Episode 331 | Autonomy Markets: The Most Valuable Part of Your Next Car Isn't Autonomy

Sep 13, 2025

Walter Piecyk, an equity analyst known for his insights into telecommunications, joins the discussion about the evolving AI landscape in vehicles. They analyze the competition between xAI's Grok and Google's Gemini, debating whether these systems will act merely as assistants or evolve into fully-fledged copilots. The conversation highlights Tesla's expansion plans in Phoenix and California, along with SpaceX's $19 billion spectrum deal, emphasizing the potential of AI integration as a game-changer in the automotive sector.

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INSIGHT

AI Will Move From Answers To Vehicle Control

In-car AIs like Grok currently act as Q&A assistants but will likely gain permissions to control vehicle functions via software updates.
Full integration depends on OEM software granting access and safety firewalls evolving between media and control systems.

ADVICE

Let Consumers Decide In-Car Platform Wars

Expect heavy negotiation between OEMs and big software players over who controls the in-car experience.
Let consumers decide by preference and pricing because they'll ultimately vote with their wallets.

INSIGHT

Corporate Politics Shape In-Car AI Choices

Integrating third-party AI into vehicle stacks is often political and governed at the corporate level, not just the vehicle team.
Past examples like YouTube Music removal from Waymo show internal conflicts can block integration.

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This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss the rapidly shifting landscape of AI inside of vehicles, exploring how xAI’s Grok and Google’s Gemini are shaping the future of in-vehicle experiences.

Grayson and Walt debate whether these AI systems will remain as assistants limited to Q&A or evolve into agentic copilots capable of controlling everything from “car wash mode” to trip planning and operating the traditional in-cabin functions of a vehicle.

They draw parallels to historical tech battles, from Apple CarPlay’s removal by GM to the politics within Alphabet that may slow Gemini’s rollout inside Waymo vehicles. The discussion underscores how the integration of AI into vehicles could become one of the most valuable battlegrounds in autonomy.

Beyond AI integration, the conversation expands into the latest market moves across autonomy. Tesla’s upcoming expansion to Phoenix, Las Vegas, and California airports takes center stage, alongside SpaceX’s $19 billion spectrum acquisition and its implications for connectivity in robotaxis.

Episode Chapters

0:00 Qualcomm on The Road to Autonomy

2:51 Grok vs Gemini: Who Will Own the Future of AI In-Vehicle?

12:33 Tensor Auto

14:40 Tesla’s Planned Robotaxi Expansions

20:19 SpaceX / EchoStar Spectrum Deal

23:48 Zoox Las Vegas Launch

27:17 May Mobility’s Launch in Atlanta on Lyft

31:41 Do May Mobility Cars go to Lyft or Uber First?

34:12 Waymo’s Emerging Hyundai Risk

36:30 Kodiak Delivers First Factory Upfitted Autonomous Truck

38:35 Autonomous Trucking Industry

40:43 Next Week

Recorded on Friday, September 12, 2025

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