How E/E architecture transformation is reshaping the automotive industry

The Automotive Wire Harness & EDS Conference Detroit 2026 will take place on 20 and 21 October at The Henry Autograph Collection Hotel in Dearborn, Michigan. Against a backdrop of increasingly centralised vehicle computing, zonal E/E architectures, higher data rates and 800V systems, the event will examine how wire harnesses and electrical distribution systems must evolve.

The two-day programme spans architecture and component design, manufacturing, validation and failure analysis, highlighting the increasingly close links between vehicle hardware, software and industrial processes.

“High-speed transmission in E/E architectures is unavoidable”

As zonal architectures and rising data rates reshape vehicle networks, wiring systems face new demands. Bosch’s Martin Hager and MD Elektronik’s Helmut Pritz explain how high-speed integration and multi-hybrid connectors address them.

Benjamin Müller

How will new architectures reshape electrical distribution?

The first conference day opens with an OEM perspective from Dmitry Fudym, Principal Manager Electrical Distribution & Product Development at Rivian. His presentation will trace Rivian’s EDS journey and look ahead to the requirements facing future vehicle platforms.

Bernard Vetten, Senior Principal Field Application Engineer at TE Connectivity, will then examine interconnect strategies for scalable vehicle architectures and production. The programme moves from there into high-voltage systems, with Dilan Jordan of Amphenol Tuchel Electronics and Markus Leitner of GG Group presenting liquid-cooled high-voltage harnesses and their potential role in modern vehicle concepts.

Data transmission will form another major strand. Sebastian Mysyk, Director Product Management Data Connectors at Rosenberger Hochfrequenztechnik, will discuss next-generation optical connectivity and how it can support zonal architectures. Martin Hager of Robert Bosch and Helmut Pritz of MD Elektronik will address high-frequency-integrated multi-hybrid connector systems for future E/E architectures.

Christina König, Senior Manager Technology and Innovation Management at KOSTAL Kontakt Systeme, will explore how the software-defined vehicle changes connector requirements. The question is increasingly relevant as connectors must support higher data rates, more complex networking and longer-term platform scalability while remaining robust enough for automotive production and operation.

Which materials and engineering tools will define future harnesses?

The afternoon programme broadens the discussion from architecture to materials, design and validation. Dr Rajkiran Tiwari of YTC America will present polymer eco-filler composites as advanced materials for more sustainable applications.

Dr Tamim P. Sidiki, Global Innovation Manager Mobility at Envalior, will focus on the safety challenges behind 800V wiring systems. His presentation highlights a central issue in high-voltage development: increasing voltage may be technically manageable, yet material behaviour, insulation, ageing and system safety require close attention throughout the lifecycle.

Artificial intelligence will also enter the engineering process. Sushil Kumar Singh and Thiruvenkata Baskaran of Molex will discuss agentic AI as a new approach to automotive connector design and validation. The session will examine how more autonomous engineering tools could support analysis, iteration and decision-making.

Brian Haase of General Motors and Georg Hiebl of Aucotec will then explore data-centric wire harness engineering. Their contribution is expected to show how consistent engineering data can connect architecture, design and downstream processes more effectively.

The day concludes with Ryan Flavin of Yazaki North America and Andreas Bastian of Lumafield examining computed tomography scanning for quality control and failure analysis. Non-destructive inspection is becoming increasingly important as connectors, welds and other harness components grow smaller, more integrated and more difficult to assess using conventional methods.

What challenges will the wiring harness industry face over the next five years?

Which challenges will shape the wiring harness and EDS industry most strongly over the next five years? Four experts – all speakers at the 2026 Bordnetzkongress in Germany – provide surprisingly different answers.

Benjamin Müller

What will day two reveal about production and supply chains?

The second day begins with a Tier 1 view of E/E architecture. Dr Frédèric Holzmann, Head of Electrics & Electronics Architecture at LEONI Bordnetz-Systeme, will consider how next-generation architectures affect the supply chain.

Manoj Singh, Global Product Line Director at FORVIA HELLA, will then discuss how fail-operational zonal ecosystems can support software-defined vehicles. Such architectures must continue operating safely when individual components or communication paths fail, placing new demands on power distribution, redundancy and system integration.

The transition from design to manufacturing will be addressed by Boming Zhu, General Manager – Overseas Business at Linquan Technology. His presentation will examine the next stage of wire harness production automation and the challenge of connecting digital engineering data with physical manufacturing processes.

How are design and manufacturing becoming more digital?

Douglas Burcicki and Chad Holley of Siemens Digital Industries Software will open the second session with a presentation on 3D electrical design. Three-dimensional development environments can help engineering teams evaluate routing, packaging, connectivity and installation constraints earlier in the programme.

The following presentations move deeper into production technology. Dr Woo-Sik Chung of TRUMPF Laser- & Systemtechnik will explain an innovative laser-welding process for cables used in power electronics. Dr Amin Moghaddas of EWI will examine how the durability of ultrasonic-welding tooling can be improved for wire harness applications.

Armin Hager, CEO of aivato North America, will discuss the shift from best-cost engineering towards scalable engineering intelligence. Leopold Pühringer, Global Manager of Research and Development at Starlim, will close the technical programme with a virtual evaluation of silicone elastomer ageing and its interaction with harness components.

Together, these sessions show how materials, joining processes, digital models and engineering data are becoming inseparable. The wire harness may remain a physical product, but its development is increasingly shaped by software-based planning, virtual validation and connected production systems.

Where does the programme move beyond the conference room?

At the end of the first conference day, participants can continue their discussions during an informal get-together with food and drinks. The evening provides further opportunities to strengthen contacts across the EDS value chain and exchange ideas with OEM representatives, suppliers and technology specialists.

Following the closing session and joint lunch on 21 October, participants can join an optional site visit to Caresoft in Southfield, Michigan. Shuttle buses will depart at 14:00, with guided tours beginning at 14:30.

The visit adds a practical component to two days of technical discussion. It offers participants an opportunity to examine vehicle benchmarking and engineering work in a real-world environment while continuing the exchange between OEMs, suppliers and specialists.

For the automotive industry, the central question is no longer whether electrical distribution systems must change. It is how quickly architecture, connectors, materials, engineering data and manufacturing can be brought together in scalable production solutions. The Automotive Wire Harness & EDS Conference Detroit 2026, the US counterpart to Germany’s Bordnetzkongress in Ludwigsburg, will place that challenge at the centre of the debate.

Wire Harness Industry: Ready for the Next Phase?

The Bordnetzkongress 2026 highlighted how strongly automation, digitalisation and standardisation are reshaping the industry. Experts gathered at the Reithaus Ludwigsburg to discuss the future of the wiring harness.

Dr. Martin Large