Winning Racing Panel to Follow Automotive Strategy Session at CAR MBS

2013 CAR Management Briefing Seminars, August 5-8

ANN ARBOR, Mich., July 29, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The automotive industry has long looked to racing to improve the "breed" of consumer vehicles. The 2013 CAR Management Briefing Seminars will conclude on Thursday, August 8th with a panel of racing experts, who will share their knowledge of how racing success can move product in the showroom. The racing panel will immediately follow the Thursday morning Automotive Strategy session.

The panel, From the Racetrack to Product Development: How Racing Can Drive the Product will provide insight into:

• How suppliers are using technology advances made at the race track to drive higher performance, better fuel economy and better quality products for consumers
• How racing and performance experiences are integrated into Honda vehicles, including examples of how the company has kept the Founder's racing DNA as part of the company and
• Michigan International Speedway's efforts to create a vehicle testing center for industry.

Soichiro Honda, founder of Honda, famously said "if Honda does not race there is no Honda." Stephen Eriksen, Vice President & COO, Honda Performance Development, Inc. will start the panel discussion by describing how Honda has echoed the founder's beliefs by leveraging technological advancements from racing to drive product development and meet consumer expectations.

Eriksen will be joined by Chris Baker, Director, Motor Sports, Michelin North America and Scott D. Gallett, Vice President, Marketing, Public Relations, Government Affairs, Internal Communications, BorgWarner Inc. The two will highlight how their companies have become industry leaders in transferring technology from the track to the customer.

Roger Curtis, President, Michigan International Speedway (MIS) will also participate. MIS has been a leader in leveraging its facility to assist manufacturers, suppliers and educational groups in testing vehicle technology onsite.  Curtis will also discuss the upcoming Pure Michigan 400 NASCAR race on August 18, and the inaugural Manufacturers' Cup.

Automotive Strategy: Mobility, Profitability, Sustainability

Wednesday and Thursday Morning, August 7-8

How can the industry best move toward providing sustainable mobility solutions that meet current drivers' needs without compromising the future?  The Automotive Strategy sessions will address the connection between short term profitability and midterm viability, with a look towards long term sustainability in the mobility marketplace. These "don't miss" sessions will deliver industry insight directly from key decision makers. 

Featured Wednesday Speakers

• Governor Rick Snyder, State of Michigan
• James Tetreault, Vice President, North America Manufacturing, Ford Motor Company
• Jacqui Dedo, Chief Strategy Officer, Dana Holding Corporation
• Dr. Jan Spies, Head, Factory Planning, Volkswagen AG
• Bill Krueger, Senior Vice President, Manufacturing, Purchasing, Production Engineering and Supply Chain Management,Nissan Americas
• Rick Schostek, Senior Vice President, Honda North America, Inc.

Featured Thursday Speakers

• Governor Jay Nixon, State of Missouri
• Daniel Ammann, Senior Vice President & CFO, General Motors
• Scott Keogh, President, Audi of America
• Philip Martens, President & CEO, Novelis, Inc.
• Doug Rothwell, President & CEO, Business Leaders for Michigan

More than 900 automotive industry stakeholders are expected to attend the 2013 CAR Management Briefing Seminars, an annual industry event which takes place each year at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, near Traverse City, Michigan. The conference offers a number of topical seminars focused on global manufacturing strategies, lightweighting, connected and autonomous vehicles, powertrain developments, sales forecasting, purchasing, policy, designing for technology, and capital investment.

For detailed information, visit the event's website at www.cargroup.org/mbs. Media representatives may register at no charge via the CAR MBS website. All media registrations are subject to approval. Follow #MBS2013 on Twitter for the latest conference updates, sponsored by Plex Systems.

The Center for Automotive Research is a non-profit organization based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Its mission is to conduct research on significant issues related to the future direction of the global automotive industry, organize and conduct forums of value to the automotive community and foster industry relationships. For more information, visit the CAR website: www.cargroup.org.

SOURCE Center for Automotive Research