I just returned from covering the Consumer Telematics Conference in Las Vegas. This conference brings together automakers, suppliers, tech startups and investors. The annual meeting is a good way to take stock of how things have changed.

My biggest takeaway is that connected-car data–rather than autonomous driving–was the most important topic. With self-driving pilots underway and most automakers firm in their autonomous development cycles, the energy is now directed toward making the immense amounts of data generated by connected cars usable.

Winning the Race for Consumer Confidence and Data

 

AdWords and self-service advertising transformed the ad landscape. So far, television ads are the last holdout against automation. But programmatic TV is coming.

TV Ad Tech’s Self-Service Opportunities

Phoenix Commons is a cool loft project in Oakland’s Jingletown–for folks 55 and older. I’d live there! The residents are on a mission to change the way we look at aging.

Design for Living over 55

 

This was a fun and also eye-opening piece for me to report.  President Obama’s new regulation requires employers to pay overtime to staff making as much as $50,000 a year. The question my article was supposed to answer was, what are advertising agencies doing now to improve work/life balance for their staff?

It sounds like a lot of fun to work at these agencies, with classes, outings and trips. On the downside, junior staffers work days, evenings and weekends. What do you think? Would these perks drive you to work day and night?

Overtime Pay? Try Yoga Instead

 

I’m a big fan of the Motor City. If I wasn’t so settled in Berkeley, I’d definitely move there. I occasionally do some lifestyle/culture writing and this was a fun piece.

I didn’t choose the title; Detroit is much cooler than Oakland.

The photo is by Jesse Welter, who leads photo expeditions all over the city.

http://www.oaklandmagazine.com/Oakland-Magazine/October-2014/Detroit-As-An-Oakland-Doppelganger/

I’m experimenting with Contently, a new service for freelance writers. It’s slightly painful to curate and organize clips, but it’s an interesting way to create a profile. (Also, please check it out if you’re interested in hiring me.)

Here’s my profile:

Susan Kuchinskas