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Conversations with the Architects
We do not chase headlines; we host the newsmakers. From the founders of unicorn startups to the CEOs of publicly traded companies, our guests join The Road to Autonomy to articulate their vision, defend their strategies, and signal their next moves.
Latest Episode
Our audience gains unparalleled, unfiltered access to the C-Suite executives, founders, and policymakers who are building and regulating the future.
From the founders of unicorn startups to the CEOs of publicly traded companies, our guests join to articulate their vision, defend their strategies, and signal their next moves.
Host
Founder, The Road to Autonomy & Co-Founder & Co-CEO AUTNMY AI
Grayson Brulte is a visionary strategist and one of the foremost authorities on autonomy, automation, and the emerging Autonomy Economy™. Widely recognized for anticipating what's next, his work sits at the intersection of innovation, policy, and emerging technology, where he serves as a trusted advisor to executive teams throughout the autonomy landscape.
Grayson coined the term Autonomy Economy to describe the convergence of automation, autonomy, commerce, and economic growth. His insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg, Reuters, Forbes, CNN, and The Hollywood Reporter.
Recent Episodes
New episodes every Tuesday. Watch on YouTube, X and Spotify and listen on your favorite podcast platform.
April 29, 2025
Scaling Autonomous Vehicle Fleets: Opportunities and Challenges
Sergey Litvinenko, CEO of Koop, discusses emerging business models for autonomous vehicle fleets, including leasing, REIT-like structures, and vertically integrated management approaches, each presenting distinct operational and financial challenges. The episode covers key barriers to market entry such as insurance requirements, financing complexities, and operational difficulties, while highlighting the significant opportunities available in the autonomous fleet sector.
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April 22, 2025
Tier IV’s Open-Source Playbook for Scaling Autonomy Globally
TIER IV is scaling its open-source Autoware autonomous driving software platform globally, enabling multiple companies to collaborate and share development costs across applications from robotaxis to industrial logistics. The company has achieved significant traction in Japan's autonomous bus market, capturing approximately 50% of municipal contracts through the country's Mobility DX initiative addressing driver shortages and an aging population.
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April 15, 2025
Scaling Physical AI to Unlock Global Supply Chain Efficiency
Jim Liefer, CEO of Ambi Robotics, discusses how the company's physical AI systems have accumulated over 200,000 hours of autonomous warehouse operations while focusing on human-robot collaboration rather than full automation. Despite economic uncertainties, large logistics companies continue investing in warehouse automation to manage increasing supply chain volumes, with Ambi Robotics working to transform physically demanding roles into higher-paying robot operator positions.
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April 8, 2025
Whiplash in Detroit: From Electric Dreams to Autonomy Uncertainty
Detroit automakers are shifting focus from electric vehicles to autonomous driving as EV momentum stalls and consumer preference moves toward hybrids, while interest in personally-owned autonomous vehicles increases. Traditional OEMs face the critical challenge of developing scalable in-house autonomous driving systems or risk becoming contract manufacturers by licensing the technology from others.
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April 1, 2025
Lyft’s Autonomous Vehicle Strategy: How Hybrid Networks, Partnerships & Fleets Will Change Rideshare
Lyft's EVP Jeremy Bird discusses the company's hybrid network strategy that will integrate autonomous vehicle fleets, individually-owned AVs, and human drivers on the same platform through partnerships with AV developers and manufacturers. The approach focuses on creating a unified network where all three driver categories can operate and generate revenue simultaneously rather than replacing human drivers entirely.
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March 25, 2025
Inside Aurora’s Mission to Safely Launch Autonomous Trucks
Aurora's Chief Safety Officer Nat Beuse discussed the company's Safety Case Framework, which emphasizes trust, transparency, and continuous improvement as Aurora prepares to launch fully autonomous commercial trucks without human drivers. The framework involves close collaboration with OEM partners Volvo and PACCAR, along with hardware partner Continental, to ensure safe and reliable operations through redundancy systems and remote monitoring capabilities.
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The Future is Bright. The Future is Autonomous. The Future is The Road to Autonomy.