Hardware Podcasts

Cracking the code on autonomous trucking

Catalyst · 7 May 2026 · 43m

What this episode covers

Eyal Cohen, founder and CEO of Humble Robotics, explains why autonomous trucking has lagged behind passenger vehicles due to the high stakes of highway edge cases and the limitations of retrofitting existing tractors. He details Humble's clean-sheet design of a fully cabless, electric Class 8 truck that combines the tractor and trailer into a single smart platform to optimize unit economics and safety. Cohen discusses the company's shift from LiDAR-heavy systems to a camera-centric approach leveraging Visual Language Models (VLMs) and the regulatory challenges of deploying a vehicle with no windshield or steering wheel.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Humble Robotics, Waymo, Otto, Starsky Robotics, Aurora, Tesla
Tools
LiDAR
Also
Visual Language Models, NHTSA, FMCSA

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Moore's Lobby · 43m

    Ep. 33 | From Autonomous Golf Carts to Semis: The Journey to the Self-Driving Truck

    Brandon Moak, CTO and co-founder of Embark Trucks, explains how he and co-founder Alex Rodrigues scaled an autonomous driving system from a student golf cart project to a $5 billion public company. Moak details the technical stack, including the fusion of LIDAR, radar, and cameras, and the strategic decision to focus on hub-to-hub highway trucking to avoid the complexity of urban passenger vehicles. He discusses the operational challenges of scaling, including adapting to COVID-19 restrictions and mitigating chip shortages through risk-buying, while emphasizing Embark's safety-first approach and software-as-a-service business model.

    Robotics & autonomySensors & measurement in products
    6 chapters

  • How I Built This · 40m

    When trucks drive themselves with Chris Urmson of Aurora

    Chris Urmson, founder of Aurora, discusses his journey from the DARPA Grand Challenges to leading Google's self-driving car project and finally launching Aurora to automate long-haul trucking. He explains Aurora's 'First Light' LIDAR technology, the distinction between Level 2 assistance and Level 4 autonomy, and the company's strategy of selling an autonomous driving system rather than building vehicles. Urmson outlines the safety case, regulatory engagement, and the phased rollout plan for driverless trucks on specific US freight corridors.

    Starting a product companyMicrocontrollers & dev platforms
    6 chapters

  • The Robot Report Podcast · 1h 20m

    Autonomous vehicle technology deep dive at John Deere and Zoox

    Jorge Heraud, VP of Autonomy at John Deere, explains how the company leverages its acquisition of Blue River Technology and Spark AI to deploy Level 4 autonomous tractors, using computer vision and machine learning to enable 'See and Spray' and autonomous tillage while managing rural connectivity challenges. RJ He and Ryan McMichael, technology leaders at Zoox, discuss their purpose-built, steering-wheel-free robotaxi recently deployed on public roads in California, detailing a perception stack that integrates cameras, LIDAR, radar, and thermal imaging to ensure safety through redundancy and diversity. The episode contrasts the agricultural application of autonomy, focused on labor relief and precision, with the urban mobility focus of Zoox, highlighting the technical hurdles of sensor fusion, edge cases, and the critical importance of building a robust safety case for public acceptance.

    Robotics & autonomySensors & measurement in products
    8 chapters

  • The Robot Report Podcast · 1h 06m

    Kodiak Robotics & autonomous trucks, Anthony Levandowski going to jail

    Daniel Goff, head of policy at Kodiak Robotics, explains the company's 'middle mile' autonomous trucking strategy, focusing on highway operations between Dallas and Houston to simplify the technical challenge compared to robotaxis. Tyler Mantle, co-founder of the Ventilator Project, discusses the rapid development of the 'Era' low-cost ventilator, highlighting the use of 3D printing for rapid prototyping and partnerships with firms like Mass Robotics and Latham & Watkins to navigate FDA regulations and supply chain scaling. The hosts also cover the sentencing of former Google executive Anthony Levandowski for stealing Waymo trade secrets and a remote teleoperation demo of Boston Dynamics' Spot robot.

    Robotics & autonomyValidation & product-market fit
    8 chapters

  • Over the Air · 20m

    The Role of AI in the Trucking Industry with Chris Torrence, CSO at Optym

    Chris Torrence, Chief Strategy Officer at Optym, discusses the company's 20-year history of applying AI and mathematical optimization to the trucking and logistics industry. He explains Optym's strategy of augmenting human dispatchers rather than replacing them with autonomous vehicles, focusing on integrating optimization layers into existing Transportation Management Systems (TMS) to solve data siloing and integration challenges. Torrence also highlights the importance of granular visibility through IoT sensors, citing companies like Tive, and outlines a roadmap focused on hardening core products before exploring future decoupling of trailers and tractors.

    AI & machine learningConnected products & IoT
    6 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Catalyst. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.