AUTOSENS RETURNING TO DETROIT: CONFERENCE PLAYS VITAL ROLE IN AUTONOMOUS TECH

• AutoSens is returning to Detroit, the world’s leading summit on autonomous driving.
• Microsoft, Sony General Motors and MIT will be presenting technical sessions.
• AutoSens encourages collaboration to tackle the most challenging issues facing autonomous driving.

 

Not long ago, self-driving cars were figments of science fiction; the ideal centerpiece of a quasi-Utopian yet technologically-advanced society in the far away future. Over the past century, humans have driven their own cars to cinemas and bookshops to enjoy these stories from a faraway time. But the reality is quite different. Self-driving cars? Some people might say, “Not in my lifetime.”

You’d be amazed at what you could see in your lifetime.

Big Dreams & Grand Visions

Science fact, autonomous cars are not science fiction. It’s just a matter time before they hit our roads. The decisions that we as an industry make in advance are crucial. Once they are here, they will be here. Consumers are already sceptical about the technology. Either we get it right or pay a significant price down the road. There are many issues to consider, from supply chain, infrastructure, legal, and financial. The biggest concern should be that if our cars make a mistake, it could lead to a fatality.

It’s easy to understand why now is important when our industry’s goals include zero traffic deaths. What’s the best way to reach such an impressive goal? Working together and learning from one another.

Content & Collaboration

AutoSens is the most influential conference on autonomous driving in the world. AutoSens will return to Detroit, Michigan on May 14, where the conference will focus on the most pressing challenges for autonomous vehicles. AutoSens provides engineers with an invaluable resource by combining academic research, R&D from industry, and OEM insight.

Robert Stead is the Managing Director of Sense Media. The parent company for AutoSens. We strive to provide high-quality presentations every year at AutoSens, so that all attendees can return to their offices or laboratories with new ideas, solutions or information.

Organizers believe that returning to Detroit will be essential to achieve these types of results.

Stead added, “There’s a lot to see on the three-day event, from sensors to software, systems to simulation, testing, and hardware; there’s a lot to see.” Detroit has the advantage of both its past and future. Recent developments, combined with the size of the automotive expertise that exists in the region, make it the ideal melting pot for discussions driving future automotive product development.

Last year, Dr. Monica Lopez Gonzalez, cognitive scientist and Co-Founder of La Petite Noiseuse Productions as well as Scientific & artistic Director, spoke at AutoSens Detroit. Photo by Alex Hartman, Sense Media.

Robust Agenda

AutoSens Detroit will be held at the Michigan Science Center for a second time , with a robust program. The opening plenary will feature presentations by the U.S. Highway Loss Data Institute about the impact current ADAS technology has on road safety. Osram will present a workshop on infra red sensing, and 3M will demonstrate a material-sensor interaction system. Microsoft will be hosting a tutorial for the Robot Operating System. DeepScale is presenting energy-efficient solutions to autonomous driving.

Stead stated that “the technical presentations cover these topics but we also cover wider issues surrounding the development of ADAS, autonomous vehicles and the conference plenary session which opens and closes the event.” This could include the legal, financial or regulatory context of the development for vehicle perception systems.

“I think the biggest challenge is to try and understand the different technologies,” said Phil Magney, Founder, Principal Advisor of VSI Labs at AutoSens Detroit in 2013. This conference was good for us, because we met like-minded individuals who are facing similar problems. We talked, exchanged views and learned from each other.

At a recent AutoSens in Brussels, Belgium Senior Applications Engineer Edel CASHMAN (right) of SensL Technologies demonstrated how its sensors could be used for LiDAR. Photo: Sense Media (c) Bernal Revert/BR&U.

Go Deeper

The curious who want to know more about how an autonomous vehicle works will have plenty of company. Detroit Autonomous Vehicles Group, for example, is planning a hackathon to teach future engineers the basics of self driving cars. AutoSens attendees are able to see the workings of an autonomous vehicle piece by piece.

 

Stead explained that by this he meant the sensors, cables and processors as well as other hardware and software which give a car’s computer an image of its surroundings so it can take decisions. These technologies are used in many of the current road-going vehicles, but are also being developed for future systems, such as fully autonomous cars.

Soshun Arai is the Director of ADAS, Automated Driving Platform Strategy at the company. Arai and his company attended AutoSens Detroit in order to examine the components that are most important for their business.

He said, “We came here to AutoSens to learn about the latest technology and trends in sensors.”

AutoSens Detroit attendees gathered around to watch one of the many presentations on technical topics that were held last year. The conference will be held at the Michigan Science Center starting on May 14. Photo by Alex Hartman, Sense Media.

For Engineers, By Engineers

Ed Bernardon is this year’s keynote speaker for AutoSens Detroit. He is the VP of Strategic Automotive Initiatives, Siemens. Bernardon will discuss how autonomous technology can impact the future transportation. He and his team conducted interviews with experts who are working on 3D printed autonomous shuttles and intelligent traffic systems. They also interviewed people involved in flying cars. There are also presentations by General Motors and Changan. Also, NVIDIA will be presenting technical information. Wayne State University, University of South Carolina and MIT will host academic sessions.

Stead stated that “AutoSens is a simple organization to help and support engineers and scientists. When we hear from attendees the stories of the new people, things they learned and business connections they made, it keeps us motivated.” It’s all about creating a community and meeting place that can inspire others to pursue good science.

 

Sometimes, conference organizers are concerned about what attendees will not experience.

Stead said, “I have run more conferences in my 14 years of working in this industry than I can recall. And sadly, I’ve seen them suffer from a pushy and overprotective sales approach.” “I understand individual motives, but this is counterproductive to learning and networking events such as this.”

Paul Fleck added, “It is a wonderful event and we’re very happy to have been able to participate in this ecosystem.

Paul Fleck, founder of Dataspeed (black shirt and jacket in the middle), talks to AutoSens Detroit attendees, May 2018. Dataspeed displayed the company’s ADAS Kit, which helps engineers optimize their development of autonomous system in the field. Fleck, a fellow engineer, lost his loved one to an automobile accident. This experience inspired him to create a technology that he believes can save lives. Photo by Alex Hartman, Sense Media.

Tickets, Location and More Information

AutoSens Detroit 2019 starts on May 14th and runs until the 16th. The organizers are pleased to see many returning exhibitors along with plenty of new brands. On the 14th there will be a demonstration where attendees can drive vehicles with autonomous technology.

Tickets , including discounts for women in the engineering field, are now .

Stead stated that AutoSens was all about nurturing a global community of brilliant minds driving this automotive revolution. “A truly global audience will gather in downtown Detroit to learn from one another’s experiences, make new friends, and catch up on old ones.”