Hard Fork, the Hub, Investment Wars, and Radio New Zealand
Off-Ramps for 9 June 2026
Welcome to Off-Ramps, Changing Lanes’ occasional round-up of curated items for discerning readers. Today I’m rounding up four pieces of my work that appeared in other outlets recently, each reaching a different audience, all on the subject of driving automation. Please enjoy all of these on your morning commute, or save them for your weekend… and stick around to the end for two time-sensitive items.
Long-time readers will note that Changing Lanes usually publishes longform work on Tuesdays and Off-Ramps on Thursdays, but this week we’re switching it up. I am confident you will find Thursday’s piece exciting and interesting, but to accommodate its subject, I am holding off on it for two days. When you read it, you will understand why.
Hard Fork revisits Interesting Times
Earlier this year I appeared on the New York Times podcast “Interesting Times with Ross Douthat” to discuss the state of driving automation in 2026 and where the field is going. I’m flattered that the team at Hard Fork, the NYT’s biweekly tech podcast, liked that conversation so much that they rebroadcast it under their own banner.
If you’ve already listened to my appearance with Ross, this won’t be new, but on the off chance you missed it, please enjoy it now, in a new format.
The Hub: Toronto Gets It Wrong, Again, This Time on Waymo
I wrote in The Hub yesterday on Toronto’s double standard on Waymo: the city is willing to let robotaxis in, but—as per the mayor’s press secretary—only if the firm proves that no jobs will be lost, no jobs will pay less wages than they do now, and no jobs become more precarious.
That’s a ridiculous standard to hold, as applying it consistently would mean that any innovation affecting any labour market would be subject to a veto by the workers it displaces.
For more, read the whole thing.
Investment Wars: Planning and Investing for an Automated World
On the most recent episode of the Investment Wars podcast, I joined host Joe Halpern to discuss a key problem for capital allocators: in a world where automation is clearly going to transform how we move people and goods, how should planners and investors prepare for change? How should they hedge against it? And what are some ways that air, rail, marine, and truck travel are likely to improve in future?
This was a good talk, and I hope that you enjoy it. It is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
Radio New Zealand: How New Zealand should think about driving automation
I was pleased to appear on Radio New Zealand on the drivetime programme Afternoons with Jesse Mulligan to discuss how, specifically, New Zealand’s regulators and citizens should think about driving automation; the distinction between Tesla and Waymo; why Wellington and Christchurch are going to benefit from the technology first; and other matters.
Driving automation is a global technology, and it’s useful to think about how it will apply differently in places that aren’t North America or China, so I was grateful to Jesse for the chance to speak with him about how New Zealand specifically should prepare.
This went out over terrestrial radio, but a recording of our interview is available here.
Upcoming Events at Changing Lanes
Finally, two upcoming items.
Firstly, our next livestream! On Wednesday, 24 June at 1200h ET, my guest will be the foremost American authority on regulating automated driving: Professor Bryant Walker Smith of the University of South Carolina. Smith helped develop the SAE’s “five levels” of driving-automation taxonomy, and earlier this year he testified to Congress on how the United States should regulate self-driving. Subscribers are notified when we go live; you can also sign up here.
Second, our upcoming price change! The subscription rate for Changing Lanes goes up next week on Tuesday, 16 June, rising from the current rate of US$10/month or US$100/year to US$13/130. This means that now is the best time to change your subscription from free or monthly to annual, since switching now locks in a full year of content at the best possible rate. It’s as easy as clicking this button: