Simulation Engineering in the Automotive Industry:

Automotive Hybrid Technologies, Electrification, ADAS and CAE Process Democratization.

November 6, 2025 | Troy, MI, USA

The automotive industry is in one of its most exciting and challenging eras since the first car was invented in the 1800s. With consumer and regulatory demands for environmentally sustainable, cleaner, smarter, yet affordable transportation, car manufacturers find themselves increasingly having to balance what can often be competing demands.

For the automotive engineer, keeping up with the current pace of change and the various pressures on the industry requires a truly dynamic, proactive approach. Increasing the upfront use of numerical simulation capabilities, innovative uses of existing methods and processes, and knowledge sharing all form part of what it takes for automotive engineers to efficiently design, manufacture and deliver market-ready products at a competitive pace.

Past events have discussed, among other topics at the cutting edge of developments, powertrain electrification, virtual simulation for product verification, and the influence of artificial intelligence in car design. This year's seminar will bring new insights into how the industry is negotiating the imperative for greener and leaner solutions.

A core aim of the event is to share knowledge and insights on critical topic areas in a manner that maximizes the “take-away” value for attendees. The event concept and agenda are carefully shaped and structured by several leading figures in the automotive industry and will provide the opportunity to acquire practicable knowledge about and insight into the latest technologies and practices. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with industry colleagues and experts, present and discuss best practices, and acquire useful knowledge to implement within their organizations.

As technological advancements continue to radically reshape how vehicles are designed, developed, and delivered, join us and take part in an event focused on the rapidly evolving automotive industry and what that means for you.

Event themes:

Automotive Hybrid Technologies
Electrification
ADAS
CAE Process Democratization

Provisional Agenda

Download the Agenda

(subject to change)

07:00 AM: Exhibitor Check-in and Setup
07:30 AM: Breakfast and Networking
08:00 AM: Welcome and Introduction
08:05 AM: Sponsor Sessions 08:05 - Rescale 08:10 - TotalCAE 08:15 - VIAS3D
08:20 AM: Keynote Address Ram Bhandarkar \| Stellantis
09:10 AM: Networking Break

101
Session 1

9:50 AM | Empowering Organizations with Engineering Intelligence to Revolutionize Product Development
Evan Brennan
Neural Concept

10:20 AM | Multi-Objective Optimization of Damping Patches In A Body-In-White For Weight Reduction In Electrical Vehicles Using Reduced Order Models And Response Surface Methods
Zhendan Xue
ESTECO North America Inc

10:50 AM | TotalCAE Roadmap to Digitally Transform Product Innovation with High-Performance Computing
Rod Mach
TotalCAE

102
Session 2

9:50 AM | Electromagnetic and NVH Analysis of PMSM with Eccentricity and Rotor Magnetization Variations
Rabah Hadjit
Keysight Technologies Inc.

10:20 AM | Thermo-Mechanical Modeling of a Representative Battery Pack for Electric Vehicles
Liangkai Ma
Dow

10:50 AM | Design and Virtual Validation of Modular/Scalable Battery Architecture in 3DEXPERIENCE
Balaji Ramanathan
Dassault Systemes

Auditorium
Session 3

9:50 AM | Simulation and Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) Methods for Requirements Exploration of Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS)
Michael Balchanos
Georgia institute of Technology

10:20 AM | Simulation-Driven Assistance for ADAS Safety Development
Jian Tang
Robert Bosch LLC

10:50 AM | Systematic Fidelity Selection For Real-Time Vehicle Dynamics Simulation
Mariam Emara
Georgia Institute of Technology

11:20 AM: Lunch & Networking
12:10 PM: Keynote Address Dan Woodman \| The Dow Chemical Company
12:50 PM: Panel Discussion: Automotive Hybrid Technologies, Electrification, ADAS, and CAE Process Democratization. The panel brings together simulation technical experts and senior engineering leaders from a diverse set of automotive OEMs for a focused discussion on the evolving role of simulation in the automotive product development lifecycle. Dan Woodman - Director of Global Mobility & Transportation (Dow) Bob Tickel - Director at Cummings Karim Zouani - Chief Engineer ADAS at Ford Motor Co. Allen Sheldon - Chief Engineer at Honda Research Tulga Ersal - Professor at the University of Michigan Mario Felice - Principal & Founder– virsolTech Engineering Consulting, LLC NAFEMS Technical Fellow

101
Session 4

1:40 PM | A Multi-Criteria Method For Tire Model Choice In Minimum Lap Time Problems
Angel Zarate Villazon
Georgia Institute of Technology - Aerospace Systems Design Lab

2:10 PM | Democratizing Simulation: An AI Copilot for the Structural and Thermal Modeling of Automotive Applications
Noah Evers
CompLabs

2:40 PM | CAE Democratization Through AI
John Zinn
CognaSIM

102
Session 5

1:40 PM | Reimagining Automotive Aerodynamic Design with Physics-AI: High-Fidelity CFD Meets Predictive Neural Operators
Varun Chitta
Luminary Cloud

2:10 PM | Industry Examples of more Simulations in less time with SimAgent Abstract CAE Modeling
Bruce Webster
Novus Nexus, Inc.

2:40 PM | Optimizing Multidisciplinary CAE Simulation for Automotive Applications Through Holistic Compute, Data, and AI Integration
Pete Klein
Rescale

Auditorium
Session 6

1:40 PM | Democratizing CAE: AI-ML Enabled Scalable Strategies for Accessible and Repeatable Simulation Workflows
Arindam Chakraborty
VIAS3D

3:10 PM: Networking Break

101
Session 7

3:30 PM | A COMPUTATIONAL STRATEGY FOR CORROSION MITIGATION AND PREVENTION IN AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN
Julio Mendez
Corrdesa

4:00 PM | Parametric Design for Weight Optimization of Automotive Electric Drive Modules
Dinesh Kumar Vutukuri
Detroit Engineered Products INC

4:30 PM | Finding the Balance Between Direct Physics and AI surrogates
Andy Fine
Fine Physics LLC

102
Session 8

3:30 PM | Engineering AI for Automotive Electrification: Democratizing Nonlinear CAE with Cloud-Native Solvers
Nolan Halliday
SimScale

4:00 PM | Turning Simulation Data into AI-Ready Knowledge: Solving the Multi-Solver Puzzle for AI and Simulation Consumers
Prasad Mandava
Visual Collaboration Technologies Inc.

4:30 PM | Affordable Simulation Tools for Specialist Off-Road OEMs
Rupert Tull de Salis
ZeBeyond Ltd.

5:00 PM: Networking Reception & close

Details

Event Type	Seminar
Member Price	£171.69 \| $225.00 \| €194.74
Non-member Price	£247.99 \| $325.00 \| €281.29
Credit Price	Free when using 2 Member Credits

Dates

Start Date	End Date	Location
06 Nov 2025	06 Nov 2025	Troy, MI, USA

Seminar Quick Links

Agenda

Sponsorships

Discussion Panel

Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Morning and Afternoon Breaks Sponsor

Venue Details

Management Education Center, the MEC

811 W Square Lake Rd, Troy, MI 48098

The full day of event content will take place at the MEC. There is no dedicated room block or designated hotel for the event.

Keynote Speakers

Dan Woodman

Director of Transportation and Mobility
Dow Chemicals

We are pleased to announce an insightful keynote presentation on the strategic application of Finite Element Modeling (FEM) in product design. FEM is a powerful, specialized, and costly tool that, when used effectively, offers unparalleled capabilities in solving complex engineering challenges. With modern computing power and well-established methods, the focus is no longer on whether a problem can be solved, but rather which problems warrant the effort, and which approaches provide the greatest value for this tool.

This keynote will delve into the practical engineering impact of FEM and the potential pitfalls that arise when elegant models overshadow functional design considerations. We will explore how model development and analysis, when combined with validation testing, can optimize insight and drive meaningful advancements in product design.

Dan is an experienced Director in Research Development with a demonstrated history of working in the material and chemicals industry. Skilled in DMAIC, Value Stream Mapping, Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Black Belt, and Team Building. Strong research professional with a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan. Experienced Director in Research Development with a demonstrated history of working in the material and chemicals industry. Skilled in DMAIC, Value Stream Mapping, Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Black Belt, and Team Building. Strong research professional with a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Ram Bhandarkar

Director of Virtual Engineering
Stellantis NA

Ram Bhandarkar has over 30 years of experience in vehicle development. As the Director of Virtual Engineering at Stellantis North America, he leads a team of CAE specialists, pioneering the transition from physical testing to digital processes. This shift has significantly reduced development time and costs while enhancing vehicle performance. Ram holds an MS in Mechanical Engineering from West Virginia University. He is also a passionate advocate for STEM education and aims to inspire the next generation of engineers.