You would have to be living under a pretty big rock to not realize that the in-person-conference scenario has changed quite a bit in the last 18 months. I know of a few in-person events that have happened since most everything shut down in March 2020, but they are few and far between. So, needless to say, I am looking forward to a chance to get back together with some fellow industry professionals at SAE COMVEC in mid-September. Of course, I expect there to be some differences from the last time we did in-person COMVEC, but as engineers, we live in a constant state of change anyway.
The theme of the 2021 COMVEC is “Energy, Sustainability, and the Future of Commercial Vehicle Transportation”. Undoubtedly electrification – whether with batteries, fuel cells, or hybrids – will be a big topic. I am excited to hear from some industry experts on other topics like autonomy and big data as well. And of course, I hope to have some good opportunity for networking. My experience with networking during virtual-only conferences has been mostly non-existent, and I think the technology would need to change a lot to supplant in-person networking.
Last year, I had the opportunity to moderate a panel during the virtual-only COMVEC, but this year I get a reprieve. Instead, my DISTek colleague, Nick Elliott, will be moderating a panel on fuel cells. DISTek will also be present with a booth (#307) in the exhibition hall, so if you are at the show I encourage you to stop by for a chat. We are always up for a lively geek-out conversation about embedded software development trends, so let us know which of your electronics challenges are causing the biggest headache.
COMVEC serves the same industries as DISTek – Ag, Construction, Commercial Vehicle, and Military – so we find great value in the conference. Because so many of the technology drivers in these industries rely on increasing embedded electronics and software, it is a must-attend event for us each year. If that same line of reasoning holds true in your role, then I personally think you would also benefit from attending COMVEC this year. I hope to see you there!
