RoadWorthy Drive Podcast

The RoadWorthy Drive Podcast is changing!  We are now The TechMobility Podcast.  With the same great news, information, and perspective that you have come to expect, the TechMobility Podcast will add interviews with newsmakers and people of interest across the technology and mobility landscape! Be sure to check it out and add us to your favorites! 

During this episode, the  Lexus UX250 h crossover hybrid SUV is reviewed; we discuss our concerns about big tech's push to merge your home and your car; and the impact of office landlord defaults - on your quality of living and the local tax base. 

Welcome to RoadWorthy Drive!  For this episode, we discuss how the EV transition may leave low-income Americans behind; the reasons behind the Great Shrinking American Labor Force; and the unique things that convenience stores are doing to keep customers coming back. 

During this episode, the 2023 Volvo V60 Cross Country is reviewed.  Ken & Chase discuss the unique events that are covered by the typical homeowner's policy and Mercedes introduces Level 3 conditional autonomous driving in two states. The RoadWorthy Drive Podcast is changing! Starting March 1st, it will become The TechMobility Podcast. With the same great news, information, and perspective that you have come to expect, the TechMobility Podcast will add interviews with newsmakers and people of interest across the technology and mobility landscape!

Welcome to the 2023 Chicago Auto Show!  Ken hosts this very special episode from the floor of the show, located in McCormick Place in Chicago.  During this program, Ken makes his pick of the hottest concept cars displayed which will be the show stoppers.   If you have heard of the North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year awards, but wondered what they are all about, Ken interviews NACTOY juror Brian Armstead to learn all about it.  Finally, Ken settles in for part one of his interview with long-time friend and off-road motorsports Hall of Famer Sue Mead, on a unique life of experiences well lived. The RoadWorthy Drive Podcast is changing! Starting March 1st, it will become The TechMobility Podcast. With the same great news, information, and perspective that you have come to expect, the TechMobility Podcast will add interviews with newsmakers and people of interest across the technology and mobility landscape!

This week, the 2023 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro pickup truck is reviewed; renewable natural gas makes a play for usage and recognition; and EV battery recycling gains momentum in the United States. THE TIME IS DRAWING NEAR... Change is coming to the RoadWorthy Drive Podcast and we couldn't be MORE excited! Be sure to WATCH THIS SPACE for more information as it unfolds...

During this episode, we take a look at the components of motorcycle insurance - how it differs from regular car insurance and what coverage you need to include.  We also discuss the 2024 Volvo EX90 - the first fully autonomous Level 4 vehicle designed for public roads.  And finally a question:  Can you go a day without plastic?  One man's attempt. THE TIME IS DRAWING NEAR... Change is coming to the RoadWorthy Drive Podcast and we couldn't be MORE excited! Be sure to WATCH THIS SPACE for more information as it unfolds...

During this episode, the 2023 Mazda CX-50 is reviewed; we discuss how automated trucking is gaining momentum in the logistics delivery yard; and how drought is testing the resilience of America's main water highway. THE TIME IS DRAWING NEAR... Change is coming to the RoadWorthy Drive Podcast and we couldn't be MORE excited! Be sure to WATCH THIS SPACE for more information as it unfolds...

Your local convenience store is changing.  More than a place to get gasoline and grab a snack, they actually want to become a destination.  This week, we tackle the question that many of you have been asking - are EVs safe in a crash?  Finally, with all the news about climate change and extreme weather, we focus on an issue that is largely man-made and equally threatening to our world:  disappearing biodiversity.THE TIME IS DRAWING NEAR... Change is coming to the RoadWorthy Drive Podcast and we couldn't be MORE excited! Be sure to WATCH THIS SPACE for more information as it unfolds...

During this episode, Ken goes deeper with his impressions of the all-new 2023 Genesis GV60 EV; How one Colorado university is heating and cooling buildings using sewage; and how fusion energy beats the numbers for a first-ever breakthrough. HAPPY NEW YEAR! Change is coming to the RoadWorthy Drive Podcast in the new year and we couldn't be MORE excited! Be sure to WATCH THIS SPACE for more information as it unfolds...

Each day over 1 million birds die as a result of collisions with buildings in urban areas.  We review Hagerty Insurance's list of hot classic cars to buy in 2023.  January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month. HAPPY NEW YEAR! Change is coming to the RoadWorthy Drive Podcast in the new year and we couldn't be MORE excited! Be sure to WATCH THIS SPACE for more information as it unfolds...

During this episode, the all-new 3rd generation of the Honda HR-V is reviewed; We discuss the potential impact of ChatGPT, and green hydrogen gets a boost in the marketplace from recent legislation. HAPPY NEW YEAR! Change is coming to the RoadWorthy Drive Podcast in the new year and we couldn't be MORE excited! Be sure to WATCH THIS SPACE for more information as it unfolds...

In our data-driven world, it seems that climate change is having an outsized impact on our access to our digital devices and apps - and it promises only to get worse.  Mazda, a laggard in the EV segment, is partnering up with suppliers in an effort to get into the game, as the market for EVs continues to grow and consumers preferences change.  Is it too late?  Finally, California's new digital license plates can be tracked - as hackers were able to access the sensitive information of the digital plate's sole supplier.HAPPY NEW YEAR! Change is coming to the RoadWorthy Drive Podcast in the new year and we couldn't be MORE excited! Be sure to WATCH THIS SPACE for more information as it unfolds...

During this episode, the all-new 5th generation Kia Sportage is reviewed; We look at how the town of Babcock Ranch Florida was designed to withstand extreme climate events; and how electric buses can provide resilience to communities during climate emergencies. HAPPY NEW YEAR! Change is coming to the RoadWorthy Drive Podcast in the new year and we couldn't be MORE excited! Be sure to WATCH THIS SPACE for more information as it unfolds...

The coming wave of electric vehicles will change how your insurance company calculates auto insurance - we discuss.  Better EV batteries are just the beginning of more efficient EVs.  The EV motors themselves are getting a makeover - and for good reason.  Finally, after years of fits and starts, Chinese automakers have the American automotive market in their sights.  Truth is, they are already here. HAPPY NEW YEAR! Change is coming to the RoadWorthy Drive Podcast in the new year and we couldn't be MORE excited! Be sure to WATCH THIS SPACE for more information as it unfolds...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  Although the holidays have past, its never too early or too late to talk about safety on the nation's highways and byways.  We talk statistics and National Impaired Driving Month.  Cars and trucks are not the only powered wheel vehicles on the road.  During this episode we discuss motorcycle roadway safety.  And finally, impaired driving isn't just about drunk driving.  We talk about several other ways that drivers may be impaired behind the wheel. HAPPY NEW YEAR! Change is coming to the RoadWorthy Drive Podcast in the new year and we couldn't be MORE excited! Be sure to WATCH THIS SPACE for more information as it unfolds...

Welcome to 2023!  During this 1st of the new year episode, Ken reviews the game changing Ford F-150 Lightning EV, the automaker's first pure electric pickup truck; We discuss America's traffic fatality problem; and review the list of the seven common causes of truck accidents, because if this level of awareness works for a 60 ton Class 8 big rig, there are some lessons for you and your 3 ton SUV or full-size pickup truck. HAPPY NEW YEAR! Change is coming to the RoadWorthy Drive Podcast in the new year and we couldn't be MORE excited! Be sure to WATCH THIS SPACE for more information as it unfolds...

During this episode, the 2022 Lexus LC 500 Coupe is reviewed; we discuss why billions of dollars will not be enough to get autonomous cars on the road; and finally ask the question: is the electrical grid ready for the future? 

Miles per kilowatt hour will replace miles per gallon when evaluating vehicle performance in the years to come.  Meanwhile, we review the ten top industries that lost employees this year; and finally we take a closer look at the automotive industry's plan for the future of 6G. 

For this episode, Ken reviews the new Volvo C40 Recharge EV, the automaker's first all-new from the ground up EV.  Thor Industries, the nation's largest RV maker, turns its focus toward going electric - we discuss.  Finally, we review some of the novel technologies that planners are considering with respect to transportation - its more than electric or autonomous vehicles! 

Hertz, the world's largest rental car firm, is paying millions of dollars to customers that it wrongly accused of stealing its cars; We offer several tips to get your Christmas tree home safely without damage to the tree or your vehicle; and in places where summers are very dry, they are able to farm the morning fog for usable water. 

During this episode, the 3-door Ford Bronco Wildtrack  Sasquatch is reviewed;  how fatal accident claims in a particular geographic location impacts car insurance rates, and building the hydrogen highway with a hydrogen-powered dirigible: the H2 Clipper. 

During this episode, we say good bye to a number of vehicles that have been discontinued.  The Federal Trade Commission moves forward in an legislative vacuum to reign in companies that gather your personal information, especially as it relates to health and condition; and flying into the future - we take a look at some of the radical commercial aircraft design concepts that may be coming to an airport near you in the next 10 to 15 years. 

During this episode, the line-topping Toyota Tundra Capstone hybrid pickup truck is reviewed; Toyota & Kenworth prove the value of electric fuel cells at the Port of Los Angeles; and Alef Aeronaultics introduces the Model A, its first flying car.

The Transportation Security Administration, better known as the TSA, has issued cybersecurity guidelines for passenger rail systems; We explore how much an over the road truck driver makes; and its a sign of the times - a new best selling vehicle that isn't a truck and is not powered by fossil fuels! 

Ken reviews the impressive Acura MDX Type-S luxury crossover SUV; How one fresh food marketplace in India turns rotten produce into electricity; and how solar power saved the day for many during Hurricane Ian in Florida. 

During this episode, a new initiative called "Connected Communities" aims to address segregation and gentrification of Chicago by enticing people out of their private vehicles; Big Green goes all in Farming AI with autonomous farm tractors; and rumors of the demise of the manual gearbox continue to be slightly exaggerated. 

Why should the Subaru WRX STi have all the fun?  During this episode, Ken reviews the WRX Premium sedan;  we talk about how the states are lax when it comes to removing dangerous drivers off the road; and the quest to achieving equitable mobility for all. 

During this episode, Ken shares his first impressions in the all-new Ford F-150 Lightning - the automaker's first pure electric full-size pickup truck.  Is Four-Day Work/Five Day Pay movement becoming a thing in the United States?  What does the term "Dead Pool" mean, and why is that bad for the Colorado River?  And finally, beverage maker PepsiCo, will be the first to receive Tesla's new Semis - starting next month. 

During this episode, a review of the reimagined Lexus LX600 SUV; How the risks to the New England power grid are similar to the Texas crisis of last winter; and down but not out: an update on two (almost) EV manufacturers that won't die: Faraday Future and Lordstown Motors. 

As the transportation industry as a whole invests in alternatives to the internal combustion engine, the marine industry is moving forward with the development of a variety of electric boats.  In rural America and some cities, if you call 911, will they come?  A look at why this vital service is not always considered an essential one.  Finally, the WiFi network in your home and on your job will be used in different ways - including medical at home monitoring and security systems. 

During this episode, we review the 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV; discuss the history and evolution of the Monroney new car window sticker; and bring you current with a Tesla product update. 

In the 1980 comedy Used Cars, Kurt Russell plays a "jack of all trades" salesman of dubious reputation.  The opening scene of the movie shows him under the dashboard of a mid-1970's Buick convertible.  The scene tightens around the odometer of the car at the exact moment he illegally "rolls back" the odometer from over 95,000 miles to just over 30,000.  While that was done mechanically, today it can be done with software.  We also take a look at agrivoltaic farming, the combination of farming around acres of solar panel arrays - and why it could hold big promise.  Finally, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is studying why women suffer greater injuries than men in similar crashes and what can be done to change that dynamic. 

Will the American automotive marketplace embrace a family car with a performance bent?  We take the Camry TRD V6 for a ride.  The Feds recently introduced a "Bill of Rights" for systems that use artificial intelligence - but it has no enforcement power; and the insurance industry is sounding the alarm about the increasing sophistication of deep fakes and the potential impact on different aspects of everyday life. 

This is a special episode of our program, created in part to answer a question by Jayce Skellen, one of faithful listeners, about the safety of highly pressurized hydrogen tanks in an hydrogen-powered electric fuel cell car - like the Toyota Mirai.  We also take a look at the growth of hydrogen energy storage facilities and why a number of automakers are developing hydrogen electric fuel cell vehicles. 

During this episode, Ford's first pure electric, the Mustang Mach-E EV is reviewed; why consumers should care about coal miners; and why there is seemingly no land available for housing in the United States. 

Approximately forty percent of materials in the tires on your vehicle consists of natural rubber - which is a contributing factor to the continued deforestation of the Amazon rain forest.  Bollinger Motors was one of the first EV manufactures that we covered when this program began.  We discuss how much they have changed in focus over the years.  Finally, community microgrids.  They may offer a solution to reliable electric power generation in a crisis, while making neighborhoods self sufficient. 

Ken reviews the impressive 2022 Kia Sorento AWD SUV; Fuel Cells struggle in the shadow of EV batteries; General Motors ventures into the EV conversion marketplace. 

A recent survey by J.D. Power takes a look at how customers view the increasing levels of technology in today's new vehicles; Why nuclear power has become the darling of utilities once again, and how the fight for your dashboard space has resulted in a showdown between Apple and the automakers. 

In this episode - Ken reviews the 3rd generation Toyota Tacoma pickup truckWe consider the question: Will Artificial Superintelligence wipe out mankind? And finally, we investigate just how safe EVs are in real world crashes. 

In this episode, Ken & Chase discuss the current plight of the modern auto show.  Is there a future for shiny metal events?Americans waste between 80 to 108 billion tons of food each year.  That rotting food in our landfills generates as much greenhouse gasses as 37 million cars!The federal Bureau of Reclamation has declared a level 2a  shortage condition for Lake Mead on the Colorado River, but is giving the states involved time to work out just how the required reductions in water use will take place. 

Ken reviews the Subaru Forester Wilderness SUV; we discuss the current situation regarding the development and roll out of autonomous Class 8 big rig trucks; and we investigate the growing demand for EVs in Rural America.

Would you buy coffee served by a robot?  Especially if you could eliminate the line?  Backed by some heavy hitting venture capital,  Blank Street Coffee is testing the concept.  With the progress being made on the open road, its time for an autonomous big rig update - we fill you in on what is going on.  Finally, think EV demand is just in big cities?  Guess again!  We begin a conversation about the coming of age of EVs in Rural America. 

During this program, the 2022 Audi Q3 S-Line luxury crossover is reviewed; why pedestrians may not be completely helpless when it comes to life-saving technologies; and why passenger rail travel is making a comeback 

Recent Federal legislation is already having the desired affect in the EV industry as automakers and suppliers modify plans to source a greater percentage of manufacturing in the United States;  Two years later and we are still talking about remote work in "Zoomtowns"; Aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce has teamed with Hyundai to develop flying cars. 

This week, we review the 2022 Mazda CX-30 subcompact crossover SUV; Bike Lanes - are you for them or against them - we investigate.  Touted as an economic solution for both affordable housing and available housing stock, 3D printed homes are making a play. 

We take another look at the all-new DeLorean EV.  States with the most motorcycle thefts are reviewed; and how extreme draught is affecting many places in the United States. 

Is there still room in the American marketplace for a half-ton diesel pickup truck?  We review the 2022 Ram 1500 Diesel to find out.  The Administration is providing funding for states and tribal nations to upgrade and strengthen their electrical grids.  Learn how this will benefit customer-owned utilities and when America has done this before.   Why would automakers compete for the opportunity  spend hundreds of millions of dollars to build one or two vehicles that will be driven less than 100 miles?  The space race is on! 

In this tight market of new vehicles, General Motors has taken additional steps to warn those who wants to take unfair advantage of the situation by gouging consumers on the price of some of its hottest models; Vietamese automobile manufacturer VinFast is set to open its first US dealers in California, ahead of breaking ground for a new manufacturing complex in North Carolina; and Congress has passed legislation to boost US semicomputer chip production, reducing our dependance on China and Southeast Asia. 

During this episode, the advanced 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid compact crossover SUV is reviewed; Toyota takes sustainability to the next level by conserving water; and the feds investigate an EV commercial bus fire at a public transit maintenance facility in Connecticut. 

In response to an inquiry by a US Senator, Amazon Ring disclosed that it gave personal information gathered from a personal Ring doorbell device without the owner's permission several times this year - we discuss.  Housing & Homelessness, it affects everything - and inflation has only made it worse.  Finally, several new proposed regulations for the commercial trucking industry threatens to turn everything on its ear.