COVESA will make its debut at one of Japan’s premier mobility events, Automotive World 2026, held September 9-11, 2026, in Tokyo. Featuring a dedicated member pavilion and sessions packed with thought leadership, technical expertise, and collaborative discussions, COVESA members will share insights, experiences, and emerging approaches to some of the connected vehicle industry’s most important challenges.

A Robust Program Exploring the Future of Software-Defined Vehicles

COVESA will contribute an extensive lineup of presentations, discussions, and technical sessions. The COVESA program brings together leaders to share practical insights into vehicle data, interoperability, open standards, and industry collaboration. Attendees will have opportunities to learn about COVESA’s strategic priorities, explore key technical specifications, and hear firsthand how global organizations are working together to advance SDV development:

September 9

12:45 -13:55: The session begins with opening remarks from Steve Crumb, Executive Director of COVESA, followed by presentations from two of the organization’s industry leaders.

Unlocking the Potential of Connected Vehicles: COVESA Purpose & Priorities (Matt Jones, Ford Motor Company)

COVESA Value to the Global Automotive Industry (Graham Smethurst, BMW Group)

14:00 – 18:00: COVESA-JASPAR Joint Expert Workshop (Erik Jaegervall, Bosch; Adnan Bekan and Daniel Alvarez-Coello, BMW Group; Ted Guild, Geotab; Stephen Lawrence, Renesas)

15:00 – 16:00: Introduction to COVESA (Hisao Munakata, Renesas Electronics)

This introductory session provides a comprehensive overview of COVESA’s history, membership, key activities, achievements, and opportunities for participation.

September 10

12:45 – 13:55: Evolving the SDV Ecosystem beyond Borders: From Company Silos to Global Collaboration panel discussion moderated by Steve Crumb. Panelists include Graham Smethurst, BMW Group; Kazuo Tsubouchi, Honda R&D; and Kazuma Sugimoto, Nissan Motor Co.

September 11:

12:45 – 13:45: Introduction to COVESA Vehicle Signal Specification – VSS (Yasuhiro Morita, Bosch)

A Special Recognition to JASPAR

Don’t miss the session From Zero to Open Source in Just One Year: The Journey Behind JASPAR Yoriito, presented by Kazuo Tsubouchi, happening September 10 from 15:45 – 16:45. The session will showcase how JASPAR’s API Working Group defined vehicle APIs, based on COVESA’s VSS, implemented them, and successfully launched the open-source project Yoriito in just 14 months.

Introducing the COVESA Member Pavilion

A major highlight of COVESA’s participation will be the COVESA Member Pavilion, located directly on the exhibition floor.  Visitors to the pavilion will have the opportunity to connect with a diverse group of industry leaders and innovators. Participating companies include Bosch, ETAS, Geotab, Intellias, Michelin, Moter.ai, OmniTrust, P3, Remotive Labs, Renesas Electronics, RTI, Scytales, SDVerse, TIER IV, and WirelessCar.

Join Us in Tokyo

Automotive World 2026 is an event you won’t want to miss. Visit the COVESA Member Pavilion, attend the featured sessions, meet industry experts, and discover how open collaboration is accelerating innovation across the global automotive ecosystem. 

Hope to see you next month in Japan!