SAE International’s WCX World Congress Experience wrapped a successful three-day run earlier this month at Cobo Center in Detroit.
WCX showcased a full-spectrum, full-sensory interactive experience, uniting the mobility industry’s best talent from innovation hubs around the world for active learning, high-powered collaboration and technological discovery.
The event welcomed 10,000 attendees from more than 49 nations. Nearly 1,500 technical papers and presentations highlighted WCX; and nearly 200 exhibitors showcased the latest technology and innovations on the Show Floor.
“WCX is designed to bring together the brightest minds while sharing the latest next generation technology,” Jim Forlenza, Group Director, SAE Events, said. “We again accomplished that goal and look forward to building on this momentum for the future.”
Highlights from the event include:
- Keynote presentations from Ken Kelzer, Vice President, Global Vehicle Component and Subsystems, General Motors and Bob Lutz, Former Vice Chairman, General Motors; and Annual Banquet Presentation by Mark Reuss, Executive Vice President, Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain, General Motors Company
- Leadership Summit at the Exchange; Tech Hub at the Exchange; Knowledge Bar and Learning Lab – all featuring dynamic, interactive and customized presentations and discussions among subject matter experts and participants.
- Connect2Car, which featured the latest and most critical industry information about automotive connectivity featuring: automated driving; integrated transportation; smart cities and smart grids; cyber security; regulatory developments and policies; and technology integration
- Bustling exhibit hall, featuring: Six OEM exhibits; NAVYA fully autonomous shuttle demo on closed course; and WCX Connect: new directory platform with enhancements and more robust options for exhibitors to showcase their company, solutions, etc.
- Executive Leadership provide by General Motors with WCX Leadership Team comprising AVL, DENSO, FCA, FEV, Ford, Honda and Toyota
- Live streaming of selected Leadership Summit presentations, including “Not Dead Yet – the Ever-Evolving ICE Powertrain. Videos can be viewed online at https://www.facebook.com/pg/SAEInternational/videos
In addition, WCX featured, for the first time ever, the Pitch Pit, which featured seven presentations of innovative technologies with select exhibitors receiving exclusive access to FCA executives.
Marcus Hayes, CEO and Co-Founder of Orbis Wheels, participated in the Pitch Pit. “We have the opportunity to pitch Fiat Chrylser and discuss our technology with senior executives. SAE’s World Congress is a fabulous place to have your assumptions pressure tested so that you can leave not only with a better understanding of how your technology is received but we’ve actually had extraordinary collaboration.”
The 2019 SAE International WCX World Congress Experience will be held at Detroit’s Cobo Center from April 9-11, 2019.
Call for papers for the 2019 event will open in June 2018.
About SAE International
SAE International is a global association committed to being the ultimate knowledge source for the engineering profession. By uniting over 127,000 engineers and technical experts, we drive knowledge and expertise across a broad spectrum of industries. We act on two priorities: encouraging a lifetime of learning for mobility engineering professionals and setting the standards for industry engineering. We strive for a better world through the work of our philanthropic SAE Foundation, including programs like A World in Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series™.
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