LA Auto Show’s AutoMobility LA today announced the sponsors, theme, and judges for its signature annual hackathon. Taking place November 17-18 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the 2019 AutoMobility LA Hackathon, presented by Amazon Web Services (AWS) and HERE Technologies, and co-sponsored by SiriusXM Connected Vehicle Services Inc. (a subsidiary of SiriusXM Holdings Inc.), will focus on improving EV infrastructure. Winners of the hackathon will be awarded from a pool of $20,000, with the grand prize winner receiving $10,000.
“The automotive industry is undergoing a total transformation enabled by new technologies,” said Dean Phillips, Worldwide Technical Leader for Automotive and Manufacturing at AWS. “This transformation requires a workforce the AutoMobility LA Hackathon is helping to develop and inspire.”
Over the course of two days, hackathon participants will be asked to develop the enabling software and architectures to support an electric charging infrastructure for electric vehicles and long-haul, electric trucks as they travel along the 1,300 miles of Interstate 5 from Mexico to Canada. Using data from the City of Los Angeles, the Connected Vehicle Reference Architecture (CVRA 2.0) from AWS, as well as the data from HERE Location Services and SiriusXM Connected Vehicle Services, participants will be challenged to create solutions that support four key areas:
- Smart-charging journey planning, including integrated payments
- Battery performance, analytics and calculating range based on location context and driving style
- Improving the in-vehicle experience (e.g. in-vehicle voice technology like Alexa Auto)
- Use of vehicle and HERE location data and SiriusXM Connected Vehicle Services drive, location and crash incident data to create models for maximizing vehicle usage and safety
“Vehicles often get judged by ‘what’s under the hood?’ As vehicles become increasingly electric, connected and automated, ‘what’s under the hood’ will also apply to the performance of the vehicle’s back end systems,” said Mithun Dhar, General Manager, Developer Relations at HERE Technologies. “We’re excited to support this real-world challenge where HERE location data and advanced routing algorithms will be used to plan and optimize the EV infrastructure across one of the busiest stretches of U.S. interstate. This hackathon demonstrates the critical role developers play in the automotive industry’s transformation and the future of mobility.”
On Monday, November 18, teams will have the opportunity to present their solutions to experts in the automotive and technology spaces. Winners will be announced during AutoMobility LA on Tuesday, November 19. This year’s judges for the hackathon include:
- John Jasper, Senior Vice President of Connected Vehicle Services at SiriusXM
- Jay Kim, Assistant General Manager at the Los Angeles Department of Transportation
- Nils Kunces, Senior Account Manager of Automotive Sales at HERE Technologies
- Dean Phillips, Worldwide Technical Leader for Automotive and Manufacturing at AWS
- Chris Wenneman, Director of Alexa Auto at Amazon
“Competitions like the hackathon are not only vital to AutoMobility LA, but to the future of the automotive and technology industries,” said Terri Toennies, President of the LA Auto Show and AutoMobility LA. “We are providing a platform for participants to develop solutions that will help improve the overall driving experience and better the infrastructure for EVs as the purchases of these vehicles continue to increase rapidly. At a show where 38 percent of this year’s debut vehicles are electric, it will be exciting to see what EV solutions will be created at AutoMobility LA.”
Registration for the 2019 AutoMobility LA Hackathon is now open. Those interested in participating can register at AutoMobilityLA.com/hackathon.