Blue Ribbon Panel: Connected and Autonomous Vehicle

Sponsored by:

Monday, October 20 • 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Riverview Ballroom

CUSTOMERS have spoken and they want to be able to safely use their time in their vehicles to do a wide variety of tasks in addition to driving. And, TECHNOLOGY is responding with exciting opportunities like autonomous vehicles and vehicle-to-vehicle communications. Will our future include "virtual valet parking" and "virtual chauffeurs"? Are "driverless" vehicles possible? If so, what roadmap will they follow? Will we eventually see "cars that don't crash"? These far reaching questions and many others will be explored by a diverse panel of industry experts. For sure, our CUSTOMERS have a very exciting future to look forward to.

Organizer and Moderator:
Dr. Larry Burns, General Motors Corporation

Panelists

Paul R. Brubaker
Administrator, US Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration

Paul Brubaker was nominated by President George W. Bush to serve as Administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) on June 18, 2007. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 3, 2007, and was sworn into office on August 8, 2007.

As RITA Administrator, Mr. Brubaker leads the agency responsible for coordinating and reviewing DOT's roughly $1 billion investment in research, development and technology, and is charged with advancing technologies that will improve the nation's transportation system. RITA oversees the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Volpe Center, Intelligent Transportation Systems program, Transportation Safety Institute, and numerous cross-modal research initiatives.

Mr. Brubaker previously served as CEO of Procentrix, a firm that helps organizations plan, manage and achieve measurable performance improvement through the effective use of process and technology. His diverse background and expertise positioned him with the ability to empower public sector transformation and drive new models for government efficiency. Prior to this role, Mr. Brubaker served as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of SI International, one of the nation's fastest growing government contractors.

Mr. Brubaker previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary and Deputy Chief Information Officer at the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) where he was the Department's second highest-ranking technology official and supervised DoD's $50 billion annual Information Technology expenditure. He drove the transformation of many of DoD's business and war-fighting processes including personnel, logistics, finance and command and control, and supervised the Department's electronic business activity including implementation of paperless contracting initiatives, travel process management and electronic mail. He was awarded the Distinguished Public Service Medal (with bronze palm) for his efforts on behalf of the Department.

Before serving at DoD, Mr. Brubaker held various executive positions within the public and private sectors, including Vice President of Strategic Programs for Litton PRC, Vice President of Business Development for Federal Data Corporation, and in senior positions within the U.S. Senate and General Accounting Office. While serving as Republican Staff Director of the Senate Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, Mr. Brubaker was the principal staff architect of the Clinger Cohen Act while working for then-Senator William S. Cohen (R-Maine).

He has also won numerous awards including the Association for Information Resource Management's (AFFIRM) Government Executive Leadership Award in 2000. He was named to Federal Computer Week's Federal 100 in 1996 and 2002, and was appointed to the board of the Virginia Innovative Technology Authority in 1998 where he served as chairman from 2001 to 2003. He recently ended terms as chairman of the technical committee of the Armed Force Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) and president of its D.C. Chapter.

Mr. Brubaker holds a B.A. from Youngstown State University and a M.P.A. from Kent State University, and is very active with the Churchill Centre. He lives with his family in Oakton, Virginia.

Dr. Peter E. Rieth
Senior Vice President Systems & Technology, Member of the Management Board, Division Chassis & Safety, Continental

Dr. Peter E. Rieth, was born in Eltville am Rhein, Germany in 1951. After graduating in Mechanical Engineering at Darmstadt University of Technology in 1978 he worked five years as a scientist at the Institute for Material Science & Technology in Darmstadt, Germany. In 1983, he was awarded a doctorate in engineering by the Technical University of Darmstadt.

Since more than 25 years Dr. P.E. Rieth is working in the field of vehicle and traffic safety where he holds more than 100 patents worldwide.

In 1983, Dr. P.E. Rieth joined the former Alfred Teves GmbH in Frankfurt, Germany, as head of department for Material and Brake Components Strength and Fatigue. After various assignments, in 1988 he became head of the Chassis Development department.

In 1994, he was appointed head of Advanced Engineering at ITT Automotive Europe. After integration into the Continental Corporation in September 1998 he was head of Advanced Engineering at Continental Teves. In 2001, he became head of Central Engineering and Vehicle Systems and was appointed Member of the Central Board of Continental Automotive Systems Division.

Since 2007, he is head of Systems & Technology and Member of the Management Board of the Division Chassis & Safety at Continental.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the enhancement of vehicle and traffic safety Dr. P. E. Rieth was awarded the US Government Award for Safety Engineering Excellence by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in June 2005.

Dr. Rieth is married with a daughter. He is an enthusiastic windsurfer, off-road motorcyclist and driver of a 1956 MY roadster.

Chris Urmson
Assistant Research Professor, Robotics, Carnegie Mellon University

Chris Urmson is an Assistant Research Professor in Robotics at Carnegie Mellon University and was the Director of Technology for Tartan Racing, the joint General Motors/Carnegie Mellon entity which won the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge. Chris has developed several robotic navigation architectures and software systems currently in use by Carnegie Mellon University, NASA JPL and NASA Ames. He has made significant contributions to the development of over a half dozen robots, with an emphasis towards software development and system integration. He earned his PhD in 2005 from Carnegie Mellon and his B.Sc. in Computer Engineering from the University of Manitoba in 1998. Chris has earned a variety of corporate and academic awards including being named a Siebel Scholar, and receiving technology innovation awards from Boeing Phantom Works and SAIC.

John Waraniak
Vice President of Vehicle Technology, Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA)

John Waraniak leads SEMA's advanced vehicle technology strategy, programs and initiatives. His role is to help members understand the challenges, develop solutions and capitalize on the business opportunities presented by today's complex vehicle systems and technologies.

Waraniak is a proven industry leader who has worked for automotive, motorsports, aerospace and consumer products companies for more than 20 years. With specific expertise in systems engineering and product development, Waraniak serves as the primary contact for SEMA members to reach automakers and suppliers on vehicle architecture and systems integration issues. He is also responsible for developing SEMA's technology briefings and connecting SEMA members to the benefits of OEM-Aftermarket collaboration and technology transfer. Waraniak works directly with SEMA's OE Relations Department representing the association's members and the automotive specialty-equipment industry with OEMs, industry associations and academic institutions.

Prior to joining SEMA, Waraniak held executive positions with a range of companies, including TATA Consultancy Services, Johnson Controls, General Motors, Hughes Aircraft, Northrop and No Fear. His visionary and entrepreneurial leadership skills played an integral role in helping these companies develop and implement innovative strategies for adapting best business and technology practices and achieving lean product-process development for growth and improved profitability.

Waraniak has authored numerous industry articles and reports, and is a frequent speaker on the benefits of collaborative product development, lean customization and open systems. He has co-chaired the auto industry's prestigious Management Briefing Seminars for over ten years where he has been an outspoken advocate for the specialty equipment and performance aftermarket industry with the OEM community.

Waraniak earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan. He has a master's degree in mechanical and industrial engineering from the University of Illinois and a master's degree in engineering management from West Coast University. He also graduated from the California Institute of Technology's Executive Engineering Management Program.

John is an avid industry and motocross enthusiast. He resides in West Bloomfield, Michigan with his wife Terri and their two sons Scott and Jeff.