This month Autotech Council meets to explore the software defined vehicle.  For over a century, the automobile has been defined as hardware. The engineering evolutions have cut their shapes in steel. But now, the evolution of the car will happen as much in lines of code as it does in metal presses. The defining features of a given vehicle will be in its sensors, its perception, its compute, its connectivity, its infotainment, and in its self-drive ability or ADAS. Join us as we look at startups who know this, and focus their value proposition on empowering the Software Defined Vehicle

A Software Defined Vehicle is any vehicle that manages a wide variety of its operations, adds functionality, and enables new features primarily or entirely through software running on a centralized computer. We can understand it as a contrast to a more conventional mechanically defined vehicle where software was specifically written for, and mated to a narrow-function ECUs (Embedded Control Units) spread throughout the car in the places where their functions were carried out.

The SDV (Software Defined Vehicle) is a new way of architecting the vehicle’s system around these functions, which centralizes the compute power, connects all the old functions’ sensors and actuators on an ethernet, thus abstracting the hardware around the vehicle from the software that controls it. By decoupling software from hardware and dedicated chips, we can use simpler hardware around the vehicle, centralize and share the compute power, and better integrate all the functions and features.

Some sample SDV features and functions are:

• The car’s OS
• autonomous driving
• ABS systems
• Cameras or LIDAR sensors

• Intermittent wipers
• Auto-dim headlights
• The UI and touchscreen of the car

But really, this list could include any sensor, actuator, feature. or function, new or old, which is now written in software running centrally, not coupled to an ECU at some corner of the car.

SDVs change the game in the auto industry, following the mantra of “Software eats everything”. It’ll shift how cars are built, and will mean new features and functions can be written in software instead of built into hardware. This greater agility will mean new vendors and startups will have an opportunity to write features for cars in a similar way developers write apps for smartphones. Our meeting will look at SDVs, and the companies that are providing the new SDV components, and “apps” for vehicles.

Join our meeting on the Software Defined Vehicle as we hear from a few of the big players and meet several startups innovating in this segment.

Introduce your product or service to OEMs, Tier1s, and tech scouts. Applications are reviewed and invitations extended based on fit.

Meeting Tables will be available to presenters who wish to demo their product or service to our audience in a private networking space.

Share your thought leadership or market analysis on this topic.  Keynote, Analyst and Panel positions may be available.

Influence and access the auto industry's innovators by sponsoring this topic. Packages customized to meet your marketing goals.

Fees & Options

• REGISTRATION: $200 (free for members)
  Registration includes participation, pre and post meeting networking, pitches & demos, and complete agenda with attendee list. Contact information, presentations, and introductions are not included. 

• TECHNOLOGY PITCH: $250
  5-minute Rapid Fire pitch to introduce a relevant technology, company, or product to in person and online audiences and Autotech Council members at large.

OPTIONS

• MEETING TABLE: $250 ($50 for members)
  Tables are inside the meeting room, and can be used to show demos, followup on your pitch, or start conversations with other attendees before, during, and after the main agenda. They are 30” round / 42" tall cocktail tables with black linen, power, and Wi-Fi when available, and signed with your logo.

Venue

Remote Access for Members:  To request remote access through our virtual meeting room, members should follow the instructions in their confirmation email. Note that our Virtual Meeting room opens later and closes earlier due to onsite networking.