Undeterred, WCX Strides Toward Future

As the industry grapples with volatile economies and competition from China, WCX 2025 speakers focus on how engineers are forging ahead and keeping skills relevant.

March 12, 2025

Chris Clonts

WCX 2025 once again returns to Huntington Place with more than three floors of events and seminars and a nearly full floor of exhibition booths. (SAE/Chris Clonts)

The national and global economy may face turbulent times for the near future, but the show goes on in automotive manufacturing. In addition to being a great place for engineers to upgrade their knowledge, the SAE’s World Congress 2025 , from April 8-10 at Huntington Place in Detroit, is also a good perch from which to view where the industry is headed.

One company undoubtedly focused on the future is Toyota, which at CES this year announced that its Woven by Toyota innovation city/campus had completed construction and was ready for engineers, designers and other key personnel to begin working there. The Woven City (Link) is meant to feature multidisciplinary collaboration in the exploration of future city services, energy sources, food and delivery and, yes, mobility.

John Absmeier, Woven by Toyota’s CTO (Toyota)

John Absmeier, CTO of Woven by Toyota, the company that oversees the Woven City project, is keynote speaker at a fireside chat on April 10. It’s also a chance to see the future of the organizing society itself, as the conversation will be moderated by Dr. Jacqline E-Sayed, SAE International’s new CEO.

For his part, Absmeier told SAE Media via email that he views the ICE-to-EV transition the industry is in as exciting. “To maintain a competitive edge, traditional OEMs must embrace innovation,” he said. “At WCX, I look forward to sharing how Woven by Toyota is accelerating toward a world with zero accidents. Through connecting people, vehicles, and infrastructure with human-centric innovations, we can build a safer environment that enhances well-being for all,” he said. “Our vision at Woven by Toyota is fulfilled through the integration of Arene (Toyota’s vehicle software platform), AD/ADAS, and Woven City. Together, Woven City will be a mobility proving ground for testing and co-creation activities from mobility of people, goods, information and energy.”

He also said the company is driving innovation via strategic partnerships, such with Joby Aviation and Interstellar Technologies, especially where it concerns potential advancements in safety and sustainability.

Advice for engineers

Toyota’s Woven City will soon be bustling with people from design, engineering and other fields, working collaboratively on new concepts. Some residents will be everyday users of the new products and services. (Woven by Toyota)

Since he’s someone who has been at the cutting edge of technology from his tenure at supplier Lear to board member for Voltaiq, the enterprise battery analysis platform, we asked Absmeier if he had advice for already- and soon-to-be-working engineers to ensure they’re ready to meet the industry’s needs.

“Engineers can enhance creativity in problem-solving by cultivating a mindset that embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, recognizing that these elements often lead to innovative solutions,” he said. “Engaging in diverse experiences and interdisciplinary collaborations can provide new perspectives and stimulate creative thinking.”

He cited as one example Toyota’s long history with ‘kaizen (continuous improvement) and ‘genchi genbutsu’ (going to the source). “Engineers at Toyota are encouraged to observe real-world challenges firsthand, whether on the factory floor or in real-world driving conditions.” He said that at Woven, the teams leverage data-driven development and simulation environments that allow for rapid experimentation, fast failure and rapid iteration.

Absmeier also said that AI and ultrafast computing are reshaping the industry, so engineers need to develop expertise in software-defined vehicles, data-driven development and real-time simulation. To that end, Toyota has an integrated upskilling program called Dojo, which focuses “on reskilling employees into software engineers by providing hands-on training in areas such as programming, data, machine learning and AI.” It is handled by a talent management platform that can identify gaps in individual knowledge and apply training toward gaps in the company’s needs.

Facing China and a design mindset: other keynotes

In addition to the United States tariff policy putting a lot of chop on the water, the industry is facing China’s already long-distance lead in EV manufacturing. In 2024, BYD passed Tesla as the world’s top EV maker, cranking out 4,500 more vehicles than the company ostensibly run by Elon Musk. And, increasingly, Chinese EVs are being lauded for their quality and innovation, especially in the battery space. The IM Motor L6 leverages a 130-kWh semi-solid-state battery to attain a range of 620 miles (997 km).

Jack Weast, VP and GM of Intel Automotive (Intel)

How have they accomplished this? On April 9, Jack Weast, VP and GM of Intel Automotive, will talk about his year of living in the country and observing its automotive industry. A fervent proponent of SDV architecture (Intel is developing SD architecture for the entire vehicle), he will cover the “996” approach of working 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week that China has outlawed with varying success. He’ll also talk about the topic of ‘neijuan,’ a state of such intense internal competition that a person (and society) can no longer evolve. It’s something China is so worried about that, as reported by The Guardian, the country’s premier, Li Qiang, warned against it at the Davos World Economic Forum last year.

Earlier this year, at CES, Weast introduced intel’s software-defined zone controller, which can manage power in a way that reduces overall power demand despite new AI and ADAS features.

Ralph Gilles, Stellantis’ chief of design. (Stellantis)

Even before the new administration took office and started shaking the economy, Stellantis was facing troubles that showed up as steeply declining sales and high inventory. CEO Carlos Tavares shocked the industry by resigning in December after attempting a fire sale of what analysts said were overpriced vehicles, especially in the Jeep brand.

Ralph Gilles, Stellantis’ long-serving and celebrated chief design officer, will speak April 8 in a chat hosted by former SAE President and current President and CEO of the Center for Automotive Research, Carla Bailo.

Elsewhere at WCX

The keynotes are all part of the Leadership Summit series of events at WCX. At press time panels were still being developed, but representatives from top OEMs and suppliers, including GM, Honda, Lucid, Nissan and Amazon Web Services, are scheduled to appear.

WCX’s deep-dive Technical Sessions are led by experts and meant to bring attendees up to date on regulations, consumer metrics, emerging research and best practices across subjects including sustainability, EV batteries, smart manufacturing, vehicle software and hardware, materials and lightweighting and more.

For information go here .