Along the way, officially-sanctioned buskers and street entertainers are on hand to amuse the crowds, and music pumps from speakers -- though it can't drown out the cheers of fans inside the arenas.
And because the system knows exactly where each driver is, it won't drown drivers in a running commentary about what's happening on the other side of town (unless the other side of town is the destination they have programmed into their navigation systems).
New York remains an underdog when it comes to both surfing and technology: It isn't clear whether the bulk of start-ups here will thrive or drown trying.