How AI and Autonomy Are Redefining Fleet Operations in 2026 — with Philipp Kampshoff & Dor Shay

Everyone says electrification is transforming fleets. My guests argue it's actually autonomy.

I sat down with Philipp Kampshoff, Senior Partner and Global Head of McKinsey's Automotive and Fleet Practice, and Dor Shay, CTO of Element Mobility and co-founder of Autofleet, to break down what's really changing in fleet operations — why $1 trillion in outside investment (94% from tech, not auto) is accelerating innovation, why autonomy will be the true game-changer, and how simple data integrations are already delivering 70% reductions in downtime. From MS Paint vehicle repositioning to AI-driven orchestration, this one challenges conventional wisdom and offers practical guidance on what to pilot now versus what to wait on.

Chapters:

0:00 — Future of fleet management with McKinsey & Element

2:02 — $1 trillion in fleet technology investment (92% from outside automotive)

6:30 — Fleet manager strategy for adopting new technology

13:38 — Fleet automation success story (from manual to 70% less downtime)

18:26 — Fleet data management and building your data lake

26:52 — Autonomous vehicles vs electrification (which will transform fleets?)

32:39 — Fleet technology pilots (what to test now vs what to wait on)

36:49 — Fleet technology hype cycle and what's overrated in 2026

42:34 — EV charging infrastructure and solving the fleet electrification challenge

49:17 — Fleet management advice for 2026 on innovation and partnerships

Guests: Philipp Kampshoff, Senior Partner & Global Head of Automotive and Fleet Practice, McKinsey & Company — LinkedIn Dor Shay, CTO, Element Mobility (Co-Founder, Autofleet) — LinkedIn