Upcoming Conference will Showcase Linux's Growing Success in Vehicles

If you've followed Linux for any length of time, you know that it is finding many of its biggest opportunities at the server level, in mobile devices, and in embedded Linux deployments--all of them areas that lie outside the desktop. In recent years, Linux has also had a growing impact on cars, with big backers behind Linux-based automotive initiatives. With that in mind, The Linux Foundation is hosting its Automotive Linux Summit, taking place Sept. 19-20, 2012, at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon/Warwickshire in the United Kingdom. Here is what's on tap for this global meeting on Linux and cars.

Now in its second year, the Automotive Linux Summit is designed for the automotive industry and members of the car-focused, cross-industry Linux ecosystem to collaborate. The Linux Foundation is out with its list of speakers and their keynote topics for the event:

Keith Bergelt, chief executive officer at Open Invention Network, will outline how the influx of open source consumer electronics is a prime example of why technology business leaders need to increase their awareness around open source and the associated intellectual property landscape.

Nick Cohn, senior business developer at TomTom, will introduce the audience to the traffic congestion index, based on a database of historic trip times, and outline the impact of intelligent route selection on travel times and overall road capacity.

Paul Copping, corporate development officer of TRL, will present a design brief on how sensors and instrumentation based on open source are pivotal for enabling the intelligent, evergreen and "forever" open road.

Matt Jones, technical lead for the Next Generation of Infotainment Systems at Jaguar Land Rover and vice president of the GENIVI Alliance, will share Jaguar Land Rover's and GENIVI's experience on defining and implementing in-vehicle infotainment systems based on Linux and open source.

Greg Kroah-Hartman, Linux kernel maintainer and Linux Foundation fellow, will explain the Linux kernel development process and why its methodology is a natural fit for the processes established by the automotive industry.

Kenichi Murata, project general manager for Toyota Motor Corporation's Advanced Electronics Development Department, will detail why car makers need to expand their thinking beyond being masters of open source software in revolutionizing the automotive industry to also embracing open innovation.

Imad Sousou, director of Intel's Open Technology Center, will discuss the Center's work.

Jim Zemlin, executive director of The Linux Foundation, will discuss the state of automotive Linux.

As usua, Toyota and GENIVI, will both have significant presences at the conference. Toyota is an active member of The Linux Foundation. And, The Genivi Alliance is a non-profit industry consortium committed to driving the adoption of an In-Vehicle Infotainment open-source development platform. You can watch a video on The Genivi Alliance's work here. 

Last year, The Linux Founation held its Automotive Summit in Japan, and this year it is happening in the U.K. This is emerging as a truly global conference, and there should be interesting news coming out of the gathering.