Shift: A podcast about mobility

March 13 marks the 20-year anniversary of the inaugural DARPA Grand Challenge race which catalyzed interest in self-driving technology. DARPA director Tony Tether, Carnegie Mellon University’s Red Whittaker, Waymo’s Melissa Dumas Grimm and Pronto’s Anthony Levandowski offer reflections on that race and how it steered the course of automated-driving development.

The co-leader of Boston Consulting Group’s Center for Mobility Innovation discusses complications in deploying automated-driving technology and points to limited EV offerings a contributing factor behind a sales slowdown.

Exploring the impact of digital technology on vehicle development, challenges in transitioning to electric vehicles, the importance of charging infrastructure, and the future of personal mobility with smaller, more efficient vehicles. Discussions on hydrogen and electric vehicles optimizing transportation and energy systems, and the challenges traditional automakers face in transitioning to autonomy.

Reichmuth, a senior engineer in the organization’s Clean Transportation Program, examines if plug-in hybrids will lead to reduced emissions amid renewed interest and calls out automakers with inefficient PHEV offerings.

Sanjay Arya, the head of innovation for index product at Morningstar, and Jonathan Geurkink, a senior research analyst for mobility and supply chain tech at Pitchbook, explain what venture capital investment says about mobility tech and why there is optimism about a competitor for Tesla’s supercharger network.

The chief technology officer at Panasonic Automotive details advances on software-defined vehicles and what they mean for consumers.

Russell Hensley, McKinsey's Center for Future Mobility, shares insights on software, autonomy, and electrification transitions in the auto industry. Topics include battery issues in cold weather for EVs, GM and Honda's collaboration on hydrogen fuel cells, challenges and changes in the auto industry, and navigating transitions in the industry.

Anthony Levandowski, CEO and co-founder of Pronto, discusses off-road autonomy and the status of self-driving technology. He also explains the founding of the Way Of The Future church as a framework for harnessing AI. Topics include the evolution of auto shows, the state of self-driving technology, and the significance of using a church for developing AI. Levandowski shares his ongoing work and future projects in the field of self-driving and off-road autonomy.

Maria Anhalt, CEO of Elektrobit, and Qualcomm VP discuss software-defined vehicles and their impact on the automotive industry. Topics include the difference between hydrogen and green hydrogen as energy sources, the trend of open source in the auto industry, observations and trends at CES, and the challenges faced by traditional automakers. They also mention collaboration with AWS on cloud native development and insights on software defined vehicle development.

Michael Dunne, an expert on Asia's automakers and CEO of Dunne Insights, discusses China's dominance in the automotive industry, the rise of Chinese automakers, and the fear traditional automakers should have of BYD. He also highlights China's control over battery materials and technology for EVs and Tesla's use of blade batteries. The chapter touches on software-defined vehicles, rising car prices, and Chinese automakers' potential strategy in the lower-end market.