Volunteer Recognition Month: Angelica Wilson

Posted: June 14, 2023

Angelica Wilson, product manager – cameras at General Motors, believes in giving as much as you get.

A volunteer since 2017, Wilson has been a key part of the evolution of the AutoDrive Challenge™ from series I to series II, having various roles from event organizing, recruiting, rules committee, tech & safety, and project leadership.

SAE’s AutoDrive Challenge II in partnership with General Motors is a four-year competition where university teams develop and demonstrate an autonomous vehicle (AV) that can navigate urban driving courses as described by SAE Standard (J3016™) Level 4 automation.

Participating as a volunteer at AutoDrive is a way for Wilson to fulfill her desire to give back to the industry that's given her so much.

“I think it’s important to give our time back to these students because it creates an opportunity for them to get exposed to, and learn about, the technology and industry in a fun environment,” said Wilson. “It helps gain more interest in mobility, which brings in new talent, driving faster innovation because these students come into the industry full time with some real experience.”

Over the last six years, Wilson has made an impact improving the tech & safety component of the competition and added a project leadership portion in series II. The tools involved in the project leadership portion can apply to any project in the future, bettering students’ performance in competition and preparing them for their careers.

Connecting with the next generation of mobility professionals through the AutoDrive Challenge has been a rewarding experience for Wilson.

“It provides me an opportunity to learn from the students involved as well. We have a very innovative and creative group of students involved in AutoDrive Challenge and I enjoy that their questions and comments sometimes challenge my own thinking in the industry,” said Wilson. “Exposing ourselves to different viewpoints allows the industry to evolve quickly.”

Thank you, Angelica, for your continued support of the AutoDrive Challenge and impact you've made on so many university participants.

June is SAE’s Volunteer Recognition Month and we're celebrating our volunteers and contributors all month long. Interested in getting involved with opportunities like this? Reach out to volunteer@sae.org