

Shift: A podcast about mobility
Automotive News
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 14, 2023 • 32min
SBD Automotive’s Robert Fisher on why EV range anxiety might be overstated
SBD Automotive’s domain principal for EV discusses to what extent vehicle owners view their brands as leaders in sustainability, why software is a stronger motivator for EV purchases in China, and how increasing awareness about the environmental costs of battery production might impact adoption.

Aug 7, 2023 • 40min
Jeff Farrah on the “immense challenge” facing the self-driving industry
The executive director of the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association discusses the anti-AV sentiment brewing in California, efforts to revive federal legislation, and what self-driving tech’s rollout says about American competitiveness.

Jul 30, 2023 • 28min
General Motors’ Charlie Freese on the potential for hydrogen fuel cells
The executive director of GM’s hydrogen fuel cell business highlights the automaker’s decades-long history with fuel cell technology, explains when to use fuel cells vs. electric vehicle batteries and shares how GM is taking the technology to other industries. The episode is part of an Automotive News project on hydrogen fuel cell technology.

Jul 23, 2023 • 44min
Motional’s Balajee Kannan on what it takes to run a robotaxi business
The vice president of autonomy at Motional, a joint venture between Hyundai and Aptiv, breaks down the company’s “measured” approach to using self-driving technology to underpin a revenue-generating business.

Jul 17, 2023 • 27min
Qmerit’s Tracy Price says EV charger electrician shortage could complicate rollout
The convergence of “megawatts and megabytes” requires a new skillset for electricians who will install and maintain the nation’s emerging network of EV chargers, says Price, CEO of Qmerit. Price highlights the challenges to recruiting and quickly training EV charger technicians, identifies charging differences in urban, suburban, and rural areas, and explains why some automakers likely felt like they had to add Tesla’s charging connectors.

Jul 9, 2023 • 26min
Reporter roundtable: Vigilantes thwart San Francisco AVs, Lordstown's beef with Foxconn
Automotive News reporters Pete Bigelow and Molly Boigon discuss robotaxi problems in San Francisco, Volkswagen’s return to Austin, Texas, Lordstown’s Chapter 11 filing and progress along the Energy Department’s hydrogen roadmap.

Jul 2, 2023 • 39min
Navier’s Sampriti Bhattacharyya says waterways are the new highways
The CEO and co-founder of the electric, hydrofoiling boat startup Navier explores the quiet potential of e-boats in marine transportation and how better utilized waterways can carry both passengers and goods, alleviating on-road traffic.

Jun 25, 2023 • 41min
Dawn Project’s Dan O’Dowd takes on Tesla
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.

Jun 18, 2023 • 40min
TeraWatt’s Neha Palmer plans to charge EV fleets across America
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.

Jun 11, 2023 • 43min
Department of Energy’s Michael Berube on the push toward decarbonizing transportation
The deputy assistant secretary provides a status report on the DOE’s Hydrogen Hub initiative, the role of the national laboratories in researching new battery technology and progress toward electrification across America.


