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Unveiled at CES, the Awards Celebrate Visionaries Redefining the Automotive Industry Through SDV Innovation
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MotorTrend, one of the world's leading automotive media brands, today announced the winners of the fourth annual SDV (Software-Defined Vehicle) Innovator Awards, which were presented during a gala event at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, in partnership with QNX, a division of BlackBerry Limited (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB), whose technology is used by countless automakers around the world, and Vector, a leading solution provider for software-defined systems in automotive and beyond.
The SDV Innovator Awards is the first and only program celebrating the pioneers, leaders, and experts who are redefining automotive innovation and forming the next chapter of the 120+ year automotive story. Twenty winners were awarded in the Pioneer, Leader, and Expert categories, as selected by a panel of editors from MotorTrend.
"Software-defined vehicles are rapidly shaping the next phase of automobile technology, redefining in real time how cars are designed, built and driven," said Ed Loh, head of editorial for MotorTrend. "It is an honor to recognize the Pioneers, Leaders, and Experts who are at the cutting edge of this groundbreaking transformation and developing the innovations that bring the future of software-defined vehicles to life."
Pioneer Award Winners
These outstanding individuals have demonstrably broken new ground within the SDV space through research, development, and application of new automotive software.
- Rudolf Dittrich, Head of Europe R&D and Design Center, Xiaomi Technology
- Ashok Elluswamy, Vice President, AI Software, Tesla
- Ali Javidan, Founder and CEO, Range Energy
- Emerson Kim, Vice President and Division Leader, Display Development, LG Electronics
- Shaoqing Ren, Vice President, Intelligent Driving R&D Lead, NIO
- Mahito Shikama, Vice President, Head of Software Mobility Development Unit, Honda Motor Co, Ltd
- Sebastian Thrun, Founder, CEO, Professor
Leader Award Winners
These outstanding individuals hold a senior management position and lead a team that is transforming the automotive industry through the broad adoption and application of software solutions.
- Clyde Bulloch, Vice President of Vehicle Software and Electronics Engineering, General Motors
- Laura Major, President and CEO, Motional
- Jae Park, Vice President, Digital Product Design, Ford Motor Company
- Binoy Paul, Product Development Head, Software Solutions and Technology, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd
- Laxmi Rayapudi, VP & GM, Software, Auto & IE-IOT, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc
- Markus Schäfer, Co-Founder, Russell AI Labs
Expert Award Winners
These outstanding individuals are subject matter experts within a specific SDV discipline (e.g., advanced driver assistance systems, digital cockpit, over-the-air updates, etc.) whose work has advanced the field.
- Lawson Fulton, Staff Autopilot Machine Learning Engineer, Tesla
- Brian Harries, Director, Propulsion and Dynamics Control, Rivian
- Srishti Iyer, Director of Software Engineering, General Motors
- Marco Maniscalco, Head of Base Software Development, MB.OS, Mercedes-Benz AG
- Marcus Richter, Systems Development Engineer, Audi AG
- Ahmed Sadek, Vice President, Engineering, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc
- Ryan Wheeler, Vice President of Engineering, Machine Learning, Toyota Connected North America
About MotorTrend
MotorTrend has chronicled the auto industry's past, present, and future since 1949, catering to in-market shoppers and enthusiasts through authoritative, entertaining storytelling, world-class photography, and engaging video presentations. In addition to in-depth coverage of the latest in automotive technology, reporting on breaking news, and features on the biggest personalities, MotorTrend reviews hundreds of new cars every year, leveraging objective testing and the team's extensive expertise. Its renowned MotorTrend Car of the Year, SUV of the Year, and Truck of the Year awards are also internationally recognized as among the most prestigious in the industry. Follow MotorTrend on X, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
About BlackBerry
BlackBerry (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB) provides enterprises and governments the intelligent software and services that power the world around us. Based in Waterloo, Ontario, the company's high-performance foundational software enables major automakers and industrial giants alike to unlock transformative applications, drive new revenue streams and launch innovative business models, all without sacrificing safety, security, and reliability. With a deep heritage in Secure Communications, BlackBerry delivers operational resiliency with a comprehensive, highly secure, and extensively certified portfolio for mobile fortification, mission-critical communications, and critical events management.
About QNX
QNX, a division of BlackBerry Limited (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB), enhances the human experience and amplifies technology-driven industries, providing a trusted foundation for software-defined businesses to thrive. The business leads the way in delivering safe and secure operating systems, hypervisors, middleware, solutions, and development tools, along with support and services delivered by trusted embedded software experts. QNX® technology has been deployed in the world's most critical embedded systems, including more than 275 million vehicles on the road today. QNX® software is trusted across industries including automotive, medical devices, industrial controls, robotics, commercial vehicles, rail, and aerospace and defense. Founded in 1980, QNX is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada. Learn more at qnx.com.
©2025 BlackBerry Limited. Trademarks, including but not limited to BlackBerry and EMBLEM Design, QNX and the QNX logo design are the trademarks or registered trademarks of BlackBerry Limited, and the exclusive rights to such trademarks are expressly reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. BlackBerry is not responsible for any third-party products or services.
About Vector
Vector is a leading solution provider and a trusted partner in the development and networking of software-defined systems. For over 35 years, Vector has empowered OEMs and suppliers worldwide to create complex electronic products that meet the highest standards of functionality, safety, cybersecurity and efficiency—primarily in the automotive industry, and increasingly in MedTec, IoT, rail, and aerospace. At the core of Vector's portfolio is a comprehensive software ecosystem that seamlessly integrates tools, embedded software, cloud services, and engineering expertise into a high-performance development environment. Driven by technological excellence and close collaboration with customers and partners, Vector delivers tailored solutions that help manage complexity, accelerate product development, and enable forward-looking innovation. An independent company, Vector employs more than 4,500 people across 32 locations worldwide and generated more than € 1 billion in revenue in 2024. Headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, Vector maintains a global presence with offices in Austria, Brazil, China, France, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Romania, Sweden, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Media Contacts:
Chloe Lauter, CIVIC on behalf of MotorTrend, chloe.lauter@civic-us.com
QNX:
+1 (519) 597-7273
mediarelations@BlackBerry.com
Vector: Press Contact: Cordula Gielen, Cordula.Gielen@vector.com
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