Shawn Yadon, Senior Advisor at Copart, joins The Mobility Perspective to discuss his path from FedEx fleet operations to transportation policy, association leadership, and vehicle remarketing. He explains how Copart fits into the broader mobility ecosystem, why rental car operators should think about vehicle exit strategy as part of total asset management, and how California continues to influence national transportation policy. Shawn also looks ahead at autonomous vehicles, connected vehicle data, insurance, risk management, and the policy questions transportation leaders will need to watch closely. 

Key takeaways:

• Fleet success depends on the full vehicle lifecycle, from acquisition and utilization to remarketing and recovery.
• California remains an important signal for future transportation policy, even for operators outside the state.
• Autonomous and connected vehicles will keep raising major questions around policy, data access, insurance, cyber risk, and industry readiness.

Episode highlights:

(00:00) Meet Shawn Yadon

(02:08) How fleet operations launched a transportation career

(04:51) Moving from operations into government affairs

(06:40) What trade associations teach about industry leadership

(09:35) How members can help guide transportation policy

(12:24) What Copart does in the mobility value chain

(14:25) Why speed matters in vehicle remarketing

(17:10) How Copart moved beyond salvage

(19:53) Why California is a signal for mobility policy

(22:08) When autonomous technology moves faster than policy

(28:55) How AVs are changing risk, data, and insurance

Resources:

Shawn Yadon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-yadon-5784362/ 

Explore Copart: https://www.copart.com/ 

Don Lefeve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-lefeve/ 

Carlos Bazan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cabazan/ 

Explore American Car Rental Association: https://www.acradrivesamerica.org/ 

Ariel Wolf, Partner at Venable LLP, joins The Mobility Perspective to discuss the current state of autonomous vehicles and why 2026 is a crucial year for commercialization. He explains the gap between advancing technology and outdated regulations, the importance of federal transportation reauthorization, and what’s needed to scale robotaxis and trucking. Ariel also emphasizes that autonomous vehicles are not just ca tech story, but a matter of transportation policy, safety, and business.

Key takeaways:

• Autonomous vehicles are leaving the testing phase behind, and 2026 could be the year the industry starts to scale in a real way.
• Policy will set the pace, with federal transportation regulation playing a major role in what happens next for mobility.
• This goes far beyond the technology itself. It is a transportation story shaped by safety, infrastructure, and industry leadership.

Episode highlights:

(00:00) Meet Ariel Wolf

(01:28) Where autonomous technology stands today

(03:21) Why policy is lagging and why 2026 matters

(04:09) What the surface transportation bill means for mobility

(05:54) Where car rental fits in the future of mobility

(09:44) The safety case for autonomous vehicles

(15:43) Cybersecurity, supply chains, and national risk

(21:13) EV politics, China, and the bigger mobility race

(24:09) The push for a federal autonomous vehicle framework

(27:18) What it takes to remove the human driver

(30:57) How negligence and product claims still apply

(38:25) Why safety remains the strongest case for AVs

Resources:

Ariel Wolf on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arielswolf/ 

Explore Venable LLP: https://www.venable.com/ 

Don Lefeve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-lefeve/ 

Sharky Laguana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharkylaguana/ 

Explore American Car Rental Association: https://www.acradrivesamerica.org/

From monitoring the policies influencing how we move to tracking down stolen cars, we’re bringing you inside the busy, high-stakes world of transportation - including everything from autonomous vehicles and micro-mobility to public transportation and air travel.

Brought to you by the American Car Rental Association, each episode tackles the big issues driving the future of mobility: autonomous vehicles, data rights, new business models, and the laws that could flip the industry on its head. 

With jaw-dropping stories, bold opinions, and no holds barred, we’re here to challenge the status quo and get you thinking about the future of how we move, whether by car, bike, plane, or train, and why it matters to everyone.