Episode 229 | Optimizing Air Freight with Autonomous Blended Wing Body Aircraft

In Las Vegas, Vay has completed over 5,000 teledriven trips as the fleet has expanded to 150 vehicles. Justin Spratt, Chief Business Officer, Vay joined Grayson Brulte on Autonomy Insights to discuss the business of teledriving. Vay's teledriving system, VayNet, minimizes latency through advanced compression techniques and redundant networks. Their business model offers the potential to reduce costs by up to 50% compared to traditional ride-hailing services.Theit technology has the potential to unlock new efficiencies in transportation, from improving operations in seaports and airports to enhancing car rental services and supporting the growth of autonomous vehicles.Chapters0:00 Vay's Approach to Teledriving1:10 Automotive Safety Case3:57 Vay Business Model9:12 Economics of Teledriving10:10 Vay Use Cases 12:57 Telemarket OutlookRecorded on Wednesday September 18, 2024--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy® is a leading source of data, insight and commentary on autonomous vehicles/trucks and the emerging autonomy economy™.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/autonomy-economy/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Aleksey Matyushev, Co-Founder & CEO, Natilus joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss optimizing air freight with autonomous blended wing body (BWB) aircraft. A blended wing aircraft body enables 20% more volumetric space and 30% better fuel efficiency for freight cargo when compared to traditional aircraft design. 10% of the world’s good travel by air freight, yet comprise 90% o the value. With most of the world’s electronics being made in Asia, including the iPhone, air freight plays a vital role in the global supply chain. With a growing global pilot labor shortage, autonomous blended wing body aircrafts can ensure that the world’s supply chain continues to function without hiccups.Episode Chapters0:00 Current State of the Air Freight Market2:38 Air Freight Routes8:57 Natilus Flight Distances 10:09 Blended Wing Body (BWB) Design14:07 Economics of Natilus17:59 Manufacturing the Aircraft22:10 Why Build an Autonomous Aircraft?26:14 Fuel28:56 Scaling Manufacturing30:08 Projected Aircraft Costs31:05 Inspiration for Natilus33:58 Future of NatilusRecorded on Thursday September 19, 2024--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy® is a leading source of data, insight and commentary on autonomous vehicles/trucks and the emerging autonomy economy™.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/autonomy-economy/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss Waymo’s potential pivot away from Zeekr to Hyundai, Zoox’s commercialization strategy and why Uber is the platform for autonomy. Waymo’s potential deal with Hyundai for the IONIQ 5 platform could mark the end of Waymo’s deal with Zeekr, ending what we have termed an unforced error. If Waymo is indeed abandoning the Chinese made Zeekr, could there be a broader shakeout of Chinese technology in the autonomous vehicle industry? Then there is Zoox which is operating in a secretive manner as they prepare to launch commercial operations “soon”. Could Zoox’s secretive approach potentially lead to potential consequences because of their lack of transparency with both the market and consumers? To accelerate the adoption of autonomous vehicles, Congress needs to pass an Autonomous Vehicle National Framework that incudes trucks weighing over 10,000 pounds to accelerate the autonomous vehicle adoption and investment in the United States. A national autonomous vehicle framework will unlock investment that will lead to economic growth. Walt and Grayson also explore the potential catalysts that could drive faster autonomous vehicle adoption, including consumer experiences, economic pressures, and the upcoming U.S. election. Throughout the discussion, they stress the importance of pushing for more aggressive expansion into challenging environments to truly advance the technology and gain public trust.Episode Chapters0:00 Waymo in San Francisco6:44 Zoox14:37 Waymo / Hyundai 18:48 Autonomy Economy25:02 Autonomy and Elections27:22 Autonomous Vehicle Experiences 29:19 Investing in Autonomous Vehicles21:23 Next WeekRecorded on September 19, 2024--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy® is a leading source of data, insight and commentary on autonomous vehicles/trucks and the emerging autonomy economy™.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/autonomy-economy/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Finch Fulton, Government Affairs and Policy Advisor, K&L Gates joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss autonomous vehicle policy, regulation and the impact that the 2024 Presidential Election could have on the development and commercialization of both autonomous vehicles and autonomous trucks. Under a second President Trump administration or a Harris administration there will be different approaches to regulating autonomous vehicles. While the approaches will be different, it is important that the next administration takes a balanced approach that fosters innovation while ensuring safety and the ability to operate commercial autonomous vehicle and truck businesses. During the conversation, Grayson and Finch cover a range of topics, including California’s AI regulation efforts, the positive economic benefits of autonomous vehicles on consumers budgets, and the recently expanded partnership between Uber and Waymo.Episode Chapters0:00 Impact of the 2024 Presidential Election on Autonomous Vehicle Policy6:00 AI Regulation 14:52 AI Regulation’s Potential Impact on Autonomous Vehicles17:44 California Autonomous Trucking Regulations 20:55 California vs Organized Labor 24:30 Positive Economic Benefits of Autonomous Vehicles28:15 Uber/Waymo Austin & Atlanta Partnership 34:16 Tesla Robotaxi Platform36:28 Emerging Personally Owned Autonomous Vehicle Market38:09 Licensing Autonomous Driving 39:28 Key TakeawaysRecorded on Friday, September 13, 2024--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy® is a leading source of data, insight and commentary on autonomous vehicles/trucks and the emerging autonomy economy™.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/autonomy-economy/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss the latest developments in the autonomous vehicle industry, drawing insights from Grayson's recent trip to Silicon Valley.There is an emerging shift towards developing autonomous driving stacks and licensing the technology to OEMs and mobility platform providers. Nuro is embracing this trend as they announced their new business models this week.As the autonomous vehicle business models change, consumer exceptions are changing in parallel. There is an increasing focus on premium experiences in autonomy as both startups and global OEMs begin to develop plans for personally owned autonomous vehicles.While the best laid plans often go awry, this time around OEMs are learning from the mistakes that they made when they jumped two feet into electrification with no real consumer strategy and no EV supply chain strategy.With growing competition from Chinese autonomous vehicle companies, U.S. based autonomous vehicle companies are beginning to focus on costs. As they focus on costs, the debate around LiDAR and if it's needed to develop an SAE Level 4 autonomous vehicle continues to rage.Wrapping up the episode, Grayson and Walt discuss the latest buzz surrounding the autonomous vehicle industry including potential pivots and partnerships in the industry.Episode Chapters0:00 Back from Silicon Valley3:41 Nuro 5:08 California's 33% Commercial Insurance Fee for Rideshare Rides 9:17 Personally Owned Autonomous Vehicles 16:34 Mobility Platforms 21:42 Experiences25:10 California Business Climate 26:29 Safety 30:59 Regulatory Environment 36:09 Impact of a Potential Alphabet Breakup on Waymo 38:56 The Latest Autonomous Vehicle BuzzRecorded on September 12, 2024--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy® is a leading source of data, insight and commentary on autonomous vehicles/trucks and the emerging autonomy economy™.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/autonomy-economy/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sumanoharan Narayanan, Director of Engineering, Automated Technology Group, Daimler Trucks North America joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss the development of the autonomous-ready Freightliner Cascadia.Episode Chapters0:00 How do you Build an Autonomous Truck04:47 The Idea Behind Daimler Trucks Autonomous Trucking Program8:34 The First Step in Building an Autonomous Truck11:33 Designing an Autonomous Truck15:37 Retrofitting18:07 Autonomous Ready Cascadia Propulsion & Reduncy Systems 31:20 Technicians and Maintenance34:37 When Do Mirrors Go Away?38:17 Sensor Suite44:26 Tesla Semi52:18 Future of Autonomous Trucking57:40 Key Takeaways --------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy® is a leading source of data, insight and commentary on autonomous vehicles/trucks and the emerging autonomy economy™.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/autonomy-economy/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk, discuss Wall Street's perspective on autonomy, the implications that autonomy could have on Uber and whether it'a s strength or weakness for Uber. Along with the impact of Tesla entering the robotaxi market and the growth of Waymo.Later in the conversation they explore topics such as the potential for autonomous vehicles to be marketed as a premium service, the challenges of integrating Chinese-made vehicles into U.S. markets, and the future of food delivery services.Episode Chapters0:00 Wall Street's Perspective on Autonomy3:33 Uber13:01 Autonomous Vehicle Insurance16:32 Autonomy as a Premium Service18:55 Waymo30:37 Uber Freight33:42 Delivery (Uber Eats & Instacart)38:46 Until Next WeekRecorded on September 5, 2024--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy® is a leading source of data, insight and commentary on autonomous vehicles/trucks and the emerging autonomy economy™.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/autonomy-economy/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bruce Franklin, Senior Directive of Automotive, Micron joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss the crucial role of memory in autonomous vehicles and the broader automotive industry.Micron has been a key player in automotive memory for over 30 years, with a steadfast commitment to quality, safety, and innovation. Memory requirements in cars has evolved over the years from no memory to basic infotainment systems to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to memory that enables autonomous vehicles to operate safely.Episode Chapters0:00 Micron's Automotive Business 9:14 In-Vehicle User Experience 11:42 Micron's Approach to Autonomy21:03 Driver Monitoring 24:38 What if a Vehicle Did Not have Memory?26:39 Memory for Different Vehicle Platforms and Sensors 32:31 Investing in ISO Standards37:37 Future of Micron39:08 Key Takeaways --------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy® is a leading source of data, insight and commentary on autonomous vehicles/trucks and the emerging autonomy economy™.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/autonomy-economy/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rajat Bhageria, Founder & CEO, Chef Robotics joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss the future of automation in food industry and the impact of rising labor costs.Chef is addressing the critical labor shortage in the food industry that is being driven by higher labor costs and increased turnover through automation. They’ve developed and deployed robots that are capable of performing assembly and plating tasks with high precision and consistency by leveraging computer vision. Their robots are designed to be seamlessly integrated into existing production lines, occupying the same footprint as a human worker. Chef’s systems can handle a variety of food items and are particularly adept at “scoopable” foods. To enable food packaging companies the ability implement the automation system without a high CapEx investment, Chef is deploying the system as a “robotics as a service” model as a yearly subscription with ongoing software and hardware updates.Companies that have implemented a Chef system have seen a 20% increase in production capacity, significant reduction in food waste (giveaway) and improved food portion consistency.Episode Chapters0:00 California Fast Food Minimum Wage4:36 Chef6:31 Packaging and Plating 10:33 Chef Autonomous System23:50 Food Portion Consistency26:25 Chef Commercial Model30:50 Customer Results33:07 Why Chef?35:06 Installing Chef37:08 Inspiration Behind Chef39:58 Food Packaging Automation42:59 Key Takeaways--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy® is a leading source of data, insight and commentary on autonomous vehicles/trucks and the emerging autonomy economy™.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/autonomy-economy/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Andreas Wendel, CTO, Kodiak joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss developing a versatile autonomous driving business. Chapters0:00 Developing an Autonomous Driving Stack7:10 Verifiable AI 10:49 Maps13:07 Autonomy for the Military 16:07 SensorPods22:36 Changing Approach to the Autonomous Driving Stack26:47 Moving Away from LiDAR29:17 Launching Fully Autonomous Operations with Atlas Energy34:40 Hardware Enclosures 37:18 Operating Environments and Future Vehicles 41:05 Growing The Kodiak Business44:14 Key Takeaways --------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy® is a leading source of data, insight and commentary on autonomous vehicles/trucks and the emerging autonomy economy™.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/autonomy-economy/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.