Six Months. 27 Episodes. Listeners from 38 Countries.

The Auto Ethnographer podcast is officially six months old and what a global journey it’s been.

From Mercedes-Benz to McLaren, Toyota to VinFast, our guests have shared stories from Mexico to Malaysia, Sweden to Saudi Arabia, exploring how culture shapes the way we move, market, and make meaning.

We’ve featured voices from inside Porsche, Volvo, Aston Martin, Land Rover, and more with each one revealing what it’s like to work across borders, brands, and belief systems.

And we’re just getting started. Coming soon: Lamborghini, Mercedes-AMG, and a deep dive into Chinese branding and cultural trends.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads for daily snapshots of unusual cars in unusual places.

🎧 Listen. Reflect. Drive differently. But keep on driving!



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BONUS:  A thanks to listeners in 38 countries after six months of the podcast

On this week’s episode of The Auto Ethnographer, host John Stech speaks with Jess Bala, Managing Director of General Motors Australia & New Zealand. The native Australian speaks about her experiences working for GM in both Australia and at the company’s headquarters in Detroit, half a world away.

Jess is currently launching the Cadillac brand as an EV-only brand Down Under. And she is uniquely qualified to do this. She has 13 years of product planning experience with GM, starting with the Australian Holden brand and ending as Director of Cadillac Product Planning & Product Marketing in Detroit prior to her return to Australia. She truly knows the brand, the product, and its targeted consumers.

Rounding out her product planning experience, Jess also served as Chief of Staff in GM CEO Mary Barra’s office. Here she learned global lessons about the company and the auto industry as a whole, lessons she would take back and leverage in her current role as Australia & New Zealand’s Managing Director.

She shares some keen insights on Australians and Americans, their similarities and differences. Though fairly similar, not only in language, there are key differences that set them apart.

Learn more about the Auto Ethnographer podcast at https://www.auto-ethnographer.com [https://www.auto-ethnographer.com/]

Follow on Instagram for a daily dose of unusual vehicles spotted in unusual places – the intersection of cars and culture.  https://www.instagram.com/auto.ethnographer/

EP 27:  Jess Bala talks about General Motors culture in Australia and Detroit HQ

Raise your hand if you have ever gone through the visa process for either travel or moving abroad. Then you know how it feels to fill in endless forms, sit in soul-draining beige waiting rooms, wait for your number to be called, and finally, finally receive your visa. This week the Auto Ethnographer does a humorous take on the visa process. Hopefully you chuckle, because the other option is crying.

John Stech, host of the Auto Ethnographer summarizes his experiences into a humorous account of visa obtainment based on experience in Egypt, Russia, Brazil, Thailand, and many others.

As diverse as countries and cultures are, it seems that visa agents worldwide conspired to align themselves and make a bureaucratic slog of it across the planet.

Here’s a 10 minute summary. Perhaps you will learn something. Perhaps you will laugh. Or perhaps you will put your head back in your hands while you listen to this in a consular office.

To learn more about The Auto Ethnographer podcast you can visit the homepage at https://www.auto-ethnographer.com [https://www.auto-ethnographer.com/]

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/auto.ethnographer/

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EP 26 Visas: The Global Rite of Bureaucratic Passage – a humorous take

Time. Most of us would argue that we do not have enough of it. We want more. Yet every culture uses available time in a completely different way.

This week, John Stech, host of The Auto Ethnographer, speaks about the meaning of time across different cultures. He looks at the “time is money” philosophy of the Americans, the “punctuality is a virtue” culture of northern Europe, the “espresso culture” of southern Europe, the “mañana means maybe” culture of Latin America, and dives into a comparison of “zen versus zoom” when comparing the time cultures of Southeast and East Asian countries. He also looks at the Russian time culture, often held captive by the endless flow of stopped traffic in Moscow.

John blends personal insights from his work and living experiences together with some humor to portray how each culture uses and prioritizes its time.

He ultimately concludes that it boils down to prioritizing four points: efficiency, relationships, harmony, or spontaneity. Each culture will be identified by which of these it chooses to pursue as Priority #1. And how we must understand and appreciate that others will see time in a different way as we.

To learn more about The Auto Ethnographer please visit the homepage at https://www.auto-ethnographer.com [https://www.auto-ethnographer.com/]

You can also follow on Instagram and Facebook:

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EP 25:  The Meaning of Time across Cultures

John Stech draws on his experience working with Germans, Swedes, Thais, Americans, and Vietnamese to examine the summer holiday sun culture of each.

Every culture has a different attitude towards taking vacation. Stay connected or completely disconnect? One week or six? Sit in the sun or stay in the shade? John will take a humorous approach to the Thai, German, American, Vietnamese, and Swedish attitudes to taking it easy.

In a fun twist, John hosts a “parade”, an examination of summertime stereotypes just to find humor in how each spend their summertime in the sun (or out of it). With stereotypes having a kernel of truth to them, this is a lighthearted look at the summer vacationer.

Whether you listen to this on a beach, in the sun, under an umbrella, or in the cool sanctuary of an air-conditioned shopping mall, The Auto Ethnographer wishes you a wonderful summer and restful days.

To learn more about The Auto Ethnographer podcast, please visit the homepage at https://www.auto-ethnographer.com [https://www.auto-ethnographer.com/]

EP 24 Sun or shade? A humorous look at vacation culture

This week on The Auto Ethnographer podcast, host John Stech ruminates on the homecoming phase for expats. You may think the hardest part of a foreign assignment is moving overseas and getting to learn a new culture and new language. John argues that the most challenging part is coming back to your home country.

John lived overseas with his family for eight years, starting when his children were quite young. By the time they returned home, the children barely remembered having lived in the United States. John relives some of his adventures in Egypt and Russia, setting the stage for examining the difficulties of settling back into his home culture.

While living overseas with family you are immersed in learning, in challenge, in adaptation. You have to learn about a new culture which is all around you in your host country if you want to have a well-rounded overseas experience. Every day brings learnings, challenges, and adventures.

In the meantime, back in your home country, in your hometown, life goes on like normal. People have adapted to you being gone. And they continue their lives with focus on their everyday activities.

Once the overseas assignment or living concludes and you pack your belongings and head home, you may be surprised at the indifference that people display towards the wonderful adventures you’ve just had. You’ve also adjusted to living in a different culture that may then require readjustment to living back home.

This episode examines those feelings and emotions. John also shares how his family coped with the return to the United States and what they did to remain connected in some way with their international experience.

If you find the conversation riveting, and perhaps even a bit reminiscent of what you have gone through, please leave your comments on the homepage at www.auto-ethnographer.com [http://www.auto-ethnographer.com/]

If you give permission to The Auto Ethnographer to talk about your feedback, using only First Name and Country, on a future podcast, your feedback will be included in a future conversation.

Or leave your comments on the YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtrD6CPH0KXdKrIRBnTHpuQ

EP 23: Home Sweet Home? Returning from overseas living is the hardest part

This episode tackles ageism a growing issue across the globe. Along with two distinguished human resources experts, Auto Ethnographer host John Stech takes on the topic of age discrimination in the context of the American and Vietnamese cultures.

Discussing that today are Tamica Sears, The Corporate Fixer and Founder of Sears Coaching, a human resources consulting agency. She has built her vast experience working with Fortune 500 companies including Raytheon and Gannett, among others. Tamica is also the author of management book, How to tell if you’re an A**hole Boss. Learn more about the book here: https://a.co/d/93hOqnU

Joining Tamica is Kelvin Nguyen, an experienced corporate recruiter, member of VinGroup’s (Vietnam’s largest private company) talent team, and Co-Founder of Pharaon, a premier lifestyle management service that helps high-performing individuals and executives reclaim their time and enhance their day-to-day lives.

We start the conversation by defining what ageism means within each nation’s culture. Thanks to Hollywood, the fashion industry, and social media, American culture has an obsession with youth. Stereotypes lead to considering grey-haired people as dinosaurs and of less value in the workplace. Meanwhile, in Vietnam, a combination of Buddhist and Confucian influences combine to place veneration on age and experience.

But mindsets are changing rapidly as technology evolves. In America the situation is rapidly becoming more ominous for workers of age. Meanwhile, in Vietnam, long-held cultural values are under pressure from fast-evolving technology.

Tamica, Kelvin, and John explore these mindsets, the current situation in each nation, and future expectations in a 45-minute conversation.

You can learn more about Tamica Sears and Sears Consulting at http://www.thecorporatefixers.com/

You can learn more about Kelvin Nguyen’s Pharaon at https://pharaon.vn [https://pharaon.vn/]

Follow The Auto Ethnographer’s homepage at https://www.auto-ethnographer.com [https://www.auto-ethnographer.com/]

EP 22: Ageism – a conversation about its impact in Vietnam and the United States

This China-focused episode was born when pulling on the red thread connecting four prior episodes with elements of that nation’s automotive rise. This time, host John Stech stitches together the story of China’s rise in the automotive industry from the humble beginning to the current achievement of largest automotive market and biggest net exporter of cars using the words of experts that have worked there. .

Drawing on insights previously shared by Dr. Susanne Lehmann (Volkswagen Malaysia), Dr. Helmut Grösser (Mercedes-Benz), Benny Oeyen (Automobility, previously GM Shanghai), and Gianfranco Pizzuto, CEO Automobili Estrema, the individual elements of their stories were woven together into a flowing tale.

It begins with an auto industry that was in an infant stage, starved for manufacturing, logistics, and technology knowledge. It follows through to explore how traditional automakers were forced to adapt their products for Chinese consumers. The tale takes a twist when the alarm was sounded a decade ago that the Chinese automakers would eventually rise up as a threat.

The episode also examines the culture in China and what makes it so able to learn and move quickly in adaptation. Finally, there is a word of advice shared by one of the experts, Gianfranco Pizzuto, one which may surprise some.

There is no question about the rise of China in the automotive industry. This podcast episode just scratches the surface on the many issues and factors that led to this point. However, it is a great starting point to continue learning about the greatest competitor the automotive industry has faced to date.

To learn more about The Auto Ethnographer please visit the website at https://www.auto-ethnographer.com [https://www.auto-ethnographer.com/]

Dr. Susanne Lehmann. Volkswagen Malaysia  https://www.volkswagen.com.my/

Dr. Helmut Grösser. Mercedes Benz AG   https://www.mercedes-benz.com/en/

Benny Oeyen. Automobility Ltd.  https://automobility.io/

Gianfranco Pizzuto. Automobili Estrema  https://fulminea.com/

EP 21: China Auto Rising

This week’s guest on The Auto Ethnographer Podcast is Adi Bathla, CEO and Co-Founder of Revv, a company that merges car repair with artificial intelligence. Together with host John Stech they trace Adi’s origin story from humble beginnings in India to the current success of an entrepreneur recognized on the Forbes 30 under 30 list.

Born and raised in Northern India Adi excelled in school and harbored an intense curiosity that led him to learn at a speed outpacing other students his age. He eventually participated in an American NASA space tech competition, which he and his team ended up winning.

The NASA competition victory connected Adi to Brown University which offered him a spot in its student body. Young, straight off the plane from India with a one-way ticket, Adi plugged into the university community and beyond. He created and built software solutions for various organizations while simultaneously studying for his degree.

On graduating, Adi worked in a series of high-growth start-ups putting him in close proximity to visionary CEOs and other leaders. We one foot rooted in his humble origins and the other planted in raw ambition, Adi soaked in all the learnings he could, both from successes and failures.

But it was only when he visited his extended family’s automotive workshop business that inspiration truly struck. What he found was a business built on paper and workflows that contained a lot of walking around with that paper. The lightbulb ignited and Adi had a vision for digitizing an old-school business, bringing it up to the most modern standard. He visited many other workshops to understand the pain points and problems then set off developing the basis of what would become Revv.

Revv offers an AI product which allows independent workshops, those that often fix many different brands, to repair even the most complex new vehicles, bristling with sensors and cameras, in an effective and safe way. Revv developed a system that served up repair information, calibration settings, and manufacturer instructions for hundreds of car models. What used to take days, weeks, or even months, or was simply overlooked, was now at the fingertips of small workshops. Even the smallest shop could now repair and recalibrate the Automated Driver Assistance System (ADAS) sensors that are found on 94% of vehicles on American roads.

Throughout this journey, Adi kept his cultural heritage derived from his parental upbringing “on the passenger seat”. He never let go of the cultural guidance instilled in him and leverages the wise words his parents said to him while working with the diverse Revv team.

This episode traces that story and uncovers the culture that made Adi Bathla, how he leveraged it while pursuing his passions, and where it will continue to take him.

If you are interested in learning more about Revv and its AI products, please visit https://www.revvhq.com [https://www.revvhq.com/]

To learn more about The Auto Ethnographer Podcast, please visit the homepage at https://www.auto-ethnographer.com [https://www.auto-ethnographer.com/]

EP 20: Adi Bathla: AI Start-up, Revv, success rooted in deep cultural values

Last week the Auto Ethnographer, John Jörn Stech, attended the 10th International Electric Vehicle Technology Conference & Exhibition combined with MobilityTech Asia 2025. The conference happened to be aligned in the same week that the American Houses of Congress passed legislation that effectively killed public funding and support for electric vehicles and renewable energy initiatives. The stark contrast between Thailand’s push on the accelerator and America’s stomp on the brake pedal are in focus today.

But the lens through which the topic will be dressed is not so much political as it is society and culture. The Thai and American cultures are extremely different. While Thailand is rooted deeply in Buddhism, and to a lesser degree Confucianism, which promotes a communal approach to addressing societal problems, American culture is individualistic, “everyone out for themselves”.

The Auto Ethnographer takes a look into Buddhism’s teachings and how they apply to renewable energy, electric vehicles, and the daunting task of combatting climate change. How do Thais employ those teachings to live a more harmonious communal life in Thai society?

Meanwhile, in the United States, individualism rules the day on electric vehicle adoption, the shift towards renewable energy, and on climate change, a topic that stirs debate on its very existence to this day.

John also discusses how past victories against pollution in the USA have rendered relatively clean air and water in the current day. This is in stark comparison to the 1960s and 1970s when environmental regulation was just getting started. With the air “looking” clean and carbon dioxide, a major contributor to global warming being invisible, it is easy to fall into the trap that there is no problem. Can’t see it? No problem then.

Contrast that to Thailand which continues to struggle with urban air and water quality. The problem is literally visible. So while Thais unite to conquer the pollution particulates, the PM 2.5 matter, they can simultaneously fight carbon dioxide through use of cleaner vehicles and energy production.

The iEVTech 2025 conference & exhibition was the impetus for this comparison. It was a show highlighted by two dozen speakers and dozens of international companies highlighting their EV, solar, energy storage, and related products. China, South Korea, UK, Germany, Switzerland, Finland, and other nations were represented in technology clusters. The United States was absent, a point not missed by the Auto Ethnographer and the cause for much contemplation of this topic for today’s podcast.

To learn more about The Auto Ethnographer, please visit the homepage at https://www.auto-ethnographer.com [https://www.auto-ethnographer.com/]

EP 19:  John Stech:  Thailand accelerates while America brakes. How local culture impacts the approach to EVs and renewable energy

John Stech, The Auto Ethnographer, draws on his thirty years in the global automotive industry to bring the world to your doorstep in both an informative and entertaining way using a style rooted in autoethnography. 

What is "autoethnography"? Derived from Tony E. Adams’ definition, "autoethnography" is a research method leaning on the experiences of individuals to analyze assumptions, culture, communication, local norms, traditions, emotional impact, and how they mesh with greater culture and society where they operate. Normally, "auto" relates to the self – as in "autobiography". But we put wheels on it, separated the words, and focus on vehicles and the cultural experiences related to the auto industry.

The Auto Ethnographer and his guests tell the human stories behind the famous automotive and vehicle brands, spanning continents, countries, and cultures across the globe. Together, they unlock the mysteries of local culture, values, and approaches to success in the vehicle industry. Of course, every cultural interaction faces the risk of faux pas, and those will surely be covered as well. 

The Auto Ethnographer's guests made the vehicle industry happen in their country markets. Now they tell their stories. Each guest will relay their experiences while addressing cultural challenges they faced. Guests range from current and past industry leaders to newcomers and rising talents. They are either expats in a foreign land or local employees working with a foreign brand in their home country. 

The target audience are Individuals fascinated by the auto industry and how to navigate cultures for successful outcomes. The audience are either seasoned professionals or newcomers seeking to learn how to build their careers with global insights. But don't think this is limited to the auto industry. These international business principles are valid across industries.

John Stech engaged in his 30-year career with Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler Corp (now part of Stellantis), Volvo Car Group, and VinFast Automotive of Vietnam. He has lived and worked on five continents, interacting with thousands of people from dozens of different cultures. Now he brings that experience to you. 



The Auto Ethnographer with John Stech

John Stech, The Auto Ethnographer, shares his insights and experience on how international culture impacts the global automotive industry.

John Stech

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