There will be many speakers and announcements at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) and AutoMobili-D. The kickoff and keynote speakers have been announced as well as some exhibitors and universities.
BlackBerry Executive Chairman & CEO, John Chen, will deliver a keynote at AutoMobili-D. Chen will deliver his company’s announcement at 2:10 – 3:05 p.m. ET, Monday January 15, in Cobo Center’s Atrium.
Chen’s keynote will address BlackBerry’s transformation into a world leader in cybersecurity solutions and why the company is one of the most trusted partners in the automotive industry. Chen will also unveil a BlackBerry product that will help to shape and secure the future of connected and self-driving cars.
The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) announced today that U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao will keynote the kickoff of AutoMobili-D, an exposition showcasing a global ecosystem of mobility-focused companies and organizations.
AutoMobili-D will feature over 150 exhibiting brands, ranging from automakers, to suppliers, to tech startups as well as universities and government organizations. In addition, more than 100 industry thought leaders and executives will participate in symposiums and panel discussions throughout Press and Industry Preview Days. AutoMobili-D will run from Sunday-Sunday January 14-21, 2018, and encompass over 150,000 sq ft in 2018
Secretary Elaine L. Chao is currently the U. S. Secretary of Transportation. This is her second cabinet position. She served as U.S. Secretary of Labor from 2001-January 2009, and is the first Asian American woman to be appointed to the President’s cabinet in American history.
Secretary Chao comes to the U.S. Department of Transportation with extensive experience in the transportation sector. Early in her career, she specialized in transportation financing in the private sector. She began her executive career in public service working on transportation and trade issues at the White House. She then served as Deputy Maritime Administrator, U. S. Department of Transportation; Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission; and, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Toyota will premiere its all-new 2019 Avalon on Monday, January 15, at 1:05 PM EST during the 2018 North American International Auto Show.
Through its strategic partnership with Techstars Mobility, 57 startups from around the world will participate and showcase their mobility technologies as part of AutoMobili-D.
Key startup highlights:
- 79 percent are first-time exhibitors at AutoMobili-D
- Startups are coming from 11 countries – a 120 percent increase in international participants from 2017
- Nearly 90 percent have existing relationships with automotive and tech companies
- These startups employ 755 individuals worldwide
For 2018, the University Community has doubled in size compared to 2017 and will feature displays and thought leadership symposiums from universities including:
- Center for Automotive Research at Stanford University
- Clemson University – International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR)
- Kettering University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- Northwood University
- Ohio Smart Mobility (The Ohio State University)
- Transportation Research Center Inc. (affiliate to The Ohio State University)
- University of Michigan
- University of Waterloo Centre for Automotive Research (WatCAR)