Episode 334 | Autonomous Trucking’s Watershed Moment: Bot Auto Proves Less is More

This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss the upcoming release of Tesla FSD 14, Waymo’s potential expansion to London and Nuro taking delivery of their first Lucid-built robotaxi.What will the highly anticipated release of FSD 14 (Supervised) mean for the market? Could reduced driver monitoring signal that Tesla is inching closer to FSD Unsupervised? One thing is clear no matter what, Tesla’s vertical integration and production scale position it to deploy robotaxis faster than anyone, including Waymo, which remains dependent on its manufacturing partners. Later the conversation then turns to Waymo’s London ambitions and what this expansion could reveal about its evolving relationship with Uber. As for Uber, where do they ultimately want to go in autonomy, and how do they want the market to perceive their strategy? Is it time to acknowledge they won’t be over reliant on Waymo to scale, and instead focus on growing the Nuro/Lucid partnership globally? The answers aren’t yet clear, but the possibilities are endless as Uber expands deeper into the robotaxi market.Episode Chapters0:00 FSD 146:44 Waymo Eyes London Expansion9:17 Does Uber Launch Robotaxis in Nashville without Waymo?11:35 Waymo Market Predictions15:13 Tesla Market Predictions17:53 Amazon’s Continued Commitment to Zoox23:26 Nuro Takes Delivery of First Lucid-Built Robotaxi28:43 Nissan ProPilot powered by Wayve31:08 Kodiak Goes Public32:22 Next WeekRecorded on Thursday, September 25, 2025--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy provides market intelligence and strategic advisory services to institutional investors and companies, delivering insights needed to stay ahead of emerging trends in the autonomy economy™. To learn more, say hello (at) roadtoautonomy.com.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chuck Price, President, AI Kinetics joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss Bot Auto’s successful 40-mile, fully autonomous run with no human in the cab or operating the vehicle remotely.In what Chuck Price calls a “watershed event,” Bot Auto successfully completed a driver-out run in under two years with less than $45 million in funding, compared to other competitors which are currently spending $600 million+ a year.Bot Auto’s accomplishment could have broad implications for the autonomous trucking industry in terms of technological roadmaps and commercialization strategies. How they achieved this milestone with such limited resources will become a central question throughout the autonomy markets.Episode Chapters0:00 The Road to Autonomy Introduction0:23 Bot Auto Goes Driver-Out3:22 The Role of OEMs in an Autonomous Trucking World7:20 After Driver-Out, What’s Next for Bot Auto?12:54 Building an Autonomous Trucking Business16:11 Rethinking the OEM Deal: When is the Right Time to Partner?19:43 Contract Manufacturing25:39 Ripple Effects of Bot Auto Going Driver-Out31:38 AI Unlock33:17 Proof Points37:50 Tesla Semi43:18 Current State of the Autonomous Trucking Industry45:51 Key TakeawayRecorded on Thursday, September 18, 2025--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy provides market intelligence and strategic advisory services to institutional investors and companies, delivering insights needed to stay ahead of emerging trends in the autonomy economy™. To learn more, say hello (at) roadtoautonomy.com.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss Lyft’s dramatic return to the big leagues of the autonomous vehicle industry through a surprise partnership with Waymo in Nashville, including fleet management, sending Lyft stock soaring 20% while Uber dropped 5%.Grayson and Walt examine the strategic implications of this non-exclusive deal, where a shared fleet will operate across both Lyft and Waymo networks, with Lyft leveraging its Flexdrive subsidiary for fleet management. This deal, marks Waymo’s second partnership with Lyft, correcting widespread media reports that overlooked a small 2019 Phoenix pilot program that quietly disappeared from public view.The conversation expands into Waymo’s incremental progress at San Francisco Airport (SFO) which is limited to the “kiss and fly” area rather than curbside access, and what this signals for Waymo’s pending highway operations. Grayson predicts Waymo will begin operating on highways in the Bay Area by December 2025, while they debate sensor stack limitations that may be preventing current Jaguar fleets from highway deployment. Grayson and Walt also analyze Bot Auto‘s milestone achievement of a fully driverless 40-mile commercial run accomplished with just $45 million in funding, contrasting this efficiency against billion-dollar competitors still operating with safety drivers. The episode concludes with Tesla and Uber’s freight partnership, which Walt characterizes as a potential “Trojan horse” for Tesla’s autonomous trucking ambitions.Episode Chapters0:00 Lyft / Waymo Partnership7:01 Lyft / Waymo History 8:39 Nashville Market 12:17 Impact on the Uber / Waymo Relationship 15:31 Waymo’s SFO Expansion 17:13 Waymo’s “Great Highway Expansion” 20:39 Waymo’s Emerging Zeekr Risk in Tennessee 23:00 Waymo’s Airport Unlocks 25:25 Bot Auto Goes Driver-Out29:30 Going Driver-Out without an OEM Deal33:47 Tesla Semi / Uber Freight Partnership 37:24 Next WeekRecorded on Thursday, September 18, 2025--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy provides market intelligence and strategic advisory services to institutional investors and companies, delivering insights needed to stay ahead of emerging trends in the autonomy economy™. To learn more, say hello (at) roadtoautonomy.com.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Qasar Younis, CEO and Peter Ludwig, CTO, Co-Founders of Applied Intuition joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss why Applied Intuition continues to be one of the most interesting companies in autonomy.The conversation explores Applied Intuition’s growing portfolio of partnerships, including a major deal with Komatsu and the launch of their new SDS (self-driving system for automotive). Qasar and Peter share how first-principles thinking, diversification across verticals, and a relentless focus on engineering have allowed the company to expand while continually de-risking the business.As OEMs weigh the long-running build-versus-buy debate around autonomous driving systems, China’s automakers are rapidly advancing their capabilities with a strong emphasis on in-vehicle software. From Tesla’s software-driven model to legacy OEMs navigating the transition to software-defined vehicles, this episode of The Road to Autonomy highlights how Applied Intuition’s Vehicle OS and SDS offerings are designed to meet automakers where they are today, while positioning them for what’s next.In a future where software increasingly defines brand and customer experience, Applied Intuition is building the infrastructure that will power both vehicles and autonomy. Episode Chapters0:00 What’s Next for Applied Intuition? 1:44 Self-Driving for Automotive (SDS)7:15 Managing Risks12:45 Komatsu Partnership16:32 Breakthrough Technology 21:38 Vehicle OS23:48 OpenAI Partnership25:05 L2/L2+ Demand32:42 Licensing Autonomous Driving Systems35:18 Maintaining SDS42:50 Cadillac44:09 Does Software Defines a Brand? 46:10 Planning for Automotive Software 49:29 What’s NextRecorded on Friday, September 5, 2025--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy provides market intelligence and strategic advisory services to institutional investors and companies, delivering insights needed to stay ahead of emerging trends in the autonomy economy™. To learn more, say hello (at) roadtoautonomy.com.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss the rapidly shifting landscape of AI inside of vehicles, exploring how xAI’s Grok and Google’s Gemini are shaping the future of in-vehicle experiences.Grayson and Walt debate whether these AI systems will remain as assistants limited to Q&A or evolve into agentic copilots capable of controlling everything from “car wash mode” to trip planning and operating the traditional in-cabin functions of a vehicle. They draw parallels to historical tech battles, from Apple CarPlay’s removal by GM to the politics within Alphabet that may slow Gemini’s rollout inside Waymo vehicles. The discussion underscores how the integration of AI into vehicles could become one of the most valuable battlegrounds in autonomy. Beyond AI integration, the conversation expands into the latest market moves across autonomy. Tesla’s upcoming expansion to Phoenix, Las Vegas, and California airports takes center stage, alongside SpaceX’s $19 billion spectrum acquisition and its implications for connectivity in robotaxis.Episode Chapters0:00 Qualcomm on The Road to Autonomy2:51 Grok vs Gemini: Who Will Own the Future of AI In-Vehicle?12:33 Tensor Auto14:40 Tesla’s Planned Robotaxi Expansions20:19 SpaceX / EchoStar Spectrum Deal 23:48 Zoox Las Vegas Launch27:17 May Mobility’s Launch in Atlanta on Lyft31:41 Do May Mobility Cars go to Lyft or Uber First?34:12 Waymo’s Emerging Hyundai Risk 36:30 Kodiak Delivers First Factory Upfitted Autonomous Truck38:35 Autonomous Trucking Industry40:43 Next WeekRecorded on Friday, September 12, 2025--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy provides market intelligence and strategic advisory services to institutional investors and companies, delivering insights needed to stay ahead of emerging trends in the autonomy economy™. To learn more, say hello (at) roadtoautonomy.com.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dean Foreman, Chief Economist, Texas Oil & Gas Association joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss how record-breaking global energy demand and Texas’s energy dominance are reshaping markets amid the AI revolution and shifting geopolitical dynamics. With the Energy Information Administration (EIA) projecting consecutive oil demand records of 103.7 million barrels per day in 2025 and 104.9 million barrels per day in 2026, Texas has emerged as the undisputed energy powerhouse, now producing 42% of US oil and 30% of US natural gas while generating $27.3 billion in state tax revenue and supporting over 1.3 million jobs.The Permian Basin continues to demonstrate remarkable productivity gains, delivering 20% more output using 40% fewer rigs compared to 2018-2019 levels through advanced data analytics and re-fracking technologies. This efficiency revolution has enabled Texas to account for 80% of US oil growth year-to-date while natural gas demand reaches record highs of 148.7 trillion cubic feet globally. Despite economic headwinds including record $18.4 trillion household debt and softening labor indicators, energy markets continue to show resilience with diesel demand up 4% and jet fuel climbing 5% year-over-year, reflecting continued industrial activity and travel recovery.Natural gas is rapidly becoming the critical infrastructure powering AI data centers and the digital economy, with hyperscalers increasingly turning to co-located natural gas generation for reliable 24/7 electricity. As geopolitical tensions create new energy partnerships between Russia and China through proposed pipelines capable of 5 billion cubic feet per day, and Europe relies on up to 75% of Texas LNG exports during peak periods, traditional energy resources prove foundational not just to current economic prosperity but to the future of automation, artificial intelligence, and global technological advancement.Episode Chapters0:00 Weakening U.S. Dollar & Interest Rates2:21 Growing Household Debt4:20 Emerging Markets & Supply Chains5:27 Growing Natural Gas Demand12:49 Growing Global Oil Demand16:51 Potential Weakening U.S. Economy18:33 Global Oil Supply21:27 China24:49 Europe29:55 Permian Basin 32:58 ADS Business Conditions Index34:33 Tech’s Impact on Oil & Natural Gas Industry36:03 Texas Oil & Natural Gas Industry’s Economic Impact 37:52 Next QuarterRecorded on Thursday, September 4, 2025--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy provides market intelligence and strategic advisory services to institutional investors and companies, delivering insights needed to stay ahead of emerging trends in the autonomy economy™. To learn more, say hello (at) roadtoautonomy.com.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss the new expansion announcements from both Waymo and Tesla, framing it as a “heavyweight fight”. Waymo announced plans to expand to Denver and Seattle, with Denver set to become the first city where its fleet will include both Jaguar I-PACEs and Zeekrs. The company also gained regulatory approval to operate at the San Jose (SJC) airport, a move Grayson Brulte predicted five months ago on a previous episode.Meanwhile, Tesla opened the public waitlist for its Robotaxi app, which quickly surged up the Apple App Store charts, reaching #1 in the travel category and #8 overall among free apps.The discussion then broadens beyond the Waymo–Tesla rivalry, touching on the political headwinds Waymo faces in Seattle, NHTSA’s recent regulatory changes designed to accelerate autonomous vehicle commercialization, and Torc’s $660 million annual burn rate as Daimler Truck explores external funding options.Episode Chapters0:00 Waymo-Tesla Competition 5:48 Waymo’s Denver Expansion 8:01 No Uber Partnership for Denver or Seattle?10:36 Waymo’s Affection for Unwelcoming Cities, Including Seattle 15:24 Benefits of Autonomy 16:37 Updated NHTSA Rules19:23 Waymo Expands to San Jose Airport, Is SFO Next?24:22 Tesla Opens Robotaxi Waitlist 27:43 Highway Unlocks30:44 Avride Launching on Uber in Dallas33:16 Tensor Auto35:49 Daimler Truck is Seeking Outside Capital for Torc40:18 Next WeekRecorded on Friday, September 5, 2025--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy provides market intelligence and strategic advisory services to institutional investors and companies, delivering insights needed to stay ahead of emerging trends in the autonomy economy™. To learn more, say hello (at) roadtoautonomy.com.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk marked the one-year anniversary of Autonomy Markets and discussed the reignited debate between LiDAR and vision-only after comments made by Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi during an interview. During the interview, Mr. Khosrowshahi stated that in the short term, a combination of camera, LiDAR, and radar is the “right solution,” noting that all of Uber’s current partners use this combination. This statement prompted a response from Elon Musk, who argued via a post on X that LiDAR and radar actually reduce safety due to “sensor contention” and reaffirmed Tesla’s commitment to a camera-only system. Beyond the technical debate, Grayson and Walt discussed Tesla’s expanded Robotaxi service in Austin and the growing opposition to a potential Waymo deployment in New York City.Episode Chapters0:00 One-Year Anniversary of Autonomy Markets2:14 Dara Khosrowshahi Reignites LiDAR vs Vision-Only Debate9:24 Elon Musk’s LiDAR Rebuttal 11:49 What if Tesla Embraced LiDAR?14:29 Robotaxi Expands in Austin, Once Again18:14 Traffic Fatalities 20:32 Waymo Begins Testing in New York City26:06 Boring Company is Testing FSD Supervised in Las Vegas29:07 Stellantis Shuts Down Internal ADAS Development Program31:28 Next WeekRecorded on Thursday, August 28, 2025--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy provides market intelligence and strategic advisory services to institutional investors and companies, delivering insights needed to stay ahead of emerging trends in the autonomy economy™. To learn more, say hello (at) roadtoautonomy.com.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Anshuman Saxena, Vice President and Head of ADAS/Autonomous Driving Products, Qualcomm joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss Qualcomm’s Snapdragon autonomy strategy.Qualcomm’s automotive division is rapidly expanding, with revenue up 59% year-over-year to $959 million. At the center of this growth is the company’s Snapdragon Digital Chassis, a comprehensive automotive platform and the cornerstone of Qualcomm’s autonomy strategy.As part of this approach, Qualcomm is redefining the digital cockpit by integrating AI-powered natural language interactions, advanced graphics through Adreno GPUs, and vision-based systems that enhance both safety and user experience.Looking ahead, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon architecture is not only powering vehicles today but also laying the foundation for robotics and future intelligent systems.Episode Chapters0:00 Qualcomm’s Approach to Autonomy6:10 ADAS Growth Opportunity 10:09 Consumer Adoption of ADAS12:10 In-Vehicle Experience 16:37 Snapdragon Digital Chassis17:44 Adreno GPU24:15 Developing Technology with Partners28:05 Robotaxi Platform29:36 Vision Systems 33:07 Personally Owned Autonomous Vehicles 35:46 Reasoning 40:54 Chip Design 45:16 Future of Qualcomm’s Automotive Division Recorded on Tuesday, August 26, 2025--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy provides market intelligence and strategic advisory services to institutional investors and companies, delivering insights needed to stay ahead of emerging trends in the autonomy economy™. To learn more, say hello (at) roadtoautonomy.com.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss the significant operational challenges Waymo and Uber are currently experiencing in Atlanta and Nuro's Series E round.Waymo’s launch in Atlanta has gone anything but smooth. A shortage of vehicles and frequent rider pairing issues on Uber have sparked negative local media coverage, with Fox 5 Atlanta even publishing a guide on how to improve your chances of getting a Waymo ride. The Atlanta launch has raised questions about the long-term future of Uber and Waymo’s partnership. While Waymo and Uber are facing vehicle supply issues in Atlanta, Nuro successfully closed a Series E round led by Uber that raised $203 million at a valuation of $6 billion.Episode Chapters0:00 Robots2:42 Nuro Series E4:54 Delivery Robots Part 16:11 Fleet Management 9:24 Delivery Robots Part 214:26 Waymo on Uber in Atlanta 21:15 Status of Waymo and Uber’s Relationship 26:58 Helm.ai Honda Expand Partnership 32:21 Alibaba’s Autonomous Driving IPO34:16 Baidu Apollo Go36:35 Tesla FSD in Japan38:46 Cybercab39:32 Next WeekRecorded on Thursday, August 21, 2025--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy provides market intelligence and strategic advisory services to institutional investors and companies, delivering insights needed to stay ahead of emerging trends in the autonomy economy™. To learn more, say hello (at) roadtoautonomy.com.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.