The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), in partnership with Magna International, have announced that Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Clemson University have joined an ever-growing list of acclaimed and respected universities from across the U.S. and Canada that will showcase their schools’ mobility and automotive focuses as part of AutoMobili-D.
“As incubators of ideas and developers of the next generation of talent, universities play a vital role in the developing mobility ecosystem,” said Swamy Kotagiri, Magna’s chief technology officer. “We look forward to helping form connections and dialogue at NAIAS 2018 between automakers, suppliers and some of the top institutions of higher learning.”
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)
“The universities that Magna has attracted to AutoMobili-D for 2018 are sought after globally not only for their students, but the innovative concepts and demonstrators they have developed,” said Ryan LaFontaine, 2018 NAIAS chairman.
Magna has increased its focus and resources on innovation in recent years, including close partnerships with start-ups, entrepreneurs and universities based on its open-for-business approach. Through these collaborations Magna gains additional insights into the trends and technology needed to shape the “Car of the Future,” while the partners get an opportunity to work with a world-class auto supplier and receive feedback on bringing their ideas and inventions to market.
The inaugural launch of AutoMobili-D in 2017 featured more than 180 brands, ranging from automakers, to suppliers, to tech startups as well as universities and government organizations. From John Krafcik debuting the fully autonomous Chrysler Pacifica, to Carlos Ghosn providing insights into Nissan’s plans for a connected future, to Julia Steyn on Maven’s outlook on urban mobility as a “service,” these great industry leaders and many others took the stage and delivered more than 40 hours of mobility-focused announcements and discussions.
The exposition area for AutoMobili-D in 2018 is expanding by 30,000 square feet and will now encompass more than 150,000 square feet of dedicated space within the NAIAS. Magna will have a 2,000 square feet of exhibit within the University and Association Community and will showcase its deep systems knowledge throughout the vehicle with an interactive experience. They also will have a private hospitality area for customers and guests during the AutoMobili-D show hours.
Along with the expanded floor space in 2018, AutoMobili-D will now extend through the first weekend of Public Show as part of the previously announced Future Automotive Career Exposition (FACE). At FACE, participating AutoMobili-D companies will have the opportunity to interact face-to-face with qualified candidates and fill needed positions across a wide array of disciplines.
