The Future of Automotive Testing Conference

Comprising pre-conference technical workshops on October 22 and a two-day conference with panel discussions and keynotes from October 23-24, the brand-new Future of Automotive Testing Conference 2024 in Novi, MI, is a premier gathering of industry leaders, innovators, researchers, and professionals involved in automotive testing, validation, and quality assurance. The conference aims to explore the latest advancements, emerging trends, and future challenges shaping the automotive testing landscape.
Located within Automotive Testing Expo North America, the world’s leading international expo for every aspect of automotive testing, development and validation technologies, the conference will navigate the evolving landscape of automotive technology and pave the way for safer, more efficient, and sustainable vehicles of tomorrow.

What to expect

At the Conference:

  • Keynote Presentations: Renowned industry leaders, innovators, and experts will deliver keynote presentations, offering strategic insights into the future of automotive testing, highlighting emerging trends, and sharing their vision for the industry.
  • Panel Discussions: Interactive panel discussions will feature diverse perspectives from automotive OEMs, suppliers, testing laboratories, research institutions, and regulatory bodies. Topics will cover a wide range of issues, including autonomous vehicles, electric vehicle testing, safety and compliance, and the role of data analytics in testing.
  • Technical Sessions: In-depth technical sessions will delve into specific topics related to automotive testing, providing attendees with practical knowledge, case studies, and best practices. These sessions will cover areas such as simulation and virtual testing, environmental testing, agile testing methodologies, and advanced sensor technologies.
  • Networking Opportunities: The conference will provide ample networking opportunities for attendees to connect with peers, industry experts, and potential collaborators. Networking sessions, coffee breaks, and social events will facilitate meaningful interactions, knowledge sharing, and collaboration.

On the Show Floor:

  • Innovation Showcases: Special short sessions or showcases will highlight innovative concepts, prototypes, and future trends in automotive testing. These sessions offer a glimpse into emerging technologies and concepts that could shape the future of automotive testing.

Program overview

Key themes:

  • Innovations in Automotive Testing
  • Safety and Compliance
  • Autonomous and Connected Vehicles Testing
  • Electric Vehicle Testing
  • Data-Driven Testing and Analytics
  • Agile Testing and Rapid Prototyping
  • Environmental Testing and Durability
  • Industry Collaboration and Best Practices

Preliminary Program

Pre-conference technical workshop (October 22)
10:30 - 12:30

The workshop is free to attend, but with limited availability and separate pre-registration is necessary. Please register via the dedicated form in the workshop section of this website.

10:30

Implementing ODD to support autonomous vehicle development, validation, road testing and compliance communications

Dr Edward Schwalb
Consultant
Schwalb Consulting LLC
USA
The operational design domain (ODD) is regarded as a critical component for establishing trust and maintaining compliance for autonomous driving systems. There is broad consensus that a common understanding is needed on the specification and development of credible ODD descriptions that support multiple stakeholders. In this workshop we will clarify the scope of the ODD, how to balance between over-specifying and under-specifying to avoid unnecessary legal exposure due to over-commitment with sufficient information and yet instill confidence. We will review the related best practices including UL 4600, AVSC, ISO 35403, OpenODD and SAE On Road Automated Driving (ORAD) activities. We will review exchange formats, taxonomies, modular specification of ODD conditions and applications to operational domain (OD) data sets. We will discuss how ODD can be developed and understood incrementally, supporting both internal and external stakeholders. We will review practical methods and commercial tools that can integrate ODD in the validation process. Upon completion, workshop participants will acquire a comprehensive end-to-end understanding of the role of an ODD, methods to develop and communicate specifications, and the tradeoffs associated with over- and under-communicating in the context of various standardization activities and best practices.

Conference - Session 1 (October 23 AM)
10:00 - 12:30

10:00

Opening address

Rachel Evans
Editor
Automotive Testing Technology International
UK

10:10

Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) and a paradigm shift in product development, testing and validation

Partha Goswami
Principal
PG Mobility Analysis
USA
The automotive industry is at the inflexion point of a significant transition from a hardware-centric product development to a software-centric one, built on the foundation of software defined vehicle (SDV) architecture. Traditionally, hardware in an automotive system is validated, re-validated and certified according to strict safety requirements such as ISO26262. Release of am automotive software, without similar rigorous diligence, can lead to disastrous failures. The talk will explore the challenges of testing and validation in this new paradigm of software-first product development, that needs to evolve from a V-model of testing and development and embrace a continuous integration and continuous development or CI/CD approach.

What the audience will learn

  • Understand technology hype cycle in the context of software defined vehicle (SDV)
  • Comprehensive value proposition of SDV from a consumer perspective
  • Understand how SDV represents a "paradigm shift" for the automotive industry, impacting its entire design-develop-validate-deploy cycle
  • Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment/Continuous Testing (CI/CD/CT) - transition from hardware-centric to software-centric product development/testing
  • High level challenges & execution issues - in the context of testing and validation

10:35

Fireside Chat with Mark Klavon

Mark Klavon
Technical program manager - global ground vehicle standards
SAE International
USA
Join the SAE’s Technical Program Manager - Global Ground Vehicle Standards, Mark Klavon as he discusses the future of Testing, Research and Standards with Partha Goswami

11:10 - 11:40

Break

11:40

Future automotive testing – a holistic view

Sushanta Das
Technical director
American Center for Mobility
USA
The American Center for Mobility is a one-of-a-kind global development center in SE Michigan. Its state-of-the-art facilities enable it to be involved in testing & development of ADAS/AVs, EVs, V2X infrastructure and interoperability, as well as utilizing the most advanced simulation, data & engineering tools. Serving the entire automotive ecosystem, it is involved in almost every stage in automotive testing towards safe, secure and sustainable mobility. Drawing from examples real test cases conducted at ACM, Sushanta will discuss the most recent advances in testing technologies and practices, along with ACM’s view of what the future holds for automotive testing and how to address the challenges it will bring.

12:05

Concurrent durability vehicle testing at component level

Pankaj Sharma
General manager
Maruti Suzuki India
India
In the realm of automotive engineering, the pursuit of optimization and efficiency is relentless. Traditional vehicle component testing methodologies often involve the use of separate testing rigs for individual components. This approach, while methodical, can lead to increased development time and resource allocation. In this presentation, we will explore the benefits of transitioning to concurrent testing and how it stands as an innovative solution for overall improvement in the vehicle development process. Concurrent testing represents a paradigm shift in vehicle component testing by implementing a system where multiple components can be tested simultaneously.

What the audience will learn

  • Improved resource allocation and cost-effectiveness
  • Reduction in the number of vehicles required for testing purposes
  • Decreased development time, accelerating the overall vehicle development cycle
  • Increased efficiency through simultaneous component testing
  • Innovative approach for testing in other fields

12:30 - 14:00

Lunch

Conference Session 2 (October 23 PM)
14:00 - 17:00

14:00

An insight on optimizing vehicle dynamics, component design, and testing for electric vehicle development

Dr Mohammad Behroozi
Vehicle Dynamicist
General Motors
USA
Optimizing vehicle dynamics is crucial for shaping the performance and handling of electric vehicles (EVs). Unlike internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, EVs demand a different approach due to their unique mass distribution, inertia characteristics, and electric power sources. This talk examines how these factors require a revised strategy for designing, optimizing and testing key components such as tires, dampers, bushings, and steering systems. By addressing these specific challenges, it highlights effective strategies for enhancing the performance, safety, and comfort of EVs while accommodating their distinct dynamic profiles.

14:25

Method for validating electric vehicles using high-voltage battery simulation

Vincent Sabatini
High-voltage systems test engineer
Ford Motor Company
USA
This presentation summarizes a test solution developed at Ford Motor Company that enables high-voltage system/vehicle lab testing without requiring full, physical batteries. This test solution saves significant costs on prototype parts and vehicles, increases testing capability, speeds up testing and development timelines and increases user safety. The solution is also more environmentally sustainable and flexible for continued electric vehicle development. It allows Ford to tackle its quality improvement goals.

What the audience will learn

  • Test solution overview
  • Technical innovation – what we have done differently
  • Technical significance – problems solved and rollout
  • Benefits to Ford Motor Company
  • Benefits to the customer

14:50

Test and evaluation of inertial sensor performance for active safety applications

Curtis Hay
Technical fellow
General Motors
USA

15:15 - 15:45

Break

15:45 - 16:35

Panel discussion - Future of virtual engineering

Automotive OEMs and suppliers have been using virtual engineering approaches for product development for over a decade. Virtual engineering is expected to play a broader role in the future with the advent of new technologies such as AI and cloud infrastructure. This panel will share unique insights from leaders who are at the forefront of developing and applying virtual engineering methods at some of the world’s leading automotive companies. First, we will hear from the panelists about the current state of virtual engineering – how virtual engineering is being utilized today, what impact it is having, and what challenges and opportunities it is facing. Next, the panelists will provide outlook into a vision for the future – what new technologies are coming on the horizon, how they will change virtual engineering processes, and what impact they will have on the overall automotive product development process.
Dr Sandeep Sovani
GTM head HPC for engineering modeling & simulation
Amazon Web Services
USA
Mario Felice
Technical fellow
NAFEMS
USA
Ram Bhandarkar
Director of Virtual Engineering
Stellantis
USA

16:35

Leverage real-world data for ADAS development in SDV context

Akshay Sheorey
Global lead - Simcenter autonomy
Siemens Digital Industries Software
USA
Software-defined vehicle (SDV) has become a critical approach for the development of sophisticated ADAS systems. These systems use sophisticated sensors and compute hardware generating large amounts of data, which is used for the development as ell as verification and validation (V&V) of these systems. In this presentation, we show how real-world data, accurate and holistic digital twin for the vehicle, sensors, and the ECU/SoC can be integrated into a software-defined vehicle development framework. This framework allows users to adopt a shift-left methodology by integrating digital twins very early in the development process and ensuring a robust V&V workflow.

What the audience will learn

  • Data analysis and automated scenario extraction
  • ADAS development in the context of SDV
  • Scenario-based testing

Conference Session 3 (October 24 AM)
10:00 - 12:30

10:00

Co-opetition and consolidation in automotive testing: strategies to 2030

Shyam Raman
Principal consultant
Frost & Sullivan
USA
Automotive OEMs are actively looking to simplify and automate their testing and certification processes as a combined part of their migration from ICE to xEV. As a result, we at Frost & Sullivan are seeing a transformative change downstream that will affect OEMs and Tier 1, 2 and 3 suppliers. It will be critical for solution suppliers to collaborate and compete collectively to navigate imminent changes in the testing/certification structure. Strategies required in collaboration are often intricate and need to emphasize the balance between maintaining cash flow and reduced profitability. However, focusing on long-term rewards will help companies avoid becoming obsolete.

10:25

V2X – what automotive testing engineers need to know about 5GAA policy

John Kwant
Executive director, Americas
5GAA
USA

10:50 - 11:20

Break

11:20

Conversation – debunking common misconceptions about the analysis of EV powertrain technologies

Ian Smith
Manager R&D, electrified powertrain
Southwest Research Institute
USA
Rachel Evans
Editor
Automotive Testing Technology International
UK

11:45

Ahead of the curve: shaping the future of cybersecurity testing

Greg Yezersky
Services manager
ZF
USA
ZF provides trusted cybersecurity experience rooted in automotive innovation and delivery of embedded solutions. The result is that ZF knows how to anticipate future systems vulnerabilities and, as a result, how to build futureproof test programs to help defeat next-generation cybersecurity threats. ZF will present one specific use case of 'how to', and a roadmap to avoiding costly issues during the product development process, for our partners and customers.

What the audience will learn

  • Today's cybersecurity is reactive; the imperative of proactive cybersecurity
  • Evolutionary logic: the key to reliable evolutionary forecasting
  • One use case: the TRIAD principle
  • Integrating evolutionary forecasting into the product development process for enhanced cybersecurity

Who Should Attend

  • Automotive OEMs
  • Automotive Suppliers and Component Manufacturers
  • Testing Laboratories and Service Providers
  • Research Institutions and Academia
  • Regulatory Bodies and Government Agencies
  • Technology Providers and Solution Vendors
  • Cybersecurity Experts and Data Analysts
  • Industry Consultants and Advisors
  • Startups and Innovators

Partner with us

  • Brand Visibility: Sponsoring the conference provides companies with prominent branding opportunities, including logo placement on promotional materials, signage, and digital platforms as well as direct engagement with your target audience.
  • Thought Leadership: Sponsoring organizations can position themselves as thought leaders within the automotive testing by participating in panel discussions, delivering keynote presentations, and sharing insights on emerging trends, innovations, and best practices.
  • Product Showcase: Sponsoring organizations can showcase their products, technologies, and solutions to a captive audience of industry professionals.
  • Networking Opportunities: The conference offers a platform for sponsors to network with key stakeholders, including automotive OEMs, automotive suppliers and component manufacturers; testing laboratories and service providers; research institutions and academia; regulatory bodies and government agencies; technology providers and solution vendors; cybersecurity experts and data analysts; industry consultants and advisors; startups and innovators. Networking events, receptions, and visitor relaxation areas facilitate meaningful interactions and relationship-building opportunities.