The Road to Autonomy

Grayson Brulte | AUTNMY AI

Hosted by Grayson Brulte, The Road to Autonomy delivers institutional-grade intelligence on autonomous vehicles, autonomous trucking, robotaxis, and the capital flows shaping the market. Every episode combines primary field research, proprietary data, and conversations with the operators, investors, and policymakers building the autonomy economy. Three shows comprise the feed: The Road to Autonomy (Tuesdays): Flagship, in-depth conversations and analysis with the architects of the autonomy economy. Autonomy Signals, presented by KPMG (Thursdays): AUTNMY AI co-founders Grayson Brulte and Rob Grant analyze the underlying technical and regulatory signals moving the market. Autonomy Markets (Saturdays): Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk, Partner & TMT Analyst, LightShed Partners and General Partner, LightShed Ventures break down the week in autonomy from a Wall Street and investment perspective. With over 400 episodes, The Road to Autonomy has become the trusted source for hedge funds, analysts, and executives who need to understand the emergence of the autonomy economy and the growth of physical AI.

  1. vor 5 Std.

    Autonomy Markets: Is ADAS the Trojan Horse Into Autonomy?

    This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss the Waymo/Uber divorce going public, Zoox receiving NHTSA approval to charge for rides, Aurora earnings, and Qualcomm's BMW win as ADAS becomes the Trojan horse into autonomy. The Waymo/Uber relationship is unraveling in public, with The Financial Times confirming Waymo will launch its own app in Austin and Atlanta in January 2028 before the contract expires that May. Both sides are airing grievances, from dirty cars and bad routing to weather no-shows and unsustainable financial terms. Grayson goes on the record that the relationship terminates early, calling for a Waymo app in those markets by June 2027, while Walt takes the under. After 12 years and billions of dollars, Zoox can finally charge for a ride. NHTSA granted an exemption capped at 2,500 vehicles per year for two years, a ruling that also creates a potential viable deployment path for Tesla's Cybercab. In autonomous trucking, Aurora is targeting 1,000 trucks by the end of next year against 200 this year, a heavily back-end loaded ramp that depends on truck supply, Roush capacity, and unresolved questions about how the Volvo Autonomous Solutions margin split works. Meanwhile, Qualcomm's selection by BMW as lead compute for next-generation ADAS confirms the growth of the L2+ market and positions Snapdragon as the Trojan horse into autonomy compute. On the Foreign Autonomy Desk, Baidu began RT6 robotaxi testing in London with both Uber and Lyft on the outskirts of the city, received a full driverless permit in Hong Kong, and China resumed issuing robotaxi permits once again. Episode Chapters 0:00 Waymo/Uber Divorce Goes Public 5:45 Uber's Autonomous Vehicle Partner Problem 10:28 Waymo's OEM Partner Signals 12:25 Zoox Gets the Golden Ticket 16:52 Advancing America’s Safety and Competitiveness for the Evolution of National Deployments 20:16 Aurora Q2 2026 Earnings 27:43 How Big Is the OEM Risk? 30:38 ADAS as the Trojan Horse Into Autonomy 35:42 Ford BlueCruise Falls Short 37:23 Foreign Autonomy Desk: Baidu RT6 Testing in London with Uber & Lyft 41:33 Next Week Follow The Road to Autonomy Indices -------- About The Road to Autonomy The Road to Autonomy is the leading applied intelligence platform covering the convergence of automation, autonomy, and the Autonomy Economy.™. Through our podcasts, newsletter, and proprietary applied intelligence, we set the narrative for institutional investors, industry executives, and policymakers navigating the convergence of automation, autonomy, and economic growth. Join institutional investors and industry leaders who read This Week in The Autonomy Economy every Sunday. Each edition delivers exclusive insight and commentary on the autonomy economy, helping you stay ahead of what's next. Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    Autonomy Markets: Is ADAS the Trojan Horse Into Autonomy?
  2. vor 1 Tag

    Autonomy Signals: Tesla FSD Supervised Goes Coast to Coast as Baidu Robotaxis Arrive in London

    This week on Autonomy Signals presented by KPMG, Grayson Brulte and Rob Grant discuss the latest Tesla FSD Supervised Cannonball Run record, seniors adopting FSD as a mobility preservation tool, and Baidu beginning robotaxi testing in London on both the Uber and Lyft networks. David Moss, Spencer and Owen Sparks drove a Tesla Model 3 running FSD Supervised 14.3.6 from the Red Ball Garage in New York City to the Portofino Inn in Redondo Beach, California in a record-setting 47 hours, 15 minutes and 39 seconds without ever touching the wheel. While the young kids break Cannonball FSD Supervised records, older individuals are actively embracing FSD as a mobility preservation tool. With no AARP partnership and no marketing spend, word of mouth is pulling seniors into a $47 billion a year senior transportation market that remains underserved, creating a structurally high-retention customer for Tesla. As Tesla FSD adoption grows with seniors, Baidu launched supervised RT6 robotaxi trials in the London borough of Brent on both the Uber and Lyft networks, with Lyft utilizing FreeNow's existing Transport for London private hire operator license. Baidu's deployment in London is a regulatory choreography play, not a technology demonstration, with driverless commercial authorization targeted for 2027 remaining the single binary event that either validates or collapses Baidu's Western expansion thesis. Episode Chapters 0:00 KPMG Sponsor Introduction 01:30 Signal 1: Tesla FSD Supervised Cannonball Run Record 26:23 Signal 2: Seniors are Embracing FSD 51:47 Signal 3: Baidu Begins Robotaxi Testing in London Follow The Road to Autonomy Indices -------- About The Road to Autonomy The Road to Autonomy is the leading applied intelligence platform covering the convergence of automation, autonomy, and the Autonomy Economy.™. Through our podcasts, newsletter, and proprietary applied intelligence, we set the narrative for institutional investors, industry executives, and policymakers navigating the convergence of automation, autonomy, and economic growth. Join institutional investors and industry leaders who read This Week in The Autonomy Economy every Sunday. Each edition delivers exclusive insight and commentary on the autonomy economy, helping you stay ahead of what's next. Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    Autonomy Signals: Tesla FSD Supervised Goes Coast to Coast as Baidu Robotaxis Arrive in London
  3. 25. Juli

    Autonomy Markets: Tesla’s Robotaxi Ramp Comes Down to One Number

    This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss Tesla's Cybercab validation timeline, Tesla Semi FSD Supervised, Alphabet's quiet quarter on Waymo, and the Mobileye CEO stepping down after 27 years. Tesla disclosed 380,000 unsupervised miles, but those miles were logged on Model Y and do not transfer to Cybercab. The new chassis has to earn its own validation miles before commercial service begins, and Tesla is pacing production to that validation rather than building a fleet ahead of it. The ramp is slower than the market expects. Best case, that puts Tesla at 100 cars in Austin or a Florida market by year end. Elon Musk also offered an aggressive timeline for autonomy on the Semi, where Tesla is the OEM and removes the largest structural risk in autonomous trucking, creating an overhang for Aurora and every capital dependent competitor. Alphabet reported Other Bets revenue of $380 million against a loss of $1.8 billion, with the smallest amount of Waymo commentary from Sundar Pichai in roughly six quarters and no milestone announced. Mobileye is abandoning its asset light model for full vertical integration, putting it in direct competition with the OEMs it needs as customers. On the Foreign Autonomy Desk, Momenta secured approval for driverless commercial operations in Shenzhen as China resumes issuing robotaxi permits. Episode Chapters 0:00 380,000 Unsupervised Miles and What That Number Leaves Out 03:13 The 250,000 Validation Miles Cybercab Still Has to Earn 05:22 Cybercab Production Is Pacing to Validation Miles 10:20 Tesla Semi FSD Coming Soon (Maybe Year End?) 14:29 The Case for Vertical Integration 16:24 Reading the Fine Print on Aurora's Driverless Announcement 22:22 Alphabet's Other Bets and the Waymo Spin Non Answer 25:50 How Tesla Runs Airport Curbside Pickups in California 27:44 Zoox Recalls Software That Could Not Handle Smoke 30:15 Mobileye Abandons Asset Light for Vertical Integration 36:14 Foreign Autonomy Desk: China Resumes Robotaxi Permits Follow The Road to Autonomy Indices -------- About The Road to Autonomy The Road to Autonomy is the leading applied intelligence platform covering the convergence of automation, autonomy, and the Autonomy Economy.™. Through our podcasts, newsletter, and proprietary applied intelligence, we set the narrative for institutional investors, industry executives, and policymakers navigating the convergence of automation, autonomy, and economic growth. Join institutional investors and industry leaders who read This Week in The Autonomy Economy every Sunday. Each edition delivers exclusive insight and commentary on the autonomy economy, helping you stay ahead of what's next. Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    Autonomy Markets: Tesla’s Robotaxi Ramp Comes Down to One Number
  4. 24. Juli

    Autonomy Signals: Tesla Expands Robotaxi Across Florida as Amazon's Zoox Falls Behind

    This week on Autonomy Signals presented by KPMG, Grayson Brulte and Rob Grant discuss Tesla expanding robotaxi to Tampa and Orlando, Zoox recalling its entire 105 vehicle fleet after driving into an active fire scene in Las Vegas, and China embedding autonomous truck manufacturing in Kazakhstan. Tesla continues their robotaxi expansion launching service in Tampa and Orlando, establishing their third Florida market alongside Miami. All three Florida service areas are next to the airport, signaling Tesla's ambition to secure airport service, while Tampa marks the first market where Tesla launched commercially ahead of Waymo. With Tesla moving from ground validation vehicles to driverless operations in roughly three weeks compared to Waymo's 30 week timeline in Charlotte, Tesla's deployment velocity is running approximately 10X faster than its main competitor. A company that has struggled to scale, Zoox voluntarily recalled its entire US fleet of 105 autonomous vehicles after an unoccupied robotaxi drove into a smoke-obscured fire scene in Las Vegas, requiring a remote teleoperator to reverse the vehicle after its sensor suite was blinded. The recall arrives as NHTSA escalates enforcement around autonomous vehicles interfering with first responders and as Zoox's FMVSS exemption petition for 2,500 driverless vehicles remains pending. With nine vehicles operating in Miami and no Amazon branding anywhere on the vehicles, rider lounges, or website, questions are mounting about Zoox's commercial direction and Amazon's willingness to stand behind its bet. Closing out the show, Grayson and Rob discuss China and Kazakhstan formalizing an agreement to establish domestic assembly lines for autonomous SITRAK heavy trucks, turning Kazakhstan into a regional production and deployment hub for driverless freight across Eurasian trade corridors and accelerating China's Autonomous Belt and Road Initiative. Episode Chapters 0:00 KPMG Sponsor Introduction 01:34 Signal 1: Tesla Expands Robotaxi to Tampa and Orlando 27:15 Signal 2: Zoox Recalls Its Entire 105 Vehicle Fleet 57:15 Signal 3: China Embeds Autonomous Truck Manufacturing in Kazakhstan Follow The Road to Autonomy Indices -------- About The Road to Autonomy The Road to Autonomy is the leading applied intelligence platform covering the convergence of automation, autonomy, and the Autonomy Economy.™. Through our podcasts, newsletter, and proprietary applied intelligence, we set the narrative for institutional investors, industry executives, and policymakers navigating the convergence of automation, autonomy, and economic growth. Join institutional investors and industry leaders who read This Week in The Autonomy Economy every Sunday. Each edition delivers exclusive insight and commentary on the autonomy economy, helping you stay ahead of what's next. Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    Autonomy Signals: Tesla Expands Robotaxi Across Florida as Amazon's Zoox Falls Behind
  5. 22. Juli

    The Future of Warfare is Autonomous

    Nathan Michael, Chief Technology Officer, Shield AI joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss why the future of warfare is autonomous. The conflicts in Ukraine and Iran have made the case for autonomy abundantly clear. Drones create asymmetric advantage by driving down the cost per effect, delivering outcomes at reach without putting pilots and service members into harm’s way. As trust in these systems grows through engineered performance and assurance, autonomous systems will increasingly engage in combat and change the face of modern warfare. Shield AI’s solution to the future of warfare is Hivemind, an AI pilot designed from the beginning to be platform agnostic, mission agnostic, and domain agnostic. This architecture aligns with the Air Force’s autonomy government reference architecture for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, which mandates modularity and no vendor lock-in. No vendor lock-in is becoming a global standard, with nations demanding sovereign autonomy, ownership of data, and the flexibility to swap in the most performant AI pilot as the technology rapidly improves. Hivemind is now expanding beyond the air and maritime domains into space through a series of defense partnerships. Episode Chapters 0:00 How Shield AI is Thinking About Autonomy in a World Full of Conflict 1:56 Are Drones the Modern Equivalent of the Abrams Tank? 4:09 Is Society Ready for Autonomous Warfare 5:58 Developing Hivemind and the Aha Moments Along the Way 10:50 Deploying V-BAT in Ukraine and Integrating Hivemind on One-Way Attack Drones 13:59 The Autonomy Factory and Adapting Hivemind Across Platforms 17:41 Going from Air to Sea with Huntington Ingalls 22:39 Deploying Hivemind on the Airbus Lakota Helicopter for Contested Logistics 25:52 Winning the U.S. Air Force CCA Mission Autonomy Production Contract 29:37 Autonomy Government Reference Architecture and No Vendor Lock-In 35:34 Expanding Hivemind into Space 38:17 X-Bat, the World's First AI-Powered VTOL Fighter Jet 40:34 AUTNMY AI -------- About The Road to Autonomy The Road to Autonomy is the leading applied intelligence platform covering the convergence of automation, autonomy, and the Autonomy Economy.™. Through our podcasts, newsletter, Indices and proprietary applied intelligence, we set the narrative for institutional investors, industry executives, and policymakers navigating the convergence of automation, autonomy, and economic growth. Join institutional investors and industry leaders who read This Week in The Autonomy Economy every Sunday. Each edition delivers exclusive insight and commentary on the autonomy economy, helping you stay ahead of what's next. Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter Follow The Road to Autonomy Indices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    The Future of Warfare is Autonomous
  6. 18. Juli

    Autonomy Markets: Has Robotaxi Begun to Scale?

    This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss Tesla increasing their robotaxi inventory in Texas, a controversial autonomous vehicle bill in Washington DC, Uber’s acquisition of Delivery Hero, and WeRide‘s global expansion strategies. Data from the Texas DMV shows that Tesla has 175 robotaxis registered in Texas, a quadrupling in just six weeks from 42 on June 1st. This is a trend that is not isolated to Texas, as Grayson has noted in his Robotaxi Miami Field Report that Tesla is also ramping up operations in that market as well. In Washington DC, a new district bill introduced by Councilmember Charles Allen aims to update the 2012 AV Act to allow commercial autonomous operations. However, the bill introduces highly restrictive mandates, including a requirement for autonomous vehicle operators to log over 250,000 testing miles within the district before receiving a commercial permit that could lead to regulatory capture for incumbents. Shifting to the delivery sector, Uber made a major move by earmarking approximately €2 billion through 2031 for European expansion, explicitly including autonomous vehicle initiatives alongside its acquisition of Delivery Hero. Meanwhile, Uber’s autonomous delivery partner, Avride, launched sidewalk street robot operations in Miami via Uber Eats, having already completed 60,000 trips. On the Foreign Autonomy Desk, Grayson and Walt discuss WeRide’s global Level 2++ on-road validation testing alongside Bosch in Germany, France, and Japan. Additionally, government data from Hong Kong reveals that 63 autonomous driving licenses have been issued across seven companies, with Baidu logging 149,129 miles with safety drivers on pre-approved roads. Closing out the show Grayson and Walt analyze Baidu‘s expansion into Kazakhstan and predict local robotaxi manufacturing could begin there within the next 12 to 18 months. Episode Chapters 0:00 Tesla's Growing Robotaxi Fleet 4:52 Washington DC's Autonomous Vehicle Bill 12:03 Uber Acquires Delivery Hero and Bets on Autonomous Delivery 18:07 Lucid's Selloff and the Nuro Partner Risk 23:19 WeRide's Level 2++ Expansion 24:57 Foreign Autonomy Desk 27:10 Next Week Follow The Road to Autonomy Indices -------- About The Road to Autonomy The Road to Autonomy is the leading applied intelligence platform covering the convergence of automation, autonomy, and the Autonomy Economy.™. Through our podcasts, newsletter, and proprietary applied intelligence, we set the narrative for institutional investors, industry executives, and policymakers navigating the convergence of automation, autonomy, and economic growth. Join institutional investors and industry leaders who read This Week in The Autonomy Economy every Sunday. Each edition delivers exclusive insight and commentary on the autonomy economy, helping you stay ahead of what's next. Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    Autonomy Markets: Has Robotaxi Begun to Scale?
  7. 17. Juli

    Autonomy Signals: Baidu's Hong Kong Expansion Unlocks Right-Hand Drive Markets

    This week on Autonomy Signals, Grayson Brulte and Rob Grant discuss Baidu's Apollo Go robotaxi expansion in Hong Kong, the first combat strike using Saronic autonomous vessels on an Iranian naval base, and autonomous drones mapping volcanic gas clouds off the coast of Sicily. Hong Kong issued Baidu three pilot licenses covering 50 vehicles and cleared cross-district driverless trials using its sixth-generation RT6 robotaxis. The city-state's right-hand drive, left-side traffic system turns it into a proving ground for Japan, the UK, Singapore, and Australia, advancing China's Autonomous Belt and Road Initiative and setting up Baidu to export validated autonomy into left-side traffic markets. On July 12, 2026, US Central Command (CENTCOM) executed the first ever combat strike using unmanned surface vessels, deploying three Saronic-built Corsair vessels against Iran's Bandar Abbas Naval Base. The strike marks a doctrinal shift in naval warfare, altering the cost-exchange calculus of maritime conflict as tier one primes reposition themselves as mission integrators and treat autonomous hulls as expendable peripherals to their combat systems. Closing out the show, Grayson and Rob discuss researchers at the Technical University of Munich deploying an autonomous drone on the Italian island of Vulcano to map volcanic gas concentrations at a 5% margin of error, eliminating the need to fly into corrosive plumes. Episode Chapters 0:00 KPMG Sponsor Introduction 01:34 Signal 1: Baidu's Apollo Go Expansion in Hong Kong 18:55 Signal 2: First Autonomous Maritime Combat Strike 37:16: Signal 3: Autonomous Drones Mapping Volcanic Gas Clouds Follow The Road to Autonomy Indices -------- About The Road to Autonomy The Road to Autonomy is the leading applied intelligence platform covering the convergence of automation, autonomy, and the Autonomy Economy.™. Through our podcasts, newsletter, and proprietary applied intelligence, we set the narrative for institutional investors, industry executives, and policymakers navigating the convergence of automation, autonomy, and economic growth. Join institutional investors and industry leaders who read This Week in The Autonomy Economy every Sunday. Each edition delivers exclusive insight and commentary on the autonomy economy, helping you stay ahead of what's next. Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    Autonomy Signals: Baidu's Hong Kong Expansion Unlocks Right-Hand Drive Markets
  8. 14. Juli

    Scale Not Technology Is the Real Constraint in AI Manufacturing

    Todd Deaville, VP, Advanced Manufacturing Innovation, Magna, joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss how artificial intelligence and advanced robotics are transforming global manufacturing. To Deaville, AI is a highly powerful tool set optimized for recognizing complex patterns, making quality-control decisions, and analyzing massive data flows. Applying AI to robotics introduces unprecedented flexibility to the physical world, moving beyond historically rigid, defined programming to enable machines that can adapt and make operational changes in real time. With manufacturing facilities spanning 28 countries, Magna’s primary challenge is deploying these advanced technologies at scale. To achieve this, the company clusters its solutions around specific product and process archetypes, relying on a playbook approach with practical guides to help local plants succeed. This shift toward more complex digital workflows is being further accelerated by a new generation of workers whose gaming backgrounds have trained them to navigate highly interactive, realistic three-dimensional simulations.. By continuously feeding operational data back into its systems, Magna is elevating the skills of its workforce, streamlining its design-for-manufacturing processes, and building a highly efficient, autonomous future. Episode Chapters 0:00 Defining AI in Manufacturing 2:40 Robotics 4:42 Open Source Models & Data Sovereignty 8:34 Deploying Tech Globally 11:07 Labs vs. Active Factory Floors 13:06 Scale Is the Real Bottleneck 16:56 Humanoid Robots 21:13 Gaming and the Evolving Workforce 28:57 Magna Data Flywheel 31:06 The Future of Robotaxi Manufacturing 32:32 Future of Magna 33:56 AUTNMY AI -------- About The Road to Autonomy The Road to Autonomy is the leading applied intelligence platform covering the convergence of automation, autonomy, and the Autonomy Economy.™. Through our podcasts, newsletter, Indices and proprietary applied intelligence, we set the narrative for institutional investors, industry executives, and policymakers navigating the convergence of automation, autonomy, and economic growth. Join institutional investors and industry leaders who read This Week in The Autonomy Economy every Sunday. Each edition delivers exclusive insight and commentary on the autonomy economy, helping you stay ahead of what's next. Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter Follow The Road to Autonomy Indices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    Scale Not Technology Is the Real Constraint in AI Manufacturing

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Hosted by Grayson Brulte, The Road to Autonomy delivers institutional-grade intelligence on autonomous vehicles, autonomous trucking, robotaxis, and the capital flows shaping the market. Every episode combines primary field research, proprietary data, and conversations with the operators, investors, and policymakers building the autonomy economy. Three shows comprise the feed: The Road to Autonomy (Tuesdays): Flagship, in-depth conversations and analysis with the architects of the autonomy economy. Autonomy Signals, presented by KPMG (Thursdays): AUTNMY AI co-founders Grayson Brulte and Rob Grant analyze the underlying technical and regulatory signals moving the market. Autonomy Markets (Saturdays): Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk, Partner & TMT Analyst, LightShed Partners and General Partner, LightShed Ventures break down the week in autonomy from a Wall Street and investment perspective. With over 400 episodes, The Road to Autonomy has become the trusted source for hedge funds, analysts, and executives who need to understand the emergence of the autonomy economy and the growth of physical AI.

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