SAE Tomorrow Today

All-electric flight will soon become a reality—and one company is building the infrastructure that will enable it to scale and commercialize. . As a pioneer in sustainable high-speed air mobility, Lilium is one of the only all-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) companies seeking dual certification with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Federal Aviation Administration...

Long regarded as one of the most influential women in NASCAR, decorated auto racing engineer Alba Colón came to Hendrick Motorsports as Director of Technical Partnerships after a storied career with General Motors that spanned more than two decades. . Under Colón’s leadership, Chevrolet was the most dominant manufacturer in the NASCAR Cup Series, amassing 286 race wins, 12 driver championships and...

Today, there is a rush to be the first person to post a video or photo of an autonomous vehicle in a compromising light. But what impact is that having on the advancement of the industry? . Many of us don’t know the history of aviation and the risks that were taken to advance flight. Autonomous vehicles are having their Wright Brothers moment. When new technologies are developed and commercialized...

Formed in 1992, the SAE S-18 Aircraft & Systems Development and Safety Assessment Committee is tasked by the FAA to capture consensus industry safety procedures into a recommended practice. For over 25 years, the S-18 documents have been the cornerstone of product development and safety in aviation. . As new aircraft technologies like eVTOL and autonomous flights emerge, the S-18 committee is keep...

Every year, wildfires result in the loss of thousands of lives, millions of acres, and hundreds of billions of dollars. But the powerful combination of AI and drone technology can change how we fight wildfires and mitigate the loss of life, property, and forests. . Data Blanket is a Seattle-based startup developing small fleets of AI-powered drones that autonomously carry out missions for assessin...

The strategy to transition away from carbon-based fuels must be rooted in reality. Success depends on cost parity, the right market incentives, necessary infrastructure, and access to a wide array of scarce natural resources. . As an alliance of trucking industry stakeholders committed to a clean energy future, the Clean Freight Coalition is bringing sanity to the electrification conversation. Fro...

We all know traditional vehicle inspections are time-consuming, manual, and often subjective. But what if there was an easier and more accurate way? . Enter UVeye, the industry’s first vehicle inspection system based on advanced AI, computer-vision, and machine learning technologies for use in dealerships, fleets, and auction spaces. The company has developed a set of products that scan the entire...

As the SAG-AFTRA strike continues, California’s economy continues to suffer. Small businesses that once provided services to the movie industry are beginning to shut down due to a lack of work. The longer the strike continues, the more California will need the jobs that tech industries, like autonomous trucking, create. . Governor Newsom recognizes the positive impact that the tech industry has on...

As autonomous trucking scales, what role will professional drivers play? According to one company, the answer is a big one.  . As world-leading experts in self-driving, Waabi is speeding up the curve of autonomous trucking with their generative AI simulation platform. But their leadership in the AV space goes beyond their revolutionary technology. By creating the industry’s first Million Mile Driv...

From performance and range to solid state and lithium ion batteries, many factors are at play when it comes to the current state of EV adoption. With so many advancements afoot, who better to ask about the latest developments in electrification than Munro & Associates? . As a world-renowned engineering and manufacturing consulting firm, Munro & Associates has consistently saved manufacturing compa...

On the quest to scale autonomy, partnerships are essential. A perfect example is the recent collaboration between MOIA and Apex. AI for the market-ready development of a passenger management system for autonomous mobility services. . As a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, MOIA develops mobility services at its Berlin and Hamburg locations in partnership with cities and local public transport ope...

With inflation still raging, consumers need a break. Could autonomous grocery delivery trucks be the answer?  . This year, 47% of U.S. consumers started shopping at a new grocery store. As shoppers look to make their dollar go further, grocery stores have an opportunity to cut costs by utilizing autonomous delivery vehicles. This not only saves consumers money, but also builds public trust in auto...

Increasing EV battery performance while lowering cost? That’s the goal of OneD Battery Sciences. With a breakthrough technology known as SINANODE, the company is successfully adding more energy-dense silicon into the anodes of lithium-ion EV batteries to increase efficiency and affordability. . Why silicon? Because it can store ten times the energy of graphite alone—yet previous attempts to includ...

Autonomous vehicles are economic engines that will increase safety, create jobs, and boost consumer spending. The problem is many people don’t think about them that way. .  Despite the negative backlash on automation and autonomy, 75% of the global public trusts the technology sector, a 1-point increase year-over-year, according to the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer. The trust is there, but the AV i...

As major OEMs adopt Tesla’s NACS connector, SAE is acting fast to bring key stakeholders together and ensure that any supplier or manufacturer will be able to use, manufacture, or deploy the NACS connector on EVs and at charging stations across North America. .  The SAE J3400 NACS Task Force will enable standards and technology to work together and effectively manage pain points for consumers and...

Imagine a wireless sensor that can automatically alert authorities if an elderly relative has taken a fall or if a child has been left alone in a hot car. One company is doing just that – all without assistance from a wearable device. . Founded in 2020, Pontosense is focused on the mission of saving lives through the use of a contactless RF sensor that monitors biometrics with medical grade techno...

When it comes to sustainability, the term “circular economy” refers to a process in which products are used again and again, thus reducing finite raw material consumption and curbing CO2 emissions. In transportation, the need to achieve circularity for EV batteries is particularly acute. . According to recent studies, the projected demand for lithium will increase sixfold by 2030. This surge requi...

Long thought to be impossible, real-time mapping is now a reality. With the ability to update street information every five minutes, this technology is revolutionizing how road data is captured and delivered to the mobility ecosystem. . Leading the way is Nexar, a computer vision company with a portfolio of AI-backed dashcams and vision-based applications for public and private sector partners. Ta...

From AI and ChatGPT to geopolitics and global supply chains, a multitude of trends are converging and paving the way for a historic transformation that will reverberate across industries and sectors. Are you ready? . For a rousing conversation that is as wide-ranging as it is thought-provoking, we sat down with Katrin Zimmermann, CEO and Managing Director of TLGG USA, to discuss the trends impacti...

Develop technology, patent it, and license it. Because not every company has the time or resources to develop a fully autonomous driving stack, this model could become the future of autonomy. . Join Grayson Brulte, Host of SAE Tomorrow Today, as he discusses the implications of Tesla’s recent agreements with GM and Ford, and how these developments could enable software licensing as the autonomous...

While you may not have heard of Polestar, its exceptional performance, unique buying experience, and commitment to sustainability enables this novel brand to “intercept” its customers. . Headquartered in Sweden and built with Scandinavian minimalism in mind, Polestar offers a friction-free, primarily digital EV buying experience which includes boutique showrooms in areas with high foot traffic—a c...

With the recent announcement that Ford has partnered with Tesla to include NACS connectors in its EVs starting in 2025, the race is on to determine the best path forward for standardizing EV charging technology and infrastructure. . To discuss this topic and much more, we sat down with Amy Ford, Vice President, Global Surface Transportation and Mobility Innovation Lead at AECOM, the world’s leadin...

EV Batteries Get a Second Life Down Under . Even after close to a decade of use, EV batteries still retain about 80% of their capacity. This means that they can be used for other purposes, like storing energy for homes. We call this a second life. . In the latest episode of Sustainable Mobility Briefs, Frank Menchaca, President, Sustainable Mobility Solutions at SAE International, discusses how a...

When it comes to EV charging, many of us are wondering: what comes after the plug? The answer is one of the hottest topics in mobility: Wireless Power Transfer. . Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) is the process whereby electrical energy is transmitted from a power source to an electrical load across an air gap using induction coils. It’s a game-changer in terms of EV adoption given its high-power, to...

It might just be what we need to bring awareness to the game-changing opportunities of green collar jobs. . In the inaugural episode of our Sustainable Mobility Briefs, Frank Menchaca, President, Sustainable Mobility Solutions at SAE International, discusses the important role geologists—and many others—have to play in creating a responsible and sustainable EV battery ecosystem. . By creating awar...