TechMobility Topics

In this episode, we examine AI’s accelerating role in insurance. Think underwriting powered by decades of climate and claims data, faster, more empathetic claims workflows, and the hard truth that some regions may become too risky to insure without policy changes or public backstops. Reinsurance pressures, state regulators, and model transparency collide here, and the outcomes will shape premiums,...

Consumer protection from Big Data moves to the forefront in California. Privacy protections receive equal billing under California’s new data-broker deletion law. For the first time in the U.S., residents can require hundreds of brokers to delete personal data and keep it deleted, shifting the burden from individuals to the industry. We cover the limits, the daily fines that give the policy teeth,...

This episode uncovers a shocker many didn’t expect: congestion pricing is working in New York. One year after launch, Lower Manhattan saw millions fewer car trips, faster tunnels and bridges, cleaner air, and quicker buses—without the feared spillover traffic into surrounding neighborhoods. We break down the toll structure, the equity of allocating investment revenue to New York City's public tran...

It's a tough goodbye as we chart Bollinger Motors’ rise, pivot, and fall. We have followed the company's progress from an elegant, fixable EV truck vision to an ambitious medium-duty chassis play that ran headlong into the realities of capital, volume, and time. We walk through the funding twists, the move from contract manufacturing to a dedicated plant, and why selling only a handful of vehicles...

This episode asks a simple question: With low sales, dealers in financial trouble, and an aging product line, how will Mitsubishi Motors turn things around in the United States? Although Mitsubishi has history, a path forward is possible only if its products, pricing, and partnerships align. A credible sub-$25K entry, a modern compact SUV, and a smart plug-in strategy could reintroduce the brand t...

In this episode, we explore why GM’s multi-nameplate EV strategy shows that scale matters: costs fall, ranges rise, and the lineup stays credible as others pull back. Ford’s pause on a pure EV truck might save cash now, but it risks long-term leadership among innovation-first buyers. And quietly, Foxconn is assembling the most intriguing play in the room—homologating a U.S.-bound EV, standardizing...

This week, I get behind the wheel of the Polestar 3 EV.  It’s quick, planted, and comfortable on long drives, with one-pedal grace and a minimalist cabin that feels genuinely premium. Yet living with it isn’t as effortless as the badge suggests: start-up quirks, menu-heavy controls, uneven speed-limit data, and no spare tire undercut daily confidence. The good news is meaningful price cuts, a...

Volkswagen teased us for years with hints that a modern version of its VW Bus would come to the marketplace. Finally, the automaker introduced the motoring public to the ID BUZZ, a pure-electric take on its iconic vehicle. However, with a sticker price starting over $60K, it quickly became a cult icon priced out of reach—a luxury EV that thrills and frustrates, and a contract manufacturer betting...

In this episode, I question Infiniti’s plan to compete with Mercedes-Benz's AMG and BMW M performance subbrands through low-volume power upgrades. True halo models work best when the base cars already command respect and the dealer network can support complex hardware. A stronger reset calls for a new hero model with standout design, chassis tuning, and a clear identity that re-engages enthusiasts...

AI for the automotive consumer. In this episode, I evaluate the consumer advantage of CarEdge an AI-powered car-buying tool. The promise: real prices, data-driven targets, and someone else handling the back-and-forth. The nuance: dealers want transparency that shortens deals, not slogans that paint the entire industry as the problem. My take offers a practical middle path—how to leverage data, pro...

For this episode, I review the energy horizon and its implications for product planning. The latest projections show oil and gas demand growing through 2050, even as solar leads the renewables sector, China and Europe push EVs, and U.S. buyers flirt with hybrids and gasoline-powered vehicles. That split reality forces automakers to hedge without losing relevance. Tooling, batteries, and service ne...

A single decision can shape a decade. I examine General Motors’ abrupt exit from BrightDrop and argue that electric work vans still deliver real value: quiet, clean food trucks for dense cities, flexible upfits for utilities, and premium RV builds that thrive on low floors, instant torque, and all-weather electric drivetrains. With tooling paid for and demand abroad still rising, scrapping a platf...

In this episode, we examine Commercial Driver Licenses (CDLs) and the impact when lax state reporting leaves gaps.  Also considered: why a centralized, federal CDL could streamline moves, reduce fraud, and remove unsafe drivers from the road faster. If you care about where mobility is going—from EV supercars to compact street trucks to firm clean power—this conversation puts the specs, tradeo...

For this episode, it’s off to Texas for geothermal 2.0: geo‑pressured wells that act like batteries, storing grid power by pumping water deep underground and releasing it later for four to six hours of dispatchable energy. It’s a smart reuse of oilfield rigs, crews, and techniques, and it could help balance growing solar capacity as data centers surge into the state. The hurdles are cost and scale...

This episode is about the Ford Maverick.  During the 1970's, Maverick was a compact car; today it’s Ford’s compact pickup.  For 2025, the automaker adds the Maverick LOBO model, a small pickup with street-truck DNA. Lower ride height, sport-tuned suspension, bigger brakes, and torque-vectoring AWD make it feel quick and planted. We share what works—quiet cruising, easy entry, and a confi...

In this episode, we ask: what happens when peak performance, practical utility, and power storage all hit an inflection point at once? We kick off with Ferrari’s leap into an all-electric supercar chassis built entirely in-house—75% recycled aluminum, an 800‑volt system, and more than 60 patented solutions designed to deliver real Ferrari feel, instant torque, and a rock-bottom center of gravity....

In this podcast, we explore the reasons behind the rising destination charges on your car. Rising tariffs on imported components and supply chain disruptions are driving up costs, which are being passed directly to consumers as non-negotiable fees rather than being absorbed into the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). As a result, buyers often find themselves surprised by the final purch...

During this episode,  we focus on water—the most tangible form of risk. In Alaska, warming is accelerating permafrost thaw, exposing pyrite, leaching metals, turning more than 200 rivers orange, and killing aquatic life that sustains communities and salmon runs. Downstream, in a different sense, the Colorado River’s century-old legal framework collides with a hotter, drier reality. We explore...

This episode will introduce you to RSL 1.0, a new, machine-readable licensing standard, backed by major publishers, that sets clear terms for AI training. The idea is straightforward: if AI models benefit from journalism, photography, and code, creators deserve transparent permissions and compensation. The challenge is compliance. With no U.S. federal AI law and no binding commitments from leading...

For this episode, we kick off with VinFast’s rocky U.S. rollout—shrinking dealer networks, paused plant plans, and two EVs targeting the toughest price band in the market. We unpack why styling, timing, and the absence of an entry-level hybrid make adoption difficult and revisit the long game required to win American buyers. Drawing lessons from Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, and Kia, we outline what it...

In this episode, I explore the rise of “job hugging.” Hiring has slowed since 2022. AI screens resumes before humans review them. Employers have reduced hiring incentives, bonuses, and perks while pushing for a return to days in the office. Ambitious workers prefer to stay in their current roles, valuing steady paychecks over uncertainty. We discuss what this means for mobility, middle management,...

 In this episode, I examine the talent gap that is hampering automotive service bays at car dealerships nationwide. The National Automobile Dealers Association’s (NADA) new apprenticeship program—developed with the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) and approved by the U.S. Department of Labor—offers paid training, mentor-led rotations, and a structured skills checklis...

In this episode, I explore the quiet confidence of the 2025 Lexus RX 500h. The RX helped define the luxury crossover segment, and this model continues to show why: a 2.4-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, dual electric motors, a nickel-metal hydride hybrid battery pack, and a smooth six-speed transmission that remains stable and responsive. We appreciated comfort in every seat, intuitive controls...

A swing and a miss—an even bigger miss! A truck may look ready for tomorrow but still falls short today. The Tesla Cybertruck, at two years old, has faced viral videos, factory recalls, slipping sales, and higher prices for the base model that diverged from its initial promise. While predictions assumed a plant operating near full capacity, the reality of high fixed EV costs, recalls, and a poor f...

In this episode, I analyze rising electricity prices through the lens of actual grid economics. Blaming AI data centers or EVs overlooks the bigger picture: significant fixed costs in generation, transmission, and distribution. In areas with excess capacity, new demand can lower prices by spreading out fixed costs; where infrastructure is aging and constrained, upgrades tend to raise rates. Unders...