Episode 10: The Rise, Fall, and Return of Autonomous Vehicles
About the episode
In this episode of Fast Forward, host Chris Brown explores the real story behind autonomous vehicles — from early hype and high expectations to setbacks and quiet resurgence. After a wave of ambitious projections, a major crash involving Cruise brought the spotlight to autonomy’s limits. But the story didn’t end there. Autonomy is now progressing in more practical ways, especially in structured, commercial environments where the return on investment is clear. From driverless freight operations and remote EV piloting to drone deliveries and autonomous tractors, real-world applications are growing. Chris explains how these changes impact fleet management and why fleet professionals are perfectly positioned to lead this next chapter. Autonomy isn’t replacing fleet management — it’s adding new layers to it. This episode breaks down the role of oversight, optimization, and operations in a future where bots, drones, and driverless vans still require experienced hands behind the scenes.
