On with Kara Swisher

The Man Making Self-Driving Trucks

Jun 5, 2023

In this conversation, Chris Urmson, co-founder and CEO of Aurora, shares insights from his journey building self-driving technology, including leading Google's autonomous vehicle project. He discusses the upcoming launch of Aurora's driverless truck service in Texas, delving into safety concerns, job displacement, and the necessity of human oversight. Urmson also addresses regulatory challenges and public skepticism surrounding autonomous vehicles. Tune in for a humorous anecdote about Kara's attempt to test Urmson’s own self-driving car!

57:43

Episode guests

Chris Urmson

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

2min

Navigating the Future of Automotive Innovation

6min

The Future of Autonomous Trucks and Human Oversight

3min

Navigating the Future of Self-Driving Trucks

19min

Navigating the Future of Self-Driving Trucks

14min

Regulatory Frameworks for Autonomous Vehicles

4min

Navigating the Future: Regulation and Safety in Autonomous Driving

2min

The Future of Self-Driving Cars

6min

Tesla’s self-driving ambitions (and the company’s recent recall) may dominate the conversation when it comes to autonomous driving, but they’re not the only players in the space. This week, Kara’s talking to CEOs whose driverless vehicles are being roadtested. First up: Chris Urmson, co-founder and CEO of Aurora, which will launch its driverless truck service next year in Texas. They discuss safety, job displacement and the time that Kara tried to hit Urmson with his own driverless car. (Spoiler alert: It didn’t work.)

BTW, do you have any burning questions on career, love or life you’d like Kara or Nayeema’s advice on? If so, call 1-888-KARA-PLZ and leave us a voice mail.

Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on Instagram. We’re @karaswisher and @nayeemaraza.

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