Tarig Mahameed

📘 New SAE International Publication: Dictionary of ADAS and Connected Vehicles 🚗 I’m excited to share the release of SAE International’s Dictionary of ADAS and Connected Vehicles, a project for which I was honored as lead author. As ADAS and connected vehicle technologies continue to evolve rapidly, one issue consistently shows up across engineering, safety, and regulatory conversations: we’re not always using the same language. This dictionary was developed to provide clear, authoritative, and standards-aligned definitions across ADAS, connected systems, and automated driving technologies. The goal is simple but critical — create a shared technical foundation that supports better engineering decisions, clearer communication, and more effective collaboration across disciplines. Whether you’re designing systems, managing risk, developing policy, or teaching the next generation of engineers, this reference is designed to clarify a complex, fast-moving space. 📖 Published by SAE International 📅 January 2026 #ADAS #ConnectedVehicles #AutomotiveEngineering #SystemSafety #AutonomousVehicles #VehicleConnectivity #SAEInternational #MobilityInnovation #EngineeringStandards #Leadership

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It feels like decisions being made for launches years from now, are being made using data about what people are demanding TODAY. That's the action of a company that's preparing to shrink, not grow. Getting involved in the community, learning what problems people are having now, the ones that will get worse if nothing changes, and focusing on those problem is the key. If customer advisory groups are collectively demanding a solution, you're already behind. Being in touch with future demand is what launched a lot of the powerhouse businesses of today, and it's what will launch the powerhouses of tomorrow.

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A conversation with a good friend, industry technician advocate, and one of my favorite people to connect with, Jay Goninen. Jay's company evolved from recruiting to job boards to something more foundational: partnering with ASE - National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence - to develop 🚨 ASE Connects - a shop membership platform designed to bring industry stakeholders together around schools that need help. We covered why moving technicians from shop to shop doesn't fix the pipeline, why collision and automotive programs are shutting down (including one Jay attended as an apprentice), and what it actually costs to restart a program once it closes. In this episode, we talked about; ➡️ Why WrenchWay stopped recruiting and pivoted to supporting education infrastructure ➡️ ASE Connects: bringing dealers, independents, fleets, and partners together (not competing for the same resources) ➡️ The shocking lack of data on how many automotive and collision programs exist in the U.S. ➡️ Documenting every school state-by-state to identify which programs need support ➡️ Small-town schools with 50 students per class: how to connect those kids to the industry ➡️ Work experience, job shadowing, apprenticeships as early exposure strategies ➡️ Why overwhelming instructors with fragmented industry outreach can backfire ➡️ The Voice of Technician survey and technician pay tool (built with ASE) ➡️ ADAS as a microcosm of the trust problem: selling calibrations to consumers who don't understand them ➡️ How consumer education, shop professionalism, and transparency rebuild trust ➡️ Why acting like a CEO (processes, people, customer education) matters now more than ever ➡️ What happens when shops don't invest: long-term loss of community trust and viability ➡️ ASE and I-CAR's consumer awareness efforts and why the next five years are critical Jay emphasizes that fixing the technician shortage requires collaboration, not competition. Shops can't keep poaching from each other. Instead, the industry needs to stabilize education programs, connect students to real opportunities, and show consumers why modern repair work (including ADAS) requires investment in both technology and people. Take a listen and be sure to subscribe to the ADAS Empowered Podcast - https://lnkd.in/gfYR65iQ

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"General Motors and Ford have already projected tariff-related hits of $5 billion and $2.5 billion, respectively, and plan to offset some of it through price hikes."

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Michigan's automotive lighting, optics, and ADAS community — Today, most lighting and sensing teams face similar challenges: 1. OEM and Tier-1 expectations are evolving faster than programs can adapt. 2. Continuous cost reduction pressures, especially with new vehicle architectures from China. 3. Design, perception performance, materials, and validation are often delayed and handled in silos. On April 13, we are hosting the Synopsys Optics & Autonomy Summit at the University of Michigan-Dearborn to address these specific issues. This event is a technical knowledge event. We will explore how early simulation and cross-domain collaboration can help reduce prototyping cycles and de-risk performance decisions. A full-day agenda featuring presentations by OEM and Tier-1 partners, as well as our product team's Synopsys Optics roadmap. It's a full-day event. We thank our demo partners — Covestro, IPG CarMaker, and X-Rite — for their support. If you oversee lighting performance, sensor integration, or perception validation, this event will be especially relevant. 📍 University of Michigan-Dearborn 📅 April 13 Register here: https://lnkd.in/gy_3z9NZ

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Expanding autonomous truck testing to public roads in Michigan is an important milestone for Torc Robotics and our long-standing partnership with Daimler Truck North America. This work is the result of disciplined engineering, strong collaboration, and a shared commitment to building autonomous trucking the right way- safely, responsibly, and at scale. The road to commercialization is built one real-world mile at a time and I’m proud of the people driving it forward. https://bit.ly/40rUECd #TorcDriven

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DON'T MISS Forth Roadmap 2025, in Detroit, The Motor City, October 14 – 16, 2025. The Forth Roadmap Conference is the nation’s premier gathering of transportation electrification leaders, bringing together policymakers, utilities, automakers, charging providers, fleet managers, and more to drive solutions and power change. See EVinfo.net's article: https://lnkd.in/gB4QyHMf Forth Mobility, a nonprofit dedicated to electrifying transportation, builds inclusive, sustainable mobility systems to cut pollution and dismantle barriers to clean transportation. With equity at its core, Forth ensures marginalized communities have access to the benefits of electrification through initiatives like rural EV carsharing (CRuSE in Oregon), charging access for low-income service agencies (SiLVERS in Missouri), fair financing for rideshare drivers, and electric tractor pilots for agriculture. Forth’s work spans five areas: Access to Electric Cars – Carsharing, mobile showcases, EV loans, and gig driver support. Access to Charging – Workplace, multifamily, and community-based charging solutions. Emerging Modes – E-bikes, school buses, farm equipment, and micromobility for underserved areas. Policy & Leadership – Advocacy, TEEM community-building, and post-oil funding models. Industry Engagement – Pilots, utility partnerships, and the Roadmap Conference. Led by Executive Director Jeff Allen and a dedicated team, Forth connects innovation with justice, ensuring clean mobility reaches every community. Forth is doing GREAT work and is highly recommended by EVinfo.net, along with the Electrification Coalition, VELOZ, Zero Emission Transportation Association and Plug In America, similar orgs working to accelerate EV adoption. Please support their important work. EVinfo.net is an EV-influencer led publication, offering sponsored articles, interviews and more to the EV industry: https://lnkd.in/gH5Gdqb7 Sign up for the EVinfo.net e-news: https://lnkd.in/gHq6iA2p #evcharging #electricvehicles

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Are you building the future of autonomous systems and advanced mobility, right here in Michigan? The Make It in Michigan Mobility Prototyping Grant Program is now accepting applications, offering up to $100K to propel your innovative product closer to commercialization. This is a strategic investment in our state's leadership in mobility, electrification, and advanced manufacturing. Michigan is seeking visionary innovators tackling challenges in: • Uncrewed autonomous systems (drones, ground, marine, aerial) • Critical mobility components addressing domestic supply chain gaps • Other breakthrough mobility innovations • Projects at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 4-9 with a clear path to piloting and manufacturing in Michigan are especially encouraged. This grant, led by the Michigan Office of Future Mobility & Electrification (Michigan Economic Development Corporation) and The Michigan Office of Defense and Aerospace Innovation offers the critical support needed to turn groundbreaking ideas into market-ready solutions. 🗓️ Applications close July 7. Don't miss this opportunity to prove your innovation in Michigan's dynamic ecosystem. Learn more and apply today: https://lnkd.in/gaq6pykD Centrepolis Accelerator @ Lawrence Technological University Detroit Regional Partnership #autonomoussystems #dronetech #MakeItInMichigan

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More great news from Daimler Truck AG for the state of Michigan! Today’s announcement that Torc Robotics and Daimler Truck are expanding autonomous truck testing to Michigan public roads underscores how heavy-vehicle automation is accelerating toward real-world deployment. This move builds on established testing operations and deepens engineering activity around the next generation of autonomous platforms. For the automotive industry, this isn’t just a trucking story — it’s a signal of broader strategic pivoting: 🔹 Heavy vehicles as the frontier for autonomy — Unlike passenger cars, long-haul trucking presents defined highway corridors, predictable duty cycles and substantial economic incentives to automate. 🔹 Cross-industry convergence — Automotive supply chains, OEM engineering teams and software talent are being drawn into an ecosystem that blends traditional vehicle development with robotics, AI and real-time control systems. 🔹 Talent and testing hubs matter — Michigan’s move into public-road testing reflects how legacy automotive regions are transforming into autonomous innovation centers. As passenger EV momentum continues, commercial autonomy — especially in heavy trucking — is reshaping transportation and logistics at scale. Automotive leaders who grasp this shift will be better positioned for the next decade of mobility transformation. What are your thoughts? SCN - Search Consulting Network #scn #heavytruck #daimler #torcrobotics #recruiting #hiring https://lnkd.in/gPPJdeGC

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One of the earliest signs that ADAS will struggle in the field isn’t a software issue—it’s inconsistent explanations. ADAS is often taught differently to different audiences. Sales hears benefits. Service hears implementation. Tech hears diagnostics. Engineering hears performance assumptions. Each view is valid on its own—but together they create conflicting mental models. The biggest gaps usually show up around boundaries:  ·      When the system will help ·      When it won’t ·      When responsibility shifts back to the driver By the time these inconsistencies surface in the field, the technology hasn’t failed. Alignment has. Clear, consistent explanations—especially around limits—do more for ADAS adoption than any late-stage fix. #AutomotiveEngineering #LaunchReadiness #ADAS #OEM

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Today’s automotive projects aren’t just about launching a new model on time. They’re about managing complex ecosystems—from global supplier networks to regulatory shifts, from digital twins to EV transformation. 🔍 Think about it: A single delay in chip supply can derail an entire vehicle launch. Introducing ADAS or connected tech requires syncing hardware, software, and data validation teams across geographies. Light weighting initiatives demand cross-functional collaboration across materials, design, manufacturing, and cost engineering. 💡 Leading projects today means being a tech-savvy strategist and a hands-on integrator: Can your gate review system catch upstream risks before they become downstream disasters? Are your supplier partnerships designed for agility and co-innovation? Are your teams equipped to implement Industry 4.0 and digital manufacturing practices at scale? 🚀 Whether it’s an EV startup building from scratch or an OEM transforming legacy platforms, the game is changing. Let’s talk: What challenges are you facing in cross-functional project execution? How are you rethinking timelines, tech, or team skills in today’s volatile environment? #AutomotiveIndustry #ProjectManagement #NPD #EVTransformation #AutomotiveInnovation #DigitalManufacturing #LeanProductDevelopment #SupplierDevelopment #ProgramLeadership #MobilityFuture

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