In this special edition of ”Automotive Storytelling” — the only podcast examining mobility through storytelling — we take you inside Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona for seven conversations with the people shaping automotive's next chapter. From semiconductor executives to voice AI pioneers, from security architects to standards leaders, this episode captures the two forces that dominated the show floor: connectivity from space, and the end of the supply chain as we knew it.

KEY INSIGHTS

• From Buzzword to Business Reality: The NTN Breakthrough. Maxime Flament (5GAA) and Firasat Siddiqui (Harman) reveal how non-terrestrial networks went from skeptical OEM reception in 2021 to working satellite SOS demos and BMW roadmaps in 2026, driven by trust-building.
• The Ecosystem Rewrite: Why the Old Waterfall Is Over. Tanjeff Schadt (PwC/Strategy&) lays out four scenarios for the automotive value chain — from OEM-led partnering to full tech disruption — while Weizhi Yu (MediaTek) and Andrew Till (Trustonic) explain why silicon suppliers and security providers now sit directly at the OEM table.
• The Rise of the Orchestrators. Charlie Isaacs (Salesforce) and Andrew Richards (SoundHound AI) describe a converging future where AI agents in the cloud and voice assistants in the car form an orchestration layer, and how value flows to whoever connects the dots across the ecosystem.

PRACTICAL TAKEAWAYS

• Plan for service continuity, not backward compatibility: Design your connectivity roadmap so safety-critical services can transition across radio generations without freezing your architecture. The distinction unlocks innovation.
• Build the capability to operate in ecosystems now: The window is 12–24 months. Companies that still rely on traditional procurement behavior and rigid OEM-supplier hierarchies will find themselves driven rather than driving.
• Treat AI orchestration as infrastructure: Whether it's agentic enterprise platforms or in-vehicle voice AI, the ability to register, connect, and coordinate agents across companies is becoming as foundational as the connectivity layer itself.

FEATURED GUESTS

• Tanjeff Schadt — Partner, Strategy& (PwC), EMEA Leader Semiconductors 
• Maxime Flament — CTO, 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) 
• Firasat Siddiqui — Sr. Director Global Portfolio PMO Lead, Harman International 
• Weizhi Yu — VP Automotive Product Marketing, MediaTek 
• Andrew Richards — VP Business Development, SoundHound AI 
• Andrew Till — General Manager Secure Platform, Trustonic 
• Charlie Isaacs — CTO for Customer Connection, Salesforce

Ready to discover the stories behind the steering wheel?

”Under the Hood: Automotive Storytelling” uncovers the human narratives driving innovation in an industry that impacts lives worldwide. Hosted by Stéphane Lagresle, this podcast explores how the power of storytelling ultimately connects technology to humans.