Category: automotive

Verizon-Cisco collaboration advances autonomous vehicle tech

BASKING RIDGE, N.J.— Cisco and Verizon collaborated on a successful proof of concept demo in Las Vegas, showing that cellular and mobile edge compute (MEC) technology can enable autonomous driving solutions without the use of costly physical Roadside Units to extend radio signals.

The result paves a simpler and more efficient route to powering applications such as autonomous/unmanned last-mile delivery bots and robotaxis in cities like Las Vegas, where public MEC technologies exist. Additionally, cities and roadway operators could create safer roads with C-V2X applications including pedestrian protection, emergency and transit vehicle pre-emption, on and off-ramp protection (e.g., when a loaded truck needs autonomous guidance to merge or brake safely), and potentially others that involve vehicles approaching intersections with traffic signals.

Proof of concept

Autonomous features in connected vehicles have always relied on roadside radios to extend the signals vehicles use for low-latency communication with each other and surrounding connected infrastructure. The Cisco and Verizon test proved that Verizon’s LTE network and public 5G Edge with AWS Wavelength, together with Cisco Catalyst IR1101 routers in connected infrastructure, can meet the latency thresholds required for autonomous driving applications – replacing the costly roadside radios previously required to meet those needs.

By using LTE and edge compute to virtualize the role of the Roadside Units, C-V2X communications proved to be more streamlined – likely to result in improved efficiency and cost effectiveness for municipalities, infrastructure providers, and application developers working with autonomous vehicles. (C-V2X refers to a vehicle’s ability to communicate with other vehicles and connected infrastructure surrounding it.)

The result demonstrates that connected and autonomous vehicle applications can be deployed today using LTE networks, mobile edge compute, and in-vehicle interfaces deployed by OEMs. These capabilities could lead to safer, less congested roads with current connected and autonomous vehicles, with scalability for future applications hosted at the edge and using LTE and 5G connectivity.

Connected transportation – powered by cellular

Improving communication between vehicles and their surrounding infrastructure is essential for creating safer roadways and enabling the autonomous future of driving. Intersections must be securely connected and equipped with compute to allow applications at the edge to communicate and inform split-second decision making.

“This test is a huge milestone in proving that the future of connectivity for IoT applications can be powered by cellular,” said Krishna Iyer, Director of Systems Architecture, Verizon. “We’re marking the strength of mobile edge compute platforms for connected transportation innovation with much more streamlined architecture. Together with Cisco technologies, we’re setting the foundation potentially to realize a ubiquitous IoT in the connected and autonomous future of driving.”

“The future of autonomous vehicles cannot progress without reliable communication between vehicles and their surrounding environments,” said Mark Knellinger, Lead Transportation Solutions Architect, Cisco. “This is huge for roadway operators in that it relieves them of the massive expense of deploying and operating a dedicated V2X environment.”

— by Matt Conte, Verizon

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BDPA Mourns the passing of Henry E. Ford

HENRY E. FORD
Garfield Heights, Ohio
January 16, 1941 – September 8, 2021

GARFIELD HEIGHTS, OH (BDPA Cleveland)—During his 36 years employment and consulting with a world leader in the manufacture of earthmoving equipment, Henry Ford grew through the challenges of adapting to the corporate cultures of General Motors, White Motors, Daimler-Benz, Volvo, Clark Equipment Company, and Hitachi.

He survived many downsizings and reorganizations, and at retirement was retained as a long-term consultant. While still working, Henry began preparing for a second career, enrolling at Capital University, obtaining a degree in Business/Communications, and graduating magna cum laude.

An author, speaker, consultant and publisher of VISIONS Newsletter, Henry connected to audiences through personal examples, historical references and insightful vision. He inspired and challenged diverse audiences from the lectern, in his writings, and through inspirational messages shared around the world using the tools of Social Media, Internet Blogs and Opt-in Mailings.

A U.S, Army veteran, Henry’s community service included several years with REACT, helping insure safety on the nation’s highways; former board member of NAIC’s Northeast Ohio Council; a former Deputy Director of the 9th Street Project’s 1000 Churches Program, an initiative of Rainbow PUSH; and over 20 years of active involvement with National BDPA and BDPA’s Cleveland Chapter.

He was the recipient of the distinguished IEI award, Excellent Service in Education, Member of The Year BDPA-Cleveland, Achievement in Life, Bud Strong Achiever, and others. He has been recognized by the late author Alex Haley, five former members of Congress, and others. His work in Investment Education was acknowledged in the book, It’s About The Money. Henry also held an Insurance License in the State of Ohio. He was a member of the Mt. Zion Church of Oakwood Village. As a member of Eagles of Success International and People of Distinction Humanitarian Awards (PDHA), Henry continued his services to the community.

Henry’s e-books are available on Amazon.com and Kindle by visiting:
→ https://www.amazon.com/Henry-E.-Ford/e/B001KHB0TW .

— Photos and bio courtesy the Ford Family

Ford Celebrates the Outdoor Spirit of Black Women in ‘We Do’ ad Campaign for their new 2021 Bronco Sport

DEARBORN, MI—Ford Motor Company is celebrating the outdoor spirit of Black women in a new ad campaign for the 2021 Bronco Sport. In “We Do,” Black women embrace the great outdoors in the all-new Bronco Sport, going off-roading, biking and hiking – all while reveling in a feeling of triumph as they honor their connection to nature and their sense of adventure.

Staying true to the DNA of the first-generation Bronco – designed by a team that included McKinley Thompson, Jr., the first African American automotive designer to work at Ford – the all-new Bronco Sport SUV pays it forward with modern, heritage-inspired style, available agile off-road architecture and G.O.A.T. Modes™ to go over any type of terrain.

“Our ‘We Do’ campaign challenges the perception of outdoor enthusiasm,” said Dibrie Guerrero, multicultural marketing manager, Ford Motor Company. “Over this last year of pandemic living, many Black women have doubled down on or discovered a love of the outdoors. Whether it’s solo time to convene with nature or a weekend retreat with the girls, Black women are relishing the joy and freedom of the outdoors, and the Bronco Sport is the vehicle to get them there.”

The “We Do” campaign will appear across all digital and social channels, with TV, radio and print activations. It features members of Black American outdoor organizations such as Outdoor Afro, Black Girls Do Bike and Black Girls Run. The campaign is the latest effort from UWG, the longest-standing multicultural advertising and marketing agency in the United States.

Ford is at the front of the automotive technology wave, coming up with new ideas and conveniences every year.

The all-new Bronco Sport is part of the new outdoor brand of Built Wild Ford SUVs. With off-road performance at its core and standard 4×4 across the lineup, Bronco Sport lives up to its G.O.A.T. (goes over any type of terrain) heritage with Built Wild Extreme Durability Testing, Capability and Innovative Design. The Bronco Sport is made for the trails with water-fording abilities and available features like obstacle protection, unsurpassed ground clearance and class-first Trail Control Technology.

Bronco Sport is designed for life on the trails and includes a safari-style roof that provides class-leading second-row headroom. It also has a cargo area* high enough to hold two 27.5-inch-wheel mountain bikes. More than 100 factory-backed and aftermarket accessories are available to transport gear such as kayaks, surfboards, skis and camping equipment. Bronco Sport is a gateway to the outdoors for the adventurer, the sightseer and the day-tripper.

— Source and photos: Ford

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GM’s Gerald Johnson recognized as 2021’s Black Engineer of the Year

By : Lango Deen

DETROIT, MI (U.S. Black Engineer) — The 2021 Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA), held Thursday, Feb. 11 through Saturday, Feb. 13, was an all-digital event. The year’s conference theme was “Stand Up. Step Up. Make a Change,” a call to social justice action. Participants in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields had access to 24 hours of events, award shows, and entertainment.

An iconic line up of stars, including jazz saxophonist Gerald Albright, singer Parris Lane, and Detroit’s DJ Smooth, headlined performances featuring music that celebrated 500 years of African American culture, the contributions of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Blacks in the U.S. military and federal service.

BEYA’s 35th annual STEM conference offered career development seminars, presentations, and workshops led by 150 influential speakers, managers, directors, recruiters, decision-makers, and college administrators. Discussions focused on navigating health care during COVID-19, the economy, diversity, equity, and inclusion in workplaces.

High-profile companies at the Technology Recognition event feat. Modern-Day Leaders and Science Spectrum Trailblazers event included Amazon, The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Raytheon Technologies, and Walmart Global Tech.

During the specially produced 35th Annual BEYA Gala, the 2021 Black Engineer of the Year Award went to Gerald Johnson, executive vice president, Global Manufacturing.  He was recognized for his commitment to mentoring, promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and leading General Motors’ (GM) efforts to support the United States during the pandemic.

Gerald Johnson, executive vice president, Global Manufacturing

Johnson, the first African American to lead manufacturing at General Motors, heads GM’s global manufacturing operations, manufacturing engineering, and labor relations organizations. He is a member of the GM Senior Leadership Team and reports to Mary Barra, chairman, and CEO of General Motors Company. “Gerald’s passion for the business, strong leadership skills, and extensive manufacturing and labor experience will help in our efforts to continue to transform the company, supporting both the core business and future of mobility,” said Barra. Johnson is the third GM employee to be named Black Engineer of the Year after Alicia Boler Davis in 2018 and Ed Welburn, the sixth design chief in GM’s history, in 2015.  Boler Davis and Welburn both made comments during the live-streamed ceremony.

One of the BEYA gala highlights included Mrs. Lynn Gerald Johnson serenading her husband with a song that the family holds dear. During his acceptance speech. Johnson stressed the importance of hard work, family, faith, and community.

Bruce T Crawford, retired Lieutenant General Bruce T. Crawford, 2020 Black Engineer of the Year, and former chief information officer, United States Army, beamed in for the prestigious black-tie “Passing the Torch” ceremony with his wife to congratulate the 2021 winner of the award.

Visit Career Communications Group’s YouTube channel to view.

In addition to General Motors, there were award ceremony remarks from captains of industry, head of federal agencies and military commanders from the Air Force Research Laboratory, Army Engineer Research and Development Center,  AT&T, Bell Textron Inc., The Boeing Company, Clemson University,  Collins Aerospace, Corning Incorporated,  Corteva Agriscience, Exelon Utilities, Ford Motor Company, General Dynamics Information Technology, Idaho National Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, Leidos, Lockheed Martin Corporation, The MITRE Corporation, NASA Langley Research Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,  National Science Foundation, Naval Research Laboratory, U.S. Navy, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Office of Naval Research, Raytheon Technologies, Sandia National Laboratories,   Spirit AeroSystems, U.S. Army,  United States Air Force,  University of the District of Columbia, University of Houston, Mission and Installation Contracting Command, and Walmart.

Read the 2021 winner profiles in US Black Engineer‘s digital magazine.

At this year’s 16th annual Stars and Stripes Recognition event, part of the 2021 Black Engineer of the Year STEM conference, members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff served as keynote speakers and presenters for awards uniformed and federal Black scientists and engineers. Top brass at Stars and Stripes included General Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General James C. McConville, Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David H. Berger, and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr. The Military Tribute Hall compiled memorable Black achievements in the United States military.

The BEYA World Digital Platform showcased the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Village, which featured the all-digital HBCU Engineering Deans Recognition program, the HBCU Homecoming event, and interactions with engineering deans from ABET-accredited schools at 15 HBCUs. They graduate most of America’s Black engineers.

The digital platform was also a place for job seekers. More than 100 booths were staffed by staffing specialists, corporate recruiters, and talent management professionals offering job interviews, internships, co-ops, and other positions.

The BEYA Pre-College Program featured young people’s activities to diverse STEM opportunities.  Students, alumni, parents, and supporters of K-12 organizations focused on STEM.

Career Communications Group (CCG) holds its annual Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Conference during Black History Month. The annual observance, which begins each year on Feb.1 and ends on the last day of February, celebrates 500 years of African American history culture and their history. Each year, the BEYA STEM Conference coincides with the national celebration of inspiration.

The 2022 BEYA STEM Conference will be hosted in Washington D.C. Information can be found at http://www.beya.org.

National BDPA’s Greater Washington D.C. and Baltimore chapters are co-hosts for BDPA Members attending annual BEYA events. Join, renew, or update membership profiles at BDPA.org for special VIP or all-access invitations.

— Photo credits: GM, CCG, and U.S. Black Engineer Magazine

BusUp Integrates LISNR’s Ultrasonic Technology Enabling Safe Contactless Ticketing for its Users

BARCELONA, SPAIN―BusUp, the leading corporate bus commuter management platform in the European Union (E.U.) announces their integration of LISNR’s ultrasonic technology platform to enable contactless mobile boarding pass authentication. LISNR’s ultrasonic technology enables contactless “Person Present” authentication and transactions across numerous mobility and retail commerce experiences that require contactless fulfillment. In the “new normal” where contactless methods are needed at distances greater than what NFC or QR can provide, LISNR is proving to be the safest and most seamless option for merchants as shown in this partnership with BusUp.

“Incorporating LISNR technology into our on-boarding process is a real breakthrough for BusUp. Thanks to LISNR we can offer our daily passengers with an even faster and safer contactless check-in on board.” – Rui Stoffel, CEO and co-founder of BusUp

LISNR’s frictionless solution will prove invaluable for BusUp’s extensive list of clients that include Siemens, Accenture, Louis Vitton and Cognizant amongst others. While the Coronavirus brought most forms of shared transportation to a halt, BusUp has taken a proactive approach in selecting a safe and seamless solution.

“A recent survey showed that 88% of BusUp users feel safe or very safe with BusUp. By incorporating LISNR ultrasound technology, we are confident that we will be able to improve these excellent results.” – Thibaud Kistler, CEO USA

Priding themselves on incorporating the most advanced technology for their customers, BusUp saw LISNR as a safer and more efficient solution to QR code. They recognized LISNR’s technology as the market leader for reasons such as safety, efficiency and ability to function without an internet connection. Safety for the riders and drivers through contactless authentication. Efficiency and speed to better eliminate queues and ensure less reading errors. The fact that the technology works without an internet connection was imperative since BusUp is a global company providing services in areas with less than stable internet connection, especially in LatAm where they are currently operating in Brazil and Peru.

“BusUp is a perfect use case for our contactless, “person present” authentication. They are a prominent corporate transportation provider in the E.U. and U.S. for a reason. They work with some of the biggest brands to help ensure their most valuable asset, their employees, have a safe commute to the workplace. We’re excited to be an integral part in making sure that process stays reliable, safe and seamless in these “new normal” times.” – Eric Allen, CEO LISNR

As BusUp continues to expand globally, LISNR will continue to play an essential part of their contactless authentication process. Overall LISNR has seen contactless authentication and transactions skyrocket in many different verticals like mobility (transportation + delivery) and retail (scan pay & go, BOPIS, curbside pickup). According to McKinsey contactless services have seen a rise, and many consumers intend to continue using methods like self checkout (79%) + BOPIS (64%) after the pandemic subsides.1. With universal safety regulations recommending distances greater than what incumbent solutions like QR Code or NFC technology are effectively able to carry out, LISNR’s ultrasonic proximity platform is proving to be a stronger & safer alternative for these new times.


Above (L-R)  Accelerate PHL Fireside Chat dialogue “Disrupting the Status Quo” with Rodney Williams, LISNR Co-Founder, Earl A. Pace, Jr., BDPA Co-Founder, with Philly Tech Week 2017 moderator. BDPA photo ©2017 bdpatoday.

Co-founded in 2012 by Rodney Williams and Chris Ostoich, LISNR is located in Oakland, CA and Cincinnati, OH. Major investors include Visa, Intel, Jump Capital, NTT DOCOMO Ventures, Mercury Fund, R/GA, and Synchrony Financial. Rodney Williams, an alumnus of West Virginia University and Howard University, is a mission partner of the National BDPA’s Cincinnati Chapter. He is responsible for leading all of the company’s commercial activities and strategy execution as Chief Commercial Officer. He has been with LISNR® since its founding and served as the CEO until August 2018. Rodney serves clients by solving complex problems with his years of entrepreneurship and technical expertise.

LISNR’s ultrasonic ‘data-over-sound’ technology enables contactless proximity verification and authentication across commerce experiences for merchants, financial service providers, and mobility companies. Today, multiple Fortune 100 companies trust LISNR to power data transmission & authentication between devices.

Discover more about the LISNR technology by visiting: http://LISNR.com or email: info@lisnr.com.

― Source and photo #TeamLISNR and BusUp

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GM executive Telva McGruder promoted as automotive giant’s tech-inclusion missions rapidly evolve

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DETROIT, MI (BDPA Detroit) ― General Motors Company (GM), welcomes Telva McGruder as their new Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer. In a recent statement, the global automotive corporation looks forward to Telva’s leadership as she expands on their current Diversity team’s efforts to bring GM closer to their aspiration of being the most inclusive company in the world.

Telva recently served as GM’s Director of Workplace Engineering and Operations Solutions in the Sustainable Workplaces organization at General Motors. Named to her last position in August of 2016, Telva supported the global footprint as she leads facility engineering, technologies, energy strategy and multiple facility management strategies. Her team designs and implements sustainable technical solutions, ensuring environments for successful enterprise operations. Her team also focused on comprehensive facility management operations through key business partnerships. Global process leadership in the areas of facility maintenance, energy procurement, contract management and material handling ensure coordination across the operating regions.

telva-mcgruder_gm_headPreviously, Telva was Tool and Die Commodity Engineering Manager in Global Body Manufacturing Engineering. In this role, she led the engineers responsible for closure panel engineering and launch deliverables on all North American vehicle programs.  Prior to that assignment, Telva was the Engineering Group Manager of Die Center Program Management, where she led the team responsible for tool and die strategy, planning, quality and launch for global vehicle programs.

Telva earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University and began her career as a Test Operations Engineer for Sverdrup Technology, working at the NASA Lewis (Glenn) Research Center in Cleveland, OH.  She moved on to start her career with General Motors as a manufacturing engineer in 1994 while completing her Master of Science in Electrical Engineering at Purdue University.  Since then, she has held positions of increasing responsibility and influence within manufacturing and manufacturing engineering, including manufacturing maintenance, operations and project management for major Press Center projects. Her career path has led her through Ohio, Indiana, Ontario, and she is now making contributions in Michigan.

GM Orion Assembly - Bolt EV and Sonic

Telva contributes to development of the talent pipeline for General Motors. She is the president of the General Motors African Ancestry Network (GMAAN) and also serves as the GM executive liaison for the Women of Color STEM Conference and the BEYA STEM Conference, which GM proudly sponsors.  With her focus on personal and professional growth, Telva is the Vice-Chair of the Board of Advocacy and Resource Development for the Oakland University School of Health Sciences. She also serves as a dedicated member of the Advisory Board for the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability.

Along with her professional accomplishments, Telva is dedicated to teaching and leading others inside and outside of General Motors. She enjoys mentoring professionals as well as motivating young students to pursue STEM fields and leadership opportunities. She is the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan and committed to building girls of courage, confidence and character. Among her volunteer activities, Telva has served as a mentor for FIRST FRC high school robotics teams and is a volunteer for A World in Motion, an SAE program.

Telva enjoys wonderful life experiences with her husband, son and two daughters.  Telva is a positive, driven individual with a keen sense of what is important.  She looks forward to continued opportunities to contribute in both local and professional communities.

― Source and photo credits:
GM  (Assemble line Photo by Jeffrey Sauger for Chevrolet)
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Register here, today! Discover more about this year’s $97 million Air Force technology transfer programs for small businesses and research institutions.  Powered by BDPA during vBDPA2020, learn step-by-step approaches to capture start-up funding and defense contracts with HBCUs and start-ups.

Small Businesses and HBCUs, select here to register.

An “Ecological Paradise”: Tesla Gigafactory Austin is now Official

AUSTIN, TX (BDPA Austin) — “We’re going to make it a factory that is going to be stunning; it’s right on the Colorado River. So we’re actually going to have to have a boardwalk over you, hiking, biking trail. It’s going to basically be an ecological paradise,” Elon Musk announced during the company’s earnings call this week.

tesla-model-x-rear-three-quarter-with-doors-openTesla’s mission is to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy through increasingly affordable electric vehicles and renewable energy generation and storage systems. At the heart of these products are batteries. Tesla has seen enormous demand for energy products and electric vehicles. Today, there are more than 350,000 Tesla vehicles on the roads worldwide, and we’ve installed over 1 GWh of energy storage across the globe.

The Gigafactory was born out of necessity and will supply enough batteries to support Tesla’s projected demand. In mid-2018, battery production at Gigafactory 1 reached an annualized rate of roughly 20 GWh, making it the highest-volume battery plant in the world. Tesla currently produces more batteries in terms of kWh than all other carmakers combined. With the Gigafactory ramping up production, Tesla’s cost of battery cells will significantly decline through economies of scale, innovative manufacturing, reduction of waste, and the simple optimization of locating most manufacturing processes under one roof.

tesla_powerpack

Powerpack (shown above) integrates batteries, power electronics, thermal management and controls into a turnkey solution that’s easy to install for businesses and utilities.   Photo credits: Tesla

The Gigafactory is designed to be a net-zero energy factory upon completion. It will not consume any fossil fuels – there is no natural gas piped to the site nor are there permanent diesel generators being used to provide power. Emergency backup is fed from various electric sources, including renewable energy and storage products.

— Source: Tesla, Inc.
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Amazon is acquiring Zoox for $1.2 billion to help bring their vision of autonomous ride-hailing to reality

FOSTER CITY, CA ― Amazon has signed an agreement to acquire Zoox, a California-based company working to design autonomous ride-hailing vehicles from the ground up. Aicha Evans, Zoox CEO, and Jesse Levinson, Zoox co-founder and CTO, will continue to lead the team as they innovate and drive towards their mission.

Zoox is a forward-thinking team that is pioneering the future of ride-hailing by designing autonomous technology from the ground up with passengers front-of-mind. Aicha Evans, Zoox CEO, and Jesse Levinson, Zoox co-founder and CTO, will continue to lead Zoox as a standalone business as they innovate and drive towards their mission.

“Zoox is working to imagine, invent, and design a world-class autonomous ride-hailing experience,” said Jeff Wilke, Amazon’s CEO, Worldwide Consumer. “Like Amazon, Zoox is passionate about innovation and about its customers, and we’re excited to help the talented Zoox team to bring their vision to reality in the years ahead.”

“This acquisition solidifies Zoox’s impact on the autonomous driving industry,” said Aicha Evans, CEO of Zoox. “We have made great strides with our purpose-built approach to safe, autonomous mobility, and our exceptionally talented team working every day to realize that vision. We now have an even greater opportunity to realize a fully autonomous future.”

zoox-tech

“Since Zoox’s inception six years ago, we have been singularly focused on our ground-up approach to autonomous mobility,” said Jesse Levinson, Zoox co-founder and CTO. “Amazon’s support will markedly accelerate our path to delivering safe, clean, and enjoyable transportation to the world.”

Zoox started in 2014 with the vision of purpose-built, zero-emissions vehicles designed for autonomous ride-hailing, along with an end-to-end autonomy software stack. Zoox’s ground-up vehicle focuses on the ride-hailing customer, with tightly integrated features designed to provide a revolutionary passenger experience. Zoox’s approach to invention provides flexibility and the means to iterate rapidly to continuously deliver a superior experience for customers.

Completion of this transaction is subject to review and customary closing conditions.

― Source and courtesy photos: Zoox/The SiliconReview
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HSCC Season Opens with HBCU Festival and Auto Show

Discover new cyber and technical careers in Air and Space.

WASHINGTON—This week, Industry welcomed the ‘Class of 2024’ to a new decade of unlimited opportunities to explore technical and innovative careers. The National Capital Region hosted the 18th annual HBCU Festival, The Washington Auto Show®, and the annual High School Coding Competition (HSCC) season opener.

hscc19-team_commentsThe HSCC kick-off was powered by America’s 2019 National Coding Champions, BDPA of Greater Washington, D.C. (BDPAdc.org). Their journey to BDPACon20 in Atlanta is underway, as a new decade brings with it increased regional participation welcoming JROTC units, HSCC teams from Baltimore, the District, Northern Virginia, and Central Maryland, and new collegiate chapters.

hbcufest_asbc2020aIndustry’s Historically Black College and University (HBCU) pipelines continue to grow with inclusive programs, impact investments, and support for annual HBCU Festivals. The Alfred Street Baptist Church Foundation (ASBC) hosted their 18th Annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities College Festival at the Gaylord National Resort Convention Center this Saturday where scholarships and acceptance letters were awarded on site during the festival!

The annual Festival is dedicated to connecting high school students and parents to HBCUs, while helping more students enter college to ensure HBCUs meet enrollment goals.  Since 2003, the Festival has connected more than 35,000 students and parents to academic institutions. Many students are first-generation college students, and in some cases, institutions participating in the Festival are the only available choices for these budding scholars.

ASBC HBCU Festival 2020

The Washington Auto Show®, a world class event, continues to wow audiences this week with its cutting-edge exhibits, latest model cars and displays of historic vehicles. Opening January 24 this year, the Auto Show will continue to emphasize and showcase the latest innovations in sustainable automotive technologies. As the largest show in Washington, D.C., their “Public Policy Show” features special events and announcements for officials in government, industry and the media.

IMG_7636

Students and BDPA Student Members interested in automotive careers, modeling and simulation, gamification (gaming), and next generation infrastructure opportunities are invited to participate in this year’s Earth Day Tech Summit next April co-hosted by National BDPA’s Greater Washington, D.C. Chapter (BDPAdc.org).

— Source and photos BDPAdc
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Jaguar Land Rover and BlackBerry Deepen Partnership for Intelligent Vehicles

WATERLOO, Ontario–BlackBerry Limited and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) announced they have deepened their partnership in developing the automotive manufacturer’s next generation vehicles.

The collaboration between the companies has expanded to include:

  • BlackBerry Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies for Automotive.  Leveraging BlackBerry QNX and BlackBerry Cylance, the companies are working on transforming vehicle safety across a range of capabilities, including predictive software maintenance and cybersecurity threat protection
  • BlackBerry QNX for Jaguar Land Rover’s next-generation vehicle architecture.  Integrating BlackBerry software establishes the overall safety of Jaguar Land Rover’s next-generation vehicle architecture, for the best-in-class product its customers expect
  • BlackBerry Cybersecurity Consulting.  Consisting of BlackBerry consultants and security testing technology, BlackBerry Cybersecurity Consulting services identify security vulnerabilities in connected and autonomous vehicles, across the full software library used in a vehicle.

“Jaguar Land Rover and BlackBerry share a common objective in bringing the most intelligent vehicles to reality,” said Prof Sir Ralf D Speth KBE FREng, Jaguar Land Rover CEO. “I am delighted that our partnership with BlackBerry continues to go from strength-to-strength, a company whose technology innovations uniquely address the expanding safety needs of the automotive industry.”

“BlackBerry is a trusted partner of the automotive industry because of our heritage and innovations in secure communications,” said John Chen, Executive Chairman & CEO, BlackBerry. “We are pleased to be Jaguar Land Rover’s chosen partner for safety-certified technology, as we advance Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies to transform automotive safety.”

Prof Sir Ralf D Speth KBE FREng, Chief Executive Officer of JLR, will deliver a keynote address at BlackBerry’s annual flagship security conference in London, on October 2, 2019.

This event is an annual forum for business leaders, technology developers, industry experts and market analysts to discover next-generation products and services that address the expanding secure communications needs of our connected world.

Industry is invited to join automotive, government, financial services, legal, healthcare, energy, manufacturing and other industries by registering for this event at BlackBerry.com/London2019.

⁠— Sources and photo: Blackberry and Jaguar Land Rover
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