Innovations in Motion: Exclusive Interviews from MOVE America in Detroit

EXCLUSIVE Interviews from MOVE America 2025 | EV Charging, Autonomous Trucks & Robotics Innovations | Podcast

Detroit’s MOVE America showed once again why it’s one of the most exciting mobility tech hubs in North America. I had the chance to speak with companies pushing the boundaries across charging, trucking logistics, and robotics. Here are four standout conversations and what they tell us about where mobility is headed.

⚡ i‑Charging: Dynamic Power & Remote Diagnostics

I chatted with Colson from i‑Charging, where their Blueberry dispenser unit grabbed attention. Key features:

• A scalable charger system that can dynamically share power across up to four ports, going as high as 900 kW. You can begin with lower power settings (200‑300 kW) and scale up as demand and utilization increase.
• Built with a 32‑inch touchscreen for a simple “tap‑and‑go” experience.
• Global deployment already strong: ~4,000 ports in ~45 countries.
• Notable uptime of 98% globally last year, powered by their “my i‑charging” diagnostics platform. This provides critical hardware/sensor data (temperature, fan speed, firmware, etc.), enabling them to resolve around 65% of service tickets remotely.
• Dynamic power allocation adds a layer of efficiency. Power can be shifted during a charge session in 50 kW increments—for example, power redirected once one vehicle’s charging curve slows, allowing another vehicle to use it while still optimizing overall system usage.

🤖 Bot Auto: Autonomous Trucks & Reality in Fleet

Jeremy from Bot Auto brought the autonomous trucking angle:

• Based in Houston, they’re not just developing tech—they operate their own fleet.
• They retain full ownership of their stack and vehicles, which gives them tighter control over cost and reliability metrics.
• They’re focusing on “middle‑mile” and long‑haul routes, where driver shortages are real—both in terms of availability and cost.
• Currently six fully autonomous trucks in operation, with two more under retrofit. Their trucks run 24/7 between Houston and San Antonio. They also recently demonstrated fully human‑less operation on an overpass.
• Their goal: reduce cost‑per‑mile below what human drivers cost. They believe that will happen within ~100 trucks.
• They retrofit Freightliner Cascadias, have customer (but not OEM) partnerships with manufacturers like Daimler. This lets them move faster without being constrained by formal OEM agreements.

🔌 Power Innovations International: Mobile & Bi‑Directional Charging

Nick from Power Innovations International had some interesting portable and flexible charging hardware on display:

• Their 50 kW outdoor mobile DC fast charger is rugged (rated NEMA 4 outdoor) and designed to accept many input types—208V, 240V, 480V, etc.—which is crucial when permanent infrastructure isn’t quite there yet.
• Use cases include fleet operators, service bays, rental agencies, or wherever charging is needed temporarily. After infrastructure is deployed, these units can be repurposed.
• They also produce stationary fast chargers, ranging from 30 to 150 kW.
• Big plus: all R&D and manufacturing in the U.S., which has implications for things like cybersecurity, reliability, and regulatory compliance.
• They’re doing bi‑directional charging (vehicle‑to‑grid or V2G), which means energy can flow back from vehicle batteries to the grid. They already have a deployed 60 kW bi‑directional unit in the Northeast, with more coming soon.

🤖 Alba Robot: Indoor / Pedestrian Mobility & Multi‑Use Robotics

Daniel from Alba Robot introduced their modular, self‑driving robotics platform designed for indoor and pedestrian spaces:

• One product on display: the Alba Caddie—an autonomous luggage mover that acts both as a robot assistant and a digital locker. Think airport travelers—someone hires the robot, stows their bags, and either walks to the gate or has the robot follow them.
• The robot has multiple functions: signage displaying flight or gate info; digital advertising (advertisers pay for content based on location); passenger services; and mobility support (for people with reduced mobility).
• Built to be flexible: Though the Caddie was prototyped in weeks, the platform can be adapted to move goods, people, luggage, or food. Not prescriptive, but customizable.
• Alba Robot is headquartered in Italy, with American HQ in Detroit (NewLab).
• As populations age and mobility needs grow (for those with reduced mobility), this kind of robotics platform may become more essential. Also helps with staffing shortages in facilities and public spaces.

🔍 What These Stories Tell Us

Putting all these interviews together, some broader themes and takeaways emerge:

1. Scalability & Flexibility Are Musts
   Whether it’s power levels, charging ports, or robot use‑cases, the ability to start smaller and scale up—or reconfigure on the fly—is showing up everywhere.
2. Remote Management & Uptime Matter More Than Ever
   Diagnostics, remote service, and reliable operations are no longer nice‑to‑haves; they’re central to maintaining trust and ROI in mobility infrastructure.
3. Cost Structure & Labor Transformation
   Autonomous fleets and bi‑directional charging both offer chances to reduce operating costs substantially. Removing or reducing reliance on human drivers, for example, is presented as a way to bring down cost per mile.
4. Hybrid Use and Multi‑Purpose Platforms Win
   The Alba Robot example shows how robotics can serve multiple functions and use real estate in creative ways (advertising, signage + mobility + transport of goods). Chargers that accept multiple inputs or offer V2G/two‑way power flow similarly offer extra value.
5. Local & Global Deployment, But Strong U.S. Manufacturing
   Even with global deployment (e.g. i‑Charging in ~45 countries), U.S. production, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance remain competitive differentiators (as with Power Innovations).