The holiday season is approaching, which means it is time for all you AV fanatics to start getting your shopping lists ready! To help you out, PAVE has assembled the Third Annual PAVE Gift Guide with the latest and greatest in AV-related gifts. From books and movies to robotics and toys, we’ve got you covered.
We’ve put together a list of truly unique gifts that won’t disappoint, and we’ve included ideas for everyone on your list, across all ages and levels of AV knowledge.
Enjoy browsing the list below, and – if you need further inspiration! – you can check out our 2020 and 2021 gift guides for additional ideas.
Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season!
Michael Keaton as Batman with Batmobile Photo Print (30 x 24) ($47.66)
Who could forget Michael Keaton’s iconic 1989 Batman? Of the many amazing scenes in the movie, we love watching the Batmobile navigating the streets of Gotham City by itself – following the call from Batman, who just completed a busy night of fighting crime. This photo print captures the hero posing ominously in front of his special-purpose autonomous Batmobile.
Cloudpainter.com (Cost is Variable – NFTs)
Pindar Van Arman is an American artist and robotist who unites these two worlds to create AI-powered painting robots. His website, cloudpainter.com, explains that his art involves deconstructing his own creative process… and then teaching it to painting robots. You can purchase these unique pieces as NFTs on his website.
Coloring books aren’t just for kids anymore! This coloring book boasts 90 pages of depictions of future vehicles, allowing artists of all ages to explore the possibilities of the transportation future. And if you love your work, Amazon points out the pages are suitable for framing.
This children’s book introduces basic AV concepts through a rhyme-filled adventure. It has vibrant illustrations, a drawing activity for kids to imagine their own self-driving car, and a story that introduces readers to challenges that AVs may face – and how to navigate them. It’s never too early to expose curious young minds to the world of AV technology!
In Inventing Mobility for All: Mastering Mobility-as-a-service With Self-driving Vehicles, AV leaders Herrmann and Jungwirth reflect on the society-changing potential of AVs — for individuals with mobility challenges, for the environment, and for urban design, among other benefits. We were excited by the book based on the authors alone – JJ leads Mobility-as-a-Service for PAVE member Mobileye, and Andreas Herrmann was one of the two founders of PAVE Europe – but even with our positive predisposition, we were blown away by their insightful look at the extraordinary potential of this technology.
Just when you think there can’t be more to say about the trolley problem… a thoughtful new book lands in your lap. Autonomous Vehicle Ethics explores the ethical, legal, and philosophical questions about how AV technology interacts with humans, and the moral dilemmas that emerge as AV technology becomes more prolific. This book gives readers insight into some of the biggest challenges that must be overcome before AV technology evolves to the next level.
Westworld Seasons 3 & 4 (Season 3: $28.99, Season 4 Pre-Order: $29.99)
Westworld is a dystopian western television series, based on Michael Crichton’s 1973 film, set in a high-tech amusement park run by android hosts. But if a robot-run, wild-west amusement park isn’t enough of a thrill for you, seasons 3 and 4 also boast pretty cool depictions of what SAE Level 5 AV technology could look like. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”9045″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]
Meet Zumi – The car that learns as you learn ($179.99)
Meet Zumi: an adorable little robotic car you build yourself. Zumi teaches basic concepts of AV technology and exposes users to some basic coding techniques for customizing your car. There is also a version for educators.
Disney Pixar The Incredible Remote Control Vehicle – Incredibles 2 ($49.99)
It is hard to think of a more heroic self-driving car than the Incredibile, which is Mr. Incredible’s four-wheeled, crime-fighting sidekick through the classic Disney films. While this remote control version may not be as autonomous as its on-screen namesake, it’s a fun tribute for kids.
AUTONOMOUS CARS SCHOOL PACK ($2,990)
This one is perfect for educators! This learning system includes five programmable cars as well as lesson plans, classroom activities, and simulation tools. It’s a hefty price tag, but a great way to teach STEM concepts and inspire young minds about the possibilities of AVs.
MyAGV: Autonomous Navigation Smart 4-Wheel Drive Vehicle ($849)
Do you want your own personal AV? Check out the MyAGV:Autonomous Navigation Smart 4-Wheel Drive Vehicle. Sure, you may not be able to *ride* in this particular AV, but you can customize it to carry items, or you can attach robotic arms to create a robotic assistant. Equipped with lidar and camera sensor technology, this is a must-have for the serious AV enthusiast.
AV Snowblower: Snowbot S1 Pro (Prices for Kickstarter Supporters $2,999)
Have you spent too many mornings pushing a snowblower up the driveway or shoveling heavy loads of snow? With the Snowbot S1 Pro, you can enjoy a warm cup of hot cocoa in your pjs while this robotic snowblower does the hard part for you! And the Snowbot is emission-free to boot.
Sunflower Labs Beehive AV Drone Security System (Base Systems Leased at around $4-$5 an hour)
Looking for increased security for your business? The Sunflower Labs AV Drone Security System is a new way to provide secure monitoring for commercial properties. It isn’t meant for personal use, but the system can monitor an area of up to four acres and requires no remote piloting.
Knightscope K3 ASR (Service Quote After Consultation)
For indoor, on-the-ground security that never quits, the Knightscope K3 ASR security robot is a great piece of equipment. The system features autonomous charging, detection and navigation, including detecting thermal anomalies with its sensor suite. The robot allows for two-way communication with humans, emergency distress call features, and even broadcasts live alerts through a speaker system.
Wind River Self-Driving Car VR (Free to Install)
The Wind River app is a great way to have the autonomous vehicle experience – right from the palm of your hand! The Wind River app is an immersive virtual reality experience that allows you to simulate the look and feel of a ride in a self-driving car. And it’s free to download!
Ride-Hailing – Waymo One™ (Cost Varies)
If you live in the East Valley of Arizona, you should check out the new ride hailing service Waymo One. This fully-autonomous experience can get you where you need to go, while giving you a look at the future of automated mobility. Just download the Waymo One app, reserve a ride, and off you go!
Ride Hailing – Lyft Autonomous (Cost Varies)
And for those of you in the Las Vegas area, you, too, can experience the thrill of an AV ride! Lyft’s AV ride-hailing service is an incredible addition to this city full of one-of-a-kind experiences.
The Autoware Foundation is a non-profit organization supporting open-source projects enabling self-driving mobility. The Autoware Foundation, which believes that everyone should reap the benefits of self-driving technology, has built a large following of contributors and numerous free-access projects. The organization’s software, autoware.ai, is used by more than 100 companies and runs on more than 30 vehicles in more than 20 different countries.
If you are looking for an excellent open-source AV simulator, SUMMIT, or Simulator for Urban Driving in Massive Mixed Traffic, is a great place to start. SUMMIT promotes the advancement and testing of crowd-driving algorithms.
In the 2021 PAVE Gift Guide, we highlighted the adorable AV world of Duckietown. This year, we delve further into the Duckietown universe with a simulator called GymDuckietown. In the simulator, your Duckiebot navigates a busy world with other Duckiebots, roads, and intersections, and you can experience a wide range of scenarios. Did we mention it’s also adorable?
The Moral Machine is a virtual thought experiment, where you travel a murky road of moral choice related to autonomous vehicles and AI decision making. In the Moral Machine, AVs face scenarios including moral dilemmas, and the user selects the outcome. This website allows users to design their own scenarios, as well.
