RSG103: Grayson Brulte on the Public Perception of Autonomous Vehicles

Even though AVs have been in the news a lot over the past few years, the industry is really still in its infancy. In this episode, I’m chatting with someone who’s on the other side of autonomous vehicles, dealing with things like public perception, helping human drivers and more. We’ll cover the politics of AVs, the social impacts and more – you won’t want to miss this episode!

If you’d like to read a transcript of this podcast, please click here.

Intro

  • Today I’m chatting with Grayson Brulte, co-founder/President of Brulte & Company, a consulting firm that specializes in design innovation and tech strategies for the global marketplace
  • We’re talking all about AVs and specifically Uber’s AV program, what Lyft is up to and how automation is affecting other industries
  • We’ll also talk about how automation may affect the salaries of workers, everyone from truck drivers to rideshare drivers
  • Our podcast sponsor is Zum – Zum is a rideshare service for kids. Drivers can earn up to $32/hr and many make $750 a week. Check out Zum here!

Interview with Grayson Brulte

  • Grayson Brulte is an autonomous vehicle consultant – passionate about public acceptance and adoption of autonomous vehicles
  • Believes AVs are the future of transportation
  • Working on public acceptance of AVs – show how AVs benefit and enhance society vs detract from society
  • A bit early to say which companies are leading overall in terms of AVs – some companies are focused on aspects of AVs, like Amazon, Ford, etc.

Working in the AV Sector

  • Brulte & Company focuses across the sector, works with more than one company – every company is working on AVs in some aspect
  • Walmart will become a leader in autonomy for one reason: brand
  • After serving the customer, AVs should be the next thing you consider as an executive
  • Figuring out the logistics

Public Perception of AVs

  • One focus is to highlight the different types of jobs AVs will create
  • Crucial for companies to engage with the public every step of the way – can’t create an amazing car but have the public hate it
  • The biggest challenge with public perception of AVs is misinformation – getting people into AVs to see for themselves is important

Cities, Regulation and AVs

  • Some states are friendlier to developing AV technology – Florida
  • California not as friendly (more regulatory hurdles for businesses)
  • Difficult to pass helpful legislation if you don’t know the technology very well
  • Important to realize there will be challenges along the way, but there were challenges with flight (airplanes) too

Outro

  • Big thanks to  Grayson for coming on the podcast – I appreciate his viewpoint about AVs, particularly what companies are doing
  • It’s interesting to see how many aspects of life/business AVs touch – so many people working behind the scenes on AVs
  • AVs re going to have a big impact on society at large and mobility in general
  • Our podcast sponsor is Zum – Zum is a rideshare service for kids. Drivers can earn up to $32/hr and many make $750 a week. Check out Zum here!

Show Notes

If you’d like to read a transcript of this podcast, please click here.