Autonomy Changes Everything Pt. 2: How to Select the Lowest Risk Software Architecture for Building Autonomous Systems

Chip Downing is the Senior Market Development Director of Aerospace and Defense at Real-Time Innovations (RTI). In this position he manages RTI’s global aerospace and defense business and helps drive the RTI Connext product, now used in over 1,500 global systems, into the commercial and military aerospace market. Mr. Downing currently serves as the VP, Ecosystem of the DDS Foundation, where he is tasked with growing the sphere of influence of the OMG DDS standard with organizations that have companion specifications. In addition, he also serves as the Chair of the FACE Consortium BWG Outreach Subcommittee, promoting the FACE approach globally. A veteran of the embedded systems industry and an innovator for creating COTS safety certification for commercial RTOSs, he previously served as Senior Director of Aerospace & Defense at Wind River Systems, where he was responsible for the business development of the company’s global A&D markets. During his 14-year Wind River tenure, design wins grew for certified avionics products grew to more than 500 projects. Mr. Downing has also led sales, marketing, and consulting organizations at Esterel Technologies (now Ansys), Validated Software, OnCore Systems, and Mentor Graphics (now Siemens). Mr. Downing has also led sales, marketing, and consulting organizations at Wind River, Esterel Technologies (now Ansys), Validated Software, OnCore Systems, and Mentor Graphics (now Siemens).

Bob Leigh is the Senior Director of Market Development at Real-Time Innovations (RTI). Bob has been developing new markets and building technology companies for over 15 years as an entrepreneur and technology leader. He graduated from Queen’s University with a degree in Mathematics & Engineering and has used his education in control and communication systems to develop embedded solutions for a variety of industries including energy, manufacturing, and transportation. Spending his career in small companies inspired Bob to found two companies of his own. At each venture, he led the charge to create new technologies for emerging markets and disruptive applications. Bob joined RTI and spent his first 5 years developing and executing the company plan to enter the Automotive market, taking advantage of the twin disruptions of autonomous vehicles and electrification. Automotive is now RTI’s fastest growing market. As a market leader, the company is working with many of the manufacturers who are disrupting this market. Bob now leads the RTI Markets team driving the growing markets and looking for the next big disruption where RTI can apply its expertise to help solve society’s largest challenges.