
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or


This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk break down Uber’s Q4 earnings, highlighting their five keys for success in autonomy: regulation, superhuman safety, cost-effective hardware, fleet management, and high utilization. They also discuss Waymo’s continued expansion and Ford’s willingness to license an SAE Level 4 autonomous system.
The 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/
LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. Sign up for research here.
The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Closely followed by key decision-makers in the TMT industries, this podcast provides actionable analysis for investors, industry professionals, and tech enthusiasts. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email: [email protected]
This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discussed Tesla’s Q4 earnings, Waymo’s road trip and Kodiak’s historical announcement. It was Tesla this week that captured investors attention as Elon Musk spoke at length about Tesla’s robotaxi plans, licensing FSD and their plans to launch an Airbnb like service for autonomy.
Will Tesla really hit the June 2025 timeline for unsupervised autonomy in Austin, Texas? Anything is possible, but the precedent is that the launch will be delayed, along with a potential nationwide expansion in 2026. Then there is the potential to license FSD (Full Self-Driving), will Tesla really do it and what will the impact be on the global auto industry?
As Tesla works towards full autonomy (unsupervised), Waymo continues to expand. This week Waymo announced that they are taking roadtrips to 10+ markets beginning with San Diego and Las Vegas this year, along with opening the Atlanta market to employees. Additionally, Waymo began offering highway service to employees in Los Angeles.
Then there is Kodiak, which made history this week, becoming the first company to sell an autonomous truck to a third party—Atlas Energy. The episode concludes with discussion of Zoox’s challenges in the competitive autonomous vehicle market, particularly in Las Vegas and San Francisco.
Episode Chapters
0:00 Secretary Sean Duffy
2:59 Washington Post: If Self-Driving Cars are Safer than the Alternative, What’s to Lose?
7:02 Tesla Q4 2024 Earnings
9:28 FSD Unsupervised Launch
13:58 Capital Markets & Analysts
16:48 LiDAR Narrative
21:30 Licensing Tesla FSD
26:20 FSD is Coming to Semi
28:51 Kodiak Makes History
31:28 Tesla Cortex Training Cluster
32:32 Waymo Goes Fully Autonomous on LA Freeways (Employees Only)
35:21 Waymo Opens Atlanta to Employees
37:29 Waymo’s 10 City Road Trip
41:06 Zoox
45:06 Super Bowl
46:09 Next Week
The 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/
LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. Sign up for research here.
The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Closely followed by key decision-makers in the TMT industries, this podcast provides actionable analysis for investors, industry professionals, and tech enthusiasts. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email: [email protected]
This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk explored the potential impacts of President Trump's administration on the autonomous vehicle and truck industries. With tensions brewing between labor interests and technology companies, the hosts analyzed who might ultimately gain ground from a policy perspective.
Episode Chapters
The 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/
LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. Sign up for research here.
The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Closely followed by key decision-makers in the TMT industries, this podcast provides actionable analysis for investors, industry professionals, and tech enthusiasts. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email: [email protected]
This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk headed to Washington, D.C. where they attended an event held by The Council for Economic Resilience that focused on the future of autonomous vehicle and truck policy. With President Trump being sworn into office next week, there is an opportunity to usher in the golden age of autonomy.
To usher in the golden age of autonomy, there has to be a national autonomous vehicle framework that includes trucks weighing over 10,001 pounds. Grayson and Walt discuss what it might take for that to become a reality and the role that China could potentially play in accelerating that effort.
Episode Chapters
The 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/
LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. Sign up for research here.
The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Closely followed by key decision-makers in the TMT industries, this podcast provides actionable analysis for investors, industry professionals, and tech enthusiasts. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email: [email protected]
This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss how the momentum has shifted in the autonomous vehicle and truck industries after NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang declared it will become the first multi-trillion dollar robotics industry at CES 2025.
While the momentum shift has been significant, legacy OEMs are facing headwinds and long-term challenges as Ford shutdown Argo AI, GM shutdown Cruise and VW continues to struggle with software. Then there is Uber and their robotaxi headwinds. Does Uber have to become the “everything app” to survive?
There are a lot of questions to be answered as the autonomy markets enter 2025 including business models, regulation, and public acceptance.
Episode Chapters
The 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/
LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. Sign up for research here.
The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Closely followed by key decision-makers in the TMT industries, this podcast provides actionable analysis for investors, industry professionals, and tech enthusiasts. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email: [email protected]
In the first episode of Autonomy Markets in 2025, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss the ever-evolving landscape of autonomous vehicles and the growth of big tech. Waymo's technical advancements and steady expansion made the company the clear leader in robotaxis in 2024.
The 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/
LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. Sign up for research here.
The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Closely followed by key decision-makers in the TMT industries, this podcast provides actionable analysis for investors, industry professionals, and tech enthusiasts. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email: [email protected]
This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss Tesla FSD 13, autonomous trucking’s regularity roadblocks and Waymo’s path to offering service at theSan Francisco International (SFO) Airport.
Tesla’s FSD 13 is as a major technical leap forward. While we have been impressed with its more natural driving style and improved responsiveness to traffic flow, it’s not ready for deployment on the Cybercab.
Later the conversation shifts to recent government actions affecting the autonomous vehicle industry, including the Biden administration’s denial of warning triangle exemptions for autonomous trucks and the introduction of AVSTEP, a new voluntary reporting framework from NHTSA.
The podcast concludes with an analysis of Waymo’s potential expansion to San Francisco International Airport and broader implications for autonomous vehicle deployments.
Episode Chapters
The 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/
LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. Sign up for research here.
The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Closely followed by key decision-makers in the TMT industries, this podcast provides actionable analysis for investors, industry professionals, and tech enthusiasts. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email: [email protected]
This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss Apple’s potential return to the robotaxi market through Foxconn, Waymo's expansion to Japan and Uber's fleet strategy.
Rather than building their own autonomous driving system from the ground-up, Apple could partner with Wayve to power the autonomous system, while Foxconn could be the contract manufacturer to build the vehicle. This approach would mirror Apple’s historical approach of gradually developing in-house capabilities while initially relying on partners, as they did with iPhone modems and chips.
The 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/
LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. Sign up for research here.
The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Closely followed by key decision-makers in the TMT industries, this podcast provides actionable analysis for investors, industry professionals, and tech enthusiasts. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email: [email protected]
This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss the dramatic turn of events that led GM to abruptly shut down Cruise, just days before a planned driver-out launch in Houston. The decision, made by CEO Mary Barra, reportedly stems from fears of another incident.
With the decision to pull the plug on Cruise, GM burnt $9 billion of investment dollars with nothing to show for it. The Cruise shutdown highlights the ongoing challenges of how traditional automakers are approaching autonomy. As traditional automakers falter, Waymo and Tesla continue to accelerate as the market is beginning to consolidate around them as the leaders in robotaxis.
As we look to 2025, more consolidation is likely on the way, with Daimler Truck potentially scaling back their in-house autonomous trucking program (Torc Robotics). Then there is Uber which is struggling to define their autonomy narrative to the market. What moves to they make to calm market jitters?
Episode Chapters0:00 GM Pulls the Plug on Cruise7:57 Uber & Lyft in the Era of Autonomy 16:47 Zoox and Amazon. What is the Path Forward? 22:45 Could Daimler Truck Follow GM and Shutter Torc Robotics?29:25 Amazon and Autonomy31:06 Walmart32:15 Cybercab in 2026?33:10 Aurora 33:51 Next Week
The 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/
LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. Sign up for research here.
The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Closely followed by key decision-makers in the TMT industries, this podcast provides actionable analysis for investors, industry professionals, and tech enthusiasts. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email: [email protected]
This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss Waymo's expansion to Miami, Uber and Lyft's future in the era of autonomy and Tesla's releases of FSD 13.Waymo is expanding to Miami in 2025 without one of their partners—Uber. Instead, Waymo chose Moove as their fleet management partner. Could this signal something more broad, as Moove is also taking over the fleet management operations for Waymo in Phoenix? Tesla released Full Self-Driving (FSD) 13.2 this week and it appears to have lived up with the hype with Alphabet CEO, Sundar Pichai acknowledging that he currently views Waymo and Tesla as the two leaders in the development and commercialization of autonomous vehicles.Episode Chapters0:00 Football0:38 Waymo Expands to Miami + Impact on Uber Partnership10:43 Uber and Lyft in the Era of Autonomy16:31 Fleet Management for Autonomous Vehicles26:17 Tesla FSD 1333:13 Waymo vs Tesla / WholeMarsBlog Ride Comparison36:59 Scaling the Tesla Cybercab40:25 Tesla Delaware Judge Ruling42:30 May Mobility Expands in Japan45:49 Next WeekThe 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/
Order your very own Make Autonomy Great Hat here: https://store.roadtoautonomy.com/products/make-autonomy-great-hat
LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. Sign up for research here.
The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Closely followed by key decision-makers in the TMT industries, this podcast provides actionable analysis for investors, industry professionals, and tech enthusiasts. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email: [email protected]
From the publisher's feed

534 Listeners

1,953 Listeners

1,093 Listeners

3,151 Listeners

2,332 Listeners

1,439 Listeners

188 Listeners

3,038 Listeners

10,132 Listeners

547 Listeners

511 Listeners

5,569 Listeners

31 Listeners

1,107 Listeners

65 Listeners