This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk unpack a wave of developments reshaping the autonomous vehicle landscape. Data surfacing from a follow-up to a recent Senate hearing reveals that Waymo currently operates 3,000 autonomous vehicles supported by only 70 remote assistance agents worldwide.
Grayson calls the ratio definitive proof of Waymo's technology lead, while Walt raises a pointed concern that roughly half of those remote roles are outsourced to the Philippines, creating a political vulnerability that could draw scrutiny as the industry scales.
From there, the conversation turns to infrastructure. Uber is reportedly investing $100 million to build autonomous vehicle fast-charging stations across San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Dallas. The move sparks a spirited debate about Uber. Is the company that built its brand on being asset-light now quietly pivoting to an asset-heavy model to stay competitive in the autonomy era?
On the regulatory front, Governor Kathy Hochul shelved a proposal that would have permitted robotaxis outside New York City, reportedly bowing to special interest pressure, a setback Grayson and Walt call deeply disappointing.
Meanwhile, Iowa lawmakers are advancing bills requiring a human driver behind the wheel, creating a strange-bedfellows alliance between pro-autonomy hybrid network advocates and traditional opponents of autonomous driving technology.
Shifting to hardware, Tesla's Cybercab secured an FCC order authorizing ultra-wideband radio technology for wireless charging. Grayson cautions, however, that FCC approval is only one piece of the puzzle, as Tesla still needs NHTSA exemptions to operate vehicles without steering wheels or pedals before any real-world scaling can begin.
Episode Chapters
00:00 Waymo: 70 Remote Agents for 3,000 Cars
04:00 Waymo's Unforced Error of Outsourcing Remote Assistance to the Philippines
08:00 SFO Rideshare Volume and Waymo's Impact on Traditional TNCs
15:00 New York Governor Hochul Pulls Robotaxi Proposal
20:00 Iowa Lawmakers Push a Driver-In Bill
23:00 Will the Real Uber Please Stand Up? The $100M Charging Pivot
29:00 "Take or Pay" Contracts: Is Uber Blocking Competitors?
32:00 Tesla Cybercab Gets FCC Wireless Charging Approval
36:00 Tesla NHTSA Exemption
38:00 Aurora Opens 1,000-Mile Autonomous Trucking Lane
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