Shift: A podcast about mobility

The chief technology officer at Panasonic Automotive details advances on software-defined vehicles and what they mean for consumers.

The partner and co-leader of the consulting firm’s Center for Future Mobility advises automakers on navigating software, autonomy and electrification transitions amid profound changes in technology, workforce and the global world order.

The Pronto CEO and co-founder details the merits of pursuing off-road autonomy, provides a status report on self-driving technology and explains why he founded the Way Of The Future church as a framework for harnessing artificial intelligence.

“Software-defined vehicle” was much more than a buzzwordy catchphrase at CES. From Las Vegas, Elektrobit CEO Maria Anhalt and Qualcomm VP and head of software product management detail rapid advances and growing importance in auto software.

The expert on Asia’s automakers and CEO of Dunne Insights warns that traditional automakers not named Tesla should be “terrified” of BYD across the globe. Further, he explains how China came to dominate battery materials and technology in the burgeoning EV market.

The Clarios CEO examines the growing importance of low-voltage batteries in fully electric vehicles, how recycling may ease geopolitical tensions the promise and realities of new battery chemistries.

The Spartan Radar CEO details how his company’s software serves as “eyeglasses” for conventional radar, vastly improving performance in the real world. Plus, he offers up an ideal holiday gift suggestion for budding engineers.

Gabe Klein, executive director of the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, argues that there is no electric vehicle sales slowdown. The segment is growing, and the charging infrastructure to support it will be “private sector-led and government-enabled,” he said.

The UP.Labs president details the thinking behind a “venture lab,” which custom-develops startups for companies like Porsche and Alaska Airlines. Further, she warns automakers and suppliers of fragility within their supply chains.

The Carnegie Mellon University professor and embedded systems expert makes recommendations on how GM subsidiary Cruise can improve its transparency and trust. Further, he says it’s time the entire industry develops a new safety message.

The CEO of the Israeli auto-tech company explains how driver-assist technology provides a financial bridge toward a self-driving future. He further details the rollout of SuperVision in China and assesses the state of the robotaxi industry.

The head of eMobility at Daimler discussed why the company is developing battery electric and hydrogen solutions at the same time, and how hydrogen combustion engine technology is a zero-emission solution with a lower barrier to entry for many fleets.

The CEO and founder of Plus describes his company’s evolutionary approach toward developing automated-driving technology. Further, he provides updates on work with partners like Amazon, Bosch, Cummings and more, and what’s ahead for Plus in 2024.

The director of the Autonomous Vehicles Initiative at thinktank Securing America’s Future Energy outlines findings of a new case study that shows how electric AVs could dramatically reduce air and noise pollution in San Francisco.

University of South Carolina law professor Bryant Walker Smith, an expert on legalities of automated driving, dissects the California DMV’s suspension of Cruise’s driverless permits and details the best ways to build a transparent and trustworthy safety culture.

Automotive News reporters Pete Bigelow and Hannah Lutz dissect a busy week of news on the electrification and autonomous-vehicle frontiers. Plus, they discuss Pete’s visit with the Toyota Research Institute and Hannah’s takeaways from the GlobalData Automotive Outlook Conference.

The Texas A&M Transportation Institute director details autonomous-vehicle deployments in the Lone Star State, examines how new technology can reach users in an equitable way, and sheds light on the fragility of GPS.

The co-founder and CEO of the refining technology startup details the supply squeeze for nickel and cobalt. She describes how her company can pioneer domestic production while decarbonizing dirty recycling and mining processes.

The Fermata Energy CEO explains how car owners can reap financial rewards from vehicle-to-grid technology while bolstering the electric grid. Further, the former General Motors executive recounts his time developing the Chevy Volt.

The writer and visiting fellow at Harvard University’s Kennedy School details the financial, safety and climate-related costs associated with pickups and SUVs and the potential of minicars and micromobility to change transportation.

Automakers are introducing more sophisticated driving systems that complicate determining who or what may be held liable in the event of incidents. ZF board member Martin Fischer, Butzel attorney Jennifer Dukarski and Carnegie Mellon professor Phil Koopman scrutinize the details in a discussion pulled from last week’s Automotive News Congress in Detroit.

The chair of the International Council on Clean Transportation discusses her role in spurring change at Volkswagen following the company’s emissions-cheating scandal and says 2023 marks a critical juncture in a shift toward green mobility.

The president and co-founder of BlueSpace.ai offers an alternate path to developing self-driving software, shares lessons learned from her first startup experience, and details the state of driverless deployments in San Francisco.

Thilo Koslowski, board member for Arbe and a longtime industry advisor, says traditional automakers must change their cultures and attitudes now to keep their status in the future. He predicts that 10 percent of legacy automakers will be redefined or defunct because they failed to embrace the digital transformation.

Automotive News reporters Hannah Lutz, Molly Boigon, and Pete Bigelow discuss the latest stories in the mobility realm, including Waymo and Cruise increasing their San Francisco robotaxi businesses and the EV charging problems revealed by a recent J.D. Power customer survey.