Connect - discover - innovate!

10:00 – Chris Reeves, Head of CAV Technologies 

Title: CAV a Global Opportunity – but they are not without their challenges

The automotive sector is going through a period of unprecedented change and consumers will increasingly demand increasing levels of connectivity and automated driving functions. This transformation is opening up huge commercial opportunities, but it is not without major technical challenges. Not least of which is the need to determine the efficacy of these systems using best practice verification and validation processes. This presentation explains some of the test and validation challenges, and how they might be overcome.

10:25 – Dr Isabella Panella, Autonomous Driving Systems Senior Manager, Jaguar Land Rover

Title:  Guaranteeing Safety

 The future of autonomous driving is inherently linked to development of stochastic processing technologies and sensing. Looking at the need for algorithms that will not enable to be validated through robustness principles, how can safety be guaranteed?

10:50 – Mike Dempsey, Managing Director

Title: Enabling the Virtual Development and Testing of Autonomous Vehicles  

 Mike is the Managing Director of Claytex and a technical expert in modelling and simulation using Modelica and FMI.  Mike studied Automotive Engineering at Loughborough University and then worked at Ford and Rover on powertrain simulation. After starting Claytex as a consultancy, the company has grown and also become a specialist partner for Dassault Systems, training provider and simulation tool developer. Claytex now works with Formula 1 and NASCAR teams as well as Automotive OEM’s to deliver models and tools covering many different applications helping to create next generation of products.

11:15 –  Luca Castignani, Product Strategist, Autonomous Driving, MSC Software  

Title: Leveraging Simulations to Achieve Safety In Autonomous Vehicles  

 After receiving his PhD in Vehicle Dynamics, Luca Castignani worked for more than ten years in Ferrari Auto serving both in simulation roles and road testing. Having gained a significant experience both in suspension design and in the NVH attributes of vehicle body. In 2016 Luca Joined MSC Software as a senior Product Designer for multibody systems and since 2017 he has been appointed as Product Strategist for Autonomous Driving. Leveraging acquired companies (Vires VTD) and group synergies (at Hexagon level) he is designing and implementing the end-to-end solution offering of MSC Software to ADAS and Autonomous Driving needs

11:40 – Derek Burke, Regional Manager, WEKA.IO

Title : Maximising Value for Deep Learning Training Systems with

 Derek Burke has sixteen years’ experience in scale-out computing, introducing new technologies across Europe. He has previously held the VP for Industry position for the ETP4HPC, a public/ private partnership advising the European Commission on its high performance computing strategy. Derek has held senior sales and marketing positions at Seagate, Panasas, Silicon Graphics, Pure Storage and now leads sales in Northern Europe for WekaIO. 

12:05 – Mark Cracknell, Head of Technology at Zenzic 

Title: The UK Connected and Automated Mobility Roadmap to 2030

Mark joined Zenzic in 2018, he is leading on technology and the UK Connected and Automated Mobility Roadmap to 2030 to establish an industry-wide view of the future. He previously worked at TfL, supporting the London connected and automated testbed amongst other Surface Transport roles. Mark is a Chartered Engineer and has a first-class degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Southbank University.

12:55 – Alan Walker, Engineering Centre Manager 

Title: How to be a leader in ADAS 

AVL is at the forefront of developing customer specific high level features (L3+) for proof-of-concept demonstration to serial roll-out and reliably tests & validates all levels of driving assistance features in vehicle derivatives. The Human Centric Experience in autonomous vehicles is driving all AVL efforts in developing high performance solutions for Level 1 to level 5.

13:20 – Simon Thompson, Business Manager,  Oxford Technical Solutions

Title: Successful methods for open-road autonomous vehicle validation

Autonomous vehicle test engineers need robust and repeatable methods to validate vehicle performance on the open road in real time. This presentation will share how ground truth data from an inertial navigation system provides a reference for vehicle position, orientation and dynamics that is needed in difficult urban test areas. We will share a number of current examples where this technology is being used effectively by automotive manufacturers and sensor suppliers. 

13:45 – Swapnil R Kulkarni, Electromagnetic Senior Project Engineer 

Title: Future of e-mobility

We develop multiphysics simulation technologies that allow you to accelerate next generation mobility solutions development. From smart control design to powertrain electrification and vehicle architecture studies, our solutions enable optimization throughout the development cycle, all backed up by a global team of engineering consultants. Together we empower design teams to create innovative solutions that meet the challenges of e-mobility vehicle development.

14:10 – Parmjit Chima, Head of Engineering Department, Harper Adams University 

Title: Autonomous Agriculture and the “Hands Free Farm” 

Parmjit leads the Department of Engineering at Harper Adams University providing strategic leadership in the development and delivery of innovative teaching programmes, technology transfer and applied research in advanced agricultural, automotive and mechanical engineering. He specialises in mechatronics & robotics, embedded systems & IoT technologies and has over 30 years’ experience as an academic and manager. Parmjit’s team developed the world’s first autonomous tractor and combine harvester that successfully grew, tended and harvested an arable crop remotely without human operators which was awarded the Queens Anniversary Prize 2017 for innovation in agriculture. Parmjit is Principal Investigator for a £4.8m Innovate UK funded initiative, Project Synergy.

14:35 – Dr Chris Benson, Partner, HGF 

Title : Autonomous Vehicle IP – Who will own the future?  

Chris principally handles patent matters in the areas of electronics, computer software and physics. Chris has prosecuted and advised on patents relating to electronic circuits and systems, including computer processors and semiconductor devices, computer based inventions, such as graphics processing, computer algorithms and computer communications, consumer electronics such as navigation devices and home electronics, and also carbon nanotube-based inventions. Chris represents a wide range of clients from multi-national companies to start-up companies at the outset of developing their IP portfolio. Chris regularly attends proceedings at the European Patent Office, particularly before Examining Divisions. Chris has also represented clients in proceedings before the UK Intellectual Property Office.