“Automobility ‘16”: The Road to Tomorrow

It’s gone from being a matter of “if” to one of “when.”

And there is something of a subset to that “when” of “how much at what time.”

The topic, of course, is autonomy.

For some people it is a matter of headlines.

But for automotive professionals, it is a matter of technology and business. The “what” and the “how.”

What technologies are required for the deployment of automated vehicles on our roads—and how will cities adapt, and how will there be a business case for the deployment?

SAE has its six levels, ranging from 0, None, to 5, Full Automation.

NHTSA has five levels, from 0, to 4, Full.

And there are, of course, the levels in between, encompassing everything from adaptive cruise control to lane-keeping assistance.

There is radar. Lidar. Cameras. Ultrasonic sensors. CPUs. GPUs. And an assortment of other technologies.

There are considerations of drivers and passengers, or maybe that’s drivers as passengers.

Clearly there is a whole lot to be developed. A whole lot to be determined. A multitude of paths to go from 0 to 4. Or 5.

And given the overall sexiness of the subject (“Robot Car Runs Amok!”), there is a lot of noise associated with autonomy.

So our sister publication AutoBeat Daily and Automotive Design & Production have joined forces to provide some signal about the subject and are holding “Automobility ’16,” a one-day conference in Dearborn, Michigan on October 13.

The objective of this conference is to provide some explanation, guidance and even speculation on the subjects of autonomy and mobility.

We are bringing together some of the leaders in this space, including:

· James Kuffner, Toyota Research Institute, Chief Technology Officer

· Mike O’Brien, Hyundai Motor America, Vice President, Corporate & Product Planning

· Andreas Mai, Cisco, Director Smart Connected Vehicles

· Swamy Kotagiri, Magna International, Chief Technology Officer

· Carla Bailo, Ohio State University, Asst. Vice President, Mobility Research & Development

· Chris Borroni-Bird, Qualcomm, Vice President Strategic Development

· Glen DeVos, Delphi Electronics & Safety, Vice President, Global Engineering and Services

· Elliot Garbus, Intel, Vice President - Internet of Things Group

· Jeff Klei, Continental Automotive Systems, President North America

Among others.

If these people can’t help provide direction on what is arguably a path with many forks and bends and cul-de-sacs, then it is hard to imagine who can.

These guides are good.

And because you read this, know that if you register by Friday, August 19, you can save $70.

We’re going to get to the top level. So you might as well get ahead of the curve by attending “Automobility ’16.”

Register here.