AVL's Reimagine Mobility Podcast

This week, we're venturing into the future of transportation with a special guest, Vivek, a leading innovator from Apex.AI. Together, we'll explore how cutting-edge technologies and visionary ideas are setting the stage for a revolution in mobility. Vivek's unique insights and experiences at Apex.AI provide a fascinating glimpse into the advancements shaping our travel tomorrow.

Apex.AI aims to provide a robust, safety-certified middleware framework for companies to build their applications on top, allowing them to differentiate their vehicles based on the Apex middle layer. This allows OEMs to differentiate their vehicles based on the applications, regardless of the underlying hardware and operating system being used. By providing a safety-certified middleware framework, Apex.AI aims to provide a reliable platform for companies to build their applications and differentiate their vehicles.

Your journey into the next era of transportation begins here. Don't miss this insightful conversation that bridges dreams and reality in the mobility sector. Tune in to the Reimagined Mobility Podcast on your favorite streaming platform and witness the future unfold with Vivek and Apex.AI Join our community of innovators, thinkers, and explorers by following us on social media and sharing your thoughts on this episode. Ready for more? Subscribe to our series for a regular dose of inspiration and stay at the forefront of mobility innovation.

Vivek is the Director of Business Development of Apex.AI. In his role, he leads the business development activity for Apex.AI in North America, enabling the transition of automotive and non-automotive OEMs to software-centric development by adopting a truly cutting-edge framework and methodology derived from the ROS open-source community.

Vivek is a pragmatic engineering and business professional, passionate about leveraging the power of software to solve real-world problems. During his early years in the automotive industry, he worked in the General Motors team that developed the first stability control system to make cars safer in tricky road conditions. In his subsequent roles at Bosch and AVL, he helped several automotive OEMs reach their goals of developing safe and reliable mobility solutions using innovative approaches, advanced development tools and safety-certified operating systems. During this time he also co-authored several SAE papers highlighting those methods and tools.

Vivek obtained a Management Certificate from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, a master’s degree in engineering from The Ohio State University and a bachelor’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology.

https://www.apex.ai/

If you would like to be a guest on the show contact: [email protected]

Thank you for following Reimagine Mobility. Our goal on this podcast is to explore and discuss the latest innovations and trends in the mobility industry, bringing you insights from leading experts and visionaries.

If you would like to be a guest on the show contact: [email protected]

Join us as we dive into the future of mobility with Nick Ancell, publisher of E-Mobility Engineering magazine. In this episode, we explore the latest trends in electric vehicle (EV) technology, the role of different regions like China in setting global EV standards, and the challenges in EV adoption. Nick shares insights on emerging technologies, from battery innovation to material engineering, and explains why mobility is more than just cars – from mining excavators to electric snow groomers, mobility is being transformed across industries.

Nick Ancell is the Publisher of E-Mobility Engineering, the renowned technical magazine for engineers at the forefront of vehicle electrification. Bringing 20 years of experience working in B2C and B2B media, he focusses on delivering unparalleled and engaging content. In 2018, Nick launched E-Mobility Engineering to serve as the trusted source of technical information for engineers whilst providing an effective commercial platform for solution providers.
Since a young age he’s always had a passion for everything and anything on wheels, it was inevitable he would find a way of turning his dreams of working in the automotive industry into a reality. Understanding the worlds need for green and sustainable transport solutions, Nick combines his enthusiasm for a better, cleaner, and safer world with his knowledge and experience of creating innovative and effective media platforms to play his part in sustaining the transport industries for future generations.

Company description

E-Mobility Engineering is the world’s leading independent magazine for EV engineers. Reporting independently on the engineering at the heart of electric vehicles providing unbiased commentary on full vehicles, components and other innovations via interviews with leading EV engineers. No vehicle is too big or too small for us to cover, and working across all vehicle categories – from the road through to the sea and sky – enables our team of industry experts to consider every aspect of designing and building an electric vehicle. Why choose E-Mobility Engineering? Our readers come to www.emobility-engineering.com for many reasons, ranging from a cover story on a particular vehicle or a deep dive into the latest technological developments but over and above the articles it’s the way we write them. Clean, clear and concise and unbiased, we never run any sponsored content, enabling our readers to learn and explore the nuances of vehicle electrification.

If you would like to be a guest on the show contact: [email protected]

In this episode Stephan sits down with Craig Renneker VP of Engineering at American Axle & Manufacturing to discuss integrating the gearbox, inverter and motor, increasing the rpms of the e-motors, applications for both permanent magnet and induction motors and more.
Craig is strong believer that the future of electric drives lies in deeper levels of integration between the inverter, motor and gearbox. As such, they are developing all three from scratch here in their Advanced Technology Development Center in Detroit. AAM also shares a common interest with AVL in developing high-speed motors and a major enabler to cost, volume and weight reduction. Craig has spoken to AVL’s Hummingbird team before and is excited about what they are doing.

AAM’s inverter technology is unique in the industry today as they are using TO247 discrete MOSFET switches arranged in a ring, attached directly to the motor end windings and cooled with the same oil that cools the motor and lubricates the gearbox. They have had this running in demonstration vehicles and with their first paid customer (REE in Israel) for nearly 4 years now. Craig presented on the technology at the CTI electric drive conference and other venues. This technology was the centerpiece of AAM’s first display at the Consumer Electronics Show in January of 2023.

Craig spent 30 years in automatic transmission development – from 3-speeds to 10-speeds. In his 19 years at Ford, he developed and launched 18 all-new automatic transmissions, hybrids and electric drives. He retired from Ford in December, 2018 with the Mustang Mach-E electric drive as his last active project. He’s been with AAM now for 4-1/2 years and focuses his time today on their “Gen 5” and “Gen 6” electric drives.

Craig is married with 6 kids and lives nearby in Salem Township. He and his are also foster parents with three girls (ages 6, 5 and 3-months) living with them now. He owns 7 motorcycles and enjoys adventure motorcycle riding. I have a 7-day trip coming in September crossing Colorado with 10 buddies riding mostly on Jeep trails through the mountain passes.

If you would like to be a guest on the show contact: [email protected]

Stephan enters the world of EcoCAR EV Challenge with Jesse Alley the Senior Program Manager and Kayla Hamilton a current PhD student at The University of Alabama. In this episode they discuss the valuable experience of the EcoCAR Challenge, the future of autonomous mobility and staying relevant with the trends of the automotive industry.
Jesse Alley is the EcoCAR EV Challenge Senior Program Manager at Argonne National Lab where he is responsible for day-to-day leadership of EV Challenge activities, establishing and managing the program’s industry sponsorship efforts and is the chair of the Faculty Advisory Board. He has worked at Argonne on Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions (AVTCs) in a variety of roles for more than a decade since graduating from Virginia Tech a Bachelors and Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering (2010 & 2012 respectively). During his time at Virginia Tech, Jesse participated in the AVTC program as a student for four years, which inspired him to pursue a career that was focused on people rather than products. This passion was (and still is) the core motivation for Jesse to continue the mission to train the next generation of automotive engineers via the AVTC program.

Kayla Hamilton is a current PhD student in electrical engineering at The University of Alabama and holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science. She has been involved in The University of Alabama’s EcoCAR team since the end of EcoCAR 3 as an undergraduate student, starting as an electrical team member and then moving to the Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) team with the start of the EcoCAR Mobility Challenge. Prior to her current team role as Engineering Manager in the EV Challenge, she spent two years as the UA team’s CAV lead combining her passion for autonomy and mentoring students interested in the automotive field. Her research interests include vehicle to everything (V2X) connectivity and automation with a focus on energy consumption optimization strategies for cooperative adaptive cruise control.
Company description

Who are we? Argonne is a multidisciplinary science and engineering research center, where talented scientists and engineers work together to answer the biggest questions facing humanity, from how to obtain affordable clean energy to protecting ourselves and our environment. STEP is one of four departments within the Transportation and Power Systems (TAPS) Division in the Advanced Energy Technologies (AET) Directorate at Argonne National Laboratory.

STEP Mission: Research, develop, demonstrate and deploy cutting edge science and technology and impactful education, workforce and equity-centered programming that helps shape sustainable transportation solutions and builds the next generation workforce to help our nation transition to e-mobility.

STEP portfolio includes:

• Advanced mobility research in connected and automated vehicles and energy efficient mobility systems
• Large public/private partnerships between government, industry and academia
• Workforce Development and STEM education
• Deployment and demonstration programs for the National Clean Cities network and other sponsors
• Equity-centered programming to expand DEI and Equity and Environmental Justice in clean energy and transportation
• Additional Links: EcoCAR website: https:/

If you would like to be a guest on the show contact: [email protected]