Defying the disruptors and DRIVING

Four top engineering executives discuss how their “traditional” companies are finding new technology opportunities and business growth amid the start-ups- and are even doing some disrupting themselves.

Need proof of the auto industry's crazy pace of change? Look no further than the daily news, where reports of each emergent player-and their impact on what remains of the status quo-seem less and less startling. Consider a vacuum cleaner company that has its eye on more than cleaning carpets.

Dyson, whose efficient high-suction machines created a new technology paradigm, has applied for government funding in its native U.K. and is looking to hire up to 500 engineers, ostensibly to develop electric vehicles. Dyson, which purchased Michigan solid-state battery start-up Sakti3 for $90 million, said it plans to invest nearly $1.5B in battery technology through 2020.