ITS America has announced the opening keynote speaker for its 2016 San Jose event on June 13, as well as the closing date for entries to its ‘Best of ITS Awards’. The event in California is a new show that represents what the organization feels is a transformative moment in intelligent transportation, and is built around the theme: Integrated Mobility. Transportation Redefined.
Seval Oz, CEO of Continental Intelligent Transportation Systems, will give the opening keynote to kick off the new venue for intelligent transportation and integrated mobility. Oz leads the ITS division of the German automotive systems supplier, which provides equipment and services for three out of every four cars around the world. Before taking the helm at Continental ITS, Oz was integral in leading Google’s global business partnerships for the self-driving car project and created the company’s award-winning video starring Steve Mahan, who is 95% blind and ‘drove’ the autonomous vehicle. She earned the ‘PWI Women in Technology Award for Courage’ for her work in taking access to transportation to a new level.
“Seval’s wealth of experience in bringing together vehicle networking and infrastructure has moved transportation to the center of the Internet of Things,” said Regina Hopper, president and CEO of ITS America. “Seval and her team are bridging the tech and transportation fields and their [work] represents what ITS America 2016 is working to present: debate and discussion around integrated mobility, transportation redefined. We are thrilled we have someone of this influence and talent to kick off this new venue and lead the discussion for the opening day’s theme: ‘Wheels and Things’.”
Oz commented, “ITS America truly realizes the notion that markets are conversations. It is a remarkable organization that brings people from all over the world together to exchange ideas and network on the next big thing that will revolutionize our world. I am excited and honored to be a part of this event. At Continental, the ITS business unit is dedicated to creating safer and more efficient mobility for everyone. Together, we will bring transportation to the next level and ITS America is the perfect forum to help us do this.”
The organization has announced that the closing date for entries to its ‘Best of ITS Awards’ will be May 20. The annual competition recognizes organizations that have implemented the most advanced transportation projects in the transportation and technology industry. The program aims to distinguish organizations whose projects demonstrate specific and measurable outcomes and exemplify innovation. In 2016, ITS America will award a Best Partnership Project winner in three categories:
‘Wheels and Things’, which focuses on all ‘things’ using, altering or creating new intelligent transportation system technologies, including cars, bikes, buses, metros, trucks, trains or even drones; ‘Infrastructure of Things’ focuses on all the ‘stuff’ the ‘wheels and things’ interact with, such as physical hardware, including lights and poles, signs, medians, and loops, and the network backbone of wireline, wireless 4G, 5G, DSRC, LTE, and LTE-Direct connectivity; ‘Show Me The Money!’ focuses on what the future ITS backend will look like, including cloud-based systems, seamless payment systems, billing, customer relationship management, identity, network management, insurance, financing, and anything to do with money, both private and public.
Only ITS America members are eligible for consideration and only projects implemented in North America will be considered. Projects must have been deployed in the 2015 or 2016 calendar year, and applications must highlight a business-to-business, government-to-government, or public-private cross-jurisdictional and/or multi-disciplinary partnership that resulted in a successful ITS project that demonstrates the impact of ITS on both the present and the future.
