The Los Angeles Auto Show’s AutoMobility LA announced that Laura Schwab, President of Aston Martin Lagonda of the Americas and Giovanni Palazzo, President and CEO of Electrify America, are among the experts headlining the packed event for 2018. AutoMobility LA, taking place Nov. 26-Nov. 29 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, will provide a platform for media and industry professionals to witness auto-tech announcements, solo talks, panels, vehicle debuts, and participate in networking events.
Alongside solo talks with Schwab and Palazzo, the conference will include content from numerous leaders within both the automotive and technology industries. Ted Klaus>, Vice President and Executive Engineer of Honda R&D Americas, will present a connected highway prototype that aims to reduce traffic congestion and collisions. Dr. Carsten Breitfeld, CEO and Co-founder of BYTON, will address how the brand utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) in the customer experience space. Ned Curic, Vice President of Amazon Alexa Automotive, will discuss the increasing importance of voice in mobility and how it will be an essential component for the autonomous future. AutoMobility LA will also feature debut vehicles from electric newcomers BYTON and Rivian on Tuesday, November 27 inside the Technology Pavilion.
Programming at the conference will also cover hot-button industry topics including new collaboration models for building cars of the future, blockchain in transportation, preparing highways for autonomous vehicles, changes in car design, electrification, autonomy, car-sharing, and more. Panels will last 30 minutes, allowing for a brief Q&A to take place following each session. Popular AutoMobility LA competitions and events like the Hackathon at AutoMobility LA, Securing Mobility Summit, the industry kick-off party, Top Ten Automotive Startups Competition and Green Car of the Year awards will also return.
In addition to its conference, AutoMobility LA will also offer exciting new events aimed at social and professional advancement. Women in Automotive will host a conference focused on educating and empowering the automotive community on thought leadership and trends that impact employment and sales growth. Guests may also attend the Marketing Automotive conference – an event created by MediaPost – where automotive marketing leaders share insights on how they are moving their business and industry forward. Also new for 2018 is the Car Design Forum, an event hosted by Car Design News, which offers auto industry professionals a unique chance to hear about the latest and most game-changing advances in tech, UX, AI and the future shape of the industry from the senior creatives who are leading the charge.
Attendees of AutoMobility LA will also be among the first to view global, North American and auto show debuts from auto manufacturers including BMW, Nissan, Porsche, Volkswagen and Volvo, among others. Following AutoMobility LA, all 2018 vehicle debuts will be on display at the Los Angeles Auto Show, which will be open to the public Nov. 30–Dec. 9.
The Los Angeles Auto Show’s (LA Auto Show®) AutoMobility LA™ also announced that Plug and Play, one of Silicon Valley’s top accelerator programs, and SiriusXM
Connected Vehicles, a new connected car subscription service from SiriusXM®, are sponsors of its 2018 Top Ten Automotive Startups Competition™ presented by Plug and Play and Sirius XM (Top Ten). Additionally, Audi and URBAN-X- built by MINI and Urban Us – have signed on as supporting sponsors of the competition.
The fifth annual Top Ten competition will be judged by leaders from major companies in the automotive and technology spaces, including Audi, Plug and Play, Porsche Consulting, Sansea Consulting, and Sirius XM Connected Vehicles, among others. In October, judges will select three startups to move forward in the competition; the companies will present their innovations onstage at AutoMobility LA. Following the live presentations, judges will deliberate and select the grand prize winner.
The grand prize winner will win $15,000 in cash. All finalists will receive exhibit space at AutoMobility LA, as well as publicity and exposure among some of the world’s most influential automakers, tech industry leaders, developers, investors, and more.
Top Ten provides a platform for auto-tech startups to present their ideas and advanced technology to prominent industry influencers and investors. Every year, Top Ten alums go on to make noteworthy advancements and announcements that further the mobility industry. Last year’s Top Ten winner, Swiss augmented reality developer WayRay, secured an investment from Porsche during its current Series C funding round, bringing the total value of its financing to $80 million. 2017 Top Ten finalist, Innoviz Technologies, is now working with BMW to enable its Level 3-5 autonomous vehicles to “see” their surroundings with its LiDAR sensors.
“The Top Ten Automotive Startup Competition is an integral part of our show and continues to showcase our dedication to finding the next big startups that will move the mobility industry forward,” said Terri Toennies, Executive Vice President and General Manager of AutoMobility LA and the LA Auto Show. “We continue to be intrigued by the impressive submissions from companies around the world that are looking to move the needle in the auto and tech space. We’re looking forward to this year’s showcase and seeing the talent, ideas, and partnerships that will take place during and after the show.”