SAE Tomorrow Today

What happens when smarter, software-defined products outpace the engineering systems used to build them?   Listen in as we sit down with Don Cantow, General Manager at Altium, to explore how electronics are reshaping product development and why fragmented engineering environments can no longer keep pace. He explains how connected platforms and a continuous digital thread can unite design, sup...

What does it take to make our roads safer while still paving the way for AVs? Listen in as we sit down with Jonathan Morrison, Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), to discuss the agency’s approach to roadway safety, AV regulation, and the future of mobility.  From modernizing outdated regulations to advancing crash test technology, you’ll learn how NHTS...

What if every aircraft in a fleet could speak the same data language? Listen in as we sit down with SAE Committee Members Robert Taylor, Senior Solutions Architect at Bell Flight, and Dave Larsen, Senior Technical Fellow, PHM Systems at Collins Aerospace, explore how the AS7140 standard is creating a more unified approach to aircraft health and usage monitoring data. Instead of relying on numerous...

From rocket engines to aircraft, laser powder directed energy deposition (DED) is turning years of production time into months.   Listen in as we sit down with Tyler Blumenthal, Sales Manager at RPM Innovations, to explore how DED is expanding the possibilities of metal additive manufacturing by using a high-powered laser and metal powder to build components layer by layer. DED can create, re...

As manufacturing enters a new era, the smartest solution may not be a better version of what already exists but an entirely new way of designing and building products.   Listen in as we sit down with Clemson University’s Saeed Farahani, Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering and founding director of the Convergent Manufacturing Lab, to explore how AI, digital twins, adva...

Off-road vehicles are expected to perform in places conventional vehicles can’t … from frozen tundra and isolated trails to deserts and remote environments. But how do you determine which new technologies will improve the rider experience rather than adopting technology simply because it’s new?   As the global leader in powersports for more than 70 years, Polaris delivers industry-shaping off...

Emerging technology is reshaping not only what engineers build, but how they build it. From software-defined and AI-powered vehicles to automation and electrification, the role of standards is changing as engineering workflows become increasingly digital, machine-readable, and AI-enabled. To learn how SAE International is navigating this next chapter, we sat down with Reuben Sarkar, CEO, to explor...

What does it take to drive an EV across America and back again? A 7,000-mile road trip is a great way to find out. Listen in as we sit down with science-comedian Sophie Shrand, Founder, Cool Jacket Productions and award-winning TV Host of “Science with Sophie”, to discuss The Great American ELECTRIC Road Trip — her exciting journey through 25 states in a Rivian R1S that puts EV infrastructure to t...

The future of mobility may not be about building bigger, more feature-packed vehicles.   Listen in as we sit down with Dr. Christopher Borroni-Bird, Founder, Afreecar Consulting, to discuss his vision for rethinking transportation through right-sized EVs, solar-powered mobility, autonomy, and locally tailored solutions. From fleet electrification and last-mile autonomy to new manufacturing mo...

Listen in as we sit down with Jennifer Dukarski, Emerging Tech, Media, and Intellectual Property Shareholder at Butzel, to unpack the rapidly evolving legal landscape surrounding SDVs and AVs. From AI decision-making and over-the-air updates to data retention, cybersecurity, consumer education, and the growing complexity of liability, we explore how existing legal frameworks are being tested by ne...

As electrification expands beyond passenger vehicles to commercial trucks, mining equipment, marine vessels, and even aircraft, the challenge is no longer whether megawatt charging is possible, it's how to scale it safely and efficiently. Fortunately, industry standards are making that future possible.   Listen in as we sit down with Ted Bohn, Principal Electrical Engineer at Argonne National...

With too many cooks in the kitchen, can innovation ever reach the road? In this Unplugged episode of SAE Tomorrow Today, host Grayson Brulte uses the culinary world as a powerful metaphor to explore one of the autonomous trucking industry's most pressing issues: who gets “veto power”? As startups challenge established OEMs and suppliers, questions around control, competition, and liability are sha...

Whether it’s supersonic travel, commercial space, or AI-enabled aircraft, one message remains constant: safety standards are the common language that enable the future of flight.  Listen in as we sit down with Craig McMillan, Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) Growth Leader at GE Aerospace, to discuss the intersection of AI, digital engineering, and the growing complexity of modern aircra...

From drone delivery to public safety and defense, the next generation of uncrewed aerial vehicles y better batteries, but by better battery standards. Listen in as we sit down with Jeff Yambrick, Chair of the SAE Battery Cell Size Standardization Committee, and Lisa King, Director of Advanced Battery Strategy at Leap Manufacturing, to discuss SAE JA1016 — a new standard designed to simplify batter...

What does it really mean to build a software-defined vehicle? As AI reshapes the automotive industry, SDVs may become the foundation for the future rather than the destination. Listen in as we sit down with Jeffrey Chou, Founder and CEO of Sonatus, a leading provider of intelligence-driven SDV solutions, to explore why SDVs are best understood as a platform for innovation — one that is scalable, u...

Software-defined vehicles (SDVs) are transforming the automotive industry … but are OEMs focused on the right priorities? With over 35 years of award-winning automotive software expertise, Elektrobit’s comprehensive SDV ecosystem empowers OEMs, Tier 1s, ODMs and Big Tech to build future-ready solutions with speed and confidence — driving faster innovation and seamless integration across the vehicl...

How does a strong engineering community help shape the future of mobility? Join us as we sit down with Brent Yacobucci, Acting Director of The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress, and Chair of the SAE Washington DC Section, to discuss the intersection of engineering, technology, and public policy in driving innovation in our nation's capital. From vehicle safety regulations and AI to a...

What exactly is L2+? And what about L2++? As the industry embraces these increasingly common terms, is liability slowing the path to Level 3 automation? In this Unplugged episode of SAE Tomorrow Today, join host Grayson Brulte to explore the automation liability concerns keeping OEMs awake at night and why companies like NVIDIA, Mobileye, Qualcomm, Stellantis, and Mercedes-Benz are using terminolo...

What does it really take to engineer under pressure? From mud-soaked vehicles and broken suspensions to team dynamics and split-second decisions, Baja SAE has become a proving ground for the next generation of engineering leaders.  By challenging engineering students to design, build, and race single-seat off-road vehicles capable of surviving extreme terrain, Baja SAE requires every team to use t...

When aircrafts are lighter, they use less fuel and are easier to maintain. That’s why major airline manufacturers are increasingly using titanium and carbon in their construction.   Norsk Titanium is the only high deposition rate additive manufacturing company that is FAA-approved and OEM-qualified for structural titanium parts—and their wire-based manufacturing process reduces material waste by u...

Are humanoid robots moving from science fiction to reality? The answer is yes, and it may be faster than anyone predicted.   Listen in as we sit down with David Kehr, President of Humanoid Robotics at Schaeffler, to discuss how the company is leveraging decades of expertise to power the next generation of physical AI. From deploying humanoids in manufacturing plants to advancing actuator technolog...

Batteries don’t fail because of chemistry. They fail because of execution. Qnovo provides advanced software to optimize lithium-ion battery health and safety, proving that competitive advantage isn’t just about the battery itself, but how intelligently you manage it. By leveraging sophisticated battery models enhanced with AI and machine learning, the company delivers real-time insights into batte...

What if the streetlights in your neighborhood could charge your EV overnight?   Voltpost is making this vision a reality by transforming existing lampposts into modular, upgradeable EV charging stations managed by a mobile app. By partnering with utilities, the company is accelerating EV charging infrastructure deployment by retrofitting what’s already in place. Listen in as we sit down with James...

What if the brain of your car wasn’t just smart but continuously learning, scaling, and orchestrating everything from safety to autonomy in real time?   Listen in as we sit down with Anshuman Saxena, Vice President and General Manager of ADAS & Robotics at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., to explore how the Snapdragon Ride Pilot is reshaping the path to automated driving. From the rise of physical AI...

What if your airport was a living laboratory for innovation? Listen in as we sit down with Brian Cobb, Chief Innovation Officer at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International (CVG) Airport, to explore how CVG operates as a “city within a city,” deploying emerging technologies to improve passenger experience, strengthen operational resilience, and reimagine the modern airport. Discover how CVG is ad...