Experiencing LA, Influencers, and the Future of Autonomous Mobility
I recently spent a few days in Los Angeles with my friend Sunny, and it turned out to be a surprisingly inspiring trip. It had been a while since I last visited LA — one of my favorite cities in California — and returning reminded me why I love it so much. While showing Sunny around, we also talked about influencers and how many are discussing financial markets or technical subjects without real experience. That’s a bigger topic for another post, but today I want to share something different I experienced during this trip.
Discovering Autonomous Cars in a New Way
I first saw autonomous cars in action in San Francisco, but LA was a different story. I wasn’t expecting to ride one until Sunny and I booked a Waymo. We traveled from downtown Los Angeles to West Hollywood in a fully autonomous car, and the experience was surreal. No driver. Smooth navigation. Clear interface. Seeing these vehicles is one thing, but being inside one changes your entire perspective — the future isn’t coming, it has arrived.
Rethinking My Projects: Wiphay and Mobility
While riding in the Waymo, I began reconsidering why my project Wiphay doesn’t yet integrate solutions for autonomous mobility. Several investors I know are already focusing heavily on the mobility sector. This trip made me question whether I should explore that direction as well. A conversation with Daniel Hoffer, co-founder of Couchsurfing, reinforced this idea — he mentioned that mobility will shape the next generation of experiences, products, and urban life.
Returning to My Roots: Designing Cars
The Waymo experience brought back childhood memories. Growing up in Barranquilla, I collected Popular Mechanics magazines every month. My first passion was designing cars — sketching models, imagining the future of transportation. That creative spark stayed with me for years but got buried under other responsibilities. This moment made me reconnect with that early inspiration, and I’m considering returning to prototyping in a field I’ve always loved.
Collaboration: Building the Future of Autonomous Mobility
If you're working on autonomous vehicles, smart mobility, AI navigation, or smart city technology, let’s connect. I’m open to collaborating with entrepreneurs, engineers, designers, and investors worldwide. Whether through Wiphay or new ideas, I’m excited to explore opportunities in this fast-moving field. Thank you for reading — feel free to reach out if you want to collaborate.