Connecting to Future Automotive Technology: The Road to AAPEX S2E7

Rolling through Nebraska, Babcox Media’s Joe Keene meets kindred spirits as he drives the rare Lincoln Blackwood he refurbished for his journey to AAPEX. Along the way, he meets a family traveling the Lincoln Highway section by section, taking in sights such as the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument and the Classic Car Collection, both in Kearney, Neb., and the Golden Spike Tower in North Platte, Neb.

As Keene connects with the Lincoln Highway’s history, Babcox Media Editor David Sickels glimpses into the future of automotive technology. He crisscrosses the country, discussing everything from electric vehicles to data and telematics, and delving into how the evolution of tomorrow’s vehicles is what is pushing the need for new technologies.

“We’re evolving in many areas,” John Herc, vice president of marketing of the vehicle controls division at Standard Motor Products, tells David. “We’re focusing on the advanced ICE technology to make sure we’re there for the car that we service today. We’re focusing on battery electric vehicles because they are here today. It seems as if hybrids are dominating the market right now, but I think EVs are going to make a good push and we’re going to make sure that we’re there for that.”

Watch the video above to make sure you’re ready for every moment of the Road to AAPEX.

You know someone loves what they do when they speak about it with passion and excitement. With an engineering background and a passion for racing, Cara Krstolic, executive director, race tire engineering and manufacturing and chief engineer, motorsports, at Bridgestone Americas, is one of those people.

A native of Akron, Ohio, Cara started her career at Bridgestone as a vehicle dynamics engineer. But her curiosity for learning goes farther back than that. As the daughter of two teachers, Cara remembers growing up with an interest in science and the outdoors. She would do experiments with her mom, a science teacher. Later as a college student at the University of Akron, she participated in Formula SAE challenges, where she and a team designed and competed with small formula-style racing car. Soon after graduating, she started at Bridgestone and hasn’t looked back. Her story of making her way to the motorsports side of the business is one of grit and a strong work ethic.