FEAL-2018: The Future of Automotive Industry

Date: 29th Jun, 2018
Author: Rahat Iqbal

Dr Rahat Iqbal was invited to deliver a keynote speech on new mobility and smart city at FEAL2018, a prestigious event aiming to introduce the automotive industry in the Big Data era.

The event was called “FEAL2018 - The Future of Automotive in Europe” (FEAL website) and it was hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Lille, France. FEAL2018 involved the entire automotive industry: manufacturers, suppliers, startups, clusters, institutions, associations, research laboratories, academics, and consultants. Dr Iqbal was accompanied by the Chamber of Commerce of Coventry and Warwickshire, UK, and was among the 20 key speakers of the event. Key speakers in FEAL2018 included representatives from world-known companies like Toyota, Renault, Peugeot, and Citroën as well as high-profile individuals such as:

  • Luciano Biondo - President of Toyota Motor Manufacturing France
  • Xavier Bertrand - President of the Hauts-de-France region and former minister
  • Luc Chatel - President of the PFA (Automotive industry and mobilities) and former minister.

During FEAL-2018, Dr Iqbal delivered a presentation on new mobilities and smart cities where he discussed the challenges and opportunities pertaining to the deployment of big data analytics and machine learning technologies in intelligent transport and urban mobility. Dr Iqbal explained the challenges for developing effective Big Data applications for the automotive industry, discussed the potential of Big Data and machine learning to deliver innovative commercial products and transform the automotive industry, and highlighted the changes that car manufacturing companies need to undergo to adapt to the technological augmented reality of today. Dr. Iqbal also presented Interactive Coventry’s current projects and ongoing work on Big Data, smart city, computer vision, and driving assist systems.

On day 2 of FEAL2018, Dr. Iqbal and Interactive Coventry’s Operational Manager Dr. Tomasz Maniak, along with several members of the Chamber of Commerce of Coventry and Warwickshire, took a special tour to visit manufacturers and suppliers’ sites. This tour included a visit to Toyota Motor Manufacturing France and Toyota Boshoku (Valenciennes et Somain) and a visit to Alphatech Plastic Omnium (Compiègne).

FEAL2018 is already a reference in the field of European events linked to the automotive industry of the future. Events like FEAL2018 promote economic development by supporting knowledge transfer and collaboration among key players in the industry. Dr. Iqbal’s and Interactive Coventry’s participation in FEAL2018 demonstrates the innovative and high-impact work of IC and advertises Coventry University’s research on future transport and smart cities internationally.

FEAL2018 was a two-day event that took place from 20 to 21 of June in Casino Barriere- Lille (Hauts-De-France) and it was described as the meeting of the future Automotive Industry. The 21st-century car manufacturing and large automotive companies witness the emergence of new tendencies and technologies and with them, it is necessary to reinvent a whole industry – addressing new technological challenges and creating new partnership schemes in an ecosystem that is increasingly digitized. FEAL placed innovation at the centre of its agenda and selected high-profile speakers, who are at the heart of current and upcoming events.

FEAL2018 aimed to highlight the profound change of the automotive industry’s role and relationship with the consumer and the end user in a world that is increasingly connected and urbanized. FEAL2018 agenda included major challenges and opportunities faced by the modern automotive industry such as:

  • New mobilities and smart city: the challenges and opportunities for the automotive industry
  • Autonomous and intuitive vehicle: uses and issues
  • Vehicle electrification: technology, vision and impacts by 2030
  • The future of automotive brands by 2030: from car manufacturer to mobility provider
  • The British automotive industry before and after Brexit
  • The future of the automotive industry in France