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 Chapters 0:00 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 Rules 19:23 Waymo Expands to San Jose Airport, Is SFO Next? 24:22 Tesla Opens Robotaxi Waitlist 27:43 Highway Unlocks 30:44 Avride Launching on Uber in Dallas 33:16 Tensor Auto 35:49 Daimler Truck is Seeking Outside Capital for Torc 40:18 Next Week Autonomy is transforming industries and creating an entirely new economy that we call the autonomy economy™. The Road to Autonomy provides advisory and market intelligence services that helps you better understand the market and stay ahead of what’s coming next. To learn more, say hello (at) roadtoautonomy.com. Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/ LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. Sign up for research here.The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Closely followed by key decision-makers in the TMT industries, this podcast provides actionable analysis for investors, industry professionals, and tech enthusiasts. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email:
[email protected]
