Hardware Podcasts

Iran war bitumen shortage stalls roads, Ford's $30K electric truck, Tesla Semi ships, BYD's private fleet, Amazon logistics, and the real cost of quality.

Go/No-Go · 29 May 2026 · 48m

What this episode covers

John Brunner and Alex Howe discuss how geopolitical disruptions, such as the Iran war, are causing bitumen shortages that stall road construction in India and Italy, while also increasing fuel costs for ships trapped in the Gulf. They analyze automotive industry shifts, including Ford's secret skunk works for a $30,000 electric truck, Tesla's shipping of the Semi, and BYD's vertical integration via its private car carrier fleet. The episode concludes with an analysis of Lumafield's Cost of Quality report, revealing that manufacturers spend 2-5% of revenue on quality, yet 58% fail to measure hidden costs, leading to significant inefficiencies in inspection and supplier management.

Most relevant to

large enterprises

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Lumafield, Takata, Ford, Tesla, BYD, Amazon, HTC
Products
Trump Mobile, Tesla Semi
Tools
Neptune scanner

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