357. No Manual Controls: A Firsthand Look at Autonomous Mobility

As EV batteries become more energy dense, how can the industry ensure they move safely through the global supply chain?  Listen in as we sit down with Elizabeth Gibbons Barber, CDGP, Founder & Principal Consultant, Empower to Comply, to explore the complexities of transporting EV batteries and the regulations, training, and industry collaboration needed to manage risk. As the incoming Vice Chair of SAE's Battery Transportation and Storage Committee, Elizabeth shares how SAE J2950 helps translate dangerous goods regulations into practical guidance for assessing and transporting batteries, particularly when they are damaged, defective, or recalled. We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today—a podcast where we discuss emerging technology and trends in mobility with the leaders, innovators and strategists making it all happen—and give us a review on your preferred podcasting platform. Follow SAE on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube.Follow host Grayson Brulte on LinkedIn, X, and Instagram.

No pedals. No steering wheel. No manual controls. In this Unplugged episode of SAE Tomorrow Today, host Grayson Brulte takes the show on the road from inside a Tesla Cybercab in Austin, Texas, to get a firsthand look at what it’s like to ride in an autonomous vehicle designed without manual controls. From watching movies and making phone calls to simply sitting back and enjoying the ride, Grayson explores how autonomous vehicles could change the passenger experience and how people use their time on the road. But is this the future of mobility or a glimpse of what could be? The bigger question is how the technology, public perception, and regulations will evolve from here. Have your own thoughts on this topic? We’d love to hear from you! Share your comments, questions or ideas for future topics with Grayson on Twitter or send them to [email protected]. Follow SAE on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Follow host Grayson Brulte on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

What happens when smarter, software-defined products outpace the engineering systems used to build them?   Listen in as we sit down with Don Cantow, General Manager at Altium, to explore how electronics are reshaping product development and why fragmented engineering environments can no longer keep pace. He explains how connected platforms and a continuous digital thread can unite design, supply chain, manufacturing, and other disciplines to enable better decisions in real time.   The conversation also touches on security, traceability, and the role of AI in engineering. Cantow explains that AI paired with structured data and connected workflows can offer engineers the context and intelligence to solve complex problems and build what comes next.   We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today—a podcast where we discuss emerging technology and trends in mobility with the leaders, innovators and strategists making it all happen—and give us a review on your preferred podcasting platform.   Follow SAE on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube. Follow host Grayson Brulte on LinkedIn, X, and Instagram.

What does it take to make our roads safer while still paving the way for AVs? Listen in as we sit down with Jonathan Morrison, Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), to discuss the agency’s approach to roadway safety, AV regulation, and the future of mobility.  From modernizing outdated regulations to advancing crash test technology, you’ll learn how NHTSA is balancing innovation with accountability. The conversation also explores how the A2SCEND Consortium is helping establish safety standards for autonomous vehicles to support their commercialization and build public trust. Beyond autonomous driving, Morrison discusses efforts to reduce traffic fatalities by addressing distracted driving, impaired driving, and seatbelt use. He also examines how updated fuel economy standards could improve vehicle affordability and how next-generation crash test dummies could improve occupant protection. We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today—a podcast where we discuss emerging technology and trends in mobility with the leaders, innovators and strategists making it all happen—and give us a review on your preferred podcasting platform. Follow SAE on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube.Follow host Grayson Brulte on LinkedIn, X, and Instagram.

What if every aircraft in a fleet could speak the same data language? Listen in as we sit down with SAE Committee Members Robert Taylor, Senior Solutions Architect at Bell Flight, and Dave Larsen, Senior Technical Fellow, PHM Systems at Collins Aerospace, explore how the AS7140 standard is creating a more unified approach to aircraft health and usage monitoring data. Instead of relying on numerous proprietary formats, AS7140 establishes a common data structure that can make information easier to access, compare, and analyze across platforms. This standardized data can help operators identify potential component failures earlier, shift from unscheduled to preventative maintenance, and improve aircraft availability. Looking ahead to the future, a common foundation for aircraft data could enable more sophisticated AI analysis while expanding beyond rotorcraft to fixed-wing aircraft, unmanned vehicles, and other platforms thus creating a foundation for a more connected aerospace data ecosystem.  We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today—a podcast where we discuss emerging technology and trends in mobility with the leaders, innovators and strategists making it all happen—and give us a review on your preferred podcasting platform. Follow SAE on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube. Follow host Grayson Brulte on LinkedIn, X, and Instagram.

From rocket engines to aircraft, laser powder directed energy deposition (DED) is turning years of production time into months.   Listen in as we sit down with Tyler Blumenthal, Sales Manager at RPM Innovations, to explore how DED is expanding the possibilities of metal additive manufacturing by using a high-powered laser and metal powder to build components layer by layer. DED can create, repair, and modify large-scale metal parts, opening the door for new possibilities in design and production. The conversation explores how DED can reduce production timelines by 30%, why standards are helping accelerate adoption, and how DED is moving beyond space and defense applications toward broader aerospace and commercial use.   We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today—a podcast where we discuss emerging technology and trends in mobility with the leaders, innovators and strategists making it all happen—and give us a review on your preferred podcasting platform.   Follow SAE on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube. Follow host Grayson Brulte on LinkedIn, X, and Instagram.

As manufacturing enters a new era, the smartest solution may not be a better version of what already exists but an entirely new way of designing and building products.   Listen in as we sit down with Clemson University’s Saeed Farahani, Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering and founding director of the Convergent Manufacturing Lab, to explore how AI, digital twins, advanced materials, and software-defined automation are reshaping what’s possible on the factory floor.   Farahani explains the emerging field of convergent manufacturing, which brings together different materials, manufacturing processes, robotics, AI, and other technologies to find more efficient solutions to complex engineering challenges.   We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today—a podcast where we discuss emerging technology and trends in mobility with the leaders, innovators and strategists making it all happen—and give us a review on your preferred podcasting platform. Follow SAE on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube. Follow host Grayson Brulte on LinkedIn, X, and Instagram.

Off-road vehicles are expected to perform in places conventional vehicles can’t … from frozen tundra and isolated trails to deserts and remote environments. But how do you determine which new technologies will improve the rider experience rather than adopting technology simply because it’s new?   As the global leader in powersports for more than 70 years, Polaris delivers industry-shaping off-road vehicles, snowmobiles, boats, military, quadricycles, and commercial vehicles. Listen in as we sit down with Tony Kinsman, Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Off-Road Engineering, to discuss how Polaris is combining mechanical engineering, software, connectivity, and real-world customer insights to shape the next generation of powersports.   The conversation explores advances in suspension and powertrain technology, the growing role of software, and how RIDE COMMAND+ is using connected technology and off-road mapping to change how riders navigate and interact with their vehicles.   We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today—a podcast where we discuss emerging technology and trends in mobility with the leaders, innovators and strategists making it all happen—and give us a review on your preferred podcasting platform.   Follow SAE on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube. Follow host Grayson Brulte on LinkedIn, X, and Instagram.

Emerging technology is reshaping not only what engineers build, but how they build it. From software-defined and AI-powered vehicles to automation and electrification, the role of standards is changing as engineering workflows become increasingly digital, machine-readable, and AI-enabled. To learn how SAE International is navigating this next chapter, we sat down with Reuben Sarkar, CEO, to explore what’s ahead for the 120-year-old organization as automotive, aerospace, commercial vehicles, and advanced air mobility increasingly converge. The conversation explores the importance of lifelong learning, the next generation of engineering talent, and how standards must evolve to keep pace in the age of AI.   We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today—a podcast where we discuss emerging technology and trends in mobility with the leaders, innovators and strategists making it all happen—and give us a review on your preferred podcasting platform.   Follow SAE on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube. Follow host Grayson Brulte on LinkedIn, X, and Instagram.

What does it take to drive an EV across America and back again? A 7,000-mile road trip is a great way to find out. Listen in as we sit down with science-comedian Sophie Shrand, Founder, Cool Jacket Productions and award-winning TV Host of “Science with Sophie”, to discuss The Great American ELECTRIC Road Trip — her exciting journey through 25 states in a Rivian R1S that puts EV infrastructure to the test and leads to unexpected discoveries along the way. From navigating EV charging networks to uncovering surprising economic opportunities, Shrand proves that curiosity and a sense of adventure can create meaningful connections with people from across the country. We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today—a podcast where we discuss emerging technology and trends in mobility with the leaders, innovators and strategists making it all happen—and give us a review on your preferred podcasting platform. Follow SAE on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube. Follow host Grayson Brulte on LinkedIn, X, and Instagram.