Episode: Building the Software Behind Autonomous Driving — Paul Newman, Founder & CEO of Oxa

In this episode of the eTech49 podcast, Ryan Maughan is joined by Paul Newman, Founder and CEO of Oxa, one of the leading software companies enabling autonomous vehicles to operate safely and at scale. Paul shares the journey from academic research to building a commercial autonomous driving platform, and why he believes software is the critical enabler of autonomy.

They discuss Oxa’s approach to deployable autonomy, the realities of operating self‑driving systems in live environments, and what it takes to move beyond pilots into real‑world commercial services. The conversation explores the technical and commercial barriers still facing autonomous driving, including safety validation, system reliability, and integration with existing vehicle platforms.

A must‑listen for anyone interested in robotics, AI, autonomy, and the challenges of turning advanced engineering into operational reality. Topics covered include:

• The evolution of autonomous driving from research to deployment
• Why autonomy is fundamentally a software problem
• Safety, validation, and operating at scale in the real world
• Lessons from building and leading a deep‑tech company
• Where autonomous vehicles deliver value today—and what comes next

Paul Newman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-newman-13457b15b/
Oxa corporate website: https://oxa.tech/

How to get in touch with Ryan:
eTech49 website: https://etech49.com/
Ryan Maughan LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-maughan-a2893610/