The AV Déjà Vu: A New Wave of Hype and Capital
The autonomous vehicle space is experiencing a resurgence reminiscent of the 2016 hype cycle. Travis Kalanick is back in the mix, talent wars are escalating, and capital is flowing into the sector as it did a decade ago. The people who lived through that first wave are now building the next generation of autonomous technologies.
Humble Robotics’ $24 Million Vision
Eyal Cohen, founder and CEO of Humble Robotics, is one of those veterans. Cohen was at Otto when Uber came calling, later followed Anthony Levandowski to Pronto, and after two decades of bouncing between deep tech bets in the Bay Area, his new company emerged from stealth in April 2026 with $24 million in funding. Humble Robotics is building a fully autonomous, cabless electric hauler designed for freight transportation.
Learnings from 15 Years of Deep Tech
On the latest episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Cohen joined host Kirsten Korosec to discuss AV déjà vu and the lessons learned from 15 years of building startups across electrification, solar, and robotics. The podcast episode aired on July 1, 2026 at 9:48 AM PDT and runs 26 minutes.
Audio Producer and Podcast Details
The episode was produced by Theresa Loconsolo, an audio producer at TechCrunch focusing on the Equity podcast. Loconsolo, based in New Jersey and a Monmouth University graduate, joined TechCrunch in 2022 after producing content for a four-station conglomerate. Listeners can subscribe to Equity on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and all podcast platforms, and follow @EquityPod on Twitter and Instagram.
Industry Topics and Upcoming Events
This story touches on key topics including autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, freight, robotics, startups, venture capital, AI, and transportation. TechCrunch is also hosting the Founder Summit in Boston on November 4, 2026. Early bird pricing ends June 26, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PT, offering savings of up to $190 for attendees.