Road to Rail: Slashing Costs and Carbon with Automation

The Robot Report Podcast · 30 Jan 2026 · 1h 02m

What this episode covers

Kevin Damoa, founder and CEO of Glīd Technologies, explains how his company automates the 'first mile' of logistics by transferring loaded semi-trailers directly from road to rail using autonomous and human-operated vehicles. Damoa details the pivot from a pure electric to a hybrid powertrain for their 'Raiden' vehicle due to customer infrastructure constraints, and discusses the role of their 'Ezra 16' AI orchestration software in digitizing a paper-heavy industry. He also highlights the company's dual-use strategy, targeting both commercial ports and military logistics, while noting the significant capital hurdles faced by hardware startups.

Mentioned

Companies
Glīd Technologies, SpaceX, XOS Trucks, Paccar, Taylor Transport, Waste Connections, BNSF
Products
Raiden, Glider M, Ezra 16

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