SAE International Convergence 2012 to Highlight Innovative Leadership Roles in Electronic Innovation

WARRENDALE, Pa., June 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- SAE Convergence 2012 - Electronic Innovation through Leadership - is set for Oct. 16-17 at Cobo Center in Detroit.

General Motors is serving as the host for the 2012 event. John Calabrese, vice president of global vehicle engineering for General Motors, will serve as general chair for Convergence 2012.

Calabrese said the technical landscape of automotive electronics continues to change at lightning speed, and quality, effective leadership is critical for the future of the automotive industry.

"In today's vehicles, we have more lines of code than the Space Shuttle," Calabrese said. "The navigation systems in our vehicles have more than a million lines of code. The future success of the automotive industry is tied to a combination of innovation and creative leadership."

Convergence 2012 will feature two new programs:

• Future Leader Program: This program is designed to inform, encourage and motivate the engineering leaders of tomorrow. The Future Leader Program will help new engineers transition into the professional world by providing them with solid leadership principles that can be carried throughout their career. The program also provides peer-to-peer networking opportunities with executives from major corporations.
• Innovation Start-Up Marketplace: This new addition to the show floor is designed for small companies trying to get established in the mobility electronics industry. The Innovation Start-Up Marketplace offers up-and-coming entrepreneurs high visibility and access to leaders of the mobility industry.

Other Convergence 2012 highlights include:

A Blue Ribbon Panel, sponsored by KPIT Cummins, on Influencing the Future of the Automotive Industry, will be held on Oct. 16. The panel will address the challenges of a new transportation system in the digital age with vehicles linking to a smart power grid, as well as communications networks. The session will be moderated by Micky Bly, executive director, global electrical systems, infotainment & electrification for General Motors. The panelists will include Jon Lauckner, chief technical officer and president of GM Ventures, General Motors Company; John Maddox, associate administrator, Vehicle Safety Research at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation; Paul Mascarenas, chief technical officer and vice president of Research & Advance Engineering, Ford Motor Company; Anup Sable, senior vice president, head of Automotive & Engineering, KPIT Cummins; Justin Rattner, chief technical officer, Intel.

A Carmakers Speak Panel, sponsored by ESG Automotive, will be held on Oct. 17. The panel will consist of the top electrical engineers from the world's major automakers, who will discuss the direction of the industry and what carmakers need from suppliers of electrical and electronic parts, software and tools. Participants also will outline the progress of carmakers toward electrification of the vehicle, which international standards are gaining traction, and how those standards can affect future electronic buys.  Organized and moderated by Paul M. Hansen of The Hansen Report on Automotive Electronics, the panelists include Alan J. Amici, R&D - EMEA Product Development, Electrical & Electronics, head of Electrical & Electronics, Fiat Group Automobiles; Graydon A. Reitz, global director, Electrical & Electronic Systems Engineering, Ford Motor Company; Ricky Hudi, chief executive engineer of Electrics & Electronics, AUDI AG; Micky Bly, executive director, Global Electrical Systems, Infotainment & Electrification, General Motors Company; Wayne Powell, general manager of Multimedia & Telematics Engineering, Toyota Motor Corporation; John Schnoes, director of Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Nissan Technical Center NA.

The technology sessions include:

• Active Safety Technology Evolution: Exploring active safety and driver assistance features.
• Intelligent Vehicle Systems - Sustainability: What is possible when vehicle electronics converge with external infrastructure?
• Electronic Systems for Vehicle Propulsion - Sustainability: A look at the next generation system architecture and associated technology.
• Infotainment in the Age of "i": Are we ready for the "fifth" screen technology? What do we build into the vehicle? What will the consumer bring into the vehicle? What about the cloud?
• New Business Models and Disruptive Technology: A look at the business models being considered in order to implement these disruptive technologies.
• Mega Trends and Their Effect on Automotive Electronics: Explore some key mega trends such as marketplace, geography, customer expectations and technology.

Tom Izzo, head basketball coach at Michigan State University, will be the keynote speaker at the Convergence banquet on Oct. 17.

SAE Convergence 2012 also will host a career fair, which is free to engineering attendees.

Up to 120 exhibitors are expected on the SAE Convergence 2012 exhibit floor.

For more information or to register, visit http://www.sae.org/events/convergence/.

- www.sae.org -

Contact: Shawn Andreassi of SAE International, 1-724-772-8522 or [email protected]

SOURCE SAE International