SEMA Member News—November/December 2014
Where to Find ETTN at the SEMA Show
At the SEMA Garage open house in July, visitors toured the Industry Innovations Center and got a close-up view of the technologies inside.
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The evening reception will run from 5:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4, in Ballroom C of the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino (formerly the LVH) and will offer an ideal opportunity for new or prospective members to learn more about the focus and goals of the groups from volunteer leaders and veteran members.
ETTN is also pleased to be powering several educational sessions that come highly recommended for network members and anyone attending the SEMA Show who wants to stay on the cutting edge of vehicle technology. Each of the sessions fits within the network’s stated goal of identifying and communicating trends to members in order to help them maintain and grow a thriving business in the automotive specialty-equipment market.
SEMA’s Vice President of Vehicle Technology John Waraniak will present four sessions throughout the week in the specialized vehicle technology track. Each of the forums will take place in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N258:
- Vehicle Dynamics Forum—Monday, November 3, 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
- Powertrain Forum—Tuesday, November 4, 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
- Racing & Performance Forum—Tuesday, November 4, 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
- Performance Branding & Design Forum—Wednesday, November 5, 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
On Thursday, November 6, ETTN will power one of the “Keynote & Coffee” sessions from 9:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m. The panel discussion, entitled “Technology in the Car: Silicon Valley Technology Meets Motor City Application,” will address the question on everyone’s mind: How do digital technology and members’ products fit together? Attendees will learn about the resources SEMA has in place to make vehicle software accessible and what the future may hold.
Waraniak and John Ellis, head of the Ford Developer Program, will moderate a panel of industry experts that will include Danny Shapiro, director of automotive for NVIDIA; Todd Petersen, chief innovation officer at MSD Performance; Greg Krueger, connected vehicle program manager at Leidos; Justin Moon, director of innovation at Lixar; and Nigel Francis, senior automotive adviser to the state of Michigan and senior vice president of the automotive industry office at Michigan Economic Development Corp.
SEMA Garage Resources Give Members a Competitive Advantage
SEMA has always striven to help members stay on the cutting edge of technological trends in the industry in order to keep business booming. ETTN specifically focuses on this goal by educating and connecting network members to developments that can give them a competitive advantage, from general marketing concepts to automotive breakthroughs. To this end, a SEMA-member benefit for manufacturers is the SEMA Garage-Industry Innovations Center in Diamond Bar, California. The SEMA Garage is a one-stop shop for the product-development cycle, offering low-cost resources to assist members in quickly and efficiently preparing products for market.
Over the past year, ETTN members have had a few opportunities to explore how the resources provided through the SEMA Garage can benefit their companies. In January, ETTN members gathered with the group’s leadership for discussions focused on the future focus of the group while also getting a chance to tour the garage, which was still under construction at the time. In April, ETTN sponsored SEMA’s Product Development Expo, fueled by the SEMA Garage. The day was packed full of insight from experts in vehicle technology, with more than 80 members in attendance. It was also the participants’ first look at the media cove, the most recent addition to the garage. Finally, at the first-ever SEMA Garage open house in July, members saw the technology in action as staff demonstrated the Faro Arm scanning device, rapid prototyping software and the fully functional emissions lab.
As vehicle technology continues to evolve, so do the tools that can take a concept to a working product. Knowing that tomorrow’s consumers will look for different capabilities in their vehicles, the challenge becomes understanding how these new technologies influence the user experience. Over the coming months, ETTN will continue to explore these questions, making it easier for members to plan for the future. If the last year has been any indication, the SEMA Garage will continue to be a big part of those conversations.
To learn more or to schedule time in the SEMA Garage, visit www.SEMAgarage.com. Garage representatives will also be in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center during the SEMA Show to meet members and answer questions.