The Los Angeles Auto Show (LA Auto Show) announced four additions to its Connected Car Expo® (CCE) advisory board for 2016. Damon Lavrinc of Automatic Labs, Justin Fishkin of Local Motors, Derek Kan of Lyft and Linda Campbell of QNX Software Systems Limited join nine returning board members from thought leading companies including Aeris, Elektrobit, Ellis and Associates, the City of Los Angeles, Google, Nokia Growth Partners, NVIDIA, Pandora and Strategy Analytics.

Andy Gryc of CX3 Marketing will return as Conference Director, and together with the advisory board, will set the strategic direction and focus of CCE’s conference agenda as well as select the second annual Top 10 Automotive Start-ups. CCE is held in conjunction with the LA Auto Show Press and Trade Days and will take place on Tuesday, November 15, 2016.

"We’re thrilled to continue building a network of top experts to elevate the connected car conversation," said Lisa Kaz, President of the LA Auto Show and CCE. "Year after year, the board continues to lead new and innovative discussions on technology in automotive and transportation industries; and we’re excited to see what 2016 will bring.”

About the New CCE Advisory Board Members:

• Damon Lavrinc, Head of Content and Outreach at Automatic Labs

Damon Lavrinc is the Head of Content and Outreach at Automatic Labs, a Bay Area startup that builds connected car products to empower drivers. For the past decade he's covered the auto and tech industries as the Silicon Valley Editor for Jalopnik, Transportation Editor at Wired and editor at Autoblog. Lavrinc has written for a variety of automotive and lifestyle publications focused on transportation technology, connectivity and personal mobility.

• Justin Fishkin, Chief Strategy Officer, Local Motors

Justin Fishkin is the Chief Strategy Officer of Local Motors, a technology company that designs, builds and sells vehicles. Local Motors’ platform combines global co-creation with local micro-manufacturing to bring hardware innovations (like the world’s first 3D-printed car) to market at unprecedented speed. He marries a lifelong dedication to sustainability and making a difference in the world with a background in finance and investing. Prior to joining Local Motors, Fishkin served as Senior Portfolio Manager of Carbon War Room, an organization founded by Sir Richard Branson to identify and incubate entrepreneurial solutions to climate change. He began his career in investment banking at Goldman Sachs and later became an investor. He earned his BA in Economics from Duke University.

• Derek Kan, General Manager, Lyft

Derek Kan is the General Manager of Lyft and was recently nominated by President Obama to the Board of Directors of AMTRAK. Prior to this role, he served as Director of Strategy at a biotech startup, Management Consultant at Bain & Company, Advisor at Elliott Management, Policy Advisor to Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and the Chief Economist for the Senate Republican Policy Committee. Kan started his career as a Presidential Management Fellow at the White House Office of Management and Budget. He earned his BS from the University of Southern California, M.Sc from the London School of Economics and MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he graduated as an Arjay Miller Scholar.

• Linda Campbell, Strategic Accounts, QNX Software Systems, a BlackBerry Subsidiary

Linda Campbell has held a variety of roles within the sales and marketing organization at QNX Software Systems. Prior to relocating to Silicon Valley, she was responsible for creating and managing QNX Software Systems’ strategic alliances practice - building an award-winning technology ecosystem comprising hundreds of hardware, software and services partners globally. Campbell is also the co-founder of the Women in Automotive Technology, a Silicon Valley group dedicated to driving the industry forward by fostering connections between women, ideas and industry.

Returning CCE Advisory Board members include:

• Michelle Avary, Vice President, Automotive Product and Strategy, Aeris

Michelle Avary is responsible for the overall management of Aeris’ automotive strategy, product planning and business development. A 17-year veteran of automotive telematics, Avary previously led Toyota Motor Sales' telematics strategies. Most recently she was the Director of Technology Strategy for Harman International where she led the development of technology strategies for all of Harman’s business lines.

• Bryan Biniak, EIR, Nokia Growth Partners

Bryan Biniak is currently an Entrepreneur in Residence at Nokia Growth Partners which recently launched a $100 million Connected Car Fund. Previously, he was the General Manager of developer experiences at Microsoft where he was responsible for driving innovation with the company’s global developer community and growth of the broader ecosystem across Microsoft’s technologies, products and services portfolio including Windows, Mobile Devices, Xbox, IoT and Azure. Prior to Microsoft, Biniak was Global Vice President and General Manager at Nokia.

• John Ellis, Founder & Managing Director, Ellis and Associates

John Ellis is a software developer and business development veteran with over 25 years of experience. Formerly the Global Technologist for Ford’s connected car business unit as well as an executive with Motorola, he has delivered award-winning products and programs including opensource.motorola.com, developer.motorola.com, SmartDeviceLink, MyFordMobile, and developer.ford.com. Ellis actively consults to clients on the space where automotive, consumer, connectivity and software all intersect as well as serves as the lead instructor for the Connected Vehicle Professional certificate course managed by the Society of Automotive Engineers, Connected Vehicle Trade Association and Mobile Comply.

• Roger C. Lanctot, Associate Director, Global Automotive Practice, Strategy Analytics

Roger Lanctot brings more than 25 years of experience in electronics industry market research, consulting and journalism to the board. Lanctot advises clients on in-vehicle safety, infotainment and connectivity systems anticipating market, regulatory, and technological developments in hardware, software and business models.

• Peter Marx, Chief Technology Officer, City of Los Angeles

Peter Marx oversees the implementation of new tools and technologies across L.A. city government to better solve problems for residents and make City Hall work more efficiently and effectively. In addition, he partners with L.A.'s growing tech industry to deploy innovative technology and promote local job creation. Before joining the Mayor's Office, Marx served as the Vice President of Business Development at Qualcomm Labs, Inc. and was the Vice President of the Technology and Digital Studio at Mattel, Inc.

• Chris McKillop, Manager, Android Platform, Google

Chris McKillop leads an engineering team responsible for living room and entertainment products within Google’s Android organization. He was previously Vice President of Software at Jawbone; Sr. Director, webOS Linux at Palm; Team Lead, iOS WiFi & Bluetooth at Apple and a Software Engineer at QNX Software Systems.

• Manuela Papadopol, Director, Global Marketing, Elektrobit

Manuela Papadopol is responsible for the overall development and execution of global marketing strategy for Elektrobit. She also holds a patent in voice-activated acquisition of non-local content. Prior to joining Elektrobit, Papadopol served as a global marketing manager for automotive programs at Microsoft and as global marketing manager at the Tweddle Group. She began her business career in public relations and marketing at BMW in 1996, moving to Mercedes Benz as a public relations manager in 2000. Fluent in German, Spanish, English and Romanian, she holds a degree in communications from the Romanian-American University in Bucharest and a post-graduate degree in public relations from the University of Washington.

• Danny Shapiro, Senior Director of Automotive, NVIDIA

Danny Shapiro is the Senior Director of NVIDIA’s automotive business unit focused on developing autonomous vehicle hardware and software platforms that integrate computer vision, deep learning and sensor fusion. He is a 25-year veteran of Silicon Valley tech firms, having served in marketing, business development and engineering roles.

• Geoff Snyder, Vice President of Business Development, Automotive and Connected Devices, Pandora

Geoff Snyder is focused on the extension of Pandora into vehicles and connected devices. As consumers demand better music experiences at home and in the car, he is focused on developing relationships with representatives of the world’s top automotive and consumer electronics brands, working as a liaison between engineering and business teams to make personalized radio widely available on-the-road and in the home.

• CCE Conference Director: Andy Gryc, Co-founder, CX3 Marketing

Andy Gryc is a well-known automotive technology evangelist whose reputation in the industry is rooted in his hands-on experience in the automotive and embedded trenches – software architecture and engineering, technical sales and product marketing – for well over two decades at companies like QNX, OnStar and HP. Through CX3 Marketing, he lends his industry knowledge, technology insights and marketing expertise to analysts, journalists and companies throughout the automotive industry.

The LA Auto Show and CCE will announce more details, including session and discussion topics and industry expert participants over the coming months. For more information, please visit http://www.connectedcarexpo.com and http://www.laautoshow.com/.

Everyone from app developers to navigation companies to thought leaders are gathering today at the Connected Car Expo (CCE), part of the Los Angeles Auto Show, the first major auto show of the season. The expo precedes the LA Auto Show’s press and trade events at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Nov. 18-19, 2015. 

The CCE, now in its third year, has gathered quite a bit of momentum since its beginnings. “We used to be situated at the Los Angeles Convention Center, but we outgrew it,” Andy Gryc, conference director, CCE. The expo is now being held at the J.W. Marriot L.A. LIVE, the hotel and entertainment complex adjacent to the convention center. The move to the new location has afforded the expo 60,000 square feet of exhibit space and a presentation room with seating for up to 1,500 people.

“Car companies are here because of the auto show so this expo is a natural extension of that,” Gryc said. “We’re showing where the connected car is going and how the industry is evolving.”

Last evening, the CCE hosted a networking reception, but things officially kick off this morning with a welcome address by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti followed by an opening keynote by Lyft co-founder and president John Zimmer.

Not only is the event in a new location, but it’s also drawing a larger number of exhibitors who aren’t involved in manufacturing cars at all—they’re developing the software and services to go in them. The show is offering a diverse mix of more than 40 companies on the show floor.

For instance, OpenCar, an automotive software company, is involved in the development of the world’s first Connected Car ecosystem for automakers. High Mobility is making cars more responsive to a user’s presence. Its software allows cars to communicate with users via wearables. Remoto is a Connected Car platform that helps car owners to manage their cars—start their engine or open/close doors—remotely by Smartphone. HONK is an on-demand mobile app for tow, tire change, jump start, fuel and lock out services from more than 20,000 tow trucks nationwide.

But don’t expect the same old song and dance from the regulars who have booths at the expo. Magellan is showing both its Off-Road Vehicle and SmartGPS Eco connected car navigation. Magellan's Off-Road Vehicle navigation solutions deliver detailed 3D maps, over 44,000 vehicle trails and community generated trails, improved driver safety and a superior user experience. The SmartGPS Eco features the company's cloud platform that brings together automotive quality navigation and routing, content services, iOS and Android smartphone apps, and connected car platforms.

Hyundai is demonstrating its augmented reality owner’s manual app called Virtual Guide. The automaker said it is a “modern take” on the traditional owner’s manual that usually ends up gathering dust in the glove box. This version allows consumers to use their smartphone or tablet to get information on repairs, maintenance and vehicle features. The Hyundai Virtual Guide is compatible with the 2015 Sonata model, and will soon become available for additional models. 

Volvo Cars has something up its sleeve, but is waiting until opening day of the auto show to reveal what it has teased as its concept time machine. The automaker has been working on the concept for the last several years at its Volvo Monitoring and Concept Center in Camarillo, California.

“You won’t be able to go back in time and meet the legends of history, or go into the future and meet your kids,” Anders Tylman-Mikiewicz, General Manager of the Volvo Monitoring and Concept Center, said in a press release, “but when our planned concept is applied to a SPA based vehicle, it has the potential of giving significant time back to drivers.”

The conference program is also expected to be a highlight as it addresses hot-button topics like cyber-security, car sharing and autonomous vehicles, and features a diverse group of speakers from Google to Volkswagen.

 “We’ve taken a lesson from successful conferences and modeled our program after that. We’re going with a short format for our presentations,” said Gryc.

Another key component of the show is the Innovation Zone where the Top 10 start-ups are being recognized. “We’re taking a look at who the next Ubers and Googles are,” Gryc said.

Start-ups were chosen based on their potential to shape the future of the new automotive industry and make cars safer, more accessible and more exciting. The CCE Advisory Board chose the companies based on vision, innovation, unique perspective and the likelihood of technology adoption and success.

Each of the Top 10 are being recognized and have their solutions on display at the show. Among the Top 10 Automotive Startups are Capio, which is developing the next-generation speech recognition and natural language processing technologies that are redefining human computer interaction; Driversiti, which is a cloud-based, situational awareness technology company focused on enabling mobile devices to transform from driving distractors to driver assistance systems; and HopSkipDrive, a ride service for kids, founded by three experienced professionals who are also working moms.

Attendance is expected to be high. According to Gryc, the show could draw anywhere from 1,000 to 1,200 attendees which is both a good and not-so-good thing. “We may have outgrown this location before we expected, but I can’t say yet. We’ll just have to see how things go.”

For more information on the show, go to connectedcarexpo.com.

The Los Angeles Auto Show’s Connected Car Expo (CCE) will assemble the companies and innovators that are redefining the automotive and transportation business. The full day conference and exposition has outgrown its previous space at the Los Angeles Convention Center and will now occupy virtually the entire JW Marriott at the adjacent L.A. Live entertainment complex.

“Expanding our campus to include the adjacent JW Marriott delivers a presentation room with capacity for 1,500 seats, 60,000 square feet of exhibit floor and dozens of meeting and hospitality areas,” said the show’s EVP and General Manager Terri Toennies. “The demand on exhibit and hospitality space has already created limited availability.”

More than 25 speakers will outline their vision for the dramatic changes facing the auto industry as it collaborates with technology titans like Apple, Microsoft, Intel, Qualcomm and dozens of other fast-moving tech innovators. Influential experts from Google, Volkswagen, Continental, Movimento, HARMAN Redbend, J.D. Power, Pebble and others will converge in Los Angeles to debate some of the industry’s most critical issues and identify opportunities and challenges that lie on the road ahead. Selected by the CCE Advisory Board, this year’s conference topics focus on the hot-button issues including autonomous vehicles, car sharing, cybersecurity, 3D printing, over-the-air updates and much more. The full tentative schedule can be seen at: http://www.connectedcarexpo.com/schedule.

In addition to the conference, CCE attendees will be able to discover the latest automotive innovations at the JW Marriott, where more than 30 companies will demonstrate their latest solutions and products. Companies participating include Auto Alliance, Covisint, Elektrobit, Faurecia, Garmin, Global Automakers, KPMG, Mojio, OnStar, OSRAM Opto Semiconductors, QNX, whiteCryption, Wind River and dozens of start-ups and app developers. The exhibit floor will also serve as this year’s stage for several auto-tech press conferences on Nov. 17.

“This collaboration between major auto and technology players, combined with the emergence of thousands of disruptive start-up companies, creates an unprecedented need for an automotive-focused forum connecting this rapidly changing industry,” said Lisa Kaz, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Auto Show and CCE.

Part of the LA Auto Show’s broader Press & Trade Days, CCE is the award-winning conference and trade show that unites innovators, manufacturers, futurists and influencers to further the convergence of technology and the automobile. This year’s CCE kicks off with an evening welcome reception on Monday, Nov. 16, and is followed by LA Auto Show’s press and trade events at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Nov. 18-19. Other CCE events start on Saturday, Nov. 14 and 15, including the Mojio hackathon and the UCLA Anderson School of Business Connected Car discussion taking place after the Monday evening reception at the JW Marriott.

Registration is now open. CCE exhibitors and attendees with a three days pass will be able to witness this year’s vehicle debuts and have access to an all-new CCE networking destination at the convention center.

For more information visit www.ConnectedCarExpo.com and www.LAAutoShow.com.

The Los Angeles Auto Show’s Connected Car Expo (CCE) announced its plans to establish the premier top ten list of the hottest and most influential startups to hit the automotive scene. Slated for reveal in September by Fortune, the inaugural shortlist will recognize startups with the potential to shape the future of the new automotive industry.

LA Auto Show’s Top Ten Automotive Startups (Top 10) will be selected by the CCE Advisory Board, comprised of senior executives from companies including Aeris Communications, AT&T, City of Los Angeles, Elektrobit, Ellis & Associates, Google, Microsoft, Mobile Electronics Group, NVIDIA, Pandora and Strategy Analytics.  Following the Board’s consideration and extensive analysis of qualified newcomers, ten startups will be chosen based on the following criteria: vision, innovation, unique perspective and the likelihood of technology adoption and success.

“Today’s automakers are looking at California’s technological hotbeds to spark their innovation, but there are thousands of companies competing to bring their technologies to market,” said Andy Gryc, CCE Conference Director.  “We feel that the startups identified by our Advisory Board will be the true standouts among a crowded field, companies that will push the envelope of the automotive world in ways that will change the way cars are built, bought and driven.”

Part of LA Auto Show’s broader Press & Trade Days, CCE is the award-winning conference and trade show that unites innovators, manufacturers, futurists and influencers to further the convergence of technology and the automobile.  This year’s CCE will be held at the JW Marriott at L.A. Live on Nov. 17, followed by LA Auto Show’s press and trade events at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Nov. 18-19.  CCE exhibitors and attendees with a premium pass can witness this year’s vehicle debuts and have access to an all-new CCE networking destination at the convention center.

Over the next few months, the LA Auto Show and CCE will announce more details about the 2015 show, including session/discussion topics and industry expert participants.

For more information visit www.ConnectedCarExpo.com and www.LAAutoShow.com.

Green Car Journal has announced its five finalists for the magazine’s prestigious 2016 Green Car of the Year® award. The 2016 models include the Audi A3 e-tron, Chevrolet Volt, Honda Civic, Hyundai Sonata, and Toyota Prius.

An increasing number of vehicle models are considered for the Green Car of the Year® program each year, a reflection of the auto industry’s expanding efforts in offering new vehicles with higher efficiency and improved environmental impact. Green Car Journal has been honoring the most important “green” vehicles every year at the LA Auto Show, since its inaugural award announced at the show in 2005.

“This is the strongest field of finalists we’ve seen in our annual Green Car of the Year® program,” said Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal and CarsOfChange.com. “Each of the five nominees makes a strong environmental statement in distinctly different ways, with a common strategy of recognizing what’s most important to today’s drivers. Their use of wide-ranging powertrain technologies underscores that all approaches are essential to achieving important environmental goals.”

The Finalists:

AUDI A3 E-TRON
The A3 Sportback e-tron is Audi's entry in the hot plug-in hybrid vehicle market. This five-door hatchback uses lithium-ion batteries and a 102 hp electric motor to deliver up to 19 miles of all-electric driving, after which its 150 hp, 1.4-liter gasoline TFSI engine provides power for extended driving in efficient hybrid mode.

CHEVROLET VOLT
Chevrolet’s second generation Volt features sportier styling, better performance, and a lighter and more powerful two-motor drive system. The five-passenger, extended range electric now drives up to 53 miles on batteries alone, with its 1.5-liter gasoline powered generator creating on-board electricity to deliver an overall 420 mile range.

HONDA CIVIC
Now in its tenth generation, the all-new Honda Civic delivers exemplary fuel efficiency in an affordable, conventionally-powered model. The Civic thoughtfully blends hybrid-like fuel economy and appealing style, with an array of desired amenities and advanced electronics that meets the needs of a great many drivers.

HYUNDAI SONATA
Hyundai’s stylish 2016 Sonata offers it all with efficient gasoline, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid choices within the Sonata lineup. New this year, the hybrid delivers up to 43 highway mpg and features distinctive styling cues. The Sonata Plug-In Hybrid drives up to 24 miles on batteries with additional range on conventional hybrid power.

TOYOTA PRIUS
The venerable Toyota Prius emerges in 2016 a completely redesigned model, faithfully delivering the attributes expected of an industry-leading hybrid with important design, technology, and efficiency updates. It features a familiar yet bolder exterior and incorporates suspension and other improvements to deliver improved driving dynamics.

The Green Car of the Year® is selected through a majority vote by an esteemed jury that includes celebrity auto enthusiast Jay Leno, plus leaders of noted environmental and efficiency organizations including Jean-Michel Cousteau, president of Ocean Futures Society; Matt Petersen, board member of Global Green USA; Dr. Alan Lloyd, President Emeritus of the International Council on Clean Transportation; Mindy Lubber, President of CERES; and Kateri Callahan, President of the Alliance to Save Energy.

During the award’s vetting process, Green Car Journal editors consider all vehicles, fuels, and technologies as an expansive field of potential candidates is narrowed down to a final five. Finalists are selected for their achievements in raising the bar in environmental performance. Many factors are considered including efficiency, EPA and CARB emissions certification, performance characteristics, ‘newness,’ and affordability. Availability to the mass market is important to ensure honored models have the potential to make a real difference in environmental impact, and finalists must be available for sale by January 1st of the award year. 

The Los Angeles Auto Show (LA Auto Show®) announced that 30 world debuts, totaling 50 vehicle unveilings overall, will be introduced in front of media, analysts and automotive industry executives during its Press & Trade Days, November 17-19, 2015.

Almost every manufacturer will be making news, and while most have yet to announce details, a few manufacturers have begun to share their debut plans. Specifically, Infiniti will have a global reveal of its all-new QX30 crossover and Hyundai will host the world premiere of its all-new Elantra.

Other debuts include Jaguar’s first luxury SUV, the F-PACE, and Kia’s next-generation Sportage. Other automakers officially confirming premieres include Alfa Romeo, BMW, Bentley, Fiat, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Honda, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru and Volkswagen.

This year’s global and North American debuts will deliver production and concept vehicles representing the ever-growing performance, mid-size cross over, electric and high-technology categories. Debut categories range from luxury SUVs and flagship sedans to new compact sedans. CNET.com, the world’s largest and most trusted online source of consumer technology news and reviews, will live-stream and provide commentary about the latest debuts and groundbreaking technology on Car Tech, CNET’s auto focused online show.

The coverage will be led by CNET Car Tech Editors-at-Large and industry experts, Brian Cooley and Tim Stevens, and will allow the excitement of Press & Trade Days to be experienced by everyone, not just industry insiders, around the world. Brian Cooley will also serve as emcee of the LA Auto Show's Connected Car Expo. KABC Los Angeles (KABC7), is also the official television media partner of the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show.

KABC7 will broadcast event highlights in an hour-long special in Primetime November 20 at 9 p.m. PST, showcasing breakthrough auto innovations, new vehicles and interviews with industry insiders. The show will also be streamed live and available on-demand on the “Watch ABC” app. For the third consecutive year, the LA Auto Show’s Connected Car Expo (CCE) will kick-off Press & Trade Days on November 17. This opening day will be dedicated to the convergence of technology and the automobile and will now occupy virtually the entire JW Marriott at the adjacent L.A. Live entertainment complex.

The Connected Car Expo will feature over 30 exhibitors and sponsors, an entire day of presentations, news announcements and networking opportunities. The remaining Press & Trade Days will continue at the Los Angeles Convention Center (November 18 & 19) and will focus on vehicle debuts. More than 25,000 auto industry executives, including 4,500 media from around the world, are expected to attend. Registration for the show is now open.

CCE exhibitors and attendees with a three-day pass will be able to witness this year’s vehicle debuts and have access to an all-new CCE networking destination at the convention center. For more information visit www.ConnectedCarExpo.com and www.LAAutoShow.com.

The Los Angeles Auto Show’s Connected Car Expo (CCE) has released its list of Top Ten Automotive Startups™ (Top 10). The startups were chosen because of their potential to shape the future of the new automotive industry and make cars safer, more accessible and more exciting.

The CCE Advisory Board chose the companies based on vision, innovation, unique perspective and the likelihood of technology adoption and success. The Top 10 are considered true standouts among an increasingly crowded field of technology companies emerging in the automotive space.

The Advisory Board is comprised of senior executives from companies including Aeris, AT&T, City of Los Angeles, Elektrobit, Ellis & Associates, Google, Microsoft, Mobile Electronics Group, NVIDIA, Pandora and Strategy Analytics.

Each of the Top 10 will be recognized as well as have their solutions on display at the award-winning Connected Car Expo. Part of LA Auto Show’s Press & Trade Days, CCE will be held at the JW Marriott at L.A. Live on Nov. 17.

2015 Top 10 Automotive Startups:

Capio is developing the next-generation speech recognition and natural language processing technologies that are redefining human computer interaction. Built on deep learning and parallel computing principles, Capio’s unique architecture delivers an unmatched combination of speed and accuracy for speech recognition and contextual understanding. The result is a human-like and conversational interface that connects with devices of all types, enabling a quantum leap forward for in-car, voice-activated experiences.

Driversiti is a cloud-based, situational awareness technology company focused on enabling mobile devices to transform from driving distractors to driver assistance systems. Its proprietary algorithms detect a broad range of driving behaviors and road conditions with an existing mobile device, then sends the data to its cloud-based platform which gathers and interprets the data in real time to provide valuable information back to drivers to keep them safe and informed. This is accomplished by combining machine learning with the ever-evolving array of built-in smartphone sensors without adding any additional hardware. To learn more, visit www.driversiti.com.

Elio Motors is an American startup automaker that produces three-wheeled personal transportation vehicles as a solution for today’s generation of drivers. Elio Motors delivers a fun-to-drive, supereconomical, environmentally friendly personal transportation alternative. The Elio is designed to achieve up to 84 MPG with a targeted $6,800* base price. To learn more, visit www.eliomotors.com.

Getaround empowers people to safely share cars by the hour and day. Combining Getaround Connect™, their patented connected car technology, with auto insurance coverage backed by Assurant, Getaround creates a seamless and fun sharing experience. Getaround members can conveniently rent nearby cars and save money on auto payments, insurance and maintenance. Owners share cars ranging from a Smart Fortwo to a Tesla earning thousands in extra income each year to offset the high cost of car ownership, while making a positive impact on the environment. For more information, visit www.getaround.com.

High Mobility makes cars more responsive to a user’s presence. Its software framework enables cars to securely identify and communicate with users via wearables and other devices. This includes linking autonomous drive features with wearables to take advantage of a multitude of real-time health data from heart rate monitors or other devices like FitBit. To learn more, visit www.high-mobility.com.

HopSkipDrive, a ride service for kids, was founded by three experienced professionals who are also working moms. They understand the stress of getting kids where they need to go and created HopSkipDrive to address this pain point for all families. Parents books rides through the app or website and can track their child's ride in real-time. All CareDrivers have at least 5 years of childcare experience and are fingerprinted through the TrustLine registry. The HopSkipDrive platform includes built-in stringent safety features that monitor things like driver speed and whether a driver is using their phone while driving. To learn more, visit www.hopskipdrive.com.

Nebula Systems developed a secure, cloud-based, vehicle data analytics platform, MECH5®, which accesses the vast and unexploited data generated by modern vehicles. This platform addresses the main connected car concern: limitation in obtaining key data from virtually any car, and aims to become the defacto data enabling platform for the connected car ecosystem. To learn more, visit www.nebulasystems.com.

Quanergy has developed smart sensing solutions for real-time 3D mapping and object detection, tracking, and classification. It is the leading manufacturer of 3D time-of-flight solid state LiDAR sensors designed to meet all four key commercialization criteria: cost, performance, reliability and size. Mapping is critical for the future of safer vehicles and delivering autonomous solutions. To learn more, visit www.quanergy.com.

Sober Steering, the world's only touch based alcohol interlock, has developed groundbreaking technology to prevent drunk driving. Its sensors, inserted directly into a steering wheel of a vehicle, have proven that alcohol can be detected at the palm of the hand in less than five minutes after initial ingestion. If alcohol is detected above a preset limit, the vehicle is immobilized. Random retests ensure the driver maintains sobriety while en route. Its Zero Tolerance System is designed for fleets like school buses, coaches, hazmat, and construction vehicles. To lean more, visit www.sobersteering.com.

TriLumina, a semiconductor laser technology company, has developed a family of fast, powerful and cost-effective semiconductor lasers that will allow cars to see, think, predict and react. TriLumina is focused on lasers for solid-state automotive laser radar (LiDAR) technologies and smart illumination products in driver monitoring sensing applications. TriLumina lasers are a platform technology as use cases extend beyond the automobile to 3D depth sensing, human machine interfaces, and IR sensing in robotics, industrial applications and in the home. To learn more, visit www.trilumina.com.

“The startups being honored as this year’s Top 10 are truly innovative and are enhancing the automotive and tech industries to change the future of transportation,” said Andy Gryc, CCE Conference Director. “We’re excited to introduce these companies at CCE in front of our audience of media, industry experts and automotive thought leaders.”

Top 10 media partner, Fortune, dives deeper into each of these startups in its latest issue on newsstands now.

CCE is the award-winning conference and trade show that unites innovators, manufacturers, futurists and influencers to further the convergence of technology and the automobile. CCE will be followed by LA Auto Show’s press and trade events at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Nov. 18-19. CCE exhibitors and attendees with a premium pass can witness this year’s vehicle debuts and have access to an all-new CCE networking destination at the convention center.

 For more information visit www.ConnectedCarExpo.com and www.LAAutoShow.com.

Ford Motor Company President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Fields to Deliver Opening AutoMobility LA Keynote Speech

LOS ANGELES (May 16, 2016) – ANSA Productions, owners and operators of the Los Angeles Auto Show (LA Auto Show®), announced that they are combining LA Auto Show Press and Trade Days with their four-year-old auto-tech conference, Connected Car Expo (CCE), to form the four-day pre-show event, AutoMobility LA. This is the culmination of a five-year effort to evolve the show’s press and trade days into a bona fide trade show, designed exclusively for the new automotive industry. The four-day event will continue to bring together the entire “new mobility ecosystem” – comprised of automakers, tech companies, designers, developers, startups, investors, dealers, government officials, analysts, etc. – to redefine and unveil the future of transportation.

Preceding the 10-day LA Auto Show consumer event, AutoMobility LA will occur from November 14-17, at the Los Angeles Convention Center and includes the Technology Pavilion – a new 50,000-square-foot building being constructed to accommodate double the auto-tech exhibits over last year’s CCE.  Leading automakers and technology giants alike are already signed on to make major announcements during AutoMobility LA, including Mark Fields, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ford Motor Company, who will deliver the opening AutoMobility LA keynote on Tuesday, November 15.

Since 2012, the LA Auto Show’s Advanced Tech Showcase and subsequent CCE have introduced more than 100 new companies to the traditional auto industry.  It has featured hundreds of expert speakers, been the stage for dozens of significant technology announcements and facilitated countless business deals.  In 2014, it was voted “best car tech/connected car trade show” by Auto Connected Car News.  In 2015, CCE doubled its number of exhibitors over the previous year, saw a 95 percent increase in attendance and achieved a 73 percent increase in the number of technology stories, as a result of the conference.

Several of CCE’s exhibitors received significant funding following the show.  Most notably was the $500 million investment from General Motors in Lyft, which to date, is the most significant partnership between an automaker and ride-sharing service.

“For years, we’ve been at the epicenter of the changing automotive industry, creating a setting for some of the largest partnerships such as that between General Motors and Lyft,” said AutoMobility LA and LA Auto Show President and Chief Executive Officer, Lisa Kaz. “We’re excited to continue to connect brands, whether established or start-up, with influential people and provide engaging experiences with the world’s leading companies.”

The AutoMobility LA schedule will encompass four days of networking, three days of press conferences and two days of learning opportunities (presentations by a diverse range of experts).  A full list of panel topics and speakers to be announced in the coming months.  A preliminary schedule can be found at http://www.laautoshow.com/automobility.

Technology Pavilion exhibitor highlights include but are not limited to companies such as ATMO Auto Power, Continental International, Garmin International, Mocana, QNX and whiteCryption.  Returning sponsors include Global Automakers, KPMG, Mojio, State Farm and Pirelli.

AutoMobility LA will feature panels, high-level presentations by executives, technology exhibits, automaker displays, networking events and breaking news conferences that will examine all aspects of the rapidly evolving automotive and new mobility industry.  AutoMobility LA will also feature more than 50 world and North American product debuts over the course of the show.

Nearly 25,000 entrepreneurs, disruptors, programmers, designers, automakers, government officials and more are expected to attend this year’s AutoMobility LA.  It will kick off on Monday, November 14, with a networking reception at 5 p.m. in the Technology Pavilion followed by the annual Kickoff Party at 7 p.m.  Exhibit areas at the L.A. Convention Center will be open on Nov. 16 and 17 only.

As a lead-up to the show, Mojio and its key partners will be hosting a 36-hour hackathon taking place on the morning of Saturday, November 12.  Developers, designers and entrepreneurs will ideate, create and pitch connected car apps and services that harness Mojio’s open platform and partner APIs.  Winners of the second annual challenge will be announced on Monday evening at the opening reception of AutoMobility LA.

Also during AutoMobility LA and featured during LA Auto Show’s consumer days, will be GO, an all-new destination that will highlight automakers’ and newcomers’ latest smart mobility devices and apps that are redefining personal mobility. Located inside the L.A. Convention Center, GO will feature everything from e-kick bikes to hover-boards to wearables and more.

The LA Auto Show name will continue for the public attendance days, as it has for the past 109 years. The public show will run from November 18-27, 2016.

To register for AutoMobility LA, please visit: http://laautoshow.com/join (starting July 2016).

For additional information on Automobility LA and the LA Auto Show please visit: http://www.automobilityla.com/ and http://laautoshow.com/.