Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, and Substack. Transcripts are also available by clicking on the “transcripts” button in the top right corner of this post on the app/web version. You can also access them from the email version by clicking here.
In today’s episode, The Driverless Digest Editor Ben Hubbard speaks with Augustin Friedel, an expert in software-defined vehicles (SDV) and AI-enabled mobility. Augustin shares his background in the industry and examines Europe’s autonomous vehicle landscape, including how it compares with the rest of the world and what it will take to move from pilots to commercial deployments.
They take a closer look at the Uber-Verne-Pony.ai pilot in Zagreb, Uber’s role in accelerating autonomous vehicle deployment, and Bolt’s position in the European robotaxi market. Augustin also discusses whether Europe’s autonomous vehicle demonstrations can become scalable businesses and the concerns surrounding partnerships with Chinese developers.
Finally, they explore the infrastructure needed to support robotaxi fleets, including the challenges of finding suitable sites in cities like London. They discuss where the real value lies in the robotaxi business, from technology and fleet operations to customer demand, before closing with Augustin’s outlook for Europe’s progress over the next year.
Chapters
(00:00) Introduction to Augustin Friedel
(01:32) Augustin’s background in the mobility/autonomy space
(04:51) The autonomy landscape in Europe and how it compares to the rest of the world
(06:46) The Uber-Verne-Pony.ai AV pilot in Zagreb and the state of AV pilots/deployments in Europe
(09:51) What’s needed to scale AV deployments in Europe
(11:20) Can European AV demos become scalable businesses?
(14:02) Uber’s role in accelerating AV deployment in Europe
(16:00) Bolt’s position in the European robotaxi landscape
(17:50) Is Europe at risk of becoming a market for boring AV technology?
(20:41) Are there concerns about partnering with Chinese AV companies?
(21:59) The state of the European AV infrastructure landscape and how it could evolve
(26:40) Realities and challenges of siting AV infrastructure in European cities like London
(30:54) Where the real value lies in the robotaxi business: fleet operations, demand, tech, etc.
(35:00) What progress can Europe make over the next year?
(36:38) Conclusions and final thoughts
