COVESA AMM Porto: Agenda Highlights

This April, the global COVESA community gathers in Porto for two days of meaningful exchange, strategic insight, and hands-on collaboration around the industry’s most important challenges.

Held on April 22–23, 2026, at the Hilton Porto Gaia, the COVESA All Member Meeting (AMM) will feature a balanced program of business and technical sessions, complemented by rich networking and opportunities to see innovation in action.

Below is a preview of some of the exciting sessions on the agenda that highlight the breadth and depth of discussion you can expect in Porto.

Navigating the Future: Omdia’s SDV Forecast and Regional Comparisons

Business Session | Wednesday, 22 April | 11:00 – 11:25
Speakers:

• Matt Jones, Ford Motor Company

• Maite Bezerra, Wards Intelligence

This business‑focused session examines how software‑defined vehicles (SDVs) are expected to evolve globally. Using an emerging SDV framework, the session provides a structured look at SDV progress across Europe and other regions. Matt and Maite will discuss adoption rates, regional differences, and how current industry strategies align or diverge from forecasted trends, offering valuable perspective for those shaping product, platform, or business decisions around SDVs.

VDM in Practice: End-to-End Workflow from Conceptual to Physical Data Models

Technical Session | Wednesday, 22 April | 11:30 – 11:55
Speakers:

• Daniel Alvarez-Coello, BMW Group

• Rami Pinto, MongoDB

This session explores how the Vehicle Data Model (VDM) can be applied in practice through a concrete, end‑to‑end example. Using an EV charging station domain as a proof of concept, presenters demonstrate how VDM can serve as a conceptual and governance layer guiding the workflow from versioned logical models to real‑world application and database design.

Turning AI Potential into Engineering Productivity in the Software-Defined Vehicle Era

Business Session | Wednesday, 22 April | 12:00 – 12:25
Speakers:

• Maurice Dantzler, Cummins Inc.

• Dr. Yansong Chen, Ropix Tech & COVESA Ambassador

This session looks past the hype to examine how generative AI can deliver practical business value across the engineering lifecycle of software-defined vehicles. The discussion focuses on improving development productivity, managing system complexity, and strengthening collaboration across the mobility ecosystem. Attendees will gain concrete insights into integrating AI into systems engineering, requirements management, safety, and validation while maintaining rigor around standards and drawing on learnings from the COVESA Generative AI Working Group and early industry initiatives.

Extending VSS to Commercial Vehicles: Panel Discussion with ACEA Truck & Bus OEMs and COVESA

Business Session | Wednesday, 22 April | 14:25 – 15:05
Speakers:  

• Steve Crumb, COVESA | Philippe Grand, IVECO | Ted Guild, Geotab

• Abdelkader Sellami, Volvo Trucks | Armin Keller, LogiCom Telematik-Vertriebs GmbH | Achim Henkel, Bosch

As vehicle data standardization expands beyond passenger cars, this panel examines what it means for trucks and buses. The discussion focuses on extending the Vehicle Signal Specification (VSS) to commercial vehicles, including the migration of FMSv5 into VSS through collaboration within the Commercial and Fleet Vehicle Expert Group. Panelists will explore why interoperability matters, how cooperation with COVESA and ACEA supports the market, and how standardized interfaces create value across the commercial vehicle ecosystem.

COVESA / JASPAR Collaboration Group Work Status and Outputs

Technical Session | Wednesday, 22 April | 16:40 – 17:30
Speakers:

• Honda | Toyota | Astemo

• BMW | Bosch | Renesas

JASPAR / COVESA Collaborative Group will present their findings and proposals regarding VSS and related COVESA projects.

Learn more about the agenda, registration, and participation opportunities on the official event page!