Driving Behavior by Design: MIT CSAIL Professor Sam Madden on the Science of Safer Roads with AI

Can your phone make you a safer driver? Or is it part of the
problem? MIT CSAIL Professor Sam Madden shares the origin story of
Cambridge Mobile Telematics, a CSAIL spinout using smartphones and
AI to prevent car crashes and save lives. In this episode,
Professor Madden joins host Kara Miller to explore how
accelerometers, algorithms, and well-timed incentives are
transforming how we understand and improve driver behavior.
Professor Madden reflects on surprising data trends, like why crash
rates haven’t fallen despite better car tech, and how the
ubiquitous smartphone became a key tool for reducing risk on the
road. He also dives into how generative AI is reshaping software
development, what it means for education and programming skills,
and why trust and privacy remain top concerns when deploying AI
across sensitive industries. Covering distracted driving,
autonomous vehicles, behavioral nudges, and business
infrastructure, Professor Madden reveals what’s working and where
the road ahead leads. Topics include: The history of Cambridge
Mobile Telematics The realities of traffic accidents How your phone
can track your driving safety Turning your data into a narrative
The corrosive effects of phones Learn more about Professor Madden
on his website: https://db.csail.mit.edu/madden/ Or his CSAIL page:
https://www.csail.mit.edu/person/sam-madden Read our case study on
Cambridge Mobile Telematics:
https://cap.csail.mit.edu/sites/default/files/2023-05/CMT_Case%20Study%20Template_2022.pdf
Connect with CSAIL Alliances: On our site:
https://cap.csail.mit.edu/about-us/meet-our-team On X:
https://x.com/csail_alliances On LinkedIn:
https://linkedin.com/company/mit-csail