The Road to Autonomy

Sumanoharan Narayanan, Director of Engineering, Automated Technology Group, Daimler Trucks North America joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss the development of the autonomous-ready Freightliner Cascadia.Episode Chapters0:00 How do you Build an Autonomous Truck04:47 The Idea Behind Daimler Trucks Autonomous Trucking Program8:34 The First Step in Building an Autonomous Truck11:33 Designing an Autonomous Truck15:37 Retrofitting18:07 Autonomous Ready Cascadia Propulsion & Reduncy Systems 31:20 Technicians and Maintenance34:37 When Do Mirrors Go Away?38:17 Sensor Suite44:26 Tesla Semi52:18 Future of Autonomous Trucking57:40 Key Takeaways --------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy® is a leading source of data, insight and commentary on autonomous vehicles/trucks and the emerging autonomy economy™.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/autonomy-economy/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk, discuss Wall Street's perspective on autonomy, the implications that autonomy could have on Uber and whether it'a s strength or weakness for Uber. Along with the impact of Tesla entering the robotaxi market and the growth of Waymo.Later in the conversation they explore topics such as the potential for autonomous vehicles to be marketed as a premium service, the challenges of integrating Chinese-made vehicles into U.S. markets, and the future of food delivery services.Episode Chapters0:00 Wall Street's Perspective on Autonomy3:33 Uber13:01 Autonomous Vehicle Insurance16:32 Autonomy as a Premium Service18:55 Waymo30:37 Uber Freight33:42 Delivery (Uber Eats & Instacart)38:46 Until Next WeekRecorded on September 5, 2024--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy® is a leading source of data, insight and commentary on autonomous vehicles/trucks and the emerging autonomy economy™.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/autonomy-economy/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bruce Franklin is the Senior Director of Automotive at Micron, a company leading in automotive memory technology for over 30 years. He discusses the evolution of memory needs in vehicles, from basic infotainment to advanced driver assistance systems and the critical role memory plays in autonomous vehicles. Franklin addresses the challenges of digital addiction affecting future drivers and highlights how memory innovations can drive safer roads and reduce fatalities. He also shares insights on Micron's strategic investments and commitment to enhancing in-vehicle experiences.

Rajat Bhageria, Founder & CEO, Chef Robotics joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss the future of automation in food industry and the impact of rising labor costs.Chef is addressing the critical labor shortage in the food industry that is being driven by higher labor costs and increased turnover through automation. They’ve developed and deployed robots that are capable of performing assembly and plating tasks with high precision and consistency by leveraging computer vision. Their robots are designed to be seamlessly integrated into existing production lines, occupying the same footprint as a human worker. Chef’s systems can handle a variety of food items and are particularly adept at “scoopable” foods. To enable food packaging companies the ability implement the automation system without a high CapEx investment, Chef is deploying the system as a “robotics as a service” model as a yearly subscription with ongoing software and hardware updates.Companies that have implemented a Chef system have seen a 20% increase in production capacity, significant reduction in food waste (giveaway) and improved food portion consistency.Episode Chapters0:00 California Fast Food Minimum Wage4:36 Chef6:31 Packaging and Plating 10:33 Chef Autonomous System23:50 Food Portion Consistency26:25 Chef Commercial Model30:50 Customer Results33:07 Why Chef?35:06 Installing Chef37:08 Inspiration Behind Chef39:58 Food Packaging Automation42:59 Key Takeaways--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy® is a leading source of data, insight and commentary on autonomous vehicles/trucks and the emerging autonomy economy™.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/autonomy-economy/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Andreas Wendel, CTO, Kodiak joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss developing a versatile autonomous driving business. Chapters0:00 Developing an Autonomous Driving Stack7:10 Verifiable AI 10:49 Maps13:07 Autonomy for the Military 16:07 SensorPods22:36 Changing Approach to the Autonomous Driving Stack26:47 Moving Away from LiDAR29:17 Launching Fully Autonomous Operations with Atlas Energy34:40 Hardware Enclosures 37:18 Operating Environments and Future Vehicles 41:05 Growing The Kodiak Business44:14 Key Takeaways --------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy® is a leading source of data, insight and commentary on autonomous vehicles/trucks and the emerging autonomy economy™.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/autonomy-economy/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The future of battery recycling is a closed loop ecosystem. David Klanecky, CEO of Cirba Solutions joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast for a wide-ranging discussion about the future of battery recycling.With growing demand for critical minerals, geopolitics and fluctuating commodity prices it's vitally important to build out the closed loop ecosystem of battery recycling. Batteries from consumer devices, electric vehicles, and industrial applications can all be recycled and enter a second phase of life if the right protocols are put in place at the end of life of the product.In addition to the environmental benefits of battery recycling, including a reduced carbon footprint and the creation of a closed-loop supply chain for battery materials, there are positive economic implications.Recycled batteries could potentially lower the cost of electric vehicles and other battery-powered devices. For this to happen, a closed loop ecosystem will have to be developed, scaled and monetized.Chapters0:00 Current State of Battery Recycling Market5:24 Quality Control8:13 More Efficient Battery Recycling12:05 Battery Recycling Process17:21 Commodities21:57 Battery Degradation23:16 Recycled Batteries29:08 Maritime Batteries31:14 Solid-State Batteries33:39 Future of Battery Recycling Business36:15 Key Takeaways--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy® is a leading source of data, insight and commentary on autonomous vehicles/trucks and the emerging autonomy economy™.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/autonomy-economy/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kevin Damoa, Founder & CEO, Glīd Technologies joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss Glīd’s autonomous to rail system.Kevin is a veteran with two tours in Iraq and experience in the National Guard, is the entrepreneur behind Glīd, a company developing autonomous vehicles capable of operating on both rail and road. Glīd’s technology aims to revolutionize first-mile logistics and intermodal operations.One of Glīd’s key advantages is its ability to eliminate multiple material handling steps in the logistics process, potentially reducing carbon emissions and improving efficiency. Beyond logistics innovation, Glīd has a strong social mission. The company plans to create jobs in marginalized communities near ports and rail yards, offering training and employment opportunities without requiring formal education. This approach aims to provide economic mobility and inspire future generations.Looking ahead, Glīd aims to democratize first-mile transportation, starting in the United States with plans to expand globally. Their goal is to improve logistics efficiency, reduce costs, and positively impact communities adjacent to ports and rail yards, potentially contributing to lower consumer prices and an improved quality of life.Chapters0:00 Military Service0:53 Inspiration for Glīd1:39 Glīd Weight Restrictions3:21 Maintaining Glīd4:25 Job Creation7:45 Glīd Target Markets9:07 Glīd System19:54 Road to Rail Transition24:02 Railroads25:04 Regulatory26:43 State of Glīd’s Technology28:13 SpaceX Manufacturing29:30 Romeo Power31:32 Future of Glīd--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy® is a leading source of data, insight and commentary on autonomous vehicles/trucks and the emerging autonomy economy™.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/autonomy-economy/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You bought a personally owned autonomous vehicle (self-driving car). But do you need insurance? Wondering how you are going to insure the vehicle? Sergey Litvinenko, CEO of Koop Insurance joined Grayson Brulte on Autonomy Insights to explain how insurance and personally owned autonomous vehicles will work and who will be responsible in a crash.Chapters0:00 Insuring Personally Owned Autonomous Vehicles4:30 What Happens in a Crash? Who is Responsible?8:05 OEMs as Insurance Companies10:44 Reinsuring the Risk12:45 Future of Personally Owned Autonomous Vehicle Insurance--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy® is a leading source of data, insight and commentary on autonomous vehicles/trucks and the emerging autonomy economy™. Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/autonomy-economy/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Pete Bigelow, Senior Reporter, Automotive News joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss Alphabet's additional $5 billion investment into Waymo, energy storage and traditional automakers autonomy strategies.Chapters0:00 Alphabet Goes All In on Waymo7:17 Waymo compared to Uber in San Francisco10:21 Waymo's Pending Vehicle Problem12:49 Zoox23:21 Cruise25:38 Licensing Tesla FSD33:04 Ford40:03 Trends42:08 Key Take AwaysSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tom Murphy, CEO of Capital Cities/ABC excelled at capital allocation. Following the example set by Mr. Murphy, Don Burnette, Founder & CEO of Kodiak is implementing his version of Capital Cities/ABC capital allocation strategy as he grows Kodiak. Don Burnette joined The Road to Autonomy Founder Grayson Brulte on Autonomy Insights to discuss Kodiak’s focus on growing long-term profitable revenue and achieving industry best EBITA margins. Mr. Burnette is keeping a keen eye on expenses and ensuring that capital is allocated to growing the business, not frivolous expenses. By keeping costs low and offering valuable solutions to customers, Kodiak was able to expand into Defense and off-road autonomy in a deal with Atlas Energy in the Permian Basin. The deal with Kodiak is potentially profitable enough to sustain Kodiak as a business even without its other business lines (defense and on-road trucking). Kodiak is in the process of transforming from a R&D-focused company to an operations company. In the mold of Capital Cities/ABC, Kodiak implementing a capital allocation strategy that ensures long-term growth.Recorded on Friday, July 26, 2024Episode Chapters0:00 Kodiak’s Expansion into Off-Road Autonomy 2:39 The Decision to Diversify 5:02 EBITA Margins 6:42 Capital Cities/ABC of Autonomy 10:06 Core Pillars of Kodiak’s Business 11:32 What’s Next For Kodiak--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy® is a leading source of data, insight and commentary on autonomous vehicles/trucks and the emerging autonomy economy™. The company has two businesses: The Road to Autonomy Indices, with Standard and Poor’s Dow Jones Indices as the custom calculation agent; Media, which includes The Road to Autonomy and Autonomy Economy podcasts as well as This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.