RJ Scaringe, Rivian’s CEO, joins Automotive News reporter Laurence Iliff on the “Shift” podcast to talk about how the automaker is spending more on R&D for autonomy than in any other area.

He also explains why the company is still focused on personal autonomy during a broader robotaxi boom.

RJ Scaringe, Rivian’s CEO, joins Automotive News reporter Laurence Iliff on the “Shift” podcast to talk about how Rivian reduced its tariff impacts from thousands of dollars to the “low hundreds of dollars” per vehicle. 

He also explains how Rivian is building a platform that will be prepared for autonomy to redefine vehicle ownership.

Kameale Terry, CEO of ChargerHelp, joins Hannah Lutz, director of technology and innovation coverage at Automotive News, on the “Shift” podcast. Terry breaks down a major issue for electric vehicle chargers: software failure.

“We just need to understand that these assets that we’re working with are connected devices,” she said. “The same level of rigor and best practices that we see in other industries that use IT, we should be applying that to charging.”

Terry also explains why the charging industry needs more standardization and consumer education.

Michael Berube, Calstart’s new CEO and a former leader at the U.S. Department of Energy, joins Automotive News reporter Molly Boigon on the Shift podcast to talk about how states are filling in the gaps in federal support for the electric vehicle transition.

He explains how stakeholders, including nonprofits and the public sector, can help dealers be prepared to answer frequently asked questions about EVs. 

Erin Keating, senior director of economic and industry insights at Cox Automotive, joins Automotive News reporter Laurence Iliff on the “Shift” podcast to explain how the EV tax credit sales drop is more complex than it seems — automakers pulled back on production in anticipation of slumping demand. 

“You can’t sell what you don’t have,” she said.

Keating discusses how automakers are courting a more receptive electric vehicle buyer and how the industry can get to price parity with internal combustion engine vehicles.

Jennifer Tisdale, senior director of strategic engagements, North America, at Upstream Security joins Hannah Lutz, Automotive News director of technology and innovation coverage, on the Shift podcast to explain. 

Tisdale breaks down what’s possible versus vs. what’s probable in a vehicle cyberattack, and she explains how evolving automaker-supplier collaboration and clear standards will help reshape cybersecurity. 

Abhijit Boora, a director at AlixPartners, explains during a conversation with Staff Reporter Molly Boigon how record net inflows to foreign trade zones and bonded warehouses indicate automakers are delaying tariff impacts.

He also discusses data that suggests automakers are reporting a small amount of U.S.-made content in vehicles imported from Canada and Mexico. Companies may have to work to shore up domestic supply chains and document U.S. sourcing to avoid significant tariff costs.

General Motors is envisioning “what your vehicle could become if we think about it as the most useful, technologically advanced robot most people will ever own,” Sterling Anderson, GM’s executive vice president, global product, and chief product officer, said on the Shift podcast.

Anderson spoke with Automotive News reporter Lindsay VanHulle in New York on Oct. 22. He detailed parts of GM’s next chapter: a centralized vehicle computing architecture that makes vehicles smarter over time, “eyes-off” highway driving, and a lithium manganese rich battery chemistry that aims for longer range at lower cost.

John Wall, COO of QNX, which makes operating systems, development tools and more for the automotive industry, explains the results of a new survey of developers during a conversation with Automotive News staff reporter Molly Boigon.

Respondents said that cybersecurity is the greatest risk to software-defined vehicle development, but also flagged that cybersecurity regulations are challenging. They also indicated that a slew of recalls is changing their development approach.

Shmuel De-Leon, CEO of De-Leon Energy, an Israeli battery consulting firm, explains the safety and performance benefits of solid-state batteries in electric vehicles. He spoke with Automotive News reporter Richard Truett at The Battery Show Oct. 8 for the Shift podcast.

The U.S. should support solid state battery development to compete with China long term, he said. 

“Hurry up with a national program to support the battery industry, to build a battery supply chain, to develop new technologies, innovative technologies that could compete better,” De-Leon said. “Every day that we are not doing it, we are just shooting the foot of the American automotive industry.”