Using my Experience to Help

Because of my knowledge of these systems and knowing how they could help society, I was requested to participate in the US Secretary of Transportation’s Distracted Driving Summit in Washington DC. This was a gathering of experts and key stake holders to discuss measures that could help address the nation’s distracted driving problem. I was honored to be sitting at the table between Maine’s state senator Bill Diamond and New Jersey Governor’s representative Pamela Fischer along with others trying to come up with solutions to this overwhelming problem. It was very rewarding to be a contributor to this important event.

Additionally, I’ve participated in various action groups trying to tackle the problem of distracted driving and the impact on society and safety from autonomous driving technologies. These groups often included notable members of government and industry including National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and even National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Looking into the Future of Mobility

Later, I was very excited to support the DARPA Grand Challenge. If you’re not familiar with the DARPA Grand Challenge, please Google it, it’s considered the birthplace of most autonomous driving systems we see today. I supported the world famous Sebastian Thrun and his Stanford Team with the radar sensors used on their Volkswagen robocar named Junior.

As a fun side note, I was also involved with equipping and supporting Elon Musk’s SpaceX team with radar sensors that were used for docking their rocket capsule to the international space station. Very cool stuff!

More Mobility Experiences 

Other key credentials include: professional futurist, often I was requested to look 10 to 20 years into the future and predict technology needs for vehicles.

I’m an approved test track driver and certified performance driver at many vehicle proving grounds in North America.

I’m also a member of Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and was a contributor to their autonomous vehicle discussions which helped lay the ground work for the Level 1-5 Automated Driving Standard (J3016) used today.

As an inventor, I also collected a few patents along the way connected to autonomous driving. 

As you can see I’ve been deeply involved in the field of autonomous driving and mobility for many years. I’m so excited to be bringing you my experience and knowledge of these systems.

I know this is a fast growing area that has many questions. I certainly want to help inform and educate.

Thanks!

Ken Milburn
ROBO HIGHWAY