Irish Automotive Summit 2026: Big Ideas, Micro Talks, and a Fast-Moving Industry

On April 23, Future Mobility Campus Ireland in Shannon became a hive of activity as the Irish Automotive Summit 2026 welcomed companies and innovators from every corner of Ireland’s automotive world. The energy was unmistakable, seasoned industry leaders, and ambitious startups, all gathered under one roof, eager to share ideas and imagine where the road might lead next.

A Personal Start: Mike Keane’s Keynote

The day kicked off with a keynote from Mike Keane of Hibra Design, and it set the tone nicely. He opened with a look back at where it all began for him—his love of cars as a child. By his own admission, he was a bit of a car nerd early on, sketching his Scalextric cars and sharpening his technical drawing skills long before it became a career.

He also touched on Ireland’s place in automotive history, sharing a couple of surprising facts. Mary Ward, an Irish scientist, is believed to have been the first person killed in a motor vehicle accident back in 1869, and Bridget Driscoll, who was originally from Ireland, became the first pedestrian killed by a car in London in 1896. Not exactly the kind of records you’d want to hold—clearly the luck of the Irish wasn’t at play there.

Ireland’s Automotive Past

From there, Mike moved into Ireland’s own automotive past. It’s easy to forget now, but from the 1950s through to the early 1980s, Ireland had a fairly active vehicle assembly industry. Brands like Renault, Fiat, and Volkswagen all had operations here, with cars being assembled in places like Dublin (particularly around the Naas Road), Cork, and Limerick. That all wound down by the mid-1980s, driven by changing economics, increased competition, and Ireland’s closer integration with the European market, which made local assembly less viable.

Mike’s career path followed some of those same industry shifts. He spent time working in Coventry in the UK, once a powerhouse of car manufacturing. He saw first-hand how economic pressures can reshape an industry.

The Shift to a Software-Defined Future

Naturally, the conversation then turned to where things are going next. Electrification was a major theme, but not just in terms of swapping petrol for batteries. Mike spoke about how electric vehicles are driving a much bigger shift towards software-led design, connected systems, and increasingly autonomous capabilities. The car is no longer just a machine—it’s becoming a fully integrated tech platform.

Encouragingly, Ireland is starting to carve out a place in that future. Universities and technical institutes are stepping up, offering more specialised programmes focused on next-generation automotive technologies. Mike highlighted Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) just down the road from us in Coonagh, Limerick, as one example of how education is evolving to meet industry demand.

From Talks to Live Demonstrations

The day then moved into a series of talks and live demonstrations across the different bays around the campus, which gave things a more hands-on feel and a chance to see some of the technology in action.

Brian Carroll from Endeavour opened this session with a talk on connectivity, focusing on the growing importance of reliable, always-on communication in modern vehicles.

Paul Girr, representing Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), shared an interesting perspective on how the company operates globally. He described Ireland as a hub for innovation, while India plays a key role in scaling those innovations.

Hyperpath followed with a focus on resilient connectivity, combining multiple unreliable networks into a single stable connection—critical for modern vehicle performance.

Innovation on Display

In Bay 1, there was a strong emphasis on semiconductor and systems-level innovation. Analog Devices, a long-established presence in Limerick, spoke about developments in Ethernet edge bus technologies, wireless battery systems, and gigabit connectivity.

Synopsys were also present, highlighting the growing importance of chip design and simulation in an increasingly software-defined automotive world.

Alps Alpine focused on supply chain integration, while Brakebetter, an automotive engineering consultancy, spoke about their global reach, working with clients across four continents.

SiriusXM, has only been in Ireland for around 18 months, spoke about its rapid growth and the support they’ve received from the IDA. They recently won Best Early Stage Investment 2026, and their momentum is clear. With a Dublin base and a team spanning senior engineers, data scientists, and R&D specialists, they’re using AI to improve software delivery and overall system performance.

Engineering in Action

Liebherr also drew plenty of attention with its vision for what it described as its “next big thing”—a single high-performance computer architecture designed to power all its products. They showcased developments in remote and autonomous crane operations, including scenarios in which a single operator can control up to four cranes simultaneously. It sparked some interesting discussion, including the audience’s suggestion of a potential future collaboration between Liebherr and Provizio.

Provizio, based at Future Mobility Campus, was represented by founder Barry Lunn. He brought a lot of energy to the room, speaking about the company’s journey since 2019 and its focus on improving safety through advanced sensing technology. He hinted at significant developments expected in Q2 2027, particularly focused on reducing fatalities involving large industrial machinery.

He also spoke about Provizio’s open approach to development and their role in popularising the concept of “5D” perception—something that’s quickly becoming an industry buzzword.

Connections and Conversations

Lunch provided a welcome pause in the schedule and a chance for attendees to mingle, catch up, and make new connections. It was clear from conversations around campus that collaboration is a big part of what makes events like this valuable.

MultiHog took to the main stage, bringing a practical, engineering-led perspective grounded in real-world vehicle manufacturing. Their focus on multi-purpose utility vehicles, designed to handle everything from road maintenance to snow clearing, was a strong reminder that innovation in this space isn’t just about future concepts, but about building reliable machines that deliver day in, day out. That point was brought to life with a live demonstration of their fully electric road sweeper—after a not-so-accidental litter drop from Diarmuid O Conchubhair, the machine stepped in and cleaned things up in no time, giving everyone a clear view of it in action.

Representatives from the Department of Transport took to the main stage, bringing a policy and infrastructure perspective into the mix and rounding out the day with a broader view of how regulation and national strategy will shape the future of mobility in Ireland.

Finally

Overall, the summit highlighted not just how much the automotive industry is changing, but how actively Ireland is participating in that change. From education and research to startups and global players, there’s a clear sense that the foundations are being laid for something significant.

From a TechHeads perspective, it’s an exciting space to watch—and even more interesting to be part of.

A big thank you to the Future Mobility Campus team for the invitation, and for all the work behind the scenes that made the day run so smoothly.