Building Better with Brandon Bartneck

Gavin Jackson is CEO at Oxa. Key topics in this conversation include: What is means to build the “operating system for autonomy” Oxa’s unique business model and go to market strategy The most promising near-term applications for autonomy How much of ADS software is consistent between applications Oxa’s approach to application-specific development for autonomy Links: Show notes: http://brandonbartn...

Francesca Favarò is the Lead for the Safety Best Practices team at Waymo, where she coordinates external engagement with standards developing organizations Key topics in this conversation include: The absence of unreasonable risk for automated driving systems Waymo’s layered approach to safety, including hardware, the ADS behavioral layer, and operations The dynamic approach to safety Waymo’s cred...

Michael Wiesinger is the Vice President of Commercialization at Kodiak, and responsible for driving business development and major partnerships, defining Kodiak’s commercial product and deploying it with the mission to optimize value for Kodiak’s customers Key topics in this conversation include: The true value of autonomous long haul trucking How Kodiak is working to address the needs of their pa...

Gene Berdichevsky is the Co-Founder & CEO of Sila. Key topics in this conversation include: The importance of a battery technology that can be integrated into existing gigafactories The promise of silicon anodes, and how Sila has overcome the typical challenges faced by this technology Sila’s entry into automotive scale with Mercedes-Benz How Sila is thinking about scaling manufacturing How Ge...

Don Wright is VP of Engineering at Unico. Key topics in this conversation include: Effective testing solutions for electric propulsion system components How Unico stays one step ahead of the state of the art The push for ever increasing performance of electric powertrains Converting a 1999 Jeep Wrangler to electric Links: Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/donwright https://ww...

Charles Eagan is the Chief Technology Officer for BlackBerry. Key topics in this conversation include: BlackBerry’s transformation The fundamentals of automotive cybersecurity Why IVY will enable the development of the “killer app” for mobility The game-changing potential of edge computing and machine learning What goes into developing and deploying an exceptional automotive software Links: Show n...

Julie Johnson is an accomplished executive with over 20 years of experience working with leading corporations and disruptive startups, such as Ryder Systems Inc., Lightning eMotors, New Leaf Paper, and Wells Fargo. Currently, as the Head of Market Development and Growth Strategy North America at Volta Trucks. Key topics in this conversation include: Promising applications for electric trucking The...

Christian Delise is an Industrial Designer by trade and a problem solver by nature. He has worked a variety of roles in international design studios for Toyota, Lexus, Faurecia, Lamborghini, Porsche and Volkswagen Key topics in this conversation include: The difference in consumer demands and requirements for different vehicle brands How technology can serve the user UX for assisted and automated...

Richard Morin is director of business development at Resonant Link, where they are building best-in-class wireless chargers to accelerate electrification in multi-billion-dollar markets like robotics, material handling, and electric vehicles. Key topics in this conversation include: The three stages of impact for wireless charging for forklifts The traditional challenges of wireless charging How R...

This is a repost of Episode 51, shared again in April 2023 due to the importance and timeliness of the topics in this discussion. Kelly and Felix join to talk about their new book Racing Toward Zero – The Untold Story of Driving Green. Kelly Senecal is a co-founder and owner of Convergent Science. Felix Leach is an Associate Professor of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford, a post held...

Jennifer Jacobs Dungs is the Global Head of Mobility at EIT InnoEnergy, one of the World’s leading climate tech investors. Key topics in this conversation include: Why the full value chain and business ecosystem needs to be considered when pursuing new technology How to get past pilots and providing meaningful value with new technology Exploring the idea of the 15-minute city Why vehicle efficienc...

This bonus episode provides a peek into a second podcast series hosted by Brandon Bartneck, the Capital Light Assembly podcast. This podcast focuses on what it takes to successfully launch complex mobility and energy products in volumes that are below industry standard.  You can find the Capital Light Assembly podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts, including: Spotify: https://open.spotify.c...

Angus Pacala serves as the CEO at Ouster, which he co-founded in 2015 to make lidar both digital and ubiquitous. Key topics in this conversation include: The fundamentals of digital LiDAR, and the advantages over analog technology Why Ouster and Velodyne merged The potential for digital LiDAR to transform smart infrastructure Ouster’s strategic approach to modular product development, and how it e...

Jeff Varick is Founder and CEO of Brandmotion, LLC, a Novi, Michigan based vehicle systems engineering company focused on improving vehicle safety performance through emerging technology integration. Key topics in this conversation include: - The vehicle technologies that truly impact safety - Why the aftermarket is critical for reducing traffic collisions and fatalities - The Vision Zero Automoti...

Peter Vaughan Schmidt is CEO of Torc Robotics. Key topics in this conversation include: The current state of the autonomous trucking industry Why Torc is playing offense while others are playing defense Torc’s technology approach and path to commercialization How autonomous trucks will integrate into fleet operations Peter’s advice for building a successful and fulfilling career Links: Show notes:...

Roei Ganzarski is the CEO of Alitheon, the global leader in optical AI for counterfeit identification and traceability. Key topics in this conversation include: The most noteworthy performance I saw at CES Where additive approaches to authentication fall short Why proving identify is so important for safety-critical components and systems The danger of counterfeits in the mobility space The additi...

Stephan A. Tarnutzer is the President of AVL Mobility Technologies. Key topics in this conversation include: Where Stephan sees the greatest opportunities for further innovation in electrification, automated driving, and hydrogen-power propulsion systems AVL’s role in the mobility sector How Stephan thinks about growth and diversification into new markets The importance of soft skills and philosop...

Matt Leuck is Technical Service Manager for Renewable Road Transport at Neste US. Key topics in this conversation include: Why decarbonizing the internal combustion engine is such an important piece of the sustainability puzzle How Neste produces their renewable diesel Overcoming the perception and past failures of other renewable fuels How Matt sees renewable diesel scaling Links: Show notes: htt...

Reece Martin is the creator and host of RMTransit, a YouTube channel focused on transit, infrastructure, and development around the world. With more than 180 thousand subscribers and 27 million views, the channel has helped thousands around the world to learn about public transit projects, networks, technologies and plans in a simplified and digestible format, as well as about project construction...

This bonus episode provides a peek into a new series hosted by Brandon Bartneck, the Capital Light Assembly podcast. This podcast provides a look into my "day job" as Vice President and General Manager at Edison Manufacturing & Engineering, and focuses on what it takes to successfully launch complex mobility and energy products in volumes that are below industry standard.  You can find th...

Ben Hager is the Head of the Autonomous Driving and Software Engineering group at dSPACE Inc. Key topics in this conversation include: Why effective tools are so important for safe and effective development of autonomous vehicle software dSPACE’s SIMPHERA and AUTERA The role of an enabler in the quickly evolving mobility space Why true partnership can be so much more valuable than traditional supp...

Charlotte Hamilton is the CEO and co-founder of Conamix. Key topics in this conversation include: - Why lithium sulfur batteries are likely inevitable - The current challenges with lithium sulfur cathodes - How Conamix is addressing these - How Conamix is facing the challenge of having a suitable anode to go alongside their cathode - Why Charlotte is very careful the claims and promises that Conam...

Rodolfo is Managing Partner at Proeza Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in early-stage startups reshaping the mobility space. Key topics in this conversation include: What sets Proeza Ventures apart Some of the key trends Rodolfo is watching in 2023 Advice for first time founders Why PV has a clear definition of markets and technologies where they don’t participate A shared passion for St...

Jan Becker is President, CEO and Co-Founder of Apex. AI, Inc. He is also the Managing Director of the Apex. AI GmbH. Key topics in this conversation include: Understanding software defined vehicles Apex. Grace, Apex. Ida, and Apex. OS Building the operating system for autonomous vehicles that is designed to never fail Apex. AI’s role enabling autonomy outside of automotive Functional safety consid...

Steven is the Los-Angeles based Partnerships Manager for Skyports , which designs, builds and operates vertiports for the emerging advanced air mobility (AAM) industry. Key topics in this conversation include: Steven’s uncommon path to Skyports The importance of solving problems with new mobility solutions, rather than merely rolling out new technology Why veritports might look different than what...