SAE International Congress & Exposition '98

"Engineering the Product Development Revolution" is this year's SAE '98 theme. Leading the event is host organization Ford Motor Co., headed by Dr. William Powers, vice president of research. This event is targeted at automotive engineers and Tier I, II, and III supplier companies that provide components and systems to automakers.

"No other event on the planet has a global impact on the future of automotive technology like the SAE Congress," says Powers. The event attracts more than 48,000 attendees.

Twenty-one top global automotive suppliers will exhibit, and international participation is at an all-time high according to Pat Grandle, marketing manager for Tricon Industries Inc. and SAE '98's chairperson for exhibits.

The show will feature both an international and European pavilion. Groups from SAE China, Australia, and France; the Verband der Automobilindustrie of Germany; the Commercial Embassy of Spain; Taiwan Trade Center; Central Estero Camere Commercio of Italy; and the Lyon Chamber of Commerce for France will participate. Plus, companies from Japan, Sweden, the Netherlands, SMMT/British Consulate, and Belgium will be represented.

In addition to this global presence, the state of Michigan, SAE International, the European Union, and the Automotive Strategic Assessment Team of Plant & Moran, LLP, have organized a Global Automotive Supplier Mission. This mission is designed to help facilitate the development of new joint ventures, strategic partnerships, exchanges of technology, and other commercial collaborations between Michigan-based suppliers and their counterparts from across the nation and around the world.

Understandably, safety is an important factor for OEM automobile engineers and manufacturers. To this effect, companies at The Technology Enhanced Safety Testing Group (TEST) pavilion in Oakland Hall will display the latest advancements in areas such as dummy instrumentation, data-acquisition systems, sensors and systems for visual recording and motion analysis.

SAE staff will be available to answer questions at booth 1000.