AutoMobility LA hosts 2017 Hackathon to tackle LA congestion

The LA Auto Show and AutoMobility LA has announced plans for its 2017 Hackathon, sponsored by Honda Innovations. The Hackathon, which will be hosted by AutoMobility LA for the first time, will take place over a period of 24 hours, November 27-28 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

For this year’s Hackathon, developers will be asked to tackle the transportation and mobility issues faced by large, dynamic cities like Los Angeles, when hosting a major international sporting event that can further already frustrating congestion issues. Potential solutions for drivers or passengers could include a navigation app for locals to avoid traffic jams, an augmented reality app for visitors to explore the city, or a fully-blown virtual reality app for fans to experience the competition live from within a vehicle. Participants will have access to data from the City of Los Angeles’ Department of Transportation and have access to a Honda vehicle to utilize in building applications that address mobility challenges.

“While the Hackathon has been an integral part of our show for many years, we’re excited that this will be the first one organized by AutoMobility LA,” said Lisa Kaz, President and CEO of the LA Auto Show and AutoMobility LA. “The Hackathon’s focus on enhancing mobility is in line with our commitment to serve as a global platform for new and established tech and automotive leaders to come together and shape the future of transportation. We are excited to see the finished products from the talented developers that will undoubtedly move the mobility and transportation needle.”

Developers will have access to vehicle APIs and software, as well as have the opportunity to leverage public and 3rd party APIs and SDKs for augmented reality, mapping, points of interest and payment technologies.

“Transportation and mobility in a connected city of the future pose unique and challenging issues,” said John Moon, Managing Director, Strategic Partnerships at Honda Innovations. “With populations and event sizes constantly growing, these problems will continue to escalate, disrupting the lives of residents and guests alike. Together with AutoMobility LA, we are looking to address these types of issues in Los Angeles and abroad.”

The registration fee to participate in this year’s Hackathon is $99 and is open now until November 15. Registration grants access to both the networking event and kickoff party on November 27, as well as automotive press conferences taking place November 29-30. Winners of the Hackathon event will be announced and awarded on the main stage of AutoMobility LA inside the Technology Pavilion on Wednesday, November 29.