Zoox’s Approach to Scaling Autonomy with Marc Wimmershoff

Europe’s First Driverless Vehicle Approval with Bliq CEO Julian Glaab

Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/europes-first-driverless-vehicle-approval-with-bliq/id1811181944?i=1000771691678], YouTube [https://youtu.be/l8YeDsZ-Rs4?si=v2SUSIlN5IqhLrTF], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/episode/5oF8iqu9FDKmlWto80lfRp?si=b05ca9da0c364a49], and Substack [https://www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/europes-first-driverless-vehicle]. Transcripts are also available by clicking on the “transcripts” button in the top right corner of this post on the app/web version. You can also access them from the email version by clicking here [https://www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/europes-first-driverless-vehicle?showTranscript=true]. In today’s episode, I’m speaking with Julian Glaab [https://www.linkedin.com/in/julian-glaab/], co-founder and CEO of bliq.ai [https://bliq.ai/], a Berlin-based autonomous mobility company that recently received Europe’s first approval for road operations without a driver behind the wheel in Estonia. Julian shares the story of how Bliq evolved from a ride hailing platform into an autonomous vehicle company, the challenges of making that transition, and why he believes the future of autonomy extends well beyond traditional robotaxi services. We discuss Bliq’s unique approach to autonomous vehicles, including its vision for privately owned driverless cars, the role of teleoperation in enabling safe deployments, and the technology stack powering its vehicles. Julian also explains why the Hyundai IONIQ 5 has become a popular platform for autonomous vehicle developers, how much their AV stack costs, and the different ways Bliq plans to commercialize its autonomous vehicle technology, including a subscription model for private users. The conversation also explores the broader autonomous vehicle landscape in Europe, including the region’s regulatory environment, how it compares to the United States, and why Bliq chose a different path to commercialization than many of its peers. Finally, Julian shares where people can experience Bliq’s vehicles today, the most promising use cases for autonomous vehicles in Europe, and what’s next for the company as it expands its driverless operations. Chapters * (00:00) Introduction to Julian Glaab * (02:35) Bliq’s history and how they evolved from ride hailing to autonomous vehicles, including the challenges involved, and public perception * (10:10) Julian’s definition of a robotaxi, and Bliq’s approach to building driverless cars for private ownership * (14:06) The current state of Bliq’s teleoperation and their approach to safety * (15:05) Bliq’s tech stack * (16:28) Why Bliq (and most of the AV industry) chose the Hyundai IONIQ 5 platform * (18:25) Bliq’s fleet size, and the cost of their AV stack/vehicles * (21:12) Bliq’s business model, and how their AV subscription model unlocks new use cases for private users * (23:41) Is Bliq more of an AV operator or an AV provider? * (26:25) Why Bliq didn’t start as a robotaxi provider and future plans for AV ride hailing * (27:40) The most valuable use cases for autonomous vehicles in Europe * (30:30) How restrictive the European AV regulatory landscape is, how it compares to the U.S., and the way forward * (35:20) How Bliq’s teleoperation works, its advantages, challenges, and the critical metrics they look out for * (42:04) Where to find Julian and Bliq’s AVs * (44:00) Conclusions and final thoughts Notes/Links: * You can find Julian an LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/julian-glaab/] and X [https://x.com/julianglaab]. * Bliq Receives Europe’s First Approval for Fully Driverless Road Operation. Without a Driver Behind the Wheel (link [https://bliq.ai/blog/bliq-receives-europes-first-approval-driverless-road-operations?utm_source=movingpeople.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=uber-targets-delivery-hero-waymo-recalls-pauses-rapido-240m-cartrawler-450m&_bhlid=877d072874d55f58026eee5ca5dbca2e34b79300]). -Harry This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thedriverlessdigest.com [https://www.thedriverlessdigest.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Lyft’s Hybrid Approach to Autonomy with CEO David Risher

Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lyfts-hybrid-approach-to-autonomy-with-ceo-david-risher/id1811181944?i=1000770607186], YouTube [https://youtu.be/yAbwno5tDkE?si=GXCW0UtNu4Umxzyi], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/episode/1IvBhfaVfz22KoHJ5qIiGL?si=2f808c6641164d85], and Substack [https://www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/lyfts-hybrid-approach-to-autonomy]. Transcripts are also available by clicking on the “transcripts” button in the top right corner of this post on the app/web version. You can also access them from the email version by clicking here [https://www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/lyfts-hybrid-approach-to-autonomy?showTranscript=true]. In today’s episode, I’m speaking with David Risher [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdavidrisher/], Chief Executive Officer of Lyft. We discuss how Lyft is thinking about the autonomous vehicle transition, where the company fits into the broader AV ecosystem, and why David believes Lyft can play a meaningful role even without developing its own self-driving technology. We also dive into Lyft’s partnerships with autonomous vehicle companies, including its recent big launch with Waymo in Nashville, and explore how Lyft and AV operators can complement one another through a hybrid marketplace model. David shares how receptive AV companies have been to Lyft’s value proposition, the biggest challenges facing autonomous vehicle deployment today, and what Lyft’s investors, drivers, and riders think about the growing role of autonomy in the industry. We also discuss David’s first ride in a Zoox robotaxi, whether consumers are likely to use multiple autonomous vehicle and rideshare apps, and how Lyft views competition and cooperation with companies like Uber and Waymo. Finally, David explains how Lyft’s Flexdrive subsidiary fits into the company’s long-term autonomous vehicle strategy, highlights progress with international partners, and shares what excites him most about Lyft’s autonomous future. Chapters (00:00) Introduction to David Risher (02:27) What Lyft’s overall AV strategy looks like (03:35) How confident is David in the maturity of AV tech? (04:40) How important are AVs to Lyft right now, and how much are they focusing on them? (06:47) Are Lyft’s investors interested in AVs? (08:57) Where Lyft stands out most in the AV future, and what they bring to the table (12:20) How receptive are AV companies to Lyft’s value proposition? (13:30) The hardest challenge for AV companies (15:29) Lyft’s partnership with Waymo in Nashville, and how it works (17:01) How Lyft and Waymo complement each other in Nashville through their hybrid partnership (19:01) The biggest challenge in the hybrid partnership (22:04) What Lyft drivers think of the partnership with Waymo (24:04) How does AV proliferation affect human drivers in the long run, and what are their current concerns? (27:09) David’s first Zoox ride, and his experience (29:00) Are customers likely to download multiple rideshare/AV apps? (30:50) David’s thoughts on Waymo’s relationship with Uber (32:35) How Lyft’s demand aggregator role connects with the AV fleet maintenance role of their Flexdrive subsidiary (34:20) Lyft’s AV strides with their international partners (37:15) What the ideal Lyft AV product/partnership would look like in London (38:19) What has David most excited about Lyft’s AV future (38:55) Conclusions and final thoughts Notes/Links: * You can find David on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdavidrisher/] and X [https://x.com/davidrisher]. * Lyft’s article about former drivers filling in AV roles in their new AV depot, mentioned in the 22:07 timestamp (link [https://www.lyft.com/blog/posts/lyft-driver-to-autonomous-vehicle-operations-journey]). * David’s first Zoox ride [https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jdavidrisher_a-few-evenings-ago-i-got-in-my-first-zoox-activity-7452722883270828032-2bxV/]. -Harry This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thedriverlessdigest.com [https://www.thedriverlessdigest.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Inside Uber’s AV Strategy with Founding Member Eduardo Rojas

Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-ubers-av-strategy-with-founding-member-eduardo/id1811181944?i=1000769506857], YouTube [https://youtu.be/qI8PM81D1Jw?si=kihrFRVftVs86ctj], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/episode/1K8poaQ3CCkQYB9WrTJQx2?si=e12f4928e85241f0], and Substack [https://www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/inside-ubers-av-strategy-with-founding]. Transcripts are also available by clicking on the “transcripts” button in the top right corner of this post on the app/web version. You can also access them from the email version by clicking here [https://www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/inside-ubers-av-strategy-with-founding?showTranscript=true]. In today’s episode, I’m speaking with Eduardo Rojas [https://www.linkedin.com/in/eduardojoserojas/], an autonomous delivery operator and former founding member of Uber’s Autonomous Mobility & Delivery team. Eduardo shares insights from his time helping shape Uber’s early autonomous vehicle strategy, how the company’s thinking around AVs has evolved over the years, and why partnerships have become such a central part of Uber’s approach. We also discuss the current relationship between Uber and Waymo, including the tradeoffs between Waymo’s vertically integrated model and Uber’s demand aggregation strategy, whether Waymo risks sidelining an important partner, and how investors may be interpreting Uber’s position as autonomous vehicles scale. Eduardo explains how Uber supports AV partners today, where he sees the biggest opportunities in autonomous delivery, and what the future could look like for both companies as robotaxis and autonomous logistics continue expanding. Finally, we explore the broader competitive landscape, the evolving economics of autonomy, and where Eduardo believes the biggest opportunities lie as autonomous delivery and rideshare move toward larger scale commercialization. We’re now at 10,000+ subscribers and currently looking for podcast sponsors. The Driverless Digest podcast [https://www.thedriverlessdigest.com/podcast] reaches thousands of industry insiders every week across autonomous vehicles, mobility, robotics, transportation, and tech, including teams at companies like Waymo, Uber, Zoox, Lyft, DoorDash, and more. If that sounds interesting, please reach out below and let’s chat. Chapters (00:00) Introduction to Eduardo Rojas and his background at Uber (03:07) Uber’s AV delivery strategy in its early days (06:59) How Uber’s autonomous delivery/rideshare strategy has evolved (14:40) Has Uber’s focus shifted from mobility to delivery? (16:34) How Uber supports their AV partners. (18:00) Uber’s stock price and how it’s reacting to Waymo’s AV dominance (20:34) Waymo’s first-party model vs. Uber’s demand/supply aggregator model (23:50) Waymo’s first-party model vs. partnerships with TNCs. (31:13) The direction of Waymo and Uber’s relationship, and why Waymo might have snubbed Uber in recent launches. (33:57) Why Waymo should further partner with Uber, and the potential downsides of sidelining Uber (35:32) The potential future direction of Waymo and Uber’s partnership (37:32) The future of autonomous delivery and where the opportunities lie (42:00) Conclusions and final thoughts Notes/Links: * You can find Eduardo [https://www.linkedin.com/in/eduardojoserojas/] on LinkedIn. * My article about the Waymo and Uber relationship, mentioned at the 31:10 timestamp - Is the Uber x Waymo Partnership Coming to an End? [https://www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/is-the-uber-x-waymo-partnership-coming] * Uber CTO’s tweet criticizing Waymo, mentioned at the 31:27 timestamp (link [https://x.com/praveenTweets/status/2049529681813344695?s=20]). * Eduardo’s post about the Waymo-Uber relationship, mentioned at the 31:39 timestamp (link [https://www.linkedin.com/posts/eduardojoserojas_it-was-a-pleasure-to-be-interviewed-this-activity-7463273384701792256-gwnW?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAlbMNEBjlrhOke2Nkx9SxDncEod2ib9wdc]). -Harry This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thedriverlessdigest.com [https://www.thedriverlessdigest.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Zoox’s Approach to Scaling Autonomy with Marc Wimmershoff

Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/zooxs-approach-to-scaling-autonomy-with-marc-wimmershoff/id1811181944?i=1000767208132], YouTube [https://youtu.be/GiNTlr0UyUg?si=Vi8HoA37VojHj6T0], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/episode/6M9zBoXRgRgI8zgFqYAsdA?si=8242cfd18db2441a], and Substack [https://www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/zooxs-approach-to-scaling-autonomy]. Transcripts are also available by clicking on the “transcripts” button in the top right corner of this post on the app/web version. You can also access them from the email version by clicking here [https://www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/zooxs-approach-to-scaling-autonomy?showTranscript=true]. In today’s episode, I’m speaking with Marc Wimmershoff [https://www.linkedin.com/in/wimmershoff/], Vice President of Autonomy Software at Zoox. Marc shares his long journey through the autonomous vehicle industry, what has kept him motivated through multiple hype cycles, and why he believes the industry is finally entering a more mature phase of real-world deployment. We also dive into Marc’s role at Zoox and how the company is approaching autonomy differently with its purpose-built robotaxi platform. Marc explains the advantages and tradeoffs of designing a vehicle specifically for autonomous driving, how Zoox is thinking about scaling operations across cities, and why their technical approach stands out compared to other players in the industry. We also discuss the company’s remote operations process, the importance of teleguidance, and what it actually takes to operate autonomous vehicles safely at scale. The conversation also explores the broader competitive landscape in autonomy, including whether there are advantages to being a later mover in the space, how the AV industry structure has evolved over the years, and where foundation models could have the biggest impact on autonomous driving in the near future. Finally, Marc shares what’s next for Zoox as the company continues expanding deployments and working toward larger scale commercialization. Chapters (00:00) Introduction to Marc Wimmershoff (01:45) Marc’s background in the AV industry and what’s kept him going for so long (02:35) What phase of the AV development/hype cycle are we in right now? (03:22) How the structure of the AV industry has changed over the years (05:36) Marc’s role at Zoox, and what his team does (07:55) Marc’s advice/pitch for prospective Zoox employees (10:07) Where Zoox is at right now with scaling up (14:05) Where can you ride a Zoox? Current cities and rollout details (17:00) How Zoox’s purpose-built robotaxis give them an advantage in autonomous deployments, and the philosophy behind them (22:30) The biggest advantage of Zoox’s purpose-built robotaxi design (23:00) The challenges with Zoox’s purpose-built robotaxi design (26:54) The importance of Zoox’s remote operation process (teleguidance), and how it works (31:57) Advantages of coming second in autonomy deployments (34:24) Why Zoox’s technical approach stands out: The top-down vs. bottom-up approach (38:10) How foundation models will improve Zoox’s autonomous driving in the near future (42:30) What’s next for Marc and Zoox? (44:20) Conclusions and final thoughts Notes/Links: * You can find Marc on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/wimmershoff/]. * Leadership in Focus: Marc Wimmershoff, Vice President, Autonomy Software (link [https://zoox.com/journal/zoox-director-spotlight-marc-wimmershoff-autonomy]). -Harry This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thedriverlessdigest.com [https://www.thedriverlessdigest.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The 'Waymo on Uber' Experience, Feedback From a Power User (Ethan McKanna)

This week’s podcast is brought to you by Terawatt [https://therideshareguy.com/Terawatt] – purpose-built charging for autonomous vehicle fleets. Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-waymo-on-uber-experience-feedback-from-a-power/id1811181944?i=1000766457356], YouTube [https://youtu.be/hYclwGKjA74?si=R8YFRpGyUt6jBp24], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/episode/22IFkzIL3DJzs6mkL5fGvG?si=6d2bb2db452247e5], and Substack [https://www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/the-waymo-on-uber-experience-feedback]. Transcripts are also available by clicking on the “transcripts” button in the top right corner of this post on the app/web version. You can also access them from the email version by clicking here [https://www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/the-waymo-on-uber-experience-feedback?showTranscript=true]. In today’s episode, I’m speaking with Ethan McKanna [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethanmckanna/], an autonomous vehicle power user, industry observer, and the creator of Robotaxi Tracker [https://robotaxitracker.com/]. Ethan shares how he first got into AVs and what led him to build Robotaxi Tracker as a way to better understand and track real-world AV deployments. We also dive into why Austin has quickly become one of the most important cities for autonomous vehicle rollouts, and what the Waymo on Uber experience actually looks like from a rider’s perspective. Ethan walks through what works well today, what’s missing from the product, and how pricing and availability compare to expectations. We also explore the differences between Waymo’s partnerships with Uber in Austin and Lyft in Nashville, and whether these models are something Waymo is likely to replicate in other markets. The conversation touches on how the product could improve, and what features are still needed. Finally, we zoom out to discuss Uber’s long-term role as an AV demand aggregator, the balance of power between platforms and autonomy companies, and what’s next for Robotaxi Tracker as the space continues to evolve. Our Urban Autonomy Summit [https://luma.com/i471g1zr] is heading to Detroit on June 9, and we’re excited to bring it to the Motor City. We’ve already brought together hundreds of operators, policymakers, and mobility leaders at past events in New York [https://www.linkedin.com/posts/harrygcampbell_our-first-nyc-event-was-a-big-success-standing-activity-7382079594952298497-QriV?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAlbMNEBjlrhOke2Nkx9SxDncEod2ib9wdc] and San Francisco [https://www.linkedin.com/posts/harrygcampbell_big-thanks-to-everyone-who-joined-us-for-activity-7423045262492909568-epa0?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAlbMNEBjlrhOke2Nkx9SxDncEod2ib9wdc], and the conversations have been some of the best we’ve seen anywhere in the AV space. It’s a half-day event with panels, networking, and refreshments/light bites, all focused on what’s actually happening on the ground today with ridehailing, autonomous vehicle deployment, and urban transportation policy, and we’ll have some of the smartest operators and builders in the space joining us. You can RSVP here [https://luma.com/i471g1zr] and if you want a preview of what it’s like, check out our highlights clip [https://youtu.be/wttOugL5iMA?si=Y6i3bS7TMnPQOldA] from SF. Hope to see you there! Chapters (00:00) Introduction to Ethan McKanna and how he got into AVs (04:51) The inspiration behind the creation of Robotaxi Tracker (05:39) Austin gradually becoming the epicenter of AV deployments (06:30) The Waymo on Uber user experience/partnership in Austin (09:39) Missing features in the Waymo on Uber product in Austin (11:51) The customer advantages of the Waymo on Uber product/partnership in Austin, and pricing insights (13:57) How the Waymo-Uber partnership compares to the Waymo-Lyft partnership in Nashville (15:20) Is Waymo likely to repeat their Austin partnership model with Uber in other cities? (16:05) The Waymo-Lyft partnership model in Nashville (19:17) Ways to improve the Waymo product in Austin (22:30) Uber’s future as the AV demand aggregator (27:22) Who needs who more? Uber vs. Waymo (29:40) What’s next for Robotaxi Tracker? (31:30) Conclusion and final thoughts Designing Charging Hubs for Autonomous Fleets We are excited to partner with Terawatt [https://therideshareguy.com/Terawatt], one of the leading providers of charging infrastructure. To learn more about Terawatt’s network of AV charging hubs and track record of 99%+ uptime, reach out to Logan Szidik [https://www.linkedin.com/in/loganszidik/] at lszidik@terawattinfrastructure.com [lszidik@terawattinfrastructure.com] Notes/Links: * You can find Ethan on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethanmckanna/] and Twitter/X [https://x.com/ethanmckanna]. * Check out Robotaxi Tracker (link [https://robotaxitracker.com/]). * Ethan’s speech at Ride AI 2026 (link [https://youtu.be/qUEBPBLTdJQ?si=eNjF6mRk2Q71VRwD]). -Harry This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thedriverlessdigest.com [https://www.thedriverlessdigest.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]