The founder and CEO of Luminar Technologies lays out lidar’s role in dramatically reducing traffic deaths, the company’s march toward industrialization and a new deal with Nissan that brings lidar to the mass market.

Luminar's Austin Russell envisions lidar as a ‘21st century seatbelt’ (Episode 148)

The principal research analyst at Guidehouse Insights discusses the state of the robotaxi industry, his annual autonomous-vehicle leaderboard rankings, and whether consumer are ready to embrace electric vehicles.

Sam Abuelsamid examines whether AVs, EVs are ready for prime time

The CEO and co-founder of TeraWatt infrastructure discusses the upcoming launch of a fleet-focused charging network, working with utility companies to meet power needs, and raising $1.1 billion to accelerate electrification efforts.

TeraWatt’s Neha Palmer plans to charge EV fleets across America

The Green Hills Software CEO and The Dawn Project founder catalogs his concerns about the safety of Tesla’s Autopilot and “Full Self Driving” driver-assistance systems. He further scrutinizes the problems associated with software in safety-critical systems.

Dawn Project’s Dan O’Dowd takes on Tesla

Drake, Ford’s vice president of electric vehicle programs and energy supply chain, shares her outlook on the EV future amid a slowdown in sales growth and explains why systemic change is necessary to create more opportunities for women in the industry. Drake was a keynote speaker at Automotive News Leading Women conference May 21. She spoke with reporter Hannah Lutz.

Ford’s Lisa Drake on the EV, hybrid future

On a special episode of Shift, Automotive News staffers are contestants on a game show about electric vehicle sounds. That is followed by an explanation of the factors driving electric vehicle sound design.

What should an EV sound like?

The oil company’s director of strategic partnerships details efforts in renewable fuels, hydrogen and carbon capture, examines energy and auto industry synergies, and updates Chevron's work with Toyota and Cummins.

Chevron’s Kaustav Sinha explores multiple paths in the energy transition

Ahead of the July 4th holiday, historically a deadly date on U.S. roads, the Kiefer Foundation chairman details the steps that tech companies, automakers, lawmakers and individual drivers can all take to stop distracted driving and improve traffic safety.

Steve Kiefer on eradicating the scourge of distracted driving

John O’Leary, CEO of Daimler Truck North America, discusses where he thinks hydrogen fits in commercial trucking and what role incentives play in increasing vehicle affordability. He also shares his perspective on charging infrastructure availability.

John O’Leary on the affordability gap for zero-emissions vehicles

The founder and CEO of The Road To Autonomy examines the new Rivian-Volkswagen joint venture, casts some doubts on the auto industry’s electrification push and explores the broader mobility business landscape.

Grayson Brulte on the rocky rollout of software-defined vehicles

The investor, advisor and former U.S. DOT senior scientist links the emerging eVTOL industry with America’s global innovation leadership. She further explains how aviation must be better integrated with other transportation options.

Sarasina Tuchen previews air mobility’s third chapter

The chief business development officer and founder of FirstElement Fuel details what it really takes to build hydrogen fueling infrastructure and the overall state of the nascent hydrogen ecosystem in California and beyond.

FirstElement Fuel’s Shane Stephens unlocks hydrogen-powered transportation (Part I)

Although hydrogen may cost more initially, the FirstElement Fuel co-founder and chief business development officer argues hydrogen-powered trucks will be more efficient and viable than battery-electric counterparts at scale.

FirstElement Fuel’s Shane Stephens on hydrogen trucks’ long-term advantage (Part II)

The founder and CEO of the multi-city EV festival details the impact of a shift from early adopters to mass-market consumers and identifies counterintuitive ways to drive adoption of electric vehicles.

Electrify Expo’s BJ Birtwell on the ways to win EV curious consumers

The chair of the automated and connected vehicle practice at law firm Venable breaks down California’s new draft regulations regarding autonomous trucks. Further, he details the state of AV laws and regulations –- or absence thereof -- across the country.

Ariel Wolf examines California’s tipping point on self-driving trucks

Shift brings two timely conversations this week. First, Austin Russell explores what it takes to industrialize lidar at a time of turbulence in the industry. Then, Jeff Allen, previews the Forth electric transportation conference as it moves to Detroit.

Luminar CEO Austin Russell | Forth director Jeff Allen

False starts and missteps define the auto industry’s initial attempts to build software-defined vehicles. In this panel discussion from Automotive News Congress, experts detailed the right way to prioritize software and unlock its transformative potential.
The panel includes Bosch’s Stefan Buerkle, Intel Automotive’s Rebeca Delgado, Gentex CEO Steve Downing, General Motors’ Achim Pantfoerder and Ford Motor Co.’s Alex Purdy.

Navigating the path toward developing software-defined vehicles

Kristy Fleischmann Groncki and Stephanie Leach, both of the clean energy solutions team at Baltimore Gas and Electric, detail first-of-their-kind initiatives which allow EV owners and utilities to explore time-of-use charging cooperation and vehicle-to-home power used in parallel with the grid.

Here’s how a leading utility company has prepared for the EV transition

Mobility expert Selika Josiah Talbott and SkillFusion CEO Elaina Farnsworth offer a pragmatic look at how the 2024 election results could bolster mobility innovation, affect the zero-emission transition and impact the American workforce of the future.

Looking at how the election outcome might sway U.S. transportation policy

The University of South Carolina professor and autonomous-driving safety expert discusses Tesla’s Cybercab rollout, Waymo’s growing operations, and how self-driving rules, regulations and laws might be shaped by upcoming elections.

Bryant Walker Smith examines the state of the self-driving industry

The co-founder and CEO of startup Croft unveils plans for a hydrogen-powered pickup truck, details new technology that circumvents an intractable infrastructure barrier, and explains how a hydrogen movement comprised of “gearheads, rednecks and mad scientists” can help sustain the legacy of the automobile.

Croft’s Roderick Blevins foments a ‘hydrogen rebellion’ (episode 277)

The founder and CEO of Bot Auto showcases his new startup, recounts his fraught experience at TuSimple and explains what it really takes to ensure self-driving trucks are profitable. Bonus: He details his passion for music, from classical to Judas Priest.

Bot Auto’s Xiaodi Hou takes his second stab at self-driving trucks (episode 278)

Mobility strategist Selika Josiah Talbott and Michigan chief mobility officer Justine Johnson detail the prospect of a ‘mobility czar’ overseeing policy for autonomous and electric vehicles. Further, they discuss the role states can play in fostering innovation amid a changing federal landscape.

How a ‘mobility czar’ could bolster transportation innovation

The vice president at consulting firm Gartner, Inc. analyses General Motors’ decision to abandon robotaxi development and pivot its Cruise subsidiary toward personally owned vehicles. Further, he discusses the steep challenges legacy automakers like GM face in sustaining big technology bets.

Gartner’s Mike Ramsey sorts through the Cruise rubble (episode 280)

The CEO of the Consumer Technology Association spotlights transportation technology headlines from the upcoming CES show in Las Vegas. Further, he offers candid thoughts on growing trade tensions and what it will take for American companies to survive and thrive amid global uncertainty.

Gary Shapiro outlines a ‘pivot or die’ strategy ahead of CES 2025 (Episode 281)

Ahead of CES, the CEO of DARPA-backed startup details artificial-intelligence advances that prioritize energy efficiency and eliminate memory bottlenecks. Further, he explains the impact of such gains in vehicle computing architecture and the ability to add new AI features.

EnCharge AI’s Naveen Verma pioneers chips that could upend vehicle computing architectures

From Las Vegas, BCG analyst Augustin Wegscheider provides an overview of auto-tech trends at CES. Then Mobileye chief technology officer Shai Shalev-Shwartz details the company’s plans for evolving its driver-assist features into fully autonomous vehicles.

CES: BCG’s Augustin Wegscheider | Mobileye’s Shai Shalev-Shwartz (Episode 283)

The executive director of the Coalition for Reimagined Mobility, part of the Securing America’s Future Energy think tank, breaks down new Commerce Department rules that keep Chinese and Russian software and hardware out of the connected-vehicle supply chain.

Further, he discusses the state of America’s competitiveness with China in commercializing new transportation technology at meaningful scale.

Avery Ash examines U.S. crackdown on Chinese connected-car tech (Episode 284)

Nuro COO Andrew Chapin and Vice President of Engineering Tilo Schwarz explain the company’s pivot from developing bespoke delivery bots toward licensing automated driving tech to carmakers and others. Further, they detail testing efforts on private and public roads.

Bye-bye bots: Nuro concentrates on licensing its self-driving tech (Episode 285)

The General Motors senior vice president of software and service engineering details efforts to build a software-oriented culture, explains why the company eschewed Apple CarPlay and examines similarities between Apple and GM’s product-first focus.

Dave Richardson on developing GM’s software ‘muscle’ (Episode 286)

In the Season 1 finale of “Futurismo,” Automotive News’ podcast series about the future of the auto industry, we take a look at how vehicles will change in the age of ride-hailing — how they will work, their level of technology, their very nature.

“Futurismo” sat down with experts from Lyft and the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., to learn about the challenges of designing and engineering this new breed of car, one that will play a vastly different role in society. 

We also tell the story of the Taxi of Tomorrow, New York City’s effort to create the perfect shared vehicle of the future.

The Ownerless Car (Season 1, Episode 6)

On Shift: A podcast about mobility, Automotive News tech and innovation team leader Pete Bigelow takes an optimistic yet skeptical eye at the new tech and business models planned for the auto industry.
 
Shift is a production of Automotive News, the leading publication covering the auto industry. Check out our reporting online at autonews.com/shift and follow us on Twitter @Automotive_News.

Shift: A podcast about mobility

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