The Driverless Digest Podcast

Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, and Substack. We now have transcripts available too (Click on the “transcripts” button in the top right corner of this post to access them).

Join panelists at the just concluded Urban Autonomy Summit at Newlab in Brooklyn as they discuss how cities, fleets, and regulators can work together to ensure AVs are deployed safely and responsibly. The panel featured Zach Greenberger (CEO, Nexar), Sarah Kaufman (Commissioner, NYC TLC), Jeremy Moskowitz (EVP Rideshare, VGM), and Aparna Paladugu (VP Policy & Government Affairs, Via), moderated by Andrew Hawkins, Transportation Editor at The Verge.

The conversation explores when robotaxis might realistically arrive in New York, how cities can balance safety and job security as AVs scale, and what kinds of data are most important in the AV deployment journey. The panelists also touch on policy pointers for the next NYC mayoral administration, the growing role of computer vision in rideshare and AV operations, and how partnerships between AV companies and public transit can support safer, more efficient streets.

They dive into questions around liability, fleet management, and public trust, and discuss how equitable robotaxi distribution could shape the future of mobility in New York and beyond.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction to panelists

(00:44) When are robotaxis coming to New York?

(03:08) How to bridge the gap between safety and job security in AV deployment

(05:28) What kind of data is important in the AV deployment journey?

(10:36) Pointers for the next NYC mayoral administration on AV deployment

(13:38) Partnerships between AV companies and public transit

(18:44) Importance of computer vision is AV deployment and rideshare

(22:26) Questions around safety, fleet management, and liability as AVs begin to scale?

(26:57) How to build public trust around robotaxi/rideshare data collection/sharing

(33:25) How can robotaxis distribution be more equitable?

(38:20) Conclusion and final thoughts

- Harry

Thanks for being a subscriber to The Driverless Digest! If you enjoyed this episode, feel free to share it with someone who might like it too. And if this email was forwarded to you, why not subscribe and stick around :)

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thedriverlessdigest.com

Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, and Substack. We now have transcripts available too (Click on the “transcripts” button in the top right corner of this post to access them).

Join panelists, at the just concluded Urban Autonomy Summit at Newlab in Brooklyn as they dissect the impact the impact of AVs to existing fleets and driver earnings. The panel featured Ashwini Anburajan (CEO, Obi), Ryan Green (CEO, Gridwise), Daniel Muñoz (Co-Founder & COO, Tower Mobility), and Yariel Diaz (Director of Government Affairs, Serve Robotics), moderated by Natalie Lung, Tech Reporter at Bloomberg.

The conversation explores how AVs are already affecting drivers’ earnings, how drivers and fleets are adapting, and where delivery bots fit into the mix. The panelists also touch on the kinds of new jobs AV deployment could create for humans — from fleet management to remote operations etc. They dive into AV ride pricing dynamics, the importance of pricing transparency for riders and drivers alike, and what the near future could look like for the gig economy.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction to panelists

(01:30) How AVs are affecting driver earnings

(04:19) How are drivers adapting to AVs?

(06:09) How has fleet management been affected by AVs?

(08:34) The role of delivery robots in AV deployment

(10:18) AV pricing dynamics for riders

(14:23) Importance of rideshare pricing transparency

(15:24) What jobs will AVs create for humans?

(21:43) How is trust from drivers in existing fleets and AV partners maintained?

(29:14) Data sharing between fleets and rideshare/AV companies

(30:30) How do you improve utilization with additional AV deployment?

(31:40) Mitigating adverse weather conditions for delivery robots

- Harry

Thanks for being a subscriber to The Driverless Digest! If you enjoyed this episode, feel free to share it with someone who might like it too. And if this email was forwarded to you, why not subscribe and stick around :)

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thedriverlessdigest.com

This week’s podcast is brought to you by Terawatt – purpose-built charging for autonomous vehicle fleets.

Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, and Substack. We now have transcripts available too (Click on the “transcripts” button in the top right corner of this post to access them).

In today’s episode, I’m speaking with David Zipper, a Senior Fellow at the MIT Mobility Initiative known for his writing on transportation policy, technology, and urban planning. He often writes about the impacts of autonomous vehicles (AVs) on cities, emphasizing concerns about increased congestion, safety risks from “car bloat”, and the potential for AVs to undermine public transit.

We discuss the evolution of the ridehail industry and its broader impact on cities and mobility. David shares his perspective on the early days of autonomous vehicles, highlighting both their promise and the risks they pose — particularly around congestion and the potential to draw riders away from public transit.

He breaks down why cheaper AV rides could worsen traffic, the role that policy tools like bus rapid transit, congestion pricing, and deadheading fees could play in addressing it, and whether robotaxis can meaningfully improve road safety. We also touch on the shared responsibilities of governments and AV companies, potential synergies between AVs and transit, and how cities can better design pickup and drop-off zones to serve riders, cyclists, and pedestrians alike.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction to David Zipper

(02:29) David’s new transportation podcast

(03:39) Overall view of the ridehail industry and its impact on society

(07:30) How do you feel about AVs at this early stage?

(09:34) The biggest potential negative impact of AVs (Congestion)

(11:45) Should ridehail be blamed for congestion in cities?

(15:20) How price reduction in AVs could potentially affect congestion

(17:14) What are the solutions to congestion in the advent of AVs?

(24:11) Can robotaxis reduce road fatalities?

(30:40) The role of Government and AV companies in road safety

(31:01) AVs vs Public Transit

(34:24) Possible synergies between AVs and Transit

(37:13) Improving pickup and drop-off points for ridehail/AVs

(39:30) Cyclists and Pedestrians in the Age of AVs

(43:00) Conclusion and final thoughts

Notes/Links:

* Check out David’s website (link) to join his newsletter and explore his past writing.

* David’s new podcast: Look Both Ways with David & Wes (link).

* David’s Vox Article: A self-driving car traffic jam is coming for US cities (link).

Designing Charging Hubs for Autonomous Fleets

We are excited to partner with Terawatt, one of the leading providers of charging infrastructure. To learn more about Terawatt’s network of AV charging hubs and track record of 99%+ uptime, reach out to Logan Szidik at [email protected]

- Harry

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thedriverlessdigest.com

It’s less than two days until our first annual Urban Autonomy Summit, presented by Nexar, on October 8th, at Newlab in Brooklyn. We’re down to just a few spots, so this is your last chance to apply and make sure you don’t miss out on the action. Register here to secure your spot!

Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, and Substack. We now have transcripts available too (Click on the “transcripts” button in the top right corner of this post to access them).

In today’s episode, I’m speaking with Dimitri Strobbe, Director of Road Maintenance at the Brussels Capital Region, who recently joined a study tour in China, testing autonomous vehicles from major local players and engaging with industry leaders to see firsthand how the technology is developing abroad. We discussed the study tour and the impetus behind it, as well as his interactions with Chinese autonomous vehicle companies and executives. He also talked about his experience testing various AV products from companies like Pony.ai, Baidu, Xpeng, and Huawei, and how these experiences measured up to his expectations.

Dimitri dove into some of the things that stood out in Chinese society, including urban infrastructure and technological shocks he experienced during the study tour, as well as his interactions with Chinese AVs and society. He discussed the differences in transparency between Chinese AV companies and American ones like Waymo, and wrapped up with some lessons learned from the trip.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction to Dimitri Strobbe

(02:02) Details of the China study tour

(03:35) The impetus for the China Study Tour

(06:55) How transparent were Chinese AV companies?

(7:57) Which AV companies did you interact with in China?

(08:42) What was the experience riding Chinese robotaxis and Robobuses?

(11:25) What stood out with the robotaxis

(14:19) Expectations vs reality

(17:35) High-level AV executive interactions in China

(20:35) What stood out with the Chinese society

(23:16) Urban infrastructure shocks

(24:28) Automation of AV maintenance/charging in China

(25:26) DiDi’s giant AV strides

(26:39) Take-home lessons from the China study tour

(32:20) Conclusion and final thoughts

Notes/Links:

* Apply to attend our Urban Autonomy Summit here

* Itinerary for the China study tour (link).

* Dimitri’s first/second post about the China Study Tour.

* Jacco’s post on Neolix’s autonomous cargo delivery robots from the Study Tour (he was another participant).

* Pieter’s video of Chinese AVs demonstrating autonomous maintenance and charging (he was another participant of the Study Tour)

- Harry

Thanks for being a subscriber to The Driverless Digest! If you enjoyed this episode, feel free to share it with someone who might like it too. And if this email was forwarded to you, why not subscribe and stick around :)

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thedriverlessdigest.com

It’s less than a month until our first annual Urban Autonomy Summit, presented by Nexar, on October 8th, at Newlab in Brooklyn. Space is limited, but you can apply to attend here if you’re interested in joining the festivities!

Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, and Substack. We now have transcripts available too (Click on the “transcripts” button in the top right corner of this post to access them).

In today’s episode, I’m speaking with Ashwini Anburajan, CEO of Obi, an app that compares real-time prices and pickup times across ride-hailing platforms. We discuss Ashwini’s journey from Upside to Obi, and her recent rise to the role of CEO. She goes over the facts and figures on price differences among human/AV rideshare providers and the recent trends in rideshare pricing, including rideshare loyalty programs and opportunities for riders and providers. She also talks about Obi’s international operations and their somewhat complicated relationship with rideshare providers.

Ashwini dove into Waymo’s recent pricing data and shared additional insights, including customer attitude toward wait times and her thoughts on Waymo’s pricing model across its jurisdictions — such as Waymo on Uber in Austin and the forthcoming Waymo on Lyft in Nashville. We also discussed how the AV landscape would evolve in the coming times, and market fragmentation from the customers’ POV.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction to Ashwini, and her background

(03:34) What Obi does and Ashwini’s focus as the new CEO

(05:14) Insights on pricing differences among human/AV rideshare providers and the logic behind them

(09:54) Recent trends in rideshare pricing

(11:49) Rideshare customer pricing behaviour

(14:16) Rideshare loyalty programs and the opportunities that lie within

(16:18) The international landscape of rideshare

(20:23) Obi’s international operations

(21:29) Obi’s relationship with rideshare providers

(22:59) Waymo pricing report

(25:59) Customer attitude towards wait times

(28:49) Ashwini’s thoughts on Waymo’s pricing

(31:19) Peculiarities of Waymo on Uber, in Austin and Atlanta

(32:18) Lyft–Waymo partnership and pricing insights

(35:12) How will the AV landscape evolve from the customer/pricing POV?

(36:46) Human/AV rideshare market fragmentation from the customers’ POV

(38:50) Conclusion and final thoughts

Notes/Links:

* Apply to attend our Urban Autonomy Summit here

* Obi’s Waymo pricing data - The Road Ahead: Pricing Insights On Waymo, Uber and Lyft

* TechCrunch article on Obi’s Waymo pricing data - Waymo rides cost more than Uber or Lyft — and people are paying anyway

* Forbes article highlighting Obi’s Waymo pricing data - Waymo Is A Trillion-Dollar Opportunity. Google Just Needs To Seize It (no paywall)

* Obi blog (link)

- Harry

Thanks for being a subscriber to The Driverless Digest! If you enjoyed this episode, feel free to share it with someone who might like it too. And if this email was forwarded to you, why not subscribe and stick around :)

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thedriverlessdigest.com

This week’s podcast is brought to you by Terawatt – purpose-built charging for autonomous vehicle fleets.

Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, and Substack. We now have transcripts available too (Click on the "transcripts" button in the top right corner of this post to access them).

In today’s episode, I’m speaking with Daniel and Andres Munoz, co-founders of Tower Mobility. They are one of Uber’s largest fleet partners and operate with a unique W2 driver model, where all of their drivers are employees and they own every vehicle in the fleet. This model allows them to invest in training for their drivers, infrastructure for their vehicles, charging and more. We also go into the details of their Uber partnership, especially from the insurance and safety perspectives.

We also discuss the main challenges of managing a human fleet and how this might evolve with the advent of AV fleets, touching on charging infrastructure and Tower’s future plans as AVs take more market share.

If you enjoyed this episode and would like to hear more about Tower, they will be one of our featured speakers at the Urban Autonomy Summit in NYC on 10/8. Space is limited, but you can apply to attend here if you’re interested in joining the festivities!

Chapters

(0:00) Introduction to Daniel and Andres

(02:53) Background on Tower Mobility and how it started

(04:40) The difference between W2 drivers and independent contractors

(06:50) What types of drivers does Tower Mobility recruit and how do they find them?

(10:15) Tower Mobility driver benefits/comp

(13:27) Tower Mobility’s partnership with Uber and its benefits

(19:50) Insurance and Safety benefits of Towers model

(23:15) The main challenges of managing a human/autonomous vehicle fleet

(26:38) Tower’s fleet size and details

(27:58) What benefits come with managing an EV fleet?

(32:23) How Tower handles charging for their EV fleet

(34:18) Tower’s future plans in the advent of AVs, and business with Waymo

(39:25) Conclusion and final thoughts

Designing Charging Hubs for Autonomous Fleets

We are excited to partner with Terawatt, one of the leading providers of charging infrastructure. To learn more about Terawatt's network of AV charging hubs and track record of 99%+ uptime, reach out to Logan Szidik at [email protected]

- Harry

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thedriverlessdigest.com

This week’s podcast is brought to you by Terawatt – purpose-built charging for autonomous vehicle fleets.

Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, and Substack. We now have transcripts available too (Click on the "transcripts" button in the top right corner of this post to access them).

In today’s episode, I’m speaking with James Cox, Ex Uber Pool Exec, and CEO at The Routing Company, a startup that’s transforming transit with routing and optimization software. James talks about his time at Uber Pool and how ridepooling worked, and the lessons learned there that could be applied to AVs. He also talks about The Routing Company and how their technology has been applied in real world deployments.

We also discuss The Routing Company’s recent technology license agreement to Zoox, and the key to making AV ridepooling work. Finally, we dive into the potential challenges of ridepooling for AVs, the overlap of AV ridepooling against public transit, the importance of vehicle form factor in ridepooling, and the public sentiment towards shared rides.

Chapters

(00:00) Who is James Cox and what is his background?

(02:20) James’ background at Uber Pool

(05:04) Uber’s dynamic pricing with varying demand

(06:23) The mechanics of ridepooling in the Uberpool product

(10:42) Background on The Routing Company

(11:57) The Routing Company’s technology in action

(13:35) The keys to making ride pooling work

(18:00) Lessons for AVs from human ridepooling

(20:10) Ridepooling pick-up and drop-off challenges for AVs

(21:15) How Uber pool increased traffic in certain markets, and how this applies to AVs

(23:00) Making a case for AV ridepooling

(24:57) The Routing Company’s technology license agreement to Zoox

(26:44) What you need to be successful in the AV ridepooling space

(27:37) When is the right time for AV companies to go into ridepooling?

(30:25) How does ridepooling solve high ETAs

(33:40) Do riders in the U.S. want to share rides?

(36:08) AV ridepooling vs public transit

(38:31) Does vehicle form factor matter in ridepooling?

(40:57) Conclusion and final thoughts

Designing Charging Hubs for Autonomous Fleets

We are excited to partner with Terawatt, one of the leading providers of charging infrastructure. To learn more about Terawatt's network of AV charging hubs and track record of 99%+ uptime, reach out to Logan Szidik at [email protected]

- Harry

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thedriverlessdigest.com

This week’s podcast is brought to you by Terawatt – purpose-built charging for autonomous vehicle fleets.

Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, and Substack. We now have transcripts available too (Click on the "transcripts" button in the top right corner of this post to access them).

In today’s episode, I’m speaking with Edwin Olson, founder and CEO of May Mobility, an autonomous vehicle company that just launched their AV pilot program in Atlanta, in collaboration with Lyft. Ed talks about May Mobility’s business strategy, their vehicle specs and what makes them stand out. We also get into why now is the most exciting time for AVs, and the commercialization challenges faced by AV companies.

Ed weighs in on the camera vs. Lidar debate, the cost and integration of their hardware stack, and how May Mobility approaches scaling and vehicle production. We also dive into their pilot launch with Lyft in Atlanta — from backend integration to the first-time rider experience — why riders have chosen to pay more for AV rides in the past, and the key metrics that define customer experience. He explains the company’s collaboration with Toyota, partnerships with platforms like Lyft and Uber, and the emphasis on scaling both technologically and commercially.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction to Ed Olson

(02:05) Is now the most exciting time for Autonomous Vehicles?

(03:25) The commercialization challenge of AVs

(03:57) Introduction to May Mobility, and what makes them stand out

(05:33) May Mobility’s business strategy

(06:39) May Mobility’s vehicle and specs

(08:20) Vehicle hardware and technology stack

(09:04) Ed’s take on the Camera vs Lidar debate

(10:17) The cost of May Mobility’s hardware stack

(12:09) May Mobility’s vehicle production process, and hardware integration

(14:42) The path to scaling

(16:50) May Mobility’s partnership with Lyft in Atlanta

(18:12) The optimum fleet size for efficient utilization and ride availability

(20:02) Advantages of an AV ride and why passengers choose to pay more

(22:05) How the May Mobility–Lyft partnership user experience will work for passengers

(23:15) What is an ideal ride for May Mobility?

(25:00) The backend of the Lyft partnership

(25:40) The first time experience for AV rideshare

(27:44) The main KPI in AV customer experience

(29:54) What makes May Mobility stand out.

(32:10) The downsides of AV third party partnerships

(33:25) How to solve vehicle availability in high demand

(34:29) How the future of autonomy looks like

(38:29) Conclusion and final thoughts

Designing Charging Hubs for Autonomous Fleets

We are excited to partner with Terawatt, one of the leading providers of charging infrastructure. To learn more about Terawatt's network of AV charging hubs and track record of 99%+ uptime, reach out to Logan Szidik at [email protected]

- Harry

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thedriverlessdigest.com

Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, and Substack.

In today’s episode, I’m speaking with Neha Palmer, CEO and Co-founder of Terawatt, one of the leading providers of charging infrastructure for AV/EV fleets. Neha talks about her journey in the energy industry, highlighting her background leading global energy strategy at Google. She explains Terawatt’s focus on providing AV/EV charging solutions and the motivation behind her founding the company.

We discuss the unique process and intricacies of building and launching charging sites suitable for AV/EV fleets of varying sizes, and the technical/logistical requirements of these sites. We also touch on how Terawatt uses their data to work with fleet owners to ensure they get the best utilization for their vehicles while maintaining access to charging sites with excellent uptimes.

We also discuss their biggest challenges with customers, charging requirements for fleets and other services offered at their charging sites.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction to Neha Palmer

(01:33) Neha’s background at Google

(02:31) Introduction to Terawatt, and how they help AV/EV fleets

(04:55) The challenges of providing AV/EV fleet charging solutions

(05:53) The impetus behind behind Neha founding Terawatt

(06:57) The benefits of renewable energy for fleets

(08:48) What industries does Terawatt focus on? and their footprint

(10:10) How Terawatt got their first AV customer

(11:31) What it takes to build and launch a charging site

(12:35) How many sites does Terawatt have currently

(14:03) The optimal locations for building charging sites

(17:05) Hardware/power requirements for charging sites and how they evolve

(19:40) How fast do vehicles charge at Terawatt’s charging sites

(21:22) How Terawatt works with partners to design operating domains, and the data involved

(23:28) How time of use works for AV/EV fleet charging

(26:16) The EV to AV transitions, and how it has affected Terawatt’s business

(28:20) Quantitative charging requirements for fleets

(30:10) Biggest challenges experienced with new customers

(32:00) What other services does Terawatt offer at their charging sites

(33:30) Fully autonomous charging

(35:30) Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Notes/Links:

* Link to Neha’s previous webinar appearance on Ride AI - Ride AI x Terawatt Webinar 7/1/25

- Harry

Thanks for being a subscriber to The Driverless Digest! If you enjoyed this episode, feel free to share it with someone who might like it too. And if this email was forwarded to you, why not subscribe and stick around :)

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thedriverlessdigest.com

This week’s podcast is brought to you by Terawatt – purpose-built charging for autonomous vehicle fleets.

Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, and Substack.

In today’s episode, I’m speaking with Chris Paxton, author of It Can Think!, and a roboticist who's worked all across the industry (Zoox, Nvidia, Meta etc). He’s currently leading AI innovation at Agility Robotics, developing intelligent and useful humanoid robots.

Chris talks about his career journey, provides an insightful analysis of Waymo's autonomous vehicle advancements, comparing them with Tesla's approach, and gives a full break down of the cost components of Waymo's Zeekr vehicle.

Our discussion also touches on industry challenges, such as hardware sourcing, sensor integration, and compute requirements, providing a comprehensive understanding of the current state and future directions of robotics and autonomous vehicles.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction to Chris Paxton

(01:58) What got Chris interested in robotics

(02:50) The inspiration behind Chris Paxton’s post about the Waymo Zeekr

(04:59) Details on the Waymo Zeekr – Cost, specs, assembly etc

(09:27) Chinese EV tariffs vs. the Waymo Zeekr

(12:03) Sensor costs and how they affect AV production

(13:20) What compute means and the chips behind our robotaxis

(14:59) How compute works in making autonomy a reality

(16:15) How is all of the gathered data integrated into the generalized driver?

(17:20) What is integration cost in robotaxi production?

(20:30) What areas of robotaxi production have the most room for cost reduction?

(22:28) How Waymo’s Zeekr robotaxis stack against their Jaguar I-PACE robotaxis

(25:18) How the costs of AV parts have changed over the years

(26:26) Thoughts on Tesla’s camera-only approach vs Lidar

(28:31) Downsides to having too much Hardware

(30:37) The highway operation challenge

(31:36) Waymo vs Tesla’s approach

(34:35) Insights on other AV companies

(36:09) Differences between the AV 1.0 and AV 2.0 approach

(39:49) Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Notes/Links

Link to Chris Paxton’s post about the Waymo Zeekr mentioned at (04:28) - The First Mass-Produced Robotaxi Is Here

Designing Charging Hubs for Autonomous Fleets

We are excited to partner with Terawatt, one of the leading providers of charging infrastructure. To learn more about Terawatt's network of AV charging hubs and track record of 99%+ uptime, reach out to Logan Szidik at [email protected]

- Harry

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thedriverlessdigest.com