On Monday, April 18, the SAE Atlanta Chapter hosted SAE International President, Cuneyt L. Oge, at their quarterly meeting. The meeting took place at Georgia Institute of Technology, a leading university for burgeoning engineers in many different fields. Several Formula SAE team members from Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State University were in attendance. The event showcased impressive cars from Porsche Cars North America and DeltaWing Tech.
Cuneyt gave a thought provoking presentation entitled, “Stretching the Horizons: Preparing SAE for a Disruptive Future.” The discussion centered around how differently the world will function by 2050, based on his predictions from current patterns in technological innovation. He aims to find ways to make SAE become more relevant to people, society, and engineers. Cuneyt stated that this is only the “beginning of a dialogue.” He is hoping to increase SAE membership and build a valuable connection between SAE and leading tech innovating companies like Google and Apple.
Car Travel in the Future
Cuneyt explained how auto-mobility is changing regarding how we power vehicles. The way we drive is shifting to focus more on where we drive and ownership of vehicles is also changing. Since 1800, mobility has increased 1,000 times. This has given people more freedom and created an automobility ecosystem. By 2050, the world will have 9 billion inhabitants, with over 2 billion vehicles on the road. Air composition will increase to 450 ppm CO2 and 2°C at the very least. In order to reach this minimal estimate, cars would need to get 180mpg, and for now, that is outside the realm of possibility. We could help reduce environmental damage by using low carbon fuel and alternative power vehicles. Today there are 75 models of alternative power vehicles. So many people own cars, yet the average person only uses their car 5% of the time, despite all the money spent purchasing and maintaining a vehicle. Now, companies are working to develop more efficient means of transportation.
Beyond Automobiles…and Earth
According to Cuneyt, not only will transportation change, but so will the structure of society. By 2050, there will be 50+ megacities and supercities. China is currently making plans for the next supercity, that will house a whopping 120 million residents.. Automotive OEM suppliers are predicted to shift to mobility service providers while independently owned cars and trucks will compete more heavily with rideshare services. This will increase efficiency, while reducing waste and environmental contamination. Oil and gas will be supplemented with low carbon biofuels. Finance and insurance responsibilities will be more influenced by megacity and supercity representatives, while federal and state regulations will be replaced by global regulations. And finally, we will witness the emergence of civil space business like space touring, spaceports, and new jobs in space traffic management.
Benefits of Joining SAE
SAE’s mission is to bring scientists and engineers together to promote advancements in automotive engineering, commercial vehicles, and aerospace technology. In addition to his role as President of SAE International, Cuneyt also serves on the board of directors for DeltaWings Technologies. He has worked for companies including A. T. Kearney, Booz Allen & Hamilton, and the Olin Chemical Corporation. Cuneyt founded PWC’s PRTM Management Consulting’s Automotive, Aerospace, and Industrial Business Group and served on the SAE Foundation board for 10 years. Temel Gaskets’ Director of Business Development, Tunc Kip, is on the board of the Atlanta SAE Chapter. The Atlanta SAE Chapter actively hosts meetings featuring dynamic speakers and attracts diverse crowds ranging from seasoned industry professionals to college students. The Atlanta SAE Board works diligently as a team to bring the best speakers to Atlanta and host engaging events. Not only are the Atlanta board members innovative and cooperative, they come from a variety of different companies, including: Porsche North America, Delta Wings Technologies, ABL, Yamaha Motor Manufacturing,Temel Gaskets USA, Rinnai America Corporation, KIA Motors, Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation, Tesla Motors, andRubbermaid. Without the involvement of our dedicated board, none of the progress made by SAE Atlanta would be possible. In addition to local events, the annual SAE World Congress brings together top leaders in the automotive industry. This year’s participants included engineers, management teams, academics, consultants, government officials, and industry executives. The attendees got a first look at new technology trends, access to networking events, professional development seminars, and a 2-day career fair.
We encourage you to join your local SAE chapter, or reach out to the organization and take steps to start a chapter if one does not already exist.
