What is CAEV™?
CAEV™ is a UCLA lead consortium whose members consist of modern age automotive companies, electric and autonomous transportation providers and electric power companies that are modernizing the automotive industry into one that is electric, digital, connected, smart, autonomous, and serves the transportation and energy needs of society for the 21st Century and beyond.
Faculty Fellows
Our team is composed of distinguished researchers at UCLA making an impact in the field.
Purpose of CAEV™
To create a partnership of Electric Vehicle and Autonomous Vehicle manufacturers in California partnering with new energy companies that advance technology, create innovative business models, and, educate and train the next generation of students to create the industry that will change the face of the automotive sector worldwide
Vision
To create the future of a smart, personalized, connected and autonomous electric transportation industry.
Mission
To create smart, personalized, connected and autonomous electric automotive technology for society via real-world and translational research, technological innovation, advanced demonstrations, and pilots in partnership with automotive manufacturers, technology providers, electric power companies, government organizations, regulatory bodies, and the consumer. To fundamentally help with the redesign of the automotive industry, transforming it into the future of sustainable transportation. To educate and train the next generation of students, practitioners and policy makers for a high-tech automotive future.
What does CAEV™ do?
CAEV™ works with its partners in performing advanced technological research, creating pilot projects and technology demonstration, holding outreach and educational seminars, conferences, workshops and roundtables, training students, and helping modernize the automotive sector. The technology areas that CAEV™ will tackle include electrification of transportation, EV charging and its infrastructure, autonomous technologies, vehicle communications, energy management in autonomous shared electric vehicle systems, user behavior, cybersecurity, AI and Blockchain in sustainable transportation, and, electric grid impacts
Events organized by CAEV™
Each year, CAEV™ will organize two Executive Leadership Round Table discussions, one Thought Leadership Forum, and one Annual Conference, plus other smaller events. The Executive Leadership Round Table discussions will enable the advisory board and corporate members to help drive the creation of the next generation of electric and autonomous vehicle industry here in California. These round tables are by invitation only and will include key leaders from industry, government, policy makers and academia. One round table is scheduled for September 2018. Thought leadership forums will enable us to create open events inviting key leaders from government and industry to present their viewpoints and have in-depth exchange of information, research, knowledge and technology. The first Thought Leadership Forum was held in 2017 in which leaders from academia, industry and government presented their perspectives. The subsequent event - A Round Table - was held in September 2018. Our next conference was focused on current topics of importance to the consortium and was held on March 5, 2019.
Leadership Council / Advisory Board
The consortium is headed by a UCLA Faculty Director who oversees the staff, researchers, and students in the consortium. The Director works closely with the external consortium member organizations. Each member organization will get the option to nominate one executive to participate on the CAEVTM Consortium Leadership Council or Advisory Board. Advisory positions would require minimal time commitment. In addition to the member companies having representation on the advisory board, a set of external advisory board members will also be invited to participate so that we can get a balanced viewpoint as well as an outside perspective from other stakeholders.
Student Internships
CAEV is working with its member companies to create a student internship program focused on EV and AV industry. CAEV will guide its students regarding which courses to take and what type of research to perform at UCLA so as to prepare for the new automotive industry. Students interested in internships with CAEV member companies will be provided assistance to work on projects on campus using the CAEV research testbed. CAEV faculty would guide such research. Topics would include but not limited to:
Smart Controls
Electric Vehicle (EV) and Battery Technologies
EV and Grid Integration
Communications - Vehicle to Vehicle, Vehicle to Infrastructure
IOT networks and their use in vehicles
Autonomous Systems Controls using dynamic 3D data
Mapping of 2D image data to 3D data using deep learning and neural networks
Machine learning using IOT networks for distributed controls
Real time situational awareness in autonomous systems
Exciting time in an exciting location - Los Angeles, California
Creation of an industry in California is of paramount importance to the success of the electric automotive sector which was pioneered by Tesla. While Tesla has created excitement in the marketplace, this industry needs an entire ecosystem to grow up into a mature sector right here in California. Los Angeles by virtue of having automotive design studios, Silicon Beach tech startups, entertainment technology companies, and finally the biggest car market in the United States, becomes an ideal location for CAEV™.
Funding and membership
CAEV™ is funded through membership fees and grants. The membership fee depends on the level of participation desired. For further information, email caev@smartgrid.ucla.edu.
