The SAE 2016 World Congress, presented by SAE International and taking place April 12-14 in Detroit, will gather experts, management teams, engineers, and executives from the automotive industry to collaborate and address current challenges, seek new windows for discovery and exploration, and promote the multitude of opportunities fundamental for a successful future. This year’s theme, Powering Possibilities, represents a world of untapped discoveries in the automotive industry.

Kirk Steudle
The event will include keynotes, technical sessions, workshops, and more covering the spectrum of automotive engineering. Attendees will be exposed to new ideas and new perspectives, and will have the opportunity to participate in Q&A sessions with subject matter experts. Management programs will let you listen in on fascinating dialogue, realize trends, and gain valuable insight from respected industry leaders.

Visit www.sae.org/congress  for more information.

Keynote Speakers

As Director of the Michigan Department of Trans por tation (MDOT) since 2006, Kirk Steudle oversees MDOT’s $3 billion-plus budget. He is responsible for the construction, maintenance, and operation of nearly 10,000 miles of state highways, and more than 4,000 state highway bridges. He also oversees administration of a variety of multi-modal transportation programs and projects that range from aviation to the Zilwaukee Bridge. Kirk’s keynote will focus on transportation and technology fusion.

Gary Silberg
Gary Silberg, Partner and National Automotive Leader at KPMG LLP, is also the Global Lead Partner for Delphi Corporation and Ford Motor Company. With more than 14 years in the automotive industry, he advises domestic and multinational companies in areas of mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and joint ventures. Gary’s closing keynote will discuss “The Clockspeed Dilemma: What it Means for Automotive Innovation.”

Tech Hub

The Tech Hub, which debuted in the center of the Innovators Only exhibit floor at last year’s SAE World Congress, spotlights provocative, innovative, and disruptive ideas intended to engage and challenge attendees to examine the future of the mobility industry. The theme of this year’s Tech Hub, sponsored by Nissan, Omron, and Ricardo, is “Influences on the Future Vehicle.”

The Tech Hub is made up of 20-minute SAE TechTalks, expanded Q&A, and networking opportunities between the audience members and speakers. Featured experts from consumer, aerospace, government research institutions, and other mobility industries speaking this year include Mark Moore, who serves in two roles at NASA’s Langley Research Center, where he is Senior Advisor for On-Demand Mobility, as well as the Principal Investigator for the Scalable Convergent Electric Propulsion Technology Oper ations Research X-Plane (SCEPTOR), a manned plane scheduled to fly in 2017. This unique aircraft pushes the state-of-the-art in electric power with advanced electric motors. Developed to achieve high power-to-weight and high efficiency, the objective is to achieve a 5x reduction in the energy required to cruise at 175 mph, compared to existing light aircraft.

As cities grow and the “Uberization” of the world continues, transportation behaviors around the world are changing. In particular, alternatives to vehicle ownership offer big opportunities as car ownership in the traditional sense becomes obsolete.

The Tech Hub enables hands-on opportunities for audience members and speakers to interact.
To better understand behavior and personal attitudes toward these changes and opportunities, Frog Design conducted a global survey of 1,200 general population participants across China, Denmark, Germany, and the United States. Anthony Gregorio, Associate Strategy Director for Frog Design, will explore both findings and actionable insights from that research in his talk, “Navigating the Ride Ahead — Personal Mobility.” Anthony has helped companies identify and vet adjacent market opportunities, understand user needs within new customer segments, define new product and service offerings, and make difficult decisions regarding growth investments.

Find a complete schedule of Tech Hub TechTalks at www.sae.org/congress/attend/program/tech_hub.htm .

Technical Program

Matt Heverly, lead driver for the Curiosity Mars rover at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, talked about
The solutions-oriented Technical Sessions at SAE World Congress provide the perfect opportunity for engineering professionals to discover, collaborate, and engage with peers from around the globe. These Technical Sessions, developed by industry professionals to maximize relevance, are designed to allow industry members of all levels to gather relevant and stimulating information to enhance skills and creativity.

Technical Session categories include Integrated Design & Manufacturing, Propulsion/Powertrain, Management & Marketplace, Electronics, Materials, Emissions/Environment/Sustainability, and Body/Chassis/Safety/Structure.

For a complete schedule of Technical Sessions, visit www.sae.org/congress/attend/program .

Special Events

Back by popular demand, the SAE Young Professional Program is designed to inform, encourage, and motivate the leaders of tomorrow. This initiative is designed to help new professionals transition into the “real world” while providing solid leadership principles they can carry throughout their career. These activities also provide the valuable opportunity to learn from and network with executives from major corporations. As technology continues to change and critical issues are being resolved, these skills are more important now than ever.

The SAE 2016 World Congress Career Fair will provide the opportunity for mobility industry engineers and professionals to explore available jobs, network, and meet with professional recruiters, and representatives from OEMs and suppliers.

Innovators Only Exhibition

This exclusive opportunity is limited to companies that have accepted the “Innovators Only” challenge, and proven to be top industry innovators and solution providers. You’ll see what’s new from OEMs, top-tier suppliers, and other related companies from around the world. Check out all the exhibiting companies and plan your show floor strategy by visiting www.sae.org/ congress/exhibit .