Information technology in the auto industry

Posted 08/28/2012


Conference series begins with focus on importance of IT in the auto industry

UMTRI's fifth annual Focus on the Future automotive research conference series begins Wednesday, September 12, with a look at the importance of information technology (IT) in the automotive industry. The Business of IT: Transforming the Organization and the Vehicle is the first of five conferences to be offered throughout the coming year.

This year's Business of IT speakers, which include representatives from Toyota, GM, OnStar, Oracle Corporation, Microsoft, and UMTRI, will emphasize how information technology helps manage the increasing complexity in the automotive industry. They'll discuss the current and future information technologies predicted to transform the vehicle as well as our entire transportation system.

"As our speakers discuss the growing roles of IT within the organization and the vehicle, we begin to see the promise of IT that we heard so much about at the turn of the century begin to come to fruition," said UMTRI assistant research scientist Bruce Belzowski, who will moderate the conference. The conference takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the U-M Michigan League.

Afternoon speakers will address the ways in which IT has changed the vehicle from the perspective of consumers and drivers. Topics will include current consumer interfaces and options from new entertainment and safety systems, as well as future in-vehicle technologies and services.

The Business of IT conference is sponsored by Siemens PLM, Oracle Corporation, U-M Ross School of Business, U-M College of Engineering, and U-M Office of the Vice President of Research.

The 2012-2013 Focus on the Future conference schedule is as follows:

• September 12, 2012: The Business of IT: Transforming the Organization and the Vehicle
• November 7, 2012: Inside China: Understanding China's Current and Future Automotive Industry
• February 13, 2013: Inside Japan: Understanding Japan's Current and Future Domestic and Global Automotive Industry
• April 17, 2013: The Role of Government in the U.S. Automotive Industry
• July 24, 2013: Powertrain Strategies for the 21st Century

Photo: Participants from the 2010 Business of IT conference examine a Chevy Volt.

Photo credit: Joyce Daniels, UMTRI