April 16, 2026 · show notes

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Autonomous driving is not just a big tech or closed-source game, it's becoming accessible through open innovation and real-world deployment. Dan and Chris sit down with Harald Schäfer, CTO at Comma AI, to explore how OpenPilot is bringing self-driving to everyday vehicles using open source AI. We dive into the intersection of machine learning, robotics, and simulation, including how world models are enabling training at scale and shaping the future of autonomy.

Featuring:

Harald Schäfer – LinkedIn
Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, X
Daniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, X

Links:

Comma

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Technology

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IN THIS EPISODE

Harald Schäfer

Chris Benson

Daniel Whitenack

machine learning

deep learning

artificial intelligence

neural networks

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SHOW NOTES 🔗

00:00:00Welcome to Practical AI!

00:00:41Introducing the Guest

00:01:46Background on Comma AI and OpenPilot

00:03:03Evolution of Self-Driving Technology

00:05:51Attraction to Self-Driving as a Robotics Problem

00:07:37Understanding the Architecture of Autonomous Systems

00:12:09Targeting Autonomy in Existing Vehicles

00:14:52Incremental Progress in Robotics and AI

00:16:03End-to-End Learning in Autonomous Driving

00:17:49Current Trajectory and Future Vision

00:19:57World Models and Simulation in Training

00:24:10Understanding the Training Stack

00:28:03Advancements in Hardware and Edge Computing

00:29:41User Experience with Comma's Technology

00:31:24Exploring Alternative Use Cases for Autonomy

00:34:09Challenges in Robotics and Machine Learning

00:36:45The Decision to Open Source OpenPilot

00:39:33Programming Languages and Their Roles

00:44:01Future Aspirations for Robotics and Autonomy

00:45:24Outro

TRANSCRIPT 🔗

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