SC Automotive Summit to Feature Developer of First 3D Printed Car as Keynote Speaker

The founder of one of the automotive industry’s most visionary companies will deliver the keynote address at the 5th Annual South Carolina Automotive Summit in February. Jay Rogers, CEO and Founder of Local Motors — the world’s first 3D printed car company — will discuss the future of automotive and how disruptive technologies like 3D printing are shaping it.

The S.C. Automotive Summit is an executive leadership conference held each year during South Carolina Auto Week, which occurs February 21-27, 2016. South Carolina Auto Week is a public celebration of the Palmetto State’s innovative automotive industry. Students, parents, teachers and counselors from across the state will have opportunities to gain insight to best practices, innovations and career opportunities afforded by the automotive industry. Likewise, many S.C. Auto Week activities are specifically geared for automotive industry professionals, as well as the general public.

S.C. Auto Week activities being planned for February include student and business community tours of automotive plants from around the state, in addition to Ingenious SC! — a program featuring the latest breakthrough technologies developed by South Carolina companies, universities and research organizations. A number of STEM-related activities are being planned for middle and high school students, as well as collegiate career fairs that will provide interview opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students seeking work in the U.S. and abroad within the automotive field.

“Manufacturers and suppliers across South Carolina are developing technologies and producing products in ways that are both imaginative and amazing,” says S.C. Automotive Council Executive Director Catherine Hayes. “South Carolina Auto Week is designed to make everyone in this state more aware of just how dynamic today’s automotive industry is and how they might become a part of it.”

While S.C. Auto Week activities occur in various regions around the state, the two-day S.C. Automotive Summit will be held Feb. 24-26 in Greenville at the Hyatt Regency downtown. The theme of this year’s Summit is Connectivity | Collaboration | Innovation, and in true automotive fashion it kicks off with a high speed Ride & Drive sponsored by the International Transportation and Innovation Center (ITIC). Summit participants will have an opportunity to ride at hair-raising speeds in some of the most technologically advanced automobiles in production today. They will also see some of the revolutionary automotive testing happening at ITIC, such as dynamic wireless charging and hacking-prevention technologies for connected vehicle systems.

More plans will be announced as programs are formalized in the coming weeks and months. To stay abreast with S.C. Auto Week activities, visit www.SCAutoWeek.com and follow its pages on Facebook and Twitter. Information about the 2016 S.C. Automotive Summit may be found at www.SCAutomotiveCouncil.com.

FIVE FAST FACTS:
•S.C. Auto Week will be held February 21-27, 2016, celebrating the Palmetto State’s innovative automotive industry.
•Jay Rogers, founder of the world’s first 3D printed car company, will be in Greenville Thursday, Feb. 25 to deliver the keynote address at the 5th Annual S.C. Automotive Summit.
•Held February 24-26, 2016 in Greenville, SC, the 5th Annual S.C. Automotive Summit is an industry conference for top decision makers from automotive manufacturers and Tier 1 and 2 suppliers all over the world.
•Planned S.C. Auto Week activities include tours of S.C. automotive plants; Ingenious SC! ­— a program featuring the latest breakthrough technologies developed by South Carolina companies, universities and research organizations; Automotive B2B Supplier Matchmaker – cohosted by the SC Automotive Council and the SC Department of Commerce; STEM-related activities for middle and high school students; and college career fairs.
•Information about S.C. Auto Week is available at SCAutoWeek.com and information about the S.C. Automotive Summit is available at SCAutomotiveCouncil.com.