Autonomous Vehicles: A New Era of Innovation

The autonomous vehicle space is starting to feel like a repeat of the 2016 hype cycle, with Travis Kalanick building a new robotics company and talent wars heating up.

The money is flowing back into the industry, and it's the people who lived through the first wave who are building the next one. Eyal Cohen, founder and CEO of Humble Robotics, is one of them. With a background in deep tech bets in the Bay Area, Cohen's new company came out of stealth in April with $24 million to build a fully autonomous, cabless electric hauler for freight.

Lessons from the Past

Cohen was at Otto when Uber came calling, later followed Anthony Levandowski to Pronto, and after two decades bouncing between deep tech bets in the Bay Area, he has learned valuable lessons from his experiences. On this episode of TechCrunch's Equity podcast, Cohen joins Kirsten Korosec to talk about AV déjà vu and what he's learned from 15 years of building startups across electrification, solar, and robotics.

"The talent wars and capital are heating up the same way they did the first time around."

• The autonomous vehicle space is experiencing a resurgence in investment and talent
• Companies like Humble Robotics are leading the charge with innovative solutions
• The industry is learning from past experiences and applying those lessons to current challenges

The Future of Autonomous Vehicles

As the industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how companies like Humble Robotics shape the future of autonomous vehicles. With its focus on building a fully autonomous, cabless electric hauler for freight, Humble Robotics is poised to make a significant impact on the industry. The company's approach to innovation and its commitment to learning from past experiences make it an exciting player to watch in the autonomous vehicle space.