SAE newsletter takes us back to Detroit

"“The Connected Car Challenge” is coming again to WCX. Get ready with your ideas and apps for the April 2019 competition. SAE International is making room for more competitors on stage by shortening the presentation time. Last year SAE gave out over $18,000 in prizes. Rules and submission deadline for the 2019 competition will be released soon (stay tuned). The Connected Car Challenge is an open-innovation competition. Participants—small, early-stage startup companies and individuals—propose, build and demonstrate an innovative connected vehicle device, system, or application that demonstrates how vehicle connectivity can contribute to changing and improving mobility, quality of life of individuals and communities, and the environment. “The automotive industry is experiencing an unprecedented wave of technology and business innovation, much of which is fueled by companies and individuals outside the traditional auto industry,” said Joe Barkai, industry analyst and Chair of the SAE Vehicle Internet of Things Program Committee, which is organizing the Connected Car Challenge. “The goal of the competition is to provide a platform for innovators to engage with automakers and suppliers and work collaboratively to advance the state of the industry.” Another goal is “to attract young men and women to automotive and propulsion technologies and give young entrepreneurs a platform to demonstrate their innovation in front of the participants of SAE’s WCX annual gathering of over 12,000 automotive executives and practitioners in Detroit,” Barkai added. The finalists from the 2018 competition were from the U.S., India and Israel. Prizes were awarded in the amounts of $10,000 for first place, $5,000 for second, and $3,000 for third. Check out Barkai’s blog at joebarkai.com/connected-car-challenge-winners where-are-they-now/ to see what the 2018 winners have been up to."