The Worst-Day Test: Blackouts, Buy-It-For-Life, and Nuclear Decisions by AI,

A city goes dark, and the smartest cars on the road freeze in place. We unpack the San Francisco blackout that stalled multiple Waymo robotaxis, asking the hard questions about fail‑safes, four‑way stops without signals, and how urban autonomy should behave when infrastructure collapses. We contrast tech stacks and claims across Waymo and Tesla, and we get specific about what accountability, transparent incident data, and municipal standards should look like if driverless fleets are to share streets with ambulances and school buses.

More than three years ago, we asked a difficult question: Can AI fight an “ethical” war? A 2023 white paper from the Future of Life Institute brings that question back with urgency, examining how artificial intelligence is beginning to intersect with nuclear weapons systems and decision-making.

In this episode, we break down the risks of faster, automated warning systems, compressed human decision time, and the potential for AI-driven errors or escalation. We also explore the paper’s policy recommendations and explain why global safeguards may need to move faster than the technology itself.

This isn’t science fiction—it’s a real policy debate happening now.

Next, we shift to another kind of resilience: the Buy It For Life mindset. Remember when a fridge lasted 25 years and a wrench came with a no‑questions lifetime swap? We explore why durability beats disposable upgrades, how right‑to‑repair and parts availability affect the total cost of ownership, and which design choices—modularity, service manuals, standardized components—turn products into heirlooms rather than e‑waste. If you’ve ever paid more and gotten less, this is your playbook for flipping the equation and investing once to save for years.

Finally, we head to Pescadero, California, where a 100% solar community microgrid with battery storage is being built to keep critical services online during storms and line failures. Schools, a fire station, and essential nonprofits serve as resilience hubs for residents, medications, and communication when the main grid fails. We discuss sizing, storage limits, and why community‑wide resilience is both a climate strategy and a public safety mandate. The throughline is clear: smarter defaults, longer‑lasting goods, and local energy can turn bad days into manageable ones.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who cares about tech that works on the worst day, and leave a review with your take on AV fail‑safes and Buy It For Life must‑haves. Your feedback shapes what we dig into next.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:07

Welcome to the Tech Mobility Podcast. Brought to you by Playbook Investors Network. Your strategic partner for unstoppable growth.

Blackout Shuts Down Waymo in San Francisco

SPEAKER_03 0:15

Visit pincommunity.org to get started. I'm Ken Chester. On the Docket. AI and nuclear weapons, the Buy It for Life movement, and a solar-powered California town. To add your voice to the conversation, be it to ask a question, share an opinion, or suggest an idea for a future conversation, call or text the Tech Mobility Ontline, that number, 872-222-9793, or if email is your preference, talk at techmobility.show. That will connect you to the show directly. For those of you who enjoy Substack, you can also find me at Ken C Iowa as a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. From the Tech Mobility News Desk. I found this one to be interesting. And in the interesting part and in the fairness part of telling both sides, let me start with the headline. This is from, let's see, this I think believes it's from Automotive News. And it says, Waymo resumes service following San Francisco blackout that left driversless taxis confused. And actually it's from Business Insider. But let's start with this for a minute. I'm trying to come to grips with the fact that a blackout would stop these things in their tracks. Waymo is regarded as the pioneer and the gold standard when it comes to autonomous vehicles. They've been operating in San Francisco, in Austin, and in Phoenix for some time now. They deliver over a hundred thousand rides a week in those three cities. You can't tell me one blackout is going to bring these cars to a halt, but it did. For some reason, they got to intersections or got confused, and rather than pull over, they just stopped. They made traffic worse in a bad situation. And that just so many questions. For example, obvious question. Why would the elimination of traffic lights in an intersection cause the vehicles to come to a stop? The vehicles are not directly tied to the electrical grid. So it's not like they're plugged in or anything. Obviously, they're getting their information from GPS, but still, that would not necessarily cause them to stop. Yet, when the power was blacked out in those neighborhoods, those vehicles stopped right where they were. They stopped. And I cannot believe that this would be a glaring error that Waymo would miss. That you would think, okay, what is the default if there is a power outage and the vehicles coming up to an intersection? The default really, if it can't do anything, is it should pull over and stop and get out the way. But it didn't. They stopped. A power outage hit San Francisco, prompting Waymo to suspend its services. Videos and social media showed stalled Waymo vehicles blocking traffic. Autonomous vehicles in San Francisco already have a love-hate relationship, as it is. It was there that a cruise autonomous vehicle hit and killed a woman, a woman. Cruise lied about it. It ended up costing them a license, and GM shut them down. Another episode, again in San Francisco, one of autonomous cars killed a local neighborhood cat. Everybody was up arms about it. And then, of course, you've seen it's been a couple of years now, but you've seen the confusion that these vehicles get when somebody just puts a construction cone on the hood. It does not know how to deal with that. It just stops. I just I can't. I can't get over this. There's something that would be this obvious that they wouldn't miss it. But it goes to show you just how difficult developing autonomous vehicles for city traffic is in any city. Because I am sure they have gamed thousands, if not millions, of different scenarios for these vehicles to react to. But here's one that seems rather obvious, but the vehicles just basically failed to work and did not have what I would consider a fail-safe, which could end up causing even more accidents if these vehicles ended up dead in an intersection. I don't know if their lights were flashing or they were just sitting there or what. But regardless, it makes a bad situation worse. They showed one video that showed at least five Waymo's crowding an intersection, forcing human drivers to maneuver around them. Can you imagine if it's a busy intersection and you had to get emergency equipment through that intersection and these cars in the midst of this blackout got the intersection fouled, jammed up? Not okay. Not okay. Quote from Waymo. Power outage was a widespread event that caused gridlock across San Francisco with non-functioning traffic signals and transit disruptions. While the failure of the utility infrastructure was significant, we, they mean Waymo, are committed to ensuring our technology adjusts to traffic flow during such events. That is not what happened, Waymo. What happened is it showed cars following these intersections where the lights had failed, causing more of a problem and a greater traffic risk to all citizens trying to negotiate that, not to meant the other effects. If that intersection gets blocked, traffic backs up in other intersections, and now you got a major problem that covers a number of city blocks. Ton in cheek, however, you might wonder about Tesla, because they are operating robo taxis also in San Francisco. And I quote, Tesla robotaxis were unaffected by the San Francisco power outage that came from Elon Musk. And while these two are direct competitors, they rely on different technologies to get them there. In the case of Tesla, their robotaxis use cameras and AI to find their way around. Waymo uses a suite of light sensors, radar, cameras, and detailed maps that are uploaded and regularly updated. That means sudden changes to areas where a Waymo robotaxi operates could impact its ability to navigate. But wait a minute. The roads didn't change. There was a blackout, the traffic lights failed. That's it. There was no construction, there were no accidents that I know of. Why did the Waymo' fail? That's my question. Did they lose their connection maybe to the GPS? Maybe the GPS, whatever it was transmitting, transmits from local power wherever they're at to it. It's the only thing I can think of. Because, I mean, they're independent, they're independently powered. Why did they fail? To me, this is a major gap. And it's also why you will not see autonomous personal cars anytime soon. There's still too, too much to try to work out. And if something this simple can basically discombobulate the leader in the industry where their vehicles just don't work and don't default to pulling over and getting out of the way and being not part of the problem, which these became, obviously. Don't know in the course of the story in Business Insider how many Waymo vehicles that were in the affected service area were disabled and caused problems. That we don't know. But if these five in this intersection for this video are any indication, it's bad. This past May, Waymo recalled the software for more than 1,200 cars after some collided with quote unquote chains or gates. Waymo, this is stuff you should have had handled. This is basic stuff. Really? It's basic. I can understand what we call edge events, stuff that is a once in a you know 10,000 incident situation, but a power failure? A power surge? Yeah, no. No, no, no, no, no. So I guess, folks, they're still not ready for prime time. Humans won, Waymo zero. And Tesla, I guess, will get the win for this one. Because according to Elon Musk, they were still operating, even in the midst. Which makes you wonder. This is how it works. AI may soon be integrated into military and civilian defense nuclear decision framing making framework. You are listening to the Tech Mobility Show.

SPEAKER_01 10:20

In business, opportunity doesn't wait, and neither should you. At Playbook Investors Network, we connect visionary entrepreneurs with the strategies, resources, and capital they need to win. Whether you're launching, scaling, or reimagining your business, our network turns ambition into measurable success. Your vision deserves more than a plan, it deserves a playbook that works. Playbook Investors Network, where bold ideas meet bold results. Visit pincommunity.org today.

SPEAKER_02 10:52

Are you tired of jumping over for apps and platforms for meetings, webinars, and staying connected? Look at no further than AON Meetings.com. All in one browser-based platform that does it all. With AON meetings, you can effortlessly communicate with clients, post virtual meetings and webinars, and stay in touch with family and friends. All in one place and for one place. This is the best part. You can enjoy a 30-day free trial. It's time to simplify your life and boost your productivity. AON Meetings.com where innovation meets connection. Get started today and revolutionize the way you communicate.

SPEAKER_03 11:24

To learn more about the Tech Mobility Show, start by visiting our website. I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. The website is a treasure trove of information about me and the show, as well as where to find it on the radio across the country. Keep up with the happenings at the Tech Mobility Show by visiting Techmobility.show. You can also drop us a line at talk at Techmobility.show.

SPEAKER_01 11:50

Every great business starts with a spark, but taking it to the next level takes strategy, connections, and capital. That's where Playbook Investors Network comes in. We're your strategic partner for accelerating growth, navigating challenges, and capturing market opportunities before your competition does. Your business is more than an idea. Let's make it an impact. Playbook Investors Network. Your future starts here. Learn more at pincommunity.org.

SPEAKER_00 12:23

Before you buy a two or three-year-old, you have to always bloody lines. Is he a win? The same rules apply when buying a previously owned Continental Mark IV or Lincoln Continental. In televised tests of riding comfort, Lincoln Continentals have racked up three years of victories over models of the other leading luxury car. These tests were judged by owners of that other leading luxury car. See the previously owned Continentals. They are all winners.

AI & Nuclear Weapons - Can It be Trusted?

SPEAKER_03 12:51

That was a commercial for Lincoln from 1975. And you may not have realized that dealers and automakers did occasionally push used cars. Long before the certified pre-owned, this happened every once in a while, this was a national commercial. Where they were bragging about the quality of pre-owned Lincolns, which, if this was 75, they're talking 72, 73, 74. And I gotta tell you, I was around back then, and all American cars weren't that good. Trust me, the stuff coming out of the plants, sometime I'll share the stories. Because I worked for a new car dealer in the mid-1970s, and I'll talk about what that manufacturer shipped. And the fact that back then, if you were driving a car in the early to mid-1970s that had over 90,000 miles on it, if it was an American car, you were lucky to get it to the dealership before it completely fell apart. 100,000 was end of life for those cars back then. It's a different time. So it was interesting that Lincoln would choose to brag on their pre-owned cars. And remember, back then there was no standard 120, 138, 160-point inspection of these vehicles by the dealer. The factory did not certify them. They're saying yes, they are every bit. They left that up to the dealers. So it was definitely buyer-beware back then compared to now. More than three years ago, I asked a simple but chilling question. Can artificial intelligence fight a ethical war? And there's a lot to unpack right there, but let me press on a little bit. I'm cycling back to this question because of a white paper I discovered issued by the Future of Life Institute, that was entitled Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear Weapons, Problem Analysis and U.S. Policy Recommendations. The part that scared me the most about this report didn't even deal with the report itself. It dealt with when it was written. This report we're about to talk about was released to the public in November of 2023. 2023. A little over a year after ChatGPT basically blew up. This is topic A. Now more than ever before. This is a legitimate concern. Let me start with this, and this was buried in the news, but I'm gonna bring it back to your attention because it's important for you to know. For the last 50 years, the major superpowers, and I'm talking about the United States and Russia, were bound by what they call the New SALT Treaty. It was a nuclear weapon restriction treaty. We agreed not to do some stuff, they agreed not to do some stuff. There was verification, basically, to keep the status quo. You may not have noticed with everything going on that very quietly there was a news item that this treaty has expired. There is nothing to replace it. There is no longer anything binding any other major powers from starting back on a nuclear race for more nukes and God knows what. Let me read this opening. Since 1945, eight states other than the United States have successfully acquired nuclear weapons. The UK, France, China, Russia, Israel, Pakistan, India, and North Korea. While the possession of nuclear weapons by a handful of states has the potential to create a stable equilibrium through strategic deterrence, the risk of nuclear weapon use on the part of any state actor and the consequent nuclear responses pose an existential threat to the American public and to the international community. How many movies have you seen in the last 20, 30 years where this line was crossed? Where somebody decided, for whatever reason, a bad actor, not necessarily a state actor, but they had control. And they decided that a first preemptive strike was worth it. Let that sink in for a minute. I'm going to explain who, first of all, the Future of Life Institute is. Then I'm going to take you into the problem definition. The Future of Life Institute works to promote the benefits of technology and reduce the associated risks. FLI has become one of the world's leading voices on the governance of artificial intelligence and created one of the earliest and most influential sets of governing principles. Consider that. Here's the problem. Developments in artificial intelligence can produce destabilizing effects on nuclear deterrence, increasing the probability of nuclear weapons use and imperiling international security. Advanced AI systems could enhance nuclear risk through further integration into nuclear command and control procedures by reducing the deterrence value of nuclear stockpiles through augmentation of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, by making nuclear arsenals vulnerable to cyber attacks and manipulation, and by driving nuclear escalation with AI-generated disinformation. How much AI slop have you seen on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok? Stuff generated by AI, just tons of it. Deep fakes, stuff where they can make it look like you and talk like you, but it's not you. This is happening right now. This was written almost three years ago. AI has come a lot further than that, but AI still hallucinates, and AI doesn't get it right all the time. And here's something else to think about. AI works by taking large, ginormous data sets of information and crunching it down to determine and discover patterns and trends and extrapolates uh action ways forward. It's only as good as the information it gets. In the last 80 years, nuclear weapons have been used twice as a deterrent. That's it. And they were used by us. What do you train an AI system that you want to turn over the nuclear codes to with that sparse of information? What to determine? The Future of Life Institute suggests human in the loop and to codify that by law so it's not just anybody. It's deep. And I don't have time to get into all of it because it is deep. But they talk about it is vital to set up an architecture for scrutiny and regulation of powerful AI systems. That needs to happen. And it needs to be a procedure. Ironclad, positive, reviewable. It's called the Buy It for Life movement, an idea for people tired of replacing things that shouldn't have failed. We discuss this is the Tech Mobility Show.

SPEAKER_01 21:21

You've got the drive. Now you need the right partner to make it happen. At Playbook Investors Network, we power ambitious leaders with the tools, insight, and investment connections to move faster, grow stronger, and lead markets. We're more than advisors, we're your co-pilots in success. Because in business, standing still is not an option. Playbook Investors Network, fueling ambition and delivering results. Visit pincommunity.org.

The Buy it for Life Mindset

SPEAKER_03 21:53

Did you know that Tech Mobility has a YouTube channel? Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. Each week I upload a few short videos of some of the hot topics that I cover during my weekly radio program. I've designed these videos to be informative and entertaining. It's another way to keep up on current mobility and technology news and information. Be sure to watch, like, and subscribe to my channel. That's the Tech Mobility Show on YouTube. Check it out. It's called the Buy It for Life Movement. It's the belief that you should be less of a consumer, paying a bit more for quality items that last. Now, to be honest, if you're a person of a certain age, I bet you may have some of this stuff in your home. Except we have another name for it. We call them heirlooms. But no matter, the old ways are having more than just a moment. This is topic B. There was a time, probably for your parents or your grandparents, there was a time where quality higher prices for items meant a certain amount of quality. The stuff would last. For those of us a certain age that have been fortunate enough, we see that in furniture predominantly. Furniture that we inherited from our parents, from our grandparents. And if you're really fortunate, our great-grandparents, stuff that was maybe made 60, 70, 80, or more years ago, that's still in great shape, that is in your living room, your dining room, your kitchen. In the case of our home, my wife and I have two frying pans. One frying pan I got from my mom when I went to college, and I've had it. Oh my, I've had it for 50 years. And my mom had it before that. My wife, a frying pan from her grandmother. We have no idea how old that thing is. A lot of folks, heirlooms. Back in the day, you paid more because you got higher quality. That quality meant the stuff lasted. Believe it or not, we are coming full circle again. People are sick and tired of buying stuff for a premium price that's breaking down. People are willing to pay for quality. Unfortunately, in our society today, a higher price doesn't necessarily mean a higher quality good. It used to mean that. Let me give you some examples. Maytag washers. Or just even your simple refrigerator. When my wife and I first got married, we bought our first home. We didn't have money to buy new appliances. So we bought a couple of old appliances. I paid$20 for a gas stove that was probably twice my age at least. And we paid maybe$40 for a refrigerator that I know was 50 years old. Still running. Still running. Later years, I moved to a different office. I bought a refrigerator for$175. I knew that refrigerator that I bought was 25 to 30 years old and I had it for eight years. It was still running. Quality. People pay for quality. As a person who helped people buy cars, I told folk, if you need a vehicle where you're going to put a lot of miles on it in short time, then and now there's only one vehicle I recommend if you got to put high mileage on a vehicle in short order and want your maintenance costs to be low, buy a Toyota. Period. And they still work that way. They still work that way. You pay the money, and honestly, the first hundred thousand miles is literally free in a Toyota. Literally. So it's price versus value. Okay, you do it yourself first. Do you remember Craftsman tools? Sears used to sell them. Guaranteed for life. Meaning, if you ever broke a craftsman tool, you could take it back to Sears, get a new one, no questions asked. How the tools you're using now, they that good? Did you pay extra for them? My wife and I, around Christmas, just bought um for the first time, really, a complete decent set of cookware. Paid eight, well, we paid almost a thousand dollars for seven pieces. Most we've ever paid. Stainless steel. Love them. Made in is what it's called. Love it. All the cheap pots and pans we bought, got rid of all of them. But these, they set flat, they heat nice, they heat uniform, they're wonderful. I expect to keep these for years, probably the rest of our lives. This is a trend that is going full circle. Do you remember this slogan? The quality goes in before the name goes on? That was Zenith. Radios and TVs, they had that reputation for quality. I remember my mom owned a speed queen washer. She had that for years. I'm guessing 25 at least. Norge refrigerator. She had that for years. I believe she bought them both brand new back in the early mid-60s. Had them well into the 80s, maybe even early 90s. Oh, when they say they don't make them like they used to. Wall Street and manufacturers figured out that in order for them to continue to grow and be profitable, they had to design stuff that needed to be replaced. It's unfortunate. Because as the examples I gave you, that's not necessarily always true. If you live in Iowa and you are fortunate to own some Amana-made furniture, that's heirloom furniture. That stuff's going to last a hundred plus years because it was made with craftsmanship. People are returning to this. They're willing to pay more because in the long run, it's cheaper to own. It lasts. It doesn't break, fall apart, rip, fail. Being a sustainable society is actually better for the planet and better for everybody. I've seen YouTube videos where mechanics lament that you can't repair anything anymore. You used to be able to take stuff apart, replace a couple parts, put it back together, way cheaper. Today you gotta replace the whole unit. Or they won't sell you the parts to fix it. There's this one guy, he's a transmission tech out of Western Virginia. I follow him. He's awesome. And he breaks it down, but he's always complaining about how you can't fix anything anymore and keep prices low. Because we're in such a throwaway consumer society. But if you are a buy it for life kind of person, you're looking for the quality. And that that is growing. People are rebelling against buying stuff that wears out. They're willing to pay a little bit more. They're willing to ask the hard questions, how is this made? In order to determine whether it's worth it. I'm willing to pay more, but not for prestige. I want to pay more because it's gonna last. That's the major change we've had in the last 30 years. Paying more didn't necessarily equate with higher quality. People are now turning the tides. They said, I will, but if I'm gonna pay more than the standard, then I want it to last longer than the standard. I don't need all the fancy bells and whistles. I want it to last. The buy-it for life movement. It's always been around, but it's having a moment now. People are waking up and realizing that consumerism isn't necessarily good for anybody. Good for your wallet, good for the environment, good for anybody except Wall Street, perhaps. And maybe it's just time to go back to some of the old ways to be able to fix it, make it last, take care of it, sew it. We were a thrifty nation once. And I think in due time we're going back that way. Something to think about. Because these brands that do it earn trust the slow way over time. One Town, solar power, a hundred percent off the grid. It's a thing! We are the Tech Mobility Show.

SPEAKER_02 31:19

Are you tired of juggling multiple apps and platforms for meetings, webinars, and staying connected? Look no further than AON Meetings.com, the all-in-one browser-based platform that does it all. With AOM Meetings, you can effortlessly communicate with clients, post virtual meetings and webinars, and stay in touch with family and friends, all in one place and for one price. Here's the best part. You can enjoy a 30-day free trial. It's time to simplify your life and boost your productivity. AONMeetings.com where innovation meets connection. Get started today and revolutionize the way you communicate.

SPEAKER_03 31:52

To learn more about the Tech Mobility Show, start by visiting our website. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. The website is a treasure trove of information about me and the show, as well as where to find it on the radio across the country. Keep up with the happenings at the Tech Mobility Show by visiting Techmobility.show. That's Techmobility.show. You can also drop us a line at talk at Techmobility.show.

SPEAKER_01 32:22

In business, opportunity doesn't wait, and neither should you. At Playbook Investors Network, we connect visionary entrepreneurs with the strategies, resources, and capital they need to win. Whether you're launching, scaling, or reimagining your business, our network turns ambition into measurable success. Your vision deserves more than a plan. It deserves a playbook that works. Playbook Investors Network, where bold ideas meet bold results. Visit pincommunity.org today.

Solar Power Only: One Town's Solution for Resiliency

SPEAKER_03 32:54

Did you know that Tech Mobility has a YouTube channel? Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. Each week, I upload a few short videos of some of the hot topics that I cover during my weekly radio program. I've designed these videos to be informative and entertaining. It's another way to keep up on current mobility and technology news and information. Be sure to watch, like, and subscribe to my channel. That's the Tech Mobility Show on YouTube. Check it out. Peninsula Clean Energy plans a 100% solar-powered community microgrid to provide resilience to the town of Pescadero, and that's in California, which would serve more residents and organizations than any other community microgrid currently in the state. This is topic C. We talk about alternative energy all the time. Typically out here in the Midwest, we are talking wind. Solar has a place. What you're seeing here in this example, and this is from the magazine Microgrid Knowledge, is a point. Tess Gadero is a small town in a remote part at the end of a local utility feed in California. Weather comes in, they lose the feed. Could be days or weeks before service is restored, meaning kids can't go to school, uh, critical services are can't be delivered, the town is at risk. What do you do if the cost of replacing the feed exceeds the benefit? Up to the last 10 or 15 years, not much. But today, today, they're talking about developing this community microgrid. It will not replace the electrical feed, but it will supplement it in times and when the electrical grid is interrupted so that the town can still function to get around the frequent outages that sometimes last for weeks that they're dealing with now. This is now. In 2026, in the United States of America, there are cities and towns that still feel in some ways like a third-world country where if there's a storm or a fire or some kind of natural disaster, they could lose electrical power, which means refrigeration, which means critical services, which means safety, heat, what water, whatever, for weeks. Weeks. The three big utilities are putting up the money. The uh San Mateo County, where Pescadero is in, uh, created what they call a CCA, which is a community choice aggregator. They're the ones that take a look at the town, figure out how to survive. Critical services, what shall we wire in for resilience so the town can continue in case of an outage? So that everybody can be safe, even those that may not be directly connected into the microgrid at first. It's unique in that they are talking 100% solar power. Not backed up with a generator, not backed up with wind, solar power. You either got the grid or you got solar power. That's where they're going. Think about this. They propose 1.5 megawatts of current, direct current solar, and eight uh megawatt hours of battery energy storage generation. Now, this is they call it a microgrid for a reason. The project will only serve 100 residents, businesses, fire stations, and schools. But it will completely cover them. Which means even if you're in town, you lose power, you're not part of this grid, you should be able to come to the school as a safe place. You won't have to starve, you won't have to freeze, you won't have to worry about your medications if you're on medications that require refrigeration. And if you are a diabetic, you're probably on some that require refrigeration. Imagine if you had a safe place where you did not have to worry that even if you lost power, there would still be a way to preserve your medication, a place you could go and be safe. Being sustainable doesn't always mean giving up on conventional or traditional things. Being sustainable often means more resilience, smaller footprint, more dependability, safer communities. Because we have a way that is not easily interrupted and not dependent on the outside world, particularly if it is a large-scale extreme weather event or worse. California, you're talking mudslides, rain, earthquakes, snow, floods, all of this stuff. They're subject to all of it. If you are in a remote part of the state where you are outside of the major metropolitan areas that are not close, you need a backup plan. This is a backup plan. People outside the microgrid boundary can get help during outages by visiting one of the critical facilities. What's unique about this project, it's intentionally designed to be a true community microgrid, providing community-wide resilience. It's designed to provide 24 hours of resilience in the community even after 10 years of battery degradation and load growth. You may not think 24 hours is a long time. But depending on what you're up against, particularly if they, you know, meter it out, it could make all the difference. Particularly if you are somewhat disabled or limited in movement, don't have ready transportation, that could be everything. That could be everything. What they're including in critical critical uh part of the microgrid, a middle school, an elementary school, fire station, and the non-governmental organization which provides food distribution and medical services has been designated as critical facilities, meaning that no matter what happens, you have the ability to be safe in your community. You're not subject to being in a large city. And honestly, to be blunt with you, in a case of extreme weather or a catastrophic event, being in a large city or a major metropolitan area is no guarantee that you're any safer. I would argue you're less safe because of the largeness of everything that's going on. Now, to be fair, the community microgrid that they're proposing is currently designed to only provide resilience. They're not sure how it would operate when there's no outage. To me, you would at least have the batteries charged. I mean, honestly. Or what I would do is I would propose bigger batteries to have more charge when you know it's cheaper. Or look for a different way to, you know, capitalize uh when it's sunny or when you have power. Because it could be longer than 24 hours, and God forbid, if it's cloudy or rainy, then it becomes a whole different thing. This should have 9,000 people covered. The Pescadero Community Microgrids, what it's called.

SPEAKER_02 41:41

This is the Tech Mobility Podcast.

SPEAKER_01 41:46

Every great business starts with a spark, but taking it to the next level takes strategy, connections, and capital. That's where Playbook Investors Network comes in. We're your strategic partner for accelerating growth, navigating challenges, and capturing market opportunities before your competition does. Your business is more than an idea. Let's make it an impact. Playbook Investors Network. Your future starts here. Learn more at pincommunity.org.

SPEAKER_03 42:17

To learn more about the Tech Mobility Show, start by visiting our website. I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. The website is a treasure trove of information about me and the show, as well as where to find it on the radio across the country. Keep up with the happenings at the Tech Mobility Show by visiting Techmobility.show. You can also drop us a line at talk at TechMobility.show.

SPEAKER_02 42:42

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SPEAKER_01 43:16

You've got the drive. You've got the vision. Now you need the right partner to make it happen. At Playbook Investors Network, we power ambitious leaders with the tools, insight, and investment connections to move faster, grow stronger, and lead markets. We're more than advisors. We're your success. Because business standing still is not Playbook Investors Network, fueling ambition and delivering results.org.