Future Motoring

In this episode of Forever Motoring, host and philosopher Andrea Hiott welcomes Peter De Lorenzo, famously known as the Auto Extremist. Peter is recognized for his influential and candid blog, running since 1999, which has significantly impacted automotive journalism. They discuss Peter's upbringing in Detroit during the golden age of the automobile industry, his deep-rooted love for cars, his experiences with the notable figures of GM, and his insightful column on what its like to live in Detroit and the recent restoration of Michigan Central Station. Peter shares his thoughts on the evolution of the automobile industry, the challenges it faces, and his belief in the enduring spirit of true believers in the automotive world. Tune in for a compelling conversation about the intersection of passion, technology, and the future of motoring. Peter describes the future as needing a kaleidoscope of power for our vehicles.00:00 Introduction to Peter DeLorenzo01:21 Peter's Early Life and Love for Cars04:11 The Golden Age of Detroit09:06 Planned Obsolescence and Detroit's Contradictions16:32 The Resilience of Detroit18:04 The True Believers of the Auto Industry19:59 The Impact of World War II on Detroit23:39 The Evolution of Auto Extremist25:44 The Inertia of Social Media and Information Overload26:40 The True Believers and the Love for Automobiles27:49 The Freedom and Experience of Driving29:46 The Impact of Technology on Travel and Presence35:32 Environmental Challenges and the Future of Mobility40:45 The Role of True Believers in Driving Change43:27 The Birth and Impact of Auto Extremist48:40 Reflections on a Career and Legacy53:55 Forever Motoring: A Vision for the Future#detroit #autoindustry #drivingThe AutoextemistOn Detroit, the column we discuss."We’re a state of mind that’s filled with countless contradictions, and our great history is offset by some lurid realities.We’ve contributed much to the American fabric, yet we have a historical propensity to make things brutally tough on our day-to-day well-being.We’ve brought this country a sound like no other and a gritty, gutty context that’s second to none, yet we’ve created countless problems for ourselves, most all of them self-inflicted.We created the “Arsenal of Democracy” when our country needed it most, yet we allowed a movement based on fairness to become a disease based on entitlement and rancor.We’ve contributed much to this nation's progress and standing, yet we can’t seem to get out of our own way at times, which is infuriating and debilitating.But thankfully, the story never really ends for Detroit. At least not yet anyway. We’re still standing, warts and glaring faults and all. And you can forget the recent glory stories about our renaissance because we don’t really need ‘em to validate us.We know who we are. And we know that the perception isn’t often favorable. And we get that. But still there’s an exuberance and spirit here that no interloper of a CEO can ever capture.It’s a Detroit thing, or if you must, a Dee-troit thing, as Bob Seger so aptly put it. And we’re proud of what that means.And that’s the High-Octane Truth for this week."Instagram, Twitter, Newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.desirableunknown.com

Craig is Tata Chancellor's Professor of Philosophy and a Founding Faculty and Co-Director of the Institute for Practical Ethics at the University of California San Diego. He is also part of the Campus Climate Change Committee, which has seen some historic enactment relative to the university and environmental policies. Here he and Andrea discuss disinformation and ethical responsibility within the realms of academia and corporations, particularly as related to the automotive industry, exploring the broader implications for environmental sustainability and change. Even as both speakers talk of the importance of vehicles in their own lives and the cars they have loved over the years, the conversation takes a long look at the automotive sector, from its ethical quandaries to the potential of its innovations like electric vehicles, highlighting the delicate balance between economic objectives, environmental stewardship, and the drive towards 'ecological motoring.' Through these discussions, the script paints a multidimensional picture of the quest for integrity and sustainability in an age fraught with challenges. Craig outlines the historical challenges of academic freedom versus corporate influence, exemplified by the similarity in various scandals such as those involving the tobacco industry and Volkswagen’s Dieselgate, to discuss the intricate dance between personal accountability and the necessity for structural evolution. The narrative underscores the importance of transparency, the impact of social norms, and the proactive role of education in fostering a sustainable future.Please join our brand new Patreon and support a community that loves its vehicles and its earth. Craig’s websiteCraig's Google ScholarMore great talks and interviews with Craig Fossil Fuel Money ArticleWhen is it okay to ban research funding?More resources:https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2023-11-07/medicine-rules-conflict-of-interest-climate-change https://www.amazon.com/Doubt-Their-Product-Industrys-Threatens/dp/019530067X 00:00 Tackling Disinformation in Academic Research01:41 A Personal Journey Through Motoring Memories03:11 The Environmental Awakening of a Late Adopter06:50 Exploring the Philosophy of Motoring and Movement20:10 The Impact of Fossil Fuel Funding on University Research24:57 The Complex Web of Industry Influence and Climate Change28:57 Navigating the Ethical Landscape of Academic Funding39:17 Reflecting on Personal Responsibility in the Climate Crisis40:50 Reflecting on Social Norms and Tobacco Strategy42:01 The Shift in Academic Funding and Social Acceptance43:04 Exploring the Impact of Fossil Fuel Funding on Academia43:52 The Power of Social Norms in Changing Behaviors44:28 Government's Role vs. Social Movements in Public Health48:44 The Complex Relationship Between Individual and Collective Responsibility51:23 The Challenge of Structural Changes for EnvironmInstagram, Twitter, Newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.desirableunknown.com

Shaping the Future of Mobility: Innovative Solutions for Sustainable TransportationA conversation with Riversimple's CEO Hugo Spowers and philosopher Andrea Hiott which presents a holistic view on transforming mobility and car usage, centered around sustainable and innovative approaches. Featuring insights from Hugo Spowers leadership in creating hydrogen cars, it delves into the company's groundbreaking hydrogen fuel cell car technology and the Future Guardians business model, which seeks to realign the car industry's focus toward sustainability, reducing environmental impact, and community wellness by selling mobility as a service. Additionally, it addresses the broader challenges of urban mobility, highlighting the issues of car overpopulation and issues of weight, and advocating for reduced vehicle numbers through improved mass transport and shared car systems in cities. The discussion is framed around the need for a shift in societal attitudes, politics, and overcoming system inertia to truly reinvent how we think about and use cars, aiming for a future where transportation is efficient, sustainable, less congested, and still human.00:00 Embracing the Aikido Approach in Business and Engineering00:40 Introducing Forever Motoring and Riversimple's Unique Business Model01:01 Rethinking Business Goals: Profit vs. Ecological Health01:33 The Future Guardian Model: A New Paradigm for Business03:02 The Service Model: A Revolutionary Approach to Car Ownership05:04 The Journey from Racing to Sustainable Transport21:05 The Philosophical Shift: From Reductionism to Systems Thinking24:52 Aligning Business with Ecosystem Laws for Sustainable Success38:28 Rethinking Profit and Capitalism in Business38:47 Designing for Financial, Environmental, and Social Returns40:52 The Three Levels of Design: Product, System, and Purpose44:19 Resilience and Profitability: Aligning Interests for a Sustainable Future47:04 The Future Guardian Governance Model: A Multi-Stakeholder Approach01:01:53 The Role of Hydrogen and Electric Vehicles in Sustainable Transportation01:10:41 Corporate Governance & Infrastructure: Paving Sustainable Ways01:15:19 Envisioning the Future of Motoring: Fewer Cars, Better SystemsRiversimpleBuilding Tomorrow by Paddy LeFlufyRiversimple's 'Future Guardian' business model could change the worldInstagram, Twitter, Newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.desirableunknown.com

In this episode, Andrea Hiott has a conversation with Tino Belli, a renowned race car engineer who has a storied career in the industry, which includes over 14 years at Andretti, work at March Engineering, and being the director of aerodynamic development at Indy Car. The conversation touches on the challenges and triumphs Belli experienced in his career, the importance of balance and perspective in the high-stress world of racing, and his work to create some of the best cars in racing history. They also discuss Belli's innovative contributions to sustainability in racing through his design of a micro tube heat exchanger and Indy Car's use of 100% renewable ethanol fuel.AAIA bio of Tino BelliAndretti MotorsportsRobin Herd and March EngineeringDan WheldonMicrotube Heat Exchanger MezzoEMI: the Ecological Motoring InitiativeInstagram, Twitter, Newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.desirableunknown.com

What it Takes: How to become an Astronaut with legendary motorcycle designer Ola Stenegärd. The dialogue explores Ola's journey from a young child growing up in the Swedish countryside to becoming a renowned figure in the motorcycle industry. Key topics include the thrill of creating and riding motorcycles, the importance of design in creating vehicles, Ola's journey to becoming a designer, and the future of motorcycles in a world that has to rethink the sustainability of motoring. The interview emphasizes the role of passion and determination in achieving one's dreams, using Ola's career as a testament.Please join our brand new Patreon and support a community that loves its vehicles and its earth. Ola Stenegärd on InstagramIndian MotorcyclesForever MotoringFeaturing: brothers and the Easy Rider scene in SwedenSkateboard disastersTruck engines in tractorsHow being a farmer mean being creativeWhy a farm is like a workshopRiding horses and riding bikesThe liviing machine„breathing life into the engine is like breathing soul into it“ "...especially when it is an engine you built yourself..."Hard to find something as exciting as figuring out a paticular bike and what makes its engine tickOla’s first Chopper which he created when he was about 14 years oldthat first moment of flow, realizing the power of drawing before buildingWinning first in his class at this show where all the people and bikes he had been seeing in magazines were suddenly there in real life--what other dream can be so rich?The importance of teachers and their encouragementHow one sentence or even just a couple of words can change a lifeArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena…seeing all these famous people in magazines who had built cars and bikes and who had gone there, it felt impossible to ever get there himself, like going to the moon or becoming an astronaut… How others help us by seeing the best of us, often what we cannot see in ourselves Though he has experienced a lot of good luck and grace, he also has a lot of passion and dedicated himself to this hard work and obsession…Selling all his motorcycles to pay his way through art schoolGreg BrewPolaris industriesChurch of ChoppersForever Two WheelsRemember who you are designing for (the rider, the customer, the person living day to day life with this bike)“you pour a lot into that vehicle because you know its going to mean a lot to the person who buys it”Syd MeadA different take on what it will mean to create ecological motoring…How far can you throw the ball? The balance of innovation and finding better ways to motor.Electric should not be an excuse for being weird.Ola’s ICE test.He offers a different view than previous guests because he points out that a lot of things like the fuel tank might seem redundant (now that it is not alays used for fuel for example) but have actually evolved to have different purposes and should not be done away with just because we are doing away with other conventions.Bringing it back to the basics—to the rider and the bike and their intimate relationshipInstagram, Twitter, Newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.desirableunknown.com

Philosopher Andrea Hiott talks with Maximilian Funk, a key figure in the motoring world who is the brains behind several significant events and places like the first electric motorcycle festival in Berlin, the Reload Land Festival, and the community garage and co-working space, Craftwerk. The interview touches upon Max's life, influences, his interest in cars and motorcycles, entrepreneurship with Craftwerk, his passion for motoring, and involvement with e-fuels  Instagram for MaxChrome and FlamesMoto RaverCraftwerkEspresso GT Cars & CoffeeCraftwerk InstagramVice Magazine BerlinClassic Remise BerlingestaltenThe RideFly Fishing BookReload Land FestivalFlat Track Racingsuperplus MediaCraftwerk BerlinE Fuel TodaySuper Plus MediaInstagram, Twitter, Newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.desirableunknown.com

Saorise Fitzpatrick is a delightful human being and the 2023 winner of Screen to Speed and we are posting this conversation with her on the eve of the Screen to Speed Holiday Invitational, a very special event where star real life racecar drivers compete with sim racers. Saorise won the Sim Racing competition first,  then got to race for real at the Las Vegas speedway in a Porsche with Sabre Cook of Kelly Moss there for support.  Before driving the Porsche, she had only ever driver her mom's car in the parking garage.  Saorise describes it all here for us and for those not yet familiar with sim racing, she gives a good overview of what it is, and how it feels to be a virtual racer and then become a real racer on a real track.Follow her on Instagram and TwitterX.Watch the conversation @moveusforward https://www.youtube.com/@moveusforwardWatch the documentary of the first event. This Episode goes along with a post on Forever Motoring called Simulated Motoring. And it is broadcast in honor of the Screen to Speed Holidays Invitational, a special event that pits real female race care drivers racing against female sim racers. More at www.screentospeed.com. The Screen to Speed Holiday Invitational: https://www.screentospeed.com/iracing: https://www.iracing.com/Init EsportsFormula 1 Sim Racing ChampionshipInstagram, Twitter, Newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.desirableunknown.com

Hugo Eccles, co-founder of Untitled Motorcycles and designer of the XP Zero and the Hyper Scrambler, discusses the imaginaries of industrial design and how they might take flight, if only we can unleash ourselves from past constraints and open to new relations with what we use and make. Our objects should not be one-night-stands, Hugo says; they should change together through space and time. Quite often we build first and write the script after the fact, but as Hugo explains, the real job is "to write the play, then build the props".Hugo and Andrea also talk about the addiction of torque, why electric designs don't need to look like petrol, exploding B2B (business to business) and B2C (business to consumer) models, the conceit of gravity feed, and why using old methodologies to create something new may not be beneficial. Hugo gives us some insight about what forever, sustainable motoring might mean-- “You can’t build for where they are now, you have to build for where they're going to be.”Please join our brand new Patreon and support a community that loves its vehicles and its earth.Untitled MotorcyclesHugo's InstagramUMC's InstagramThe blog post we discuss, first published in Meta Magazine and 'reprinted' here:https://www.advrider.com/electric-dreams/The XP Zero:https://www.untitledmotorcycles.com/umc063-zero-xp-experimentalThe Hyper Scrambler on Jay Leno's Garage.More cool videos:https://vimeo.com/hugoecclesThe art of Marcello Gandini.Cover photo @ErikJutrasListen on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere you find your podcasts.Subscribe on YouTube.Instagram, Twitter, Newsletter, FacebookInstagram, Twitter, Newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.desirableunknown.com

“Glenn Curtiss was more important to modern flight than the Wright brothers,” says this week's guest, Lawrence Goldstone, the award-winning author (or co-author with his wife Nancy) of more than twenty books. We talk about Glenn Curtiss, the Wrights brothers and early flight; Lefty Gomez stopping the 1937 World Series to watch a plane, and the daredevil Lincoln Beachey. We also talk about what it means to have a healthy disrespect for authority; law, language, and ideals; justice, and why "wisdom is the willingness to look at things differently.”Of his books, here we focus mainly on this transportation trilogy--Birdmen: The Wrights Brothers, Glenn Curtiss, and the Battle to Control the Skies.Drive! Henry Ford, George Selden, and the Race to Invent the Auto AgeGoing-Deep John Holland and the Invention of the Attack Submarine.Find his other books on his website.We also mention The Drunkard's Walk.Instagram, Twitter, Newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.desirableunknown.com

Leona Chin is one of the most famous motorsport athletes in the world, a reality TV star in China and Malaysia, and a mentor to young women in Asia who want to go into motorsports. She's also a world class Drifter. It all started when she convinced her mother to let her buy a Nissan 180 SX...Watch the opening spoof with over 20 million views here on the video version of this podcast.Leona Chin on the Porsche EV trip.Here is the Student Driver spoof, the first of her commercials to trend with hundreds of millions of views.The fall and the Chinese reality TV show we discuss is here.Full subtitles are here, too.You can find out more about Leona Chin on her website.Follow Leona Chin on Instagram. Follow the show @forevermotoringpod. Instagram, Twitter, Newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.desirableunknown.com

This episode is about the feeling of being alive, and the flow of time, style, and sensuality. Looking back at the ways we've moved means looking back at what matters.  Paul d'Orleans is an exceptional traveler and guide along these paths. As an artist, author, entrepreneur, rider, motorcycle historian, and curator, he has found ways to connect and inspire us, way-making towards greater potential and understanding, saving exceptional stories and images from being forgotten. His work and the work of his team at The Vintagent and the Motor/Cycle Arts Foundation are treasures towards forever motoring.Link here to an article about Paul in Classic Driver. Read some of Paul's Cycle World articles.Watch the panel discussion of Electric Revolutionaries here.Find the Vintangent and Paul on Instagram. Check out the film Impatience that we discuss. Here's The Sex Machine, the first article written about the experience of having an orgasm while  on a motorcycle.Gestalten's gorgeous books The Ride and The Current (in collaboration with Paul).Taschen's incredible Ultimate Motorcycle Collection (in collaboration with Paul).Here is the NPR episode on parking he discusses: How Parking Explains the World.Watch the following videos to learn more about two extraordinary humans we discuss, Richard Vincent and Samuel Aboagye.Sign up here for our newsletter. Link here to our new Instagram, Threads & Twitter.Our website is Forever Motoring.Link here to the Motorcycle Arts Foundation.Instagram, Twitter, Newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.desirableunknown.com

Jordan Cornille, the calm, composed, creative co-founder of Curtiss Motorcycles, opens us to the dreamscape of motoring. We talk about the ways dreams come true, how motoring has become the terrain of his own career as a designer and motoring strategist, and the importance of reframing the role motoring plays in our lives. We also discuss how all this might move us towards a more sustainable global future.Sign up here for our newsletter about Ecological Mobilities.More about the College for Creative Studies in Detroit.Sign up here for Substack This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.desirableunknown.com

Celebrated journalist and racer 'Sir' Alan Cathcart brings the many worlds of motorcycling together through his riding and his writing. In this episode, we talk about the power of translation, "your thrill & your enjoyment", a shocking sensory experience from the Isle of Mann, and what it means to make your hobby into your livelihood. Alan also tells us why the answer is electric, but the longterm also has to include hydrogen.Check out the Bike Talk Alan Cathcart Interview.Read some of his writings by finding them at Muck Rack or in The Motorcyclist.Sign up here for our newsletter about Ecological Motoring.Instagram, Twitter, Newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.desirableunknown.com

Learning how to ride is learning how to live, says Stefy Bau, one of the all-time greats in motocross--winner of 3 World Championships, the Loretta Lynn, and many more. We discuss her career-ending injury and the life-lessons taught to us all by motorsports. We also discuss her time as CEO of an electric bike company, her new company, INIT (now the official AMA E-sports powerhouse for sim racing) and all the many 'firsts' Stefy has made for women in motorsports.Sign up here for our newsletter about Ecological Motoring Initiative.Instagram, Twitter, Newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.desirableunknown.com

Ace Cafe, the home of motoring, birth of the Cafe Racer, the place where Mods, Rockers, The Who, streamline modern, and the new electric rebels of London all live and intersect. Speed is an addiction for Mark Wilsmore, the man who brought the Ace (back) to life. Per usual, we also talk about the edge: "the closer you get to death, the greater you value life." Have a look at all the places you can now find the Ace, from Kuala Lumpur to Orlando, but the real beating heart and history of motoring is just off London’s North Circular Road.Have a look at some photos from the 2009 resurrection here on The Motorcyclist.Watch the full videos of the Ford car night at the Ace excerpted in our YouTube video.Watch "the best party in town" Ace bike night footage here.And here's a great piece to watch on the Mods & Rockers.Sign up here for our newsletter.Instagram, Twitter, Newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.desirableunknown.com