Next I-CAR Conference set for 2016 during Industry Week

Hoffman Estates, Illinios — September 8, 2014 — I-CAR has announced plans for a biennial conference to be held during Industry Week. Industry Week is comprised of a number of related but separate events, including NACE/CARS, the Collision Industry Council meeting, and the I-CAR Conference.

The 2014 I-CAR Conference took place during Industry Week in Detroit this past July. The Conference, which dove deeply into emerging vehicle technologies, proved to be an outstanding event with an all-star lineup of speakers including Keynotes Robert Fascetti, Ford Vice President of Powertrain Engineering, and Larry Burns, Professor of Engineering Practice at University of Michigan and former Vice President R&D and Planning for General Motors.

Registrations for the Conference were up 50 percent over the prior year, and post-survey results showed an unprecedented 96 percent satisfaction by attendees. Attendees also expressed that I-CAR should continue to co-locate the Conference with NACE and Industry Week in the future.

This was the second consecutive year that the I-CAR Conference brought to the forefront topics that centered on the accelerating vehicle “Technical Tsunami,” this year holding sessions on Ford’s new vehicle development and collision repair programs, the Changing DNA of the Vehicle, Lightweighting, and Advanced Electronics, Communications & Safety.

When asked what topics I-CAR should cover in future conferences, 86 percent of attendees requested that I-CAR continue to focus on evolving vehicle technology. In response to this feedback, and to continue delivering relevant and fresh content from an outstanding lineup of senior OEM technology focused speakers, I-CAR is excited to announce that vehicle technology will continue to be the Conference theme, and that the I-CAR Conference will shift to a biennial (every other year) schedule. Also, based on the success of this year’s Conference, I-CAR plans to hold the event in conjunction with NACE going forward.

“Changing from an annual to a biennial Conference allows us time to effectively study the evolving technology landscape and continue to produce a relevant, thought-provoking Conference, with a line-up of quality speakers, that offers new insights to all segments of our audience,” says I-CAR Senior Marketing Director Ann Gonzalez. “Attendees have come to expect that I-CAR will deliver exceptional presentations and fresh perspectives, and we want to continue delivering on that expectation.”

I-CAR also significantly expanded its NACE presence in 2014 with the addition of a main stage located centrally on the show floor. Throughout the show, I-CAR collaborated with OEM’s to bring topical and relevant presentations to the NACE audience on this stage, as well as through live demonstrations held in the I-CAR Demo Zone, such as welding. Due to positive industry feedback, I-CAR looks forward to continuing to host the main stage and live demonstrations at NACE in 2015 and beyond.

“When we initially decided to combine events into one Industry Week, adding NACE/CARS to the annual event I-CAR holds in conjunction with CIC, we believed there would be significant benefit to attendees,” says I-CAR CEO and President John Van Alstyne. “That benefit has now been proven as evidenced by the successful results and positive feedback all three organizations received from this latest event. We look forward to continuing our expanded presence at NACE and also combining our now biennial I-CAR Conference with Industry Week in 2016.”