In this episode of the Ride AI podcast, we sit down with Ed Bernardon, Chief Racing Officer at AIPEX Racing, to explore the high-octane world of autonomous motorsport. From dispelling the myth that self-driving race cars are just glorified remote-control vehicles to unpacking the unique challenges of AI-driven competition, Ed offers an insider’s look into the future of racing. He breaks down the tech stack powering AIPEX's autonomous vehicles, discusses the parallels and divergences between human and AI drivers, and reveals why the drama behind the code might rival the thrill on the track. We also dive into why autonomous cars might someday outpace their human counterparts.
In this episode of the Ride AI Podcast, we sit down with Ali Kashani, CEO and co-founder of Serve Robotics, the company bringing AI-powered sidewalk delivery robots—with googly eyes—to city streets. Ali shares the origin story behind Serve's charming, efficient bots and explains why using a two-ton car to deliver a two-pound burrito simply doesn’t make sense.
We dive into the rationale behind sidewalk robots versus road-based vehicles, the surprising stats about food delivery distances, and how Serve’s robots—some capable of 40 miles on a single charge—are redefining last-mile logistics. Ali also explains how the company maintains Level 4 autonomy with human-in-the-loop oversight and the unique challenges of operating in pedestrian-dense environments.
Hear how Serve’s robots navigate public spaces with body language, what goes into scaling to cities like Dallas, Miami, and soon Atlanta, and why the future of delivery may depend less on bikes and more on scalable automation. Plus, Ali reveals unexpected revenue streams—from ad campaigns on robots to software licensing deals—and shares his dream cities for future deployment (spoiler: New York is high on the list).
In this episode, we explore Lyft’s evolving approach to autonomous vehicles and the future of rideshare. Rather than building its own L4 tech, Lyft is doubling down on its marketplace strengths—demand generation, rider experience, and fleet management—while teaming up with AV innovators like Mobileye. The company envisions a hybrid future where human drivers and AVs coexist, expanding the market rather than replacing people.
We dive into how Lyft plans to support its diverse driver base—over two million strong annually—by creating new opportunities, such as turning today’s drivers into tomorrow’s AV fleet owners. Plus, we break down the economics of surge pricing, the complexities of fleet ops, and how Lyft compares to competitors like Uber and Waymo.
In this episode of Ride AI, we dive into the fast-evolving intersection of autonomy, gig work, and delivery economics. Our guest, Gridwise founder and CEO Ryan Green, joins to discuss why autonomous vehicles won't spell the end for human gig workers — at least not yet.
In this episode, we dive into the gritty reality of autonomous trucking with Xiaodi Hou, founder of Bot Auto, a Level 4 freight-hauling company that's rewriting the playbook on autonomy. While much of the industry chases glossy tech demos and futuristic hype, Bot Auto is quietly building a cost-efficient, scalable logistics operation—one truckload at a time.
Today's episode is a recording of an interview from the Ride AI summit in which Vishay Nihalani of Waymo (Director of Product Management, Operations) unpacks the company’s transformation from Google’s self-driving side project into a global pioneer of autonomous mobility. From deployment strategy to global expansion, it’s a behind-the-scenes look at how Waymo is designing autonomy for the real world — and the road ahead. Interview by Edward Niedermeyer.
In this episode, Ed Niedermeyer sits down with Nimrod Nehushtan, EVP of Strategy and Business Development at Mobileye, to unpack the company’s push to bring ADAS to the mainstream. From Mobileye’s new partnership with Volkswagen and Valeo—bringing hands-free Level 2+ driving to EVs priced under $30K—to the rollout of Supervision, Chauffeur, and REM-based technologies, the conversation dives deep into Mobileye’s evolving product stack, regulatory tailwinds, and vision for scalable autonomy.
YouTuber, writer, and coder Sophia Tung recaps the week's most important AV news, including Waymo’s big Bay Area expansion, multiple Tesla controversies, Travis Kalanick’s robotaxi regrets, Rivian’s hands-free driving debut, and more.
This week’s episode is shorter than usual, but hopefully it serves as a good introduction to Sophia and her point of view on AI mobility. She’ll be podcasting more with us in the future.
As a reminder, the first Ride AI summit is taking place on April 2 at Neuehouse in Hollywood, California. We already have an amazing group of speakers lined up, including Amnon Shashua of Mobileye, Gill Pratt of TRI, and other top decision makers from Waymo, Zoox, Wayve, Apollo Go, Nuro, and more. There's a ton of excitement around the fact that this will be the first event of its kind that people will be able to take a fully driverless Waymo robotaxi to, making it the perfect opportunity to inaugurate the second chapter of this technological space. The on-stage conversations will be focused on this shift, from experiments and ideas to delivering real-world realities, and how to reboot conversations with stakeholders in the public sector, capital markets, media, and beyond.
Tickets are currently on sale here: https://ti.to/rideai/ride-ai-2025
The first Ride AI summit, an intimate gathering of top leaders in driving automation technology and related AI-empowered hardtech, is taking place on April 2 at Neuehouse in Hollywood, California. In this episode, our hosts, Edward Niedermeyer and Timothy B. Lee, preview the aspects of the event program they are most excited about.
We already have an amazing group of speakers lined up, including Amnon Shashua of Mobileye, Gill Pratt of TRI, and other top decision makers from Waymo, Zoox, Wayve, Apollo Go, Nuro, and more. There's a ton of excitement around the fact that this will be the first event of its kind that people will be able to take a fully driverless Waymo robotaxi to, making it the perfect opportunity to inaugurate the second chapter of this technological space. The on-stage conversations will be focused on this shift, from experiments and ideas to delivering real-world realities, and how to reboot conversations with stakeholders in the public sector, capital markets, media, and beyond.
Tickets are currently on sale here. Space is limited.
Alex Kendall, founder and CEO of Wayve, shares how Wayve's unique end-to-end AI approach allows their self-driving system to generalize across different countries and driving cultures—from London to California. The discussion explores how Wayve (which recently raised $1 billion from Softbank and others) combines vision, language, and action to create more intuitive human-AI interactions, why synthetic data matters for safety testing, and how their lean hardware strategy could make autonomous technology more accessible to automakers worldwide.
The AV trucking company Aurora is spending the final days of 2024 busily getting ready to start hauling freight without humans on board, a long-awaited milestone. On the eve of this potentially historic launch, our host Timothy B. Lee catches up with co-founder Sterling Anderson about the long road of technological innovation that led here.
Timothy B. Lee of the Understanding AI newsletter joins Ed Niedermeyer to unpack Tesla’s flashy robotaxi unveil.
In this episode of the Ride AI podcast, host Ed Niedermeyer interviews Anuja Sonalker, CEO of Steer Tech, to discuss a lesser-known success story in mobility technology. Anuja shares how Steer Tech, founded in 2016, specializes in low-speed, autonomous vehicle operations within geofenced areas like parking lots and depots. She explains that while parking automation was initially underestimated, it presents complex challenges requiring high precision and intelligence. Steer Tech developed the first fully autonomous Level 4 parking solution and has since expanded into broader vehicle orchestration systems. Their lean, customer-driven approach allowed them to achieve cashflow positivity by focusing on practical applications in fleet management, emphasizing operational efficiency, safety, and sustainability. Unlike many companies in the autonomous vehicle space, Steer Tech avoided big venture capital funding, choosing instead a more sustainable business model that balances innovation with profitability.
In this episode of Ride AI, recorded live at Micromobility Europe in Amsterdam, we delve into the evolving landscape of EV charging and automation with Crijn Bouman, founder of ROCSYS. Crijn shares his extensive journey in e-mobility, starting from his university days influenced by a friend's self-built electric bike, to founding ROCSYS, a company that develops autonomous EV charging robots for robotaxis, human-driven fleets, and more. He explores the critical advancements in EV fast-charging, the role of robotics in automating EV charging, and the broader implications for mobility and infrastructure.
On the latest episode of the Ride AI podcast, we dive into insurance, risk management, and driving automation with Michael Wagner, CEO of Edge Case Research.
With autonomous vehicles poised to revolutionize transportation, understanding the risks and liabilities associated with this technology is paramount. Unlike traditional auto insurance, where policies are based on factors like driver history and vehicle usage, insuring self-driving vehicles requires a deeper understanding of the technology itself. Edge Case Research aims to fill this gap by providing risk assessment technology tailored specifically for autonomous cars and trucks. Michael sheds light on how this nascent industry is developing new insurance solutions that address the unique challenges of AVs, while incentivizing safe practices and fostering trust.
The latest Ride AI podcast episode features Stefan Seltz-Axmacher, the former founder of Starsky Robotics and current founder and CEO of Polymath Robotics, discussing his experiences in the self-driving truck industry. Stefan reflects on the challenges faced by Starsky Robotics, particularly the overconfidence in machine learning and the belief in a one-size-fits-all solution for autonomy, and how this experience informs Polymath Robotics, his new venture focused on building a generalized navigation layer for off-road vehicles.
Stefan reflects on the history of self-driving trucks and the challenges faced during his time at Starsky Robotics, including the overconfidence in machine learning and the misconception that data collection alone would lead to successful autonomous driving.
He highlights the difficulty in raising funds for a more focused approach compared to competitors' broader promises.
Stefan discusses the need for a more grounded understanding of robotics and AI, emphasizing the importance of addressing specific problems rather than chasing general solutions.
Polymath Robotics aims to democratize automation by reducing the upfront costs and complexity, allowing smaller players and seed-funded startups to compete effectively.
Stefan emphasizes the parallels between the evolution of the automotive and smartphone industries, indicating a similar maturation process in robotics hardware.
On the latest episode of the Ride AI podcast, our host Ed Niedermeyer talks to Tyson Jominy, VP of Data & Analytics for J.D, Power, about the recent dynamics in the car market. They touch on COVID, the EV market, the prospect of another truck/SUV slowdown, and how these are all related.
Discussion on the cyclicality of the auto industry and recent turbulence due to COVID-19: undersupply situation, excess savings leading to increased demand, and supply chain disruptions.
Pricing dynamics in the EV market: oversupply of EVs in the $50-60k price range leading to price cuts.
Fleet sales and their impact on EV market dynamics, including potential risks to resale value and pricing stability (Hertz struggled with high repair bills and consumer dissatisfaction with EV rentals, prompting them to unwind their EV-focused strategy.)
Tesla's decision not to pursue a low-cost model raises questions about the industry's focus and the challenges of making EVs profitable.
The auto industry seems to be retreating to familiar corners, like focusing on SUVs, hybrids, and high-margin segments, rather than investing heavily in lower-cost EVs.
EVs face challenges in consumer perception and understanding of total cost of ownership, compared to hybrids, which have been around for a while but still face low adoption rates.
The auto industry's struggle to make EVs profitable raises concerns about the future of EV adoption and the profitability of traditional segments like trucks and SUVs.
There's uncertainty about the trajectory of EV adoption and whether there will be a "EV winter" where growth stalls.
Regulatory factors still incentivize automakers to invest in EVs despite profitability challenges.
This week’s episode of the Ride AI podcast is a mind-meld between automotive analyst Ed Niedermeyer and tech-innovation scholar Horace Dediu about why the car industry is ripe for disruption. Their conversation is a reflection on the transformative power of past innovations like computers and phones, and the need to imagine a better future for mobility. Together they discuss:
The concept of unbundling the car for different trip types and purposes, similar to computing devices
Observation that the world seeks to improve cars, but they are already highly optimized
Critique of current approaches by companies like Tesla and Apple, which aim to fit new technologies into the existing car model
Emphasis on the need for truly disruptive innovation in mobility, either through cheaper, more accessible options or new directions of competition
Discussion on the potential for self-driving technology to transform mobility by enabling new experiences and connections
Examinations of the challenges of building an EV that is both cheap and has extensive battery range
Why investors are over-focused on cars as a platform at the expense of other autonomous driving use-cases, like agriculture, defense, and transit.
⌲ Subscribe to our free newsletter to stay on the forefront of the intersection of AI and mobility 👉 https://rideai.beehiiv.com/
For the inaugural episode of the new Ride AI podcast, author and analyst Ed Niedermeyer discusses the hype and disillusionment surrounding several new mobility technologies—namely autonomous vehicles—with Mike Ramsey, a vice president at Gartner. Ramsey explains the five parts of a hype cycle, including the innovation trigger and the trough of disillusionment, and provides historical analysis for where he believes autonomy is today on the road to mass adoption.
⌲ Subscribe to our free newsletter to stay on the forefront of the intersection of AI and mobility 👉 https://rideai.beehiiv.com/
Leading up to Micromobility Europe, James Gross talks the state of micromobility in Europe with Prabin Joel Jones, Founder and CEO of Mayten along with Augustin Friedel, Senior Manager, MHP – A Porsche Company who is sharing his personal views on the podcast.
Topics Discussed:
Shared and Owned Micromobility
Prabin takes us through the Tier and Dott merger:
Augustin predicts continued consolidation in the shared mobility space, with potential mergers or acquisitions among companies like Bold, Lime, and Voi. Prabin critiques Bolt's strategy and their future as the next Uber.
Augustin also spoke about the struggles of owned ebike companies and the shift towards software-defined vehicles (SDVs) and AVs to enhance customer experience and safety.
Software Defined Vehicles, AI and Regulation
Augustin elaborates on Europe's position on AVs, noting a lag compared to the US and China due to a lack of investment and no existing tech giants.
The potential for software-defined vehicles to improve user experience and safety, but recognizing Europe's fragmented approach to AVs and mobility tech.
How government and local authorities could play a more significant role in advancing AVs and shared mobility through funding and regulatory support.
Augustin speculates about Europe's potential to catch up in the AV space by pooling resources from major automotive players and focusing on local mobility solutions.
Safety is discussed as a primary concern for micromobility users, with different European cities showing varying degrees of progress in creating safe infrastructure for cyclists and scooter users.
Despite the challenges faced by shared mobility and AVs, there's optimism about the future, with emphasis on the need for innovation, better regulation, and strategic investments.
The discussion concludes with a call for continued exploration and improvement in the mobility space, acknowledging the long journey ahead but recognizing the opportunities for impactful change.
Trends to watch:
- Software-Defined Vehicles and Artificial Intelligence
- The Role of Government in mobility investments and Regulation
- Safety and Infrastructure
