Disrupting the Car (with Horace Dediu)

Disrupting the Car (with Horace Dediu)

Author: Oliver Bruce and Horace Dediu April 17, 2024 Duration: 56:53

This week’s episode of the Ride AI podcast is a mind-meld between automotive analyst Ed Niedermeyer and tech-innovation scholar Horace Dediu about why the car industry is ripe for disruption. Their conversation is a reflection on the transformative power of past innovations like computers and phones, and the need to imagine a better future for mobility.  Together they discuss: 

  • The concept of unbundling the car for different trip types and purposes, similar to computing devices

  • Observation that the world seeks to improve cars, but they are already highly optimized

  • Critique of current approaches by companies like Tesla and Apple, which aim to fit new technologies into the existing car model

  • Emphasis on the need for truly disruptive innovation in mobility, either through cheaper, more accessible options or new directions of competition

  • Discussion on the potential for self-driving technology to transform mobility by enabling new experiences and connections

  • Examinations of the challenges of building an EV that is both cheap and has extensive battery range

  • Why investors are over-focused on cars as a platform at the expense of other autonomous driving use-cases, like agriculture, defense, and transit. 

⌲ Subscribe to our free newsletter to stay on the forefront of the intersection of AI and mobility 👉 https://rideai.beehiiv.com/


Ed Niedermeyer, an author and analyst with a sharp focus on the automotive world, guides Ride AI alongside co-hosts Horace Dediu, Oliver Bruce, and James Gross. Together, they navigate the complex intersection where artificial intelligence meets transportation, a space that's rapidly reshaping how we think about movement, business, and urban life. This isn't just a series of interviews; it's a deep exploration of the forces driving change, from autonomous vehicles and electric scooters to the broader economic and societal shifts they trigger. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the strategies and struggles of founders, investors, and engineers who are building the future of mobility. You'll hear candid discussions that go beyond the hype, focusing on the practical realities of investment, the nuances of technological adoption, and the lessons learned from both successes and failures in the field. For anyone curious about the business models behind the tech or the investment theses shaping this volatile sector, this podcast offers a grounded, insightful perspective. Tune in for conversations that are as much about the journey of innovation as they are about the destination.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Ride AI
Podcast Episodes
The Rise of Autonomous Racing (w/ AIPEX's Ed Bernardon) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:07
In this episode of the Ride AI podcast, we sit down with Ed Bernardon, Chief Racing Officer at AIPEX Racing, to explore the high-octane world of autonomous motorsport. From dispelling the myth that self-driving race cars…
Delivering the Future with Ali Kashani of Serve Robotics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:14
In this episode of the Ride AI Podcast, we sit down with Ali Kashani, CEO and co-founder of Serve Robotics, the company bringing AI-powered sidewalk delivery robots—with googly eyes—to city streets. Ali shares the origin…
Navigating the Gig Economy (w/ Ryan Green of Gridwise) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:50
In this episode of Ride AI, we dive into the fast-evolving intersection of autonomy, gig work, and delivery economics. Our guest, Gridwise founder and CEO Ryan Green, joins to discuss why autonomous vehicles won't spell…