CONNECTED commercial vehicles bring CYBERSECURITY to the fore

Connectivity, automation and electrification will largely drive vehicle developments in the coming years, according to experts presenting at the revamped SAE COMVEC 17.

The 2017 edition of SAE COMVEC (Commercial Vehicle Engineering Congress) was moved forward a month to September 18-20 and got a new home in Rosemont, IL, not to mention a new symposia format focusing on three technology tracks: Big Data (which includes big topics like connectivity, autonomous and cybersecurity), Efficiency Improvements in CVs, and Aerodynamics. What clearly remains the same, however, is the high concentration of thought leaders from across on- and off-highway sectors gathering to share their vision of what's happening in the industry-and what's to come.

John Reid, director of enterprise product innovation and technology at John Deere, is one of those experts, presenting a keynote at this year's COMVEC on “Delivering Value Through Innovation.” He believes that five major areas will greatly impact the industry in the next five to 10 years:

Automation and control

Electrification and hybridization

Knowledge-based solutions and the impact of data

Focus on enhancing the user-experience

Convergence of business systems and functions into an increasingly Smart Connected Enterprise.