Autonomy Markets

Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk

Welcome to Autonomy Markets, the premier podcast that explores the world of autonomous vehicles, self-driving cars, and EV technology, and their impact on the financial markets. Each episode dives into the future of mobility innovation, examining how autonomous driving and AI in transportation are transforming investment strategies, stock market trends, and economic forecasts. Join experts Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk as they discuss the latest advancements in autonomous technology and how these innovations are reshaping the auto industry and global markets.

  1. 10 hr ago

    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 The Road to Autonomy is the leading applied intelligence platform covering the convergence of automation, autonomy, and the Autonomy Economy™ powered AUTNMY AI. 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. Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for research here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠team@lightshedtmt.com⁠⁠

  2. 18 Jul

    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 The Road to Autonomy is the leading applied intelligence platform covering the convergence of automation, autonomy, and the Autonomy Economy™ powered AUTNMY AI. 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. Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for research here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠team@lightshedtmt.com⁠⁠

  3. 11 Jul

    Three Robotaxis in Miami, Four New Waymo Markets, One New NHTSA Letter

    This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss Tesla's unsupervised robotaxi launch in Miami, Waymo preparing to bring four new markets online, and NHTSA Administrator Morrison's letter to autonomous vehicle operators. On July 3rd, Tesla launched unsupervised robotaxi in Miami, their first market outside of Texas and California. We were there on the ground conducting field research with no safety monitor and no chase vehicle in sight, riding through torrential downpours and flooded streets. The fleet grew from two vehicles on day one to three vehicles by day three, and it was the best unsupervised robotaxi experience we have ever had. While conducting field research, we counted over two dozen Cybercabs staged in Miami, every single one with a steering wheel and a Florida license plate. We believe these are validation vehicles and that Cybercab will be Tesla's major robotaxi launch vehicle. Notably, Tesla's operating domain extends further west than Waymo's, wrapping around the back side of Miami International Airport. As Tesla scales in Miami, NHTSA Administrator Morrison sent a letter to autonomous vehicle operators on July 8th citing a pattern of driverless vehicles interfering with police, fire, and EMS. The timing was notable, as our Tesla robotaxi pulled over for an ambulance during our Miami rides. Mr. Morrison's approach of loosening hardware rules while tightening behavioral scrutiny is the regulatory framework we believe the industry needs to scale. Waymo opened employee rides in Las Vegas, San Diego, Tampa, and Denver, the final gate before public service. Tampa confirms the call The Road to Autonomy made three weeks ago when we uncovered Waymo's 100,000 square foot warehouse lease near Tampa International Airport. Beyond the four new cities, OMEGA uncovered corporate filings pointing to potential Waymo deployments in France, Spain, and the Netherlands, along with an Alphabet entity in Singapore. Episode Chapters 0:00 Tesla Launches Robotaxi in Miami 8:50 Tesla's Miami Service Area Compared to Waymo's 14:35 NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison's Letter to Autonomous Vehicle Operators 19:13 Waymo's New Markets: Las Vegas, San Diego, Tampa, and Denver 23:02 Denver: Waymo's First Snow and Ice Market 26:41 OMEGA uncovers Waymo's European Grand Ambitions 29:32 Waymo's Playbook 32:01 Uber's Autonomy Partners Struggles 34:27 Foreign Autonomy Desk 35:21 Next Week The Road to Autonomy is the leading applied intelligence platform covering the convergence of automation, autonomy, and the Autonomy Economy™ powered AUTNMY AI. 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. Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for research here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠team@lightshedtmt.com⁠⁠

  4. 4 Jul

    Waymo and Uber Divorce in Phoenix. Are Austin and Atlanta Next?

    This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss the end of Waymo and Uber's partnership in Phoenix, Tesla's Cybercab hitting the streets of Austin branded for America 250 and Waymo's "Because they're everything" World Cup campaign. As Tesla gets closer and closer to putting the Cybercab into service, the U.S. Government is inching toward a national framework that would allow vehicles with no steering wheel and no pedals to deploy across all 50 states and charge for rides. It is the regulatory environment that we believe Tesla is waiting to change before deploying Cybercab into the fleet, even if the rides are free. As Tesla waits for regulatory certainty, The Road to Autonomy broke the news that Waymo and Uber quietly ended their Phoenix partnership, noticing an update on the Uber autonomous vehicle site. The Phoenix partnership, which lasted 948 days, consisted of a fleet of 12 vehicles that serviced a 180 square mile area. Important to note that this was a dedicated fleet for Uber and the vehicles were not part of the traditional Waymo fleet. Now that Waymo and Uber have divorced in Phoenix, we believe it is only a matter of time until they divorce in Austin, where the service has been live for 482 days, and Atlanta, where the service has been live for 370 days. Both partnerships could unwind by the first quarter of 2027. On the Foreign Autonomy Desk, Grayson and Walt discuss the global growth of FSD and Volkswagen and Bosch ending their automated driving partnership, the latest in a long line of stalled autonomy efforts at the German automaker. Episode Chapters 00:00 Happy 250th Birthday, America 1:15 Waymo and Uber Phoenix Divorce 5:47 Dara, Nuro and Wayve Signals 8:24 Who Could Backfill Phoenix for Uber? 13:52 The Fizzling Demand Narrative 17:51 Cybercab, Branded for America 250 21:53 Regulatory, Not Safety, Is Holding Cybercab Back 24:50 Tesla Semi 25:54 Waymo's World Cup Because They're Everything Campaign 28:06 Robotaxis at Airports 29:32 Chinese Made Vehicles 31:11 Foreign Autonomy Desk 34:15 Next Week The Road to Autonomy is the leading applied intelligence platform covering the convergence of automation, autonomy, and the Autonomy Economy™ powered AUTNMY AI. 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. Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for research here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Closely followed by key decision-makers in the TMT industries, this podcast provides actionable analysis for investors, industry professionals, and tech enthusiasts. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠team@lightshedtmt.com⁠⁠

  5. 27 Jun

    Qualcomm Sells the Chip While Mobileye Eyes the Fleet

    This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss Qualcomm and Mobileye's differing robotaxi strategies, NHTSA removing the physical brake requirement for autonomous vehicles and the New York State Legislature failing to advance an autonomous driving bill. As Congress moves on the Build America 250 Act to legalize autonomous trucking and advances a national framework for autonomous vehicles, Grayson and Walt note that federal action could preempt the hostile policies blocking deployment in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. On the robotaxi side of the business, Mobileye signaled it wants to own and operate a fleet, a press release Grayson flagged for having no city permits and no SEC trail. Walt likened the pivot to BlackBerry building its own product to validate the technology, while Qualcomm took the opposite path at its Investor Day, positioning the company as a low-cost autonomous driving solutions provider that will only supply the Snapdragon automotive platform to enable OEMs to scale their businesses as Qualcomm's automotive business climbs toward $10 billion by fiscal 2029. Before segueing into the Foreign Autonomy Desk, Grayson and Walt debate Tesla's robotaxi turning one year old still short of 100 cars in Austin, Uber's week of deals and Waymo pausing service around a World Cup stadium, on highways and in some cases heavy rain, leading the hosts to wonder if there is a sensor issue. On the Foreign Autonomy Desk, China's Autonomous Belt and Road Initiative continues to accelerate across the globe with Pony.ai launching commercial service in Singapore, Baidu partnering with Swiss Post and WeRide and Uber preparing to launch commercial service in Switzerland. Episode Chapters0:00 Back from Hiatus01:46 New York Continues to Be Hostile to Autonomous Vehicles05:07 Uber Continues Global Robotaxi Expansion06:56 The Rise of Non-Binding MOUs10:28 Waymo Opens Nashville Market12:16 Waymo's On-Going Sensor Issues14:53 Tesla Robotaxi One-Year Launch Anniversary16:12 Mobileye's Robotaxi Fleet Ambitions21:04 Qualcomm's Growing Automotive Business28:50 May Mobility's European Expansion35:36 China’s Autonomous Belt and Road Initiative Continues36:47 Zoox Design Update38:27 Nvidia's Neibus Investment41:20 The Road to Autonomy Indices Launch43:58 Next Week The Road to Autonomy is the leading applied intelligence platform covering the convergence of automation, autonomy, and the Autonomy Economy™ powered AUTNMY AI. 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. LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for research here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Closely followed by key decision-makers in the TMT industries, this podcast provides actionable analysis for investors, industry professionals, and tech enthusiasts. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠team@lightshedtmt.com⁠⁠

  6. 13 Jun

    Robotaxis Get the Hype, Autonomous Trucks May Get the Profits

    This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss autonomous trucking reaching an inflection point, Waymo acquiring Apple’s Arizona proving ground and Tesla filing for a robotaxi permit in Las Vegas. As Gatik expands its middle-mile freight operations with PepsiCo across Texas, Arizona and Arkansas, Volvo Autonomous Solutions told investors it is targeting $3 billion in autonomous transport revenue within five years through its transport-as-a-service (TaaS) business. On the robotaxi side of the business, Waymo acquired Apple’s former 5,500-acre proving ground in Wittmann, Arizona for $220 million, a facility with a high-speed oval an hour from its Mesa up-fitting plant. Grayson views the acquisition as a signal that Waymo is preparing to test at highway speeds away from prying eyes, while Walt notes that satellite imagery sees everything. Before the segueing into the Foreign Autonomy Desk, Grayson and Walt debate Tesla’s Clark County permit application for up to 5,000 robotaxis in a Las Vegas market with roughly 6,500 Uber drivers, Einride going public and Rivian beginning R2 deliveries. On the Foreign Autonomy Desk, Chinese robotaxi continues to accelerate into Europe with Pony.ai in Luxembourg and WeRide in Slovakia. Episode Chapters 00:00 Gatik Goes Driver-Out with PepsiCo 02:51 Volvo Targets $3 Billion in Autonomous Transport Revenue 06:54 Einride Goes Public 08:58 Tesla Files for Clark County Robotaxi Permit 11:52 Waymo Acquires Apple's Arizona Proving Ground 13:39 Wayve and Uber Open the UK Interest List 16:20 Baidu Added to the Pentagon's Designation List 18:31 Foreign Autonomy Desk 27:13 Nebius Launches a Physical AI Lab 28:14 Next Week The Road to Autonomy is the leading applied intelligence platform covering the convergence of automation, autonomy, and the Autonomy Economy™ powered AUTNMY AI. 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. Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/⁠⁠⁠⁠ LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for research here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Closely followed by key decision-makers in the TMT industries, this podcast provides actionable analysis for investors, industry professionals, and tech enthusiasts. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠team@lightshedtmt.com⁠⁠

  7. 6 Jun

    WeRide Is Catching Up to Waymo Globally

    This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss WeRide trying to catch up to Waymo globally, Waymo preparing to deploy Chinese-made robotaxis in Texas and the CEO of FedEx Freight's open embracement of autonomous trucking. As WeRide and Uber continue to expand throughout Europe and the Middle East together, Waymo continues to work towards deploying the Chinese-made Zeekr robotaxis now called the Ojai, with data suggesting they are now in Texas, in a politically risky move. FedEx Freight CEO John Smith declared autonomous trucks ready for prime time, a signal Grayson reads alongside Amazon entering the freight business and Uber selling down another stake in Aurora. With Amazon running one of the most sophisticated freight networks in the world and FedEx now a standalone public company, the pressure on Uber Freight is building. Wrapping up the conversation, Grayson and Walt Uber's continued European push by partnering with Autobrains on a Munich robotaxi service pending regulatory approval, and Saudi Arabia's PIF-backed Humain partnered with NVIDIA to deploy robotaxis in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Episode Chapters 00:00 SpaceX IPO 3:53 WeRide and Uber Expand Across Europe 7:39 Waymo Registers 45 Zeekrs in Texas 10:30 Waymo's New Tampa Depot 15:36 Uber Sells Down Its Aurora Stake 16:33 Why Amazon Hasn't Bought an Autonomous Trucking Company? 23:04 Avride Robotaxis in Texas 25:26 Serve Robotics Moves Into Laundry 26:29 Ferrari Rules Out Autonomy 28:56 Foreign Autonomy Desk 30:27 Next Week The Road to Autonomy is the leading applied intelligence platform covering the convergence of automation, autonomy, and the Autonomy Economy™ powered AUTNMY AI. 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. Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/⁠⁠⁠ LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for research here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Closely followed by key decision-makers in the TMT industries, this podcast provides actionable analysis for investors, industry professionals, and tech enthusiasts. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠team@lightshedtmt.com⁠⁠

  8. 30 May

    Is Waymo's Lead Becoming Insurmountable?

    This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss Waymo's widening lead, the Ojai (Chinese-made Zeekr robotaxi) rollout's political fault lines, and the new Texas autonomous vehicle and truck database. Waymo is actively preparing to deploy a fleet of Chinese-made Zeekrs across California and Arizona, now renamed Ojai, in blue and purple states, not a red state, at least not yet. Sticking to his original call that the Zeekr is an unforced error, Grayson lays out the emerging split where Jaguars head to red states and Zeekrs head to blue and purple ones. With Magna now producing roughly 250 vehicles a month, Waymo is on pace for 6,000 cars by year-end, and Walt argues the real unlock comes when the sensor stack gets cheaper and Waymo begins to add more than 1,000 new vehicles a month on the road. In Texas, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles launched the Automated Motor Vehicle Lookup, where any member of the public can look up the fleet size of any AV operator in the state along with any complaints that might be filed. Wrapping up the conversation, Grayson and Walt discussed the launch of Wayve Labs, Zoox getting an undeserved pass thanks to Amazon and BYD's willingness to compensate owners when God's Eye is engaged during an incident. Episode Chapters 00:00 Waymo Deploys the Ojai 06:40 Waymo Production Math 08:55 Waymo's Expanding Lead 15:15 Texas Automated Motor Vehicle Lookup 25:00 Wayve Labs 32:10 3,760 Miles Across Canada. No Interventions. 36:15 Zoox Gets a Pass 39:15 Foreign Autonomy Desk 40:20 Next Week The Road to Autonomy is the leading applied intelligence platform covering the convergence of automation, autonomy, and the Autonomy Economy™ powered AUTNMY AI. 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. Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: ⁠⁠https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/⁠⁠ LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for research here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Closely followed by key decision-makers in the TMT industries, this podcast provides actionable analysis for investors, industry professionals, and tech enthusiasts. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠team@lightshedtmt.com⁠⁠

About

Welcome to Autonomy Markets, the premier podcast that explores the world of autonomous vehicles, self-driving cars, and EV technology, and their impact on the financial markets. Each episode dives into the future of mobility innovation, examining how autonomous driving and AI in transportation are transforming investment strategies, stock market trends, and economic forecasts. Join experts Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk as they discuss the latest advancements in autonomous technology and how these innovations are reshaping the auto industry and global markets.

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