Shift: A podcast about mobility

Latest Episodes:

Reporter roundtable: San Francisco braces for robotaxi rollout and EV charging disappoints drivers Aug 19, 2023

Show notes

Automotive News reporters Hannah Lutz, Molly Boigon, and Pete Bigelow discuss the latest stories in the mobility realm, including Waymo and Cruise increasing their San Francisco robotaxi businesses and the EV charging problems revealed by a recent J.D. Power customer survey.

SBD Automotive’s Robert Fisher on why EV range anxiety might be overstated Aug 14, 2023

Show notes

SBD Automotive’s domain principal for EV discusses to what extent vehicle owners view their brands as leaders in sustainability, why software is a stronger motivator for EV purchases in China, and how increasing awareness about the environmental costs of battery production might impact adoption.

Jeff Farrah on the “immense challenge” facing the self-driving industry Aug 07, 2023

Show notes

The executive director of the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association discusses the anti-AV sentiment brewing in California, efforts to revive federal legislation, and what self-driving tech’s rollout says about American competitiveness.

General Motors’ Charlie Freese on the potential for hydrogen fuel cells Jul 30, 2023

Show notes

The executive director of GM’s hydrogen fuel cell business highlights the automaker’s decades-long history with fuel cell technology, explains when to use fuel cells vs. electric vehicle batteries and shares how GM is taking the technology to other industries. The episode is part of an Automotive News project on hydrogen fuel cell technology.

Motional’s Balajee Kannan on what it takes to run a robotaxi business Jul 23, 2023

Show notes

The vice president of autonomy at Motional, a joint venture between Hyundai and Aptiv, breaks down the company’s “measured” approach to using self-driving technology to underpin a revenue-generating business.

Qmerit’s Tracy Price says EV charger electrician shortage could complicate rollout Jul 17, 2023

Show notes

The convergence of “megawatts and megabytes” requires a new skillset for electricians who will install and maintain the nation’s emerging network of EV chargers, says Price, CEO of Qmerit. Price highlights the challenges to recruiting and quickly training EV charger technicians, identifies charging differences in urban, suburban, and rural areas, and explains why some automakers likely felt like they had to add Tesla’s charging connectors.

Reporter roundtable: Vigilantes thwart San Francisco AVs, Lordstown's beef with Foxconn Jul 09, 2023

Show notes

Automotive News reporters Pete Bigelow and Molly Boigon discuss robotaxi problems in San Francisco, Volkswagen’s return to Austin, Texas, Lordstown’s Chapter 11 filing and progress along the Energy Department’s hydrogen roadmap.

Navier’s Sampriti Bhattacharyya says waterways are the new highways Jul 02, 2023

Show notes

The CEO and co-founder of the electric, hydrofoiling boat startup Navier explores the quiet potential of e-boats in marine transportation and how better utilized waterways can carry both passengers and goods, alleviating on-road traffic.

Dawn Project’s Dan O’Dowd takes on Tesla Jun 25, 2023

Show notes

The Green Hills Software CEO and The Dawn Project founder catalogs his concerns about the safety of Tesla’s Autopilot and “Full Self Driving” driver-assistance systems. He further scrutinizes the problems associated with software in safety-critical systems.

TeraWatt’s Neha Palmer plans to charge EV fleets across America Jun 18, 2023

Show notes

The CEO and co-founder of TeraWatt infrastructure discusses the upcoming launch of a fleet-focused charging network, working with utility companies to meet power needs, and raising $1.1 billion to accelerate electrification efforts.