Sebastian Thrun

Sebastian Thrun, roboticist and self-driving pioneer, joins Alex Davies, journalist and author of Driven. They trace the secret Google project that put driverless cars on real roads. The conversation dives into DARPA races, machine learning breakthroughs, internal rivalries, Uber’s reckless push, and the big question of whether robots are actually safer behind the wheel.

PJ Vogt, Search Engine reporter and narrator, follows the secret Google project that put driverless cars on real roads. Don Burnette, Kodiak AI founder and early Google self-driving engineer, recalls the messy challenge of teaching a Prius human-like judgment. Sebastian Thrun, Stanford roboticist and DARPA winner, revisits the race, the Google bet, Waymo’s rise, Uber’s chaos, and the looming threat to driving jobs.

Join Sebastian Thrun, the visionary behind self-driving cars and Udacity, as he explores the future of technology and education. He shares how autonomous driving could become a lifesaver and his journey from academia to Silicon Valley. Thrun emphasizes choosing meaningful projects over money and discusses the challenges of making AI work in everyday shopping. As he reflects on family, grit, and curiosity, he reveals his commitment to innovation and the transformative potential of technology in urban environments.

Sebastian Thrun, co-founder of X and a pioneer in self-driving technology, teams up with Andre Prager, chief engineer at Wing, who has long been passionate about aviation. They recount the incredible journey of self-driving cars and drone deliveries, from skepticism to reality. The conversation dives into the transformative impact of autonomous vehicles on urban mobility and logistics, touching upon regulatory hurdles and community engagement. They also explore the ethical responsibilities of innovation, emphasizing collaboration for societal benefits.

Don Burnette, self-driving car engineer and Kodiak Robotics founder, joins Sebastian Thrun, Stanford roboticist and early Google autonomous driving pioneer. They trace the long road to driverless cars, from DARPA desert chaos to Google’s secret project. The conversation digs into teaching cars human instincts, fierce internal rivalries, Uber’s pressure, trade secret drama, and whether robot drivers are actually safer.