{"podcast":{"title":"The Rideshare Guy Podcast","slug":"the-rideshare-guy-podcast-1091007","podcast_index_feed_id":1091007,"rss_url":"https://therideshareguy.libsyn.com/rss","website_url":"http://therideshareguy.com/","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/f/6/a/d/f6adae338ae188a8/RIDESHAREPODCAST.jpg","author":"Harry Campbell","episode_count":100,"summary":"A podcast covering the rideshare and mobility industry. Interviews with start-up founders, CEOs, academics, gig workers and more!","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-rideshare-guy-podcast-1091007"},"episode":{"title":"The Driverless Digest: How the CPUC Handles AV Permits, Data, and Enforcement (Pat Tsen)","slug":"the-driverless-digest-how-the-cpuc-handles-av-permits-data-and-enforcement-pat-tsen","published_at":"2026-05-15T23:13:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-rideshare-guy-podcast-1091007/the-driverless-digest-how-the-cpuc-handles-av-permits-data-and-enforcement-pat-tsen","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-rideshare-guy-podcast-1091007","url":"https://therideshareguy.libsyn.com/the-driverless-digest-how-the-cpuc-handles-av-permits-data-and-enforcement-pat-tsen","audio_url":"https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/therideshareguy/ddpatspotifyaudio_mixdown.mp3?dest-id=203025","summary":"In today's episode, I'm speaking with Shao (Pat) Tsen , Deputy Executive Director for Consumer Policy, Transportation, and Enforcement at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) . We start with an overview of the CPUC and Pat's role in it. We also break down the split between the CPUC and DMV, clarifying who regulates what, and what companies actually need to do to launch an autonomous vehicle service in California, including the different permit types required along the way. Pat explains the CPUC's technology-agnostic approach to AV regulation, and why Tesla's current robotaxi deployment isn't considered an autonomous vehicle service under CPUC jurisdiction. We then dig into what it really takes to secure an AV permit, and whether the approval process is more subjective or objective in practice. The conversation also covers enforcement, reporting, and data collection requirements for AV companies, including new stoppage event reporting rules and what data is ultimately made public. We also get into how the CPUC approaches transparency, accountability, and the balance between innovation and public safety—and where its regulatory oversight starts to reach its limits. Chapters (00:00) Introduction to Shao (Pat) Tsen (03:34) Introduction to the CPUC and their areas of regulation (05:03) Pat's role at the CPUC (08:37) CPUC vs DMV: Who Regulates What? (10:54) Steps to launching an autonomous vehicle service in California—and the different types of permits (14:05) The CPUC's technology-agnostic role in AV regulation (15:05) Why Tesla's robotaxi isn't considered an autonomous vehicle service in California (18:35) What it takes to get an AV permit from the CPUC (21:35) Is the CPUC's AV permit approval process more subjective or objective? (24:55) Enforcement, reporti…","meta_description":"In today's episode, I'm speaking with Shao (Pat) Tsen , Deputy Executive Director for Consumer Policy, Transportation, and Enforcement at the California P…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2607,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-rideshare-guy-podcast-1091007/episodes/the-driverless-digest-how-the-cpuc-handles-av-permits-data-and-enforcement-pat-tsen/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-rideshare-guy-podcast-1091007/the-driverless-digest-how-the-cpuc-handles-av-permits-data-and-enforcement-pat-tsen.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}