Cars are becoming driving computers, giving transportation operators new ways to understand their vehicles, prevent problems, and create a better customer experience.

Philipp Gauss, Vice President / Head of Sales & Marketing Connected Fleet Solutions North America at Bosch USA, joins The Mobility Perspective to discuss how connected vehicle technology is changing fleet operations and the future of mobility. He explores how AI-powered vehicles and predictive maintenance can help operators make better use of vehicle data, protect residual value, and address maintenance before a failure occurs. Philipp also looks ahead at autonomous vehicles, robotaxis, hybrid technology, and the opportunities these changes could create for the rental car industry.

Key takeaways:

• Connected vehicle data can help fleet operators move from emergency repairs to predictive maintenance, reducing disruptions and improving asset management.
• Autonomous vehicles could create new opportunities for rental operators, including using idle fleet vehicles for robotaxi and local transportation services.
• Transportation technology should solve real operational problems, with AI, connectivity, and automation creating the most value when they support clear business needs.

Episode highlights:

(00:00) Meet Philipp Gauss

(00:58) Inside Bosch’s automotive technology footprint

(03:02) Where rental fleets face technology gaps

(05:04) Building fleet technology around operator needs

(07:10) What the AI cockpit means for drivers

(11:49) The shift toward software-defined vehicles

(14:03) Using data to predict vehicle maintenance

(16:11) Where autonomous driving technology stands today

(19:42) Where robotaxis fit into the rental market

(22:23) Inside Bosch’s autonomous vehicle technology

(30:38) Balancing connected vehicles with driver privacy

(34:00) Why industry associations matter for mobility

Resources:

Philipp Gauss on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipp-gauss-1232b0b4/

Explore Bosch USA: https://www.bosch.us/

Don Lefeve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-lefeve/

Carlos Bazan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cabazan/

Sharky Laguana on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharkylaguana/

Explore American Car Rental Association: https://www.acradrivesamerica.org/

Airports are more than just gateways for travelers, they are complex operations that require constant investment, innovation, and adaptation to meet the needs of passengers, communities, and the broader transportation network.

Annie Russo, Chief Political and Congressional Strategy Officer at Airports Council International - North America, joins The Mobility Perspective to discuss her career journey from Capitol Hill to advocating for airports across the country. Annie shares how airports are funded, the growing need for infrastructure investment, and the challenges of modernizing facilities while accommodating evolving passenger trends. She also explores how technology and AI are transforming airport operations, how COVID reshaped travel behaviors, and why collaboration between airports, business partners, and communities is essential to building the future of travel.

Key takeaways:

• Airport modernization requires ongoing investment, with infrastructure improvements helping airports meet growing passenger demand and changing travel patterns.
• Technology and AI are transforming airport operations, enhancing safety, improving efficiency, and supporting the highly skilled workforce behind air travel.
• Strong partnerships between airports, businesses, and communities are essential to creating better passenger experiences and supporting economic growth.

Episode highlights:

(00:00) Meet Annie Russo

(00:51) How Annie Russo came to work at ACI

(02:31) What most people don't know about working on Capitol Hill

(04:00) What she learned moving from Capitol Hill to ACI

(05:32) How airports are actually funded

(13:00) The rental car partnership with airports

(16:40) ACI's priorities for the next FAA reauthorization bill

(21:42) How airports are adopting tech and AI

(24:19) What keeps Annie up at night

(26:42) The craziest story from Annie's airport career

Resources:

Annie Russo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annierusso/

Explore Airports Council International - North America: https://airportscouncil.org/

Don Lefeve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-lefeve/

Carlos Bazan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cabazan/

Sharky Laguana on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharkylaguana/

Explore American Car Rental Association: https://www.acradrivesamerica.org/

The mobility industry is evolving faster than ever, requiring operators to rethink customer experiences, embrace new technology, and find new ways to create value in a changing market.

Ryan Kerzner, senior associate at The Merlin Group, joins The Mobility Perspective to discuss his 25-year journey across car rental, fleet management, EV infrastructure, and mobility innovation. From starting at Budget Rent A Car to helping companies develop go-to-market strategies, Ryan shares how the rental industry has transformed through digital experiences, rideshare disruption, autonomous vehicles, and AI-powered solutions. He also explores what operators need to consider today, including improving profitability through data, navigating EV adoption, preparing for autonomous mobility, and building a differentiated business by finding the right niche in an increasingly competitive market.

Key takeaways:

• Customer experience is the foundation of mobility, with frictionless service and better interactions shaping long term customer loyalty.
• AI and data are helping operators improve efficiency, optimize fleets, and create smarter solutions across the rental industry.
• Independent operators can stay competitive by finding a niche, adapting to change, and creating unique value for customers.

Episode highlights:

(00:00) Meet Ryan Kerzner

(00:58) Ryan Kerzner’s 25 year journey across mobility and fleet

(04:33) Why customer service defines the car rental experience

(05:38) From paper contracts to frictionless digital rentals

(08:16) How Uber and Lyft changed the car rental industry

(10:09) Preparing for autonomous vehicles and the future of mobility

(12:06) Using data to improve profitability and fleet operations

(15:17) How AI is transforming rental operations and customer service

(19:14) The evolving EV market and the future of electric vehicles

(25:51) Finding a niche and competing as an independent rental operator

Resources:

Ryan Kerzner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerzner/

Explore The Merlin Group: https://www.themerlingroup.co/

Don Lefeve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-lefeve/

Carlos Bazan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cabazan/

Sharky Laguana on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharkylaguana/

Explore American Car Rental Association: https://www.acradrivesamerica.org/

Running a rental fleet today takes more than vehicles on the lot. It takes creative vision, industry advocacy, and the resilience to navigate financial crises, market bubbles, and shifting technology.

Rudy Callegari, co-founder of Edge Auto Rental and Coalition for American Production, joins The Mobility Perspective to discuss what nearly two decades building a niche entertainment-industry rental company can teach transportation leaders about staying nimble. From his roots as a film and TV producer to building a fleet of nearly a thousand vehicles serving concerts, productions, retail, and specialty B2B clients across the New York market, Rudy shares how independent operators can thrive by finding an underserved niche and becoming deeply embedded in it. He also breaks down the challenges rental companies face today, including rising interest rates, vehicle theft and fraud, EV resale risk, offshoring pressures on the entertainment industry, and the fight to keep small businesses supported at the federal level.

Key takeaways:

• Finding an underserved niche lets smaller operators compete by staying close to industry demand and building a brand around specialized service.
• Financial discipline is a major business advantage, with interest rates, vehicle costs, and residual value all shaping long term fleet profitability.
• Transportation leaders need resilience as economic crises, labor costs, and shifting technology change operating conditions quickly.

Episode highlights:

(00:00) Meet Rudy Callegari

(01:07) Founding Edge Auto Rental for the entertainment industry

(03:27) From film producer to car rental founder

(05:07) Managing the transition from scripted to unscripted business

(09:15) Surviving 2008's financial crisis and high interest rates

(17:41) Starting with one vehicle and growing to a thousand

(15:16) Becoming the go-to for niche B2B rental needs

(16:56) Outsourcing, offshoring, and advocating for American production

(17:39) Navigating EV resale risk and the future of driving

(20:11) Advocating for small businesses in Washington

(23:44) Wild celebrity encounters from Scorsese to Timothy Leary

Resources:

Rudy Callegari on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rudy-callegari-a59a607/

Explore Coalition for American Production: https://usacap.org/
Explore Edge Auto Rental: https://www.edgeautorental.com/

Don Lefeve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-lefeve/

Carlos Bazan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cabazan/

Sharky Laguana on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharkylaguana/

Explore American Car Rental Association: https://www.acradrivesamerica.org/

Running a rental fleet today takes more than vehicles on the lot. It takes disciplined operations, customer screening, smart debt management, and the ability to withstand whatever the market throws next.

Ian Kusinitz, President and CEO of Empire Rent A Car, joins The Mobility Perspective to discuss what more than five decades in the rental business can teach transportation leaders about resilience. From growing up in a family run rental operation to serving last mile logistics, entertainment, group travel, and specialty van customers across the New York market, Ian shares how independent operators can compete by staying nimble, diversified, and deeply connected to real world demand. He also breaks down the risks rental companies face every day, including fraud, theft, insurance exposure, rising vehicle costs, tight margins, and changing transportation policy.

Key takeaways:

• Independent rental operators can compete by moving faster than larger companies, staying close to customer needs, and adapting fleet strategy to market shifts.
• Vehicle lifecycle management is a major business advantage, with maintenance, depreciation, debt, and remarketing all influencing long term fleet profitability.
• Transportation leaders need resilience as regulation, insurance, economic pressure, and mobility shifts change operating conditions quickly.

Episode highlights:

(00:00) Meet Ian Kusinitz

(01:21) Inside Empire Rent A Car

(02:32) Growing up in the rental business

(05:16) Why independent operators move differently

(07:27) The shift toward vans and last mile logistics

(08:07) How diversification builds resilience

(10:08) Why customer screening matters in rental

(11:21) Managing theft, fraud, and rental risk

(15:57) What fleet correction means for operators

(17:26) Why longer vehicle lifecycles matter

(18:33) How to stay out of the debt zone

(23:28) Surviving regulation, crisis, and market pressure

Resources:

Ian Kusinitz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-kusinitz-601a83b5/

Explore Empire Rent A Car: https://www.empirerac.com/

Don Lefeve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-lefeve/

Carlos Bazan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cabazan/

Sharky Laguana on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharkylaguana/

Explore American Car Rental Association: https://www.acradrivesamerica.org/

Vehicle remarketing may happen at the end of the fleet lifecycle, but it plays a major role in how transportation operators protect value, improve efficiency, and prepare for what comes next.

Shawn Yadon, Senior Advisor at Copart, joins The Mobility Perspective to discuss his path from FedEx fleet operations to transportation policy, association leadership, and vehicle remarketing. He explains how Copart fits into the broader mobility ecosystem, why rental car operators should think about vehicle exit strategy as part of total asset management, and how California continues to influence national transportation policy. Shawn also looks ahead at autonomous vehicles, connected vehicle data, insurance, risk management, and the policy questions transportation leaders will need to watch closely.

Key takeaways:

• Fleet success depends on the full vehicle lifecycle, from acquisition and utilization to remarketing and recovery.
• California remains an important signal for future transportation policy, even for operators outside the state.
• Autonomous and connected vehicles will keep raising major questions around policy, data access, insurance, cyber risk, and industry readiness.

Episode highlights:

(00:00) Meet Shawn Yadon

(02:08) How fleet operations launched a transportation career

(04:51) Moving from operations into government affairs

(06:40) What trade associations teach about industry leadership

(09:35) How members can help guide transportation policy

(12:24) What Copart does in the mobility value chain

(14:25) Why speed matters in vehicle remarketing

(17:10) How Copart moved beyond salvage

(19:53) Why California is a signal for mobility policy

(22:08) When autonomous technology moves faster than policy

(28:55) How AVs are changing risk, data, and insurance

Resources:

Shawn Yadon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-yadon-5784362/

Explore Copart: https://www.copart.com/

Don Lefeve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-lefeve/

Carlos Bazan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cabazan/

Explore American Car Rental Association: https://www.acradrivesamerica.org/

Self-driving cars are here. So the real question is whether policy, infrastructure, and industry strategy are moving fast enough to keep up.

Ariel Wolf, Partner at Venable LLP, joins The Mobility Perspective to discuss the current state of autonomous vehicles and why 2026 is a crucial year for commercialization. He explains the gap between advancing technology and outdated regulations, the importance of federal transportation reauthorization, and what’s needed to scale robotaxis and trucking. Ariel also emphasizes that autonomous vehicles are not just ca tech story, but a matter of transportation policy, safety, and business.

Key takeaways:

• Autonomous vehicles are leaving the testing phase behind, and 2026 could be the year the industry starts to scale in a real way.
• Policy will set the pace, with federal transportation regulation playing a major role in what happens next for mobility.
• This goes far beyond the technology itself. It is a transportation story shaped by safety, infrastructure, and industry leadership.

Episode highlights:

(00:00) Meet Ariel Wolf

(01:28) Where autonomous technology stands today

(03:21) Why policy is lagging and why 2026 matters

(04:09) What the surface transportation bill means for mobility

(05:54) Where car rental fits in the future of mobility

(09:44) The safety case for autonomous vehicles

(15:43) Cybersecurity, supply chains, and national risk

(21:13) EV politics, China, and the bigger mobility race

(24:09) The push for a federal autonomous vehicle framework

(27:18) What it takes to remove the human driver

(30:57) How negligence and product claims still apply

(38:25) Why safety remains the strongest case for AVs

Resources:

Ariel Wolf on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arielswolf/

Explore Venable LLP: https://www.venable.com/

Don Lefeve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-lefeve/

Sharky Laguana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharkylaguana/

Explore American Car Rental Association: https://www.acradrivesamerica.org/