Waymo Needs Another OEM and Q4 Might Be Too Late

This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss Waymo expanding service to the San Antonio Airport, the company's need for another OEM partner and Baidu's mishap in China.With Waymo opening service at the San Antonio Airport complete with curbside drop offs and a short walk to the designated rideshare pickup area, the conversation evolves into a deeper discussion about airport politics and robotaxis.Which brings us to Waymo and their current vehicle fleet. Does Waymo have enough vehicles to continue to scale at the pace they are scaling? Or do they need an additional OEM partner? Or will an 800 volt charging architecture solve their vehicle supply issue? Walt says Waymo needs more vehicles, while Grayson predicts that Waymo will announce an additional OEM partner by the end of the year and give the market more details on their relationship with Toyota.Over in China, Baidu's Apollo Go suffered a major mishap with vehicles stopping, causing crashes and trapping passengers for up to two hours in their robotaxis, raising questions about the current state of Chinese autonomous driving technology.Wrapping up the conversation, Grayson and Walt discuss WeRide going driverless in Dubai with Uber and launching 11 vehicles in Singapore with Grab as part of the foreign autonomy desk.Episode Chapters00:00 Waymo Expands to the San Antonio Airport06:07 Does Waymo Need Another OEM Partner?13:24 800 Volt Charging Architecture and Fleet Scaling19:05 Baidu's Apollo Go Robotaxis Fail in Wuhan23:47 China's Autonomous Belt and Road Strategy26:33 Waabi30:02 Tesla Austin Robotaxi Expansion33:14 FSD 14.338:00 Senator Markey Remote Operators Investigation41:34 Foreign Autonomy Desk45:50 Next WeekThe Road to Autonomy is the leading market intelligence platform covering the convergence of automation, autonomy, and the Autonomy Economy powered AUTNMY AI. Through our podcasts, newsletter, and proprietary market intelligence, we set the narrative for institutional investors, industry executives, and policymakers navigating the convergence of automation, autonomy, and economic growth. To learn more, say hello (at) roadtoautonomy.com. LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for research here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Closely followed by key decision-makers in the TMT industries, this podcast provides actionable analysis for investors, industry professionals, and tech enthusiasts. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠