Autonocast #341: Boris Sofman of Bedrock Robotics
Jul 31, 2025
Boris Sofman, co-founder of Anki and former lead at Waymo, is now revolutionizing the construction industry as the CEO of Bedrock Robotics. He discusses why autonomous equipment for heavy machinery is an untapped goldmine. Sofman explains the advantages of focusing on construction over public-road autonomy, highlighting the unique opportunities in this environment. He also shares insights on fundraising and leveraging lessons from Anki and Waymo to shape his new venture. With a keen eye on labor shortages and regulatory dynamics, he envisions a data-driven future for construction.
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Transcript
Episode notes
Sequence Capabilities, Separate Safety
- Construction sites let you decouple capability growth from safety by sequencing features over time.
- This makes long-tail safety less of a blocker compared with public-road autonomy.
Autonomy As A Digital Operator
- Bedrock applies Waymo-style autonomy to heavy machinery, starting with excavators.
- The goal is to turn machines into a digital operator and supply labor plus fleet services.
Don't Race Waymo On Public Roads
- Avoid competing directly with incumbent giant players like Waymo on public-road autonomy.
- Instead, find domains where the Waymo approach hasn't been applied and where you can reach market faster.