# Road to Rail: Slashing Costs and Carbon with Automation

- Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast)
- Published: 2026-01-30
- Length: 1h 02m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-01-30-road-to-rail-slashing-costs-and-carbon-with-automation
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/road-to-rail-slashing-costs-and-carbon-with-automation

## Summary

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.

## Chapters

- [0:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-01-30-road-to-rail-slashing-costs-and-carbon-with-automation#t=11) Introduction and News: Waymo Incident and Fauna Robotics
- [26:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-01-30-road-to-rail-slashing-costs-and-carbon-with-automation#t=1590) Glīd Technologies Overview and First Mile Problem
- [29:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-01-30-road-to-rail-slashing-costs-and-carbon-with-automation#t=1742) Founder Background and Dual-Use Strategy
- [32:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-01-30-road-to-rail-slashing-costs-and-carbon-with-automation#t=1938) Capital Challenges and Vehicle Development
- [35:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-01-30-road-to-rail-slashing-costs-and-carbon-with-automation#t=2108) Field Validation and Hybrid Powertrain Pivot
- [40:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-01-30-road-to-rail-slashing-costs-and-carbon-with-automation#t=2408) Ezra 16 Software and Logistics Orchestration
- [45:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-01-30-road-to-rail-slashing-costs-and-carbon-with-automation#t=2753) Autonomy Status and Strategic Partnerships
- [51:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-01-30-road-to-rail-slashing-costs-and-carbon-with-automation#t=3078) Future Deployments and Interplanetary Vision

## Topics

- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Glīd Technologies (company)
- Raiden (product)
- Glider M (product)
- Ezra 16 (product)
- SpaceX (company)
- XOS Trucks (company)
- Paccar (company)
- Taylor Transport (company)
- Waste Connections (company)
- BNSF (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [The Yard Automation Revolution: Inside Outrider With Ira Renfrew](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2024-11-07-the-yard-automation-revolution-inside-outrider-with-ira-renfrew) (Over the Air)
- [Ep. 33 | From Autonomous Golf Carts to Semis: The Journey to the Self-Driving Truck](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2021-10-06-ep-33-from-autonomous-golf-carts-to-semis-the-journey-to-the-self-driving-truck) (Moore's Lobby)
- [Cracking the code on autonomous trucking](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-05-07-cracking-the-code-on-autonomous-trucking) (Catalyst)
- [Revolutionizing the Mining Industry with Sensor Fusion: A Conversation with Mel Torrie, Founder and CEO of ASI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2024-02-01-revolutionizing-the-mining-industry-with-sensor-fusion-a-conversation-with-mel-t) (Over the Air)
- [Divya Thakur (Founder, Yardbot)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-05-06-divya-thakur-founder-yardbot) (Just Gonna Send It)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-01-30-road-to-rail-slashing-costs-and-carbon-with-automation. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Robot Report Podcast.