15. Media’s Perspective on Mobility - Alan Ohnsman, Sr. Editor of Future Mobility at Forbes

The mobility ecosystem covers a lot of ground, so who better to provide insight than someone reporting on every facet on a daily basis? It’s a new perspective this week as Alan Ohnsman, Senior Editor of Future Mobility at Forbes, joins host Grayson Brulte to offer insight on the future of transportation. This wide-ranging conversation covers everything from electric vehicles and autonomous trucking to the re-emergence of passenger trains and how we’ll traverse Los Angeles over the next decade, plus a look at some of the major players emerging in mobility.   Alan kicks off the conversation at the beginning of his career in Japan, where his appreciation for trains, efficient mass transit and smart cities was born. Grayson and Alan quickly jump into a conversation about all things Tesla: what were Alan’s initial impressions of the company back in 2006 and how has that perception changed, what would happen if Elon Musk stopped tweeting, and what happens to Tesla, A.E. (After Elon)?   The electric talk continues with Rivian and the massive capital being generated for EV startups in the space. Alan shares his perspective on the advantages that these startups have over OEMs for developing electric/hybrid battery technologies and when we might see a true electric SUV from a traditional OEM.   Grayson and Alan take a look at the role that the 3 A's (Alphabet, Amazon and Apple) are playing in driving autonomy by combining services with mobility, and how that may be the deciding factor for success against more manufacturing-focused competitors, like Cruise.   The conversation takes on additional levels as Grayson and Alan explore how TuSimple is driving ahead of the automated commercial trucking pack, what role will Walmart play in mobility, and how does mobility change in Los Angeles over the next 10-20 years?   Before the conversation wraps, Alan circles back to trains. The two discuss how rail and companies like Brightline trains are going to be a really interesting part of the mobility ecosystem by connecting the middle distances to create quicker trips and safer roadways.   Follow Alan on Twitter at https://twitter.com/alanohnsman and read his articles at www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman.   Subscribe to SAE Tomorrow Today or visit www.sae.org/podcasts to stay up to date on all the latest information from SAE. If you like what you’re hearing, please review and comment on your podcast app. Follow SAE on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.