Shift: A podcast about mobility

Hosted by Automotive News

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411

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Oct 2026

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About the show

On Shift: A podcast about mobility, Automotive News tech and innovation team leader Pete Bigelow takes an optimistic yet skeptical eye at the new tech and business models planned for the auto industry. Shift is a production of Automotive News, the leading publication covering the auto industry. Check out our reporting online at autonews.com/shift and follow us on Twitter @Automotive_News.

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60 recent

November 1, 202619 min

What Election Day could mean for EVs and trade policy

“Shift” host Molly Boigon moderates an Automotive News Congress panel on how policy, regulation and the midterm elections will affect the auto industry. Her guests are John Bozzella, CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation; Pat D’Eramo, CEO of Martinrea International; Kate Kalutkiewicz, senior managing director of McLarty Associates; and Mike Murphy, founder of EVs for All America. Murphy also joins Boigon to talk about the current state of the electric vehicle market, specifically how the U.S. compares to China and Europe.

October 25, 202627 min

Toyota, Honda trial humanoid robots on factory floors in Japan

Plug-in hybrids emit nearly as much carbon dioxide as combustion vehicles, raising questions about emissions targets for the European Union, Lucien Mathieu, cars director at Transport & Environment, tells “Shift” host Molly Boigon. Hans Greimel, Asia Editor for Automotive News, also joins Boigon to talk about Toyota and Honda’s humanoid robots on factory floors in Japan, and Subaru’s new electric vehicle prototype.

October 18, 202630 min

Chinese automakers showed up in force at the Paris auto show

“Shift” podcast host Molly Boigon talks to Gary Cygan Jr., director of vehicle software and electronics engineering at GM; Steffen Fuchs, senior partner at McKinsey & Co.; Andrei Iordache, global senior director of automotive presales at HERE Technologies; and Christopher Prediger, regional president for the Americas in Bosch’s Cross-Domain Computing Solutions division as a part of an Automotive News Congress panel on software-defined vehicles. They discussed whether artificial intelligence is an enabler of more advanced SDV technology — or whether it’s still just hype. Doug Bolduc, managing editor of Automotive News Europe, also joins Boigon to talk about how Chinese automakers’ growing presence at the Paris auto show put the pressure on Western automakers to show up with impressive new offerings.

October 11, 202623 min

Fuel-efficient vehicles are flying off lots as consumers adapt to high gas prices

“Shift” podcast host Molly Boigon talks to the Zero Emission Transportation Association’s Albert Gore about how the Trump administration’s actions on fuel economy and emissions standards may impact battery and other technology investment in the U.S. Larry P. Vellequette, who covers Toyota, Subaru and Mazda for Automotive News, also joins Boigon to talk about how gas guzzlers are driving up new-vehicle inventories while consumers shop for more fuel-efficient vehicles. His reporting suggests that the war in Iran is hitting the dealer lot.

October 4, 202622 min

With gas-powered vehicles, hybrids and EVs, how can automakers keep costs down?

“Shift” podcast host Molly Boigon talks to PwC’s U.S. automotive leader C.J. Finn about how automakers should keep an eye on technologies from startups and universities to keep costs down while managing multiple powertrains. Hannah Lutz, assistant managing editor at Automotive News, also joins Boigon to discuss the robotics and software-defined vehicles panels at the 2026 Automotive News Congress in Detroit.

September 27, 202627 min

Cybersecurity explained: Why do hackers target the auto industry?

“Shift” podcast host Molly Boigon gets help from Vanessa Lyon, global lead for cyber and digital risk at Boston Consulting Group, to explain how hackers access information from auto industry companies. Jake Neher, the executive producer of audio at Automotive News, also joins Boigon to discuss attackers who target vehicles themselves and why it may be easier for them to take control of braking than steering. And Boigon speaks with Doug Bolduc, managing editor of Automotive News Europe, about why Europe’s recycling capacity is outpacing its supply of electric vehicle batteries.

September 20, 202628 min

Tesla’s Cybercab has a long way to go to beat Waymo

Mike Nefkens, CEO of HERE Technologies, joins Molly Boigon, tech and innovation reporter at Automotive News, on the “Shift” podcast. Nefkens explains how incumbent map companies such as HERE are competing with big-tech upstarts Google and Apple. Boigon also speaks to Laurence Iliff, who covers Tesla, about what Tesla will have to do to catch up with Waymo in the robotaxi race.

September 6, 202630 min

Analysts predicted a tariff-driven autos apocalypse. Why didn’t that happen?

Lenny LaRocca, KPMG’s U.S. automotive industry leader, joins Molly Boigon, Automotive News tech and innovation reporter, on the “Shift” podcast. LaRocca talks about why early predictions of a tariff-driven industrywide meltdown never materialized, and how auto companies adapted to avoid catastrophe. Boigon and Hannah Lutz, assistant managing editor of content at Automotive News, also discuss BYD’s fast-charging rollout and a recent study that found that consumers have a better experience with a lower level of automated driving than expected.

August 30, 202620 min

Why some blue states are shunning robotaxis, and how sodium ion batteries can overcome weight constraints

David Bell, co-founder of Emerald Battery Labs, joins Hannah Lutz, assistant managing editor of content at Automotive News, on the “Shift” podcast. Bell talks about how sodium ion batteries rely on a plentiful feedstock available in the U.S., but their weight is an impediment to widespread adoption for vehicles. They are a natural fit, however, for another use case: energy storage. Lutz and Molly Boigon, tech and innovation reporter, also discuss why liberal states outside of California are resisting the robotaxi rollout.

August 23, 202631 min

LG Energy Solution’s Bob Lee on the pivot to powering AI data centers

Bob Lee, LG Energy Solution’s president of North America, joins Jerry Hirsch, managing editor, content, on the “Shift” podcast from the company’s plant in Lansing, Mich. Lee describes how U.S. policy shifts and slower electric vehicle adoption pushed LG Energy Solution toward batteries for energy storage systems , including those that power artificial intelligence data centers. He also explains why, despite policy changes, he believes EVs will win in the long run.