RTI Announces Karl-Thomas Neumann as the Newest Member of the Advisory Board

Former CEO of Continental, Opel, VW China, GM Europe to Serve as the Automotive Market Advisor for Autonomous Systems

SUNNYVALE, Calif.— June 26, 2018—Real-Time Innovations (RTI), the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) connectivity company, today announced Karl-Thomas Neumann as the newest member of RTI’s advisory board. Neumann joins as the automotive market advisor bringing 30 years of experience in the automotive industry. Neumann has held various leadership positions at some of the world’s largest auto manufacturers including CEO at multiple top tier-1 suppliers and OEM manufacturers. Neumann joins RTI's advisory board to provide strategic guidance on bringing advanced connectivity software to autonomous vehicles.

The automotive industry is undergoing an extraordinary revolution as manufacturers race to develop Connected, Autonomous, Shared and Electric (CASE) mobility solutions. Today, 20 autonomous vehicle production-track programs are built on RTI’s connectivity software. These include passenger cars, "robotaxi" services, trucks, mining vehicles and campus shuttles. 

RTI is the leading vendor of the Data Distribution Service (DDS) Standard which is the only connectivity standard that meets the requirements of Level 4 and Level 5 Autonomy. All major autonomous vehicle platform standards now specify DDS, including AUTOSAR Adaptive and the Robot Operating System (ROS) v2. RTI Connext DDS is the most widely-adopted DDS solution; it provides top performance and reliability while uniquely offering both security and safety certification. It is built on a connectivity solution called a “databus.” The databus enables vehicle software architectures to be fast, distributed and reliable. This is critical for high levels of autonomy. As a result, autonomous vehicles are RTI's fastest-growing market.

"I believe that the automotive industry is in the midst of a second electronic revolution," said Karl-Thomas Neumann, head of mobility at EVELOZCITY and advisory board member at RTI. "However, this time the car is being connected to the world which is an even bigger market disruption. We need new concepts, new technology and new services to drive change. RTI’s advanced technology, proven success with distributed systems and influential location in Silicon Valley put the company at the core of Industrial IoT success. I am honored to join the advisory board and continue to help accelerate innovation in the automotive market."

Neumann is an automotive industry icon. He was the CEO of Continental, one of the largest tier-1 suppliers. After that, he was the CEO of Volkswagen Group China and then CEO of Opel at GM. He is a longtime advocate and early pioneer of electric propulsion and autonomy. Currently, he is in charge of mobility at EVELOZCITY, a new Los Angeles-based electric vehicle (EV) and future mobility startup. He holds a PhD in electrical engineering with a background in computing systems. 

"KT has extensive experience at the highest levels in the automotive industry. He is also one of the few top-level automotive executives with a background in computing technology. Thus, his grasp of both technology and business impacts on the market make him an excellent fit for the RTI advisory board," said Dr. Stan Schneider, CEO at RTI. "For the first time, auto manufacturers are now competing on software rather than mechanical performance or styling. KT's expertise in navigating industry transformations will be instrumental as we continue to expand in this market. We look forward to his guidance as we execute our shared vision for the future of transportation."

Neumann will join inaugural RTI advisory board member Scott McNealy to identify strategic growth opportunities and expand the company’s influence in the IIoT. RTI is continuing to recruit additional members throughout 2018, targeting an influential member in each of its key IIoT markets. 

For more information about RTI’s Advisory Board, please visit: https://bit.ly/2Ktygj8

About RTI

Real-Time Innovations (RTI) is the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) connectivity company. The RTI Connext® Databus is a software framework that shares information in real time, making applications work together as one, integrated system. It connects across field, fog and cloud. Its reliability, security, performance and scalability are proven in the most demanding industrial systems. Deployed systems include medical devices and imaging; wind, hydro and solar power; autonomous planes, trains and cars; traffic control; Oil and Gas; robotics, ships, and defense.

RTI lives at the intersection of functional artificial intelligence and pervasive networking^SM.

RTI is the largest vendor of products based on the Object Management Group (OMG) Data Distribution Service™ (DDS) standard. RTI is privately held and headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif.

Download a free 30-day trial of the latest, fully-functional Connext DDS software today:  https://www.rti.com/downloads.