SAE Tomorrow Today

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...

Did you know that motion sickness affects 1 in 3 people? As AVs gain traction and drivers become passengers, it may be the biggest barrier to the future of autonomous mobility. With a focus on addressing the root cause of motion sickness, Motion Sync offers breakthrough solution: a haptic pre-activation system that helps passengers anticipate vehicle movement with a personalized in-cabin experienc...

What does it really take to scale automated driving from a mapped robotaxi service to personally owned autonomous vehicles? Recorded live at the WCX 2026 in Detroit, listen in as Chris Gerdes, Field Safety Architect, Waymo, and Hugh Nguyen, Automotive Technology and Mobility, KPMG, explore the technical, regulatory, and infrastructure challenges reshaping mobility as SAE Level 4 automation makes i...

What does it take to move the world’s fourth-largest economy every single day? As one of the most complex transportation systems in the world, California is at the forefront of the next generation in mobility. Listen in as we sit down with Toks Omishakin, Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA), for a behind-the-scenes look at how California is preparing for global mega-ev...

As AVs continue to grow in popularity, one question remains top of mind: How do we know autonomous driving systems are genuinely safe?   The Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium (AVSC) is an industry collaboration group focused on improving the safe development and deployment of automated driving systems (ADS). By bringing together automakers, technology companies, suppliers, mobility providers, an...

Standards aren’t flashy … but they make modern mobility possible by enabling emerging technologies to scale safely.   Listen in as we sit down with SAE International experts Christian Thiele, Senior Director of Global Vehicle Ground Standards, and David Franks, Standards Specialist Engineer for Aerospace, for a wide‑ranging conversation on how SAE standards quietly enable trust, interoperability,...

What does it take to build a multimodal transportation network that actually works for rural communities, growing regions, and everyone in between? In Kansas, that question is critical as the Kansas City Chiefs plan their stadium move and the 2026 FIFA World Cup comes to town.   Listen in as we sit down with Matt Messina, Chief of Multimodal Transportation at the Kansas Department of Transportatio...

What does it really take to build a clean energy future — and who’s stepping up to lead it?   Listen in as we sit down with Steven Clarke, Program Director, Climate and Energy, Ceres, to explore how the organization is driving real-world climate solutions for Fortune 500 companies, investors, and policymakers though science-based, data-driven insights.   From tackling water risk and data center co...

When it comes to today’s vehicles, every bit of energy matters. Wasted power can reduce EV driving range, add weight, and increase costs across the supply chain.   That’s where SAE Standard J3311 comes in. Instead of constantly running systems at full power — or each automaker using its own proprietary strategy—SAE J3311 promotes efficient, fine-tuned energy use across the entire vehicle.   Listen...

What happens when government, technology, and sustainability collide?   Listen in as we down with Gabe Klein, Co-Founder of Adapt/Impact and CityFi, and former Executive Director of the U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, for a candid conversation about the future of urban mobility, the evolving role of government, and the impact of AI on our streets. From smart curb management to elec...

From lifelong hobbies to deep nostalgia, there is no doubt that personal connections with our vehicles are real. But true car lovers know that the future is built on what we’ve learned from the past.   Listen in as we sit down with SAE History of Ground Vehicle Systems Committee members Terry Mueller, George Nicols, and Jeff Singer to explore what makes cars so special. As historical engineering s...

Join us as we sit down with Richard Chelminski, Senior Vice President, Head of SDV Platform, at 42dot, an autonomous driving software and mobility platform development startup from Hyundai Motor Group. We discuss how the company is pushing boundaries with its end-to-end autonomous driving system, Atria AI, which is focused on Level 4 autonomy and designed for seamless integration into consumer veh...

What’s really holding back software-defined vehicles (SDVs) … and where should automakers shift their focus? Listen in as we sit down with John Wall, President of QNX, to explore how a trusted, safety-certified foundation frees OEMs to innovate faster, collaborate more effectively, and deliver differentiated vehicles. Drawing on insights from the Under the Hood: SDV Developer Report, they unpack w...

Battery development is typically a lengthy and difficult process, but one company is proving that it doesn’t have to be.   Listen in as we sit down with Gavin White, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, About:Energy, to discover how model-based design and advanced simulation are revolutionizing battery development — cutting timelines by up to 70%. You’ll also learn about the creation of The Vol...

What if booking a trip into orbit were as easy as booking a flight on your phone? As the defense and aerospace industries evolve at unprecedented speed, what once felt like science fiction is fast becoming reality. For a deep dive into the latest innovations reshaping the skies, we welcomed back Todd Tuthill, Managing Partner, Rincon Aerospace, to discuss everything from the rise of reusable rocke...

Curious how SAE can open doors in the automotive industry and beyond?  Listen in as we sit down with Dean Case, Membership Director, SAE SoCal, whose 45-year journey in the automotive industry is packed with stories of racing, engineering, and community building. From joining SAE as a Cal Poly student to shaping the future of motorsports and electric vehicles at Mazda, Ford, and Nissan, learn how...

From tariffs to trade policies, today’s automakers must respond to a variety of pressures to remain competitive in a changing manufacturing landscape.   As the voice of international automakers in the United States, Autos Drive America is strengthening the automotive manufacturing by advocating for trade and investment policies that expand jobs and support economic growth in America.   Listen in a...