Lynwood – Four hundred Lynwood Unified high school students today received a look into the future of transportation through a self-driving virtual reality demo presented by Marques McCammon, a general manager with Intel subsidiary Wind River.

The participating students, selected from Lynwood and Firebaugh high schools’ STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and auto tech programs, learned how McCammon utilized his education to become a car designer in his mid-20s, chief marketing officer for an electric car startup and now a leader in automotive software. Students also received an insider’s perspective on the breakthrough self-driving transportation that will become more prevalent in coming years.

“Giving our students a glimpse into a career they may one day enter is paramount for their growing aspirations,” Lynwood Unified Superintendent Paul Gothold said. “Our District’s top priority is preparing students for college and a career, so interacting with industry professionals like Marques, who has an incomparable auto and software resume, should serve as an eye-opening experience.”

Wind River is a leader in delivering software for the internet of things (IoT). Around since 1981, its technology is in more than 2 billion products, including more than 100 million automobiles. Wind River delivers software and expertise enabling the innovation of safe, secure and reliable intelligent systems. Wind River’s decades of embedded software leadership in mission-critical industries like aerospace and defense, including software that has been part of every Mars Rover excursion to date, is helping the auto industry quickly become software savvy and begin its IoT transformation.

“Make no mistake – connected, self-driving cars will be on U.S. highways in the near future,” said McCammon, the GM of Wind River’s Connected Vehicle Solutions division. “These autonomous vehicles will impact our everyday digital lives, linking passengers to the internet of things, which will communicate with road infrastructure, other cars, buildings, retailers and more – all while potentially reducing traffic by up to 80 percent.

“You have as much potential to define this future as anyone. Make up your mind today that you will be a leader and let your work turn dream into reality – then, it will be you who is shaping the future.”

PHOTO CAPTIONS

111416_LUSD_STEM1: Wind River General Manager Marques McCammon describes the future of transportation to 400 Lynwood and Firebaugh high school students at Lynwood High School’s Performing Arts Center on Nov. 14.

111416_LUSD_STEM2: A Lynwood Unified student uses virtual reality to experience a self-driving vehicle during Wind River General Manager Marques McCammon’s talk on the future of transportation at Lynwood High School’s Performing Arts Center on Nov. 14.