MichAuto joined over 3,000 participants and many of Michigan’s mobility leaders in Austin, Texas, on Sept. 24-25 to participate in the MOVE America 2024 Conference. This leading global conference is at the cutting edge of technology and mobility, bringing together startup, OEM, technology, and other ecosystem partners to learn about the future of the automotive industry and how technology will drive innovation.
I moderated the Using Software to Extend the In-car Customer Experience panel with experts from Honda, Toyota Connected, Nikola Motor, and Kyndryl. We dug into the opportunities that software provides vehicle manufacturers to develop and deploy products that increase owner’s experience while evaluating the challenges with data security, user trends, and cost/benefit of launching new services. While navigating these new software and technology implementations, the focus from all of the OEMs remains on the user experience.
The energy at MOVE America is strong; the focus is on the future; and it highlights how Michigan’s automotive and mobility ecosystem must continue to focus on innovation. Michigan and Detroit have dominated the automotive industry for over 100 years. With the implementation of new propulsion technologies and a more software-defined vehicle, we must focus on diversifying our supply base, securing more technology-focused businesses, and investing in the innovation that will drive Michigan forward for the next century.
We are already seeing these types of investments taking place in Michigan, and the world is taking notice. And that’s in part why MOVE America 2025 is set to take place Sept. 24-25, 2025, in Detroit. I am excited that Detroit has attracted another world-class mobility conference. It’s another opportunity to showcase why Detroit was and remains to be the Motor City.