2015 Technology Showcase at NAIAS Offers Street-Level View of the Future

DETROIT, Dec. 5, 2014 -- Innovation will be front and center at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) when the inaugural NAIAS Technology Showcase looks at the integration of technology and the automotive industry during Press Preview and Industry Preview. The effort, which will take place Jan. 12-15, in Hall E at Cobo Center in Detroit, will focus on many of the flash-forward technologies that will impact connectivity, automation and efficiency in the next generations of vehicles.

The 2015 Technology Showcase will offer companies from around the world a forum for exhibiting breakthrough technologies, providing product demonstrations, revealing fresh designs and participating in panel discussions.

Scheduled activities include:

Hyper-connected automotive technology that will explore autonomous vehicles, the Intelligent Transportation System and new heights of fuel efficiency
Some of the companies on display include: Alpine Electronics, ASC, Covisint, Modern Car Safety Technologies, NextEnergy, Ricardo, Square One, Mojio, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and others
A spotlight on Michigan-based companies that are leading the way in developing and producing advanced vehicle technologies with assistance from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Opportunities for media and enthusiasts to meet leaders in manufacturing and technology along with futurist thinkers during panel discussions and seminars planned for Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015

Two key symposia already on the docket are:
- "Ignition," a joint NAIAS/Crain's Detroit Business event that will offer Detroit entrepreneurs a chance to present their technology ideas to a panel of judges before an audience of investors, financiers, attorneys and academics in the mode of television's reality show, "Shark-Tank"
- AutoBeat Group's "Meeting the Mobility Challenge," a free symposium about the challenges of making the connected car a reality

In addition, attendees will be able to ride along in the world's first full-size, working 3-D-printed car. Called the Strati, the game-changing vehicle is the brainchild of Phoenix-based Local Motors, a technology company that designs, builds, and sells vehicles. Local Motors will premiere a mid-model refresh of the car after a live demonstration of the three-phased, micro-manufacturing process on the main show floor. Phase 1 includes 3D-printing the vehicle structure, which takes approximately 40 hours of continuous printing on a Big Area Additive Manufacturing machine. During Phase 2, the vehicle is milled. During Phase 3, the final phase of the process, the car is then rapidly assembled. Attendees will be able to ride in the made-from-scratch automobile on the Shell Innovation Track located in the Technology Showcase in Hall E starting onMonday, January 12, 2015.

The Shell Innovation Track, sponsored by Shell Oil Company (shell.com), will be the launch pad for vehicle demonstrations, student competitions and other industry exhibits. Part of a global group of energy and petrochemical companies in more than 70 countries, Shell is a key player in the future of the auto industry. (Note: The track will test Tec Pro racing barriers that will be used when Shell returns to the Motor City in April to host the Shell Eco-marathon. This event on the streets of Detroit will challenge students to build cars that can reach 2,800 mpg.)

Students from the University of Michigan, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Michigan State University, Lawrence Technological University, Wayne State University and the College for Creative Studies will participate in a variety of displays and demonstrations including solar technology, racing performance, fuel mileage efficiency and automotive design

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