Kristin Poland, deputy director of the National Transportation Safety Board’s Office of Highway Safety, joins Automotive News tech and innovation reporter Molly Boigon on the “Shift” podcast to talk about why the board began its investigation into Ford BlueCruise. 

She also explains how the auto industry is misleading consumers about advanced driver-assistance systems through marketing.

John Bozzella, the CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, joins Automotive News tech and innovation reporter Molly Boigon on the “Shift” podcast to talk about why the Alliance is calling for eliminating the government’s 18.4-cent-per-gallon gas tax.

He also explains what the federal government should be doing to encourage the development of alternative powertrains. 

Dennis Fritsch, the executive vice president of the safety and motion division at Aumovio, joins Automotive News managing editor Jerry Hirsch on the “Shift” podcast to talk about how the company is eliminating the need for hydraulics with dry braking.

He also explains why electric vehicles offer some advantages for incorporating new safety technologies.

Ali Kani, vice president of automotive at Nvidia, joins Automotive News reporter Molly Boigon on the “Shift” podcast to talk about how automakers can pick and choose parts of Nvidia’s automotive business, including training and simulation tools.

He also explains why automakers might choose a graphics processing unit-based system despite the additional power draw.

Mohammad Fatouraie, director of the engineering and power solutions division at Bosch, joins Automotive News reporter Molly Boigon on the “Shift” podcast to talk about how suppliers plan for scenarios such as lower-than-expected sales volumes for electric vehicles.

He also explains the extent to which partners and customers are willing to work within the constraints of standardized packaging and design for components that can be used across powertrains.

“Shift” podcast co-host Molly Boigon gets help from Mike Quinn, managing director and partner with Boston Consulting Group, to explain how vehicles connect to the Internet.

She and Jake Neher, the executive producer of audio at Automotive News, discuss how vehicles rely on a cellular module that will need to be swapped out as generations of the cellular network are sunset.

Lei Xing, an independent analyst and consultant on the Chinese auto industry, joins Automotive News reporter Molly Boigon on the “Shift” podcast to talk about how Chinese vehicles entering the U.S. would likely not initially compete in the most profitable U.S. segments, such as pickups. 

He also explains why the Chinese automakers Geely and BYD are best positioned to enter the U.S.

Dan Hearsch, global co-leader of the automotive and industrial practice at AlixPartners, joins Automotive News reporter Molly Boigon on the “Shift” podcast to talk about how AlixPartners’ 2026 Disruption Index found the auto industry is the most disrupted in the world — for the second year in a row.

He explains why that disruption is leading executives to fear for their jobs as the ground shifts beneath their feet.

Maria Anhalt, CEO of Elektrobit, joins Automotive News reporter Molly Boigon on the “Shift” podcast to talk about how the auto industry faces economic and technological pressure to deliver products and features faster. 

She also says regulators should standardize artificial intelligence policies to eliminate compliance complexity.

Automotive News Managing Editor Jerry Hirsch talks with TrueCar founder and CEO Scott Painter about the tension between his digital sales platform and dealers. They also discuss the potential for subscription car platforms. Plus, Shift Executive Producer Jake Neher and Automotive News Retail Tech Reporter Mark Hollmer discuss the biggest technology and AI trends out of the NADA Show 2026 in Las Vegas.