About
28th ESV, Exhibition Place Toronto, May 12-15, 2026
The 28th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles will take place May 12-15, 2026, at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Canada.
This event, co-hosted by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport Canada, brings together global leaders, experts and innovators to advance motor vehicle safety.
Hear from NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison and Deputy Minister of Transport Canada Michael Vandergrift.
Register Now!
Registration is now live for:
- Conference attendance
- Side event tickets
- Exhibit booths and exhibit packages
- Supporter opportunities
Event
Plenary and Special Sessions
Plenary Session | Tuesday, May 12 – 1-2:30 p.m.
This session will explore the transformative role of vehicle automation in advancing road safety. Experts will discuss the current state of automated driving applications and capabilities, including the potential to improve safety. The session will also address critical challenges such as safety performance validation, key regulatory considerations, public acceptance and trust, and deployment challenges including fleet monitoring and incident management.
Special Session 1 | Tuesday, May 12 – 3-4 p.m.
New vehicles today deliver unprecedented safety performance, yet rising costs increasingly limit access to these benefits, reducing their potential impact on road safety outcomes. This session will examine how effective safety can be delivered more affordably across the full continuum—from crash avoidance and crashworthiness to occupant protection and post-crash response—so that technological advances translate into real-world safety benefits. Panelists will explore opportunities to design, regulate, and deploy safety features in a cost-effective manner through innovation, technology integration, and regulatory alignment, while maintaining high levels of protection. Drawing on perspectives from industry, regulators, and researchers, the discussion will consider how policies, safety requirements, and incentives can better align with consumer purchasing power while advancing the goal of safety for all.
Special Session 2 | Tuesday, May 12 – 4:30-5:30 p.m.
As vehicles become increasingly connected, software-defined, and incorporate the use of artificial intelligence, they face new and evolving cybersecurity challenges. The data rich environment, increased connectivity, and rapid technological development increases the vehicle’s attack surface, which can lead to potential safety and operational consequences. This session will bring together panelists from government, industry, and academia to provide their diverse perspectives on security threats and vulnerabilities and to discuss strategies to maintain vehicle cybersecurity through information sharing, robust security practices, and securing the supply chain.
All times are listed in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).
Tuesday, May 12
- 8:00 a.m. – All day | Registration
- 8:30–11:30 a.m. | Opening Ceremony / Keynote Remarks / Government Status Reports / ESV Awards / Student Pitches
- 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Exhibition hall opening ceremony
- 12–1 p.m.| Lunch
- 1–2:30 p.m. | Plenary Session – Automated Driving Systems: Shaping the Future of Vehicle Safety
- 1–1:45 p.m. | Part 1: Government Panel (45 minutes)
- 1:45–2:30 p.m. | Part 2: Industry Panel (45 minutes)
- 2:30–3 p.m. | Afternoon Break #1
- 3–4 p.m. | Special Session #1: Vehicle Safety and Affordability (60 minutes)
- 4–4:30 p.m. | Afternoon Break #2
- 4:30–5:30 p.m. | Special Session #2: Vehicle Cybersecurity: Challenges in Securing the Smart Vehicle (60 minutes)
- 6–7:30 p.m. | Welcome Reception
Wednesday, May 13
- 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- TRACK A | Protection in Frontal, Side, and Rear Impact Crashes | Co-chairs: (Canada/U.S.) | Room 206 C/D
- TRACK B | Driver Monitoring Systems to Prevent Crashes and Fatalities | Co-chairs: (Sweden/U.S.) | Room 206 A/B
- TRACK C | Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Enhanced Vehicle Safety | Co-chairs: (U.S./Germany | Room 200A/B/C
- 12:30–2 p.m. | Lunch
- 2–6 p.m.
- TRACK A | Protection of Non-Occupant Road Users | Co-chairs: (Japan/U.S.) | Room 206 C/D
- TRACK B | Human Factors in Driving Automation and the Role of the Driver and Occupants | Co-chairs (Germany/Canada) | Room 206 A/B
- TRACK C | Part 1: Safety of Alternate Fueled Vehicles | Co-chairs: (U.S./Canada) | Part 2: Advancing Vehicle Safety Through Virtual Testing: Challenges and Opportunities | Co-chairs: (Canada/U.S.) | Room 200A/B/C
Thursday, May 14
- 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- TRACK A | Experimental and Computational Advances in Biomechanics and Human Injury Research | Co-chairs (Germany/Canada) | Room 206 A/B
- TRACK B | Safety Assessments for ADS-Operated Vehicles (SAE Levels 3, 4 and 5) Co-chairs (The Netherlands/Japan) & Student Safety Technology Design Competition, Finalist Oral Presentations Room 206 C/D
- TRACK C | Consumer-Focused Approaches to Promote Vehicle Safety in the Automotive Market | Co-chairs: (Germany/The Netherlands) | Room 200 A/B/C
- 12:30–2 p.m. | Lunch
- 2–6 p.m.
- TRACK A | Advances in Crash Test Dummies, Instrumentation, and Data Analysis | Co-chairs (Sweden/U.S.) | Room 206 A/B
- TRACK B | Part A: ADAS for Crash Avoidance and Mitigation: Innovative and Emerging Technologies | Co-chairs: (Canada/European Commission) | Room 206 C/D
- TRACK C | New and Improved Field Data Collection, Analysis, and Benefits Assessment Methods| Co-chairs: (Australia/U.S.) | Room 200 A/B/C
- 7–10 p.m. | Conference Dinner
Friday, May 15
- 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- TRACK A | Crash Protection for Children Co-chairs: (UK/Japan) | Room 206 A/B/C
- TRACK B | Part B: ADAS for Crash Avoidance and Mitigation: Innovative and Emerging Technologies| Co-chairs: (Sweden/Germany) | Room 206 C/D
- TRACK C | Current Topics in Crashworthiness Research | Co-chairs: (U.S./U.S.) | Room 206 A/B
- 12:30–1 p.m. | Closing Ceremony & Student Competition Winners Announced
- 1:00–2 p.m. | Lunch
- 12:30–6:30 p.m. | Technical Tour #4: Ontario Tech University – ACE Research and Testing Facility
- 2:00 p.m. – Group 1 | Technical Tour #3: University Health Network, KITE Research Institute
- 3:00 p.m. – Group 2 | Technical Tour #3: University Health Network, KITE Research Institute
Get a preview of the technical sessions and oral presentations planned for ESV.
Exhibition Space
The ESV exhibition space brings everyone together, including leading automotive manufacturers, technology innovators, research institutions and government agencies. Here’s what you can expect:
- Exhibitors will showcase the latest in vehicle safety, including advanced driver assistance systems, human factors considerations, and automated driving technologies.
- Demonstrations of new materials and designs that better protect occupants and improve crashworthiness of the vehicles.
- Exhibitors will highlight the latest in new technologies, methods, and initiatives to improve road and vehicle safety.
- Live demos of innovative safety features and crash simulations.
- Research institutions and universities will present their latest vehicle safety findings.
- Panels and posters will cover studies on crash data analysis, human factor advancement in driver monitoring and interaction with levels of automation, and safety performance metrics.
- Government agencies will give insights into upcoming regulations and safety standards, improvement of rating systems, and partnerships with industry.
- Information on upcoming regulations and initiatives that hope to improve vehicle safety on a global scale.
- The exhibition space will be a hub for networking, where attendees can connect with industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers.
- Opportunities for collaboration and partnerships that focus on vehicle safety technologies and practices.
Flexible exhibit booths and packages available for organizations of all sizes.
Conference Theme
Advancing Innovation: Technologies for Safer Vehicles
The theme highlights the conference’s focus on showcasing cutting-edge vehicle safety technologies and fostering international collaboration to shape the future of safer transportation.
The 28th ESV Conference will take place at Exhibition Place Toronto from May 12-15, 2026.
Video: Time For Canada - ESV 2026
A Brief History of the Conference
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is the government agency that implements the International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles, commonly referred to as ESV. This conference convenes biennially, with representatives from participating international governments within the transportation sector determining the venue.
Each conference is hosted by an ESV member country, and location selection typically alternates between North America, Europe and Asia. ESV attendees include members of governments; motor vehicle manufacturers; motor vehicle equipment suppliers; global safety researchers; motor vehicle safety, medical, insurance, legal and policy professionals; consumers; academia; students; and international media.
Origins
The ESV program originated in 1970 under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society and was implemented through bilateral agreements between the United States, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Japan and Sweden. The participating nations had agreed to develop experimental safety vehicles to advance state-of-the-art technology in automotive engineering and to meet periodically to exchange information on their progress. Since its inception, the number of international partners has grown to include the governments of Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Hungary, Poland, the Republic of Korea and the European Commission.
Evolution
In 1971, the conference was named the International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles. Over time, the focus of the conference shifted from the development of experimental safety vehicles to addressing broader issues in roadway safety and stronger international cooperation in reducing motor vehicle fatalities and injuries. These issues include program advances in areas such as advanced driver assistance systems, automated driving systems, crash safety, biomechanics and safety data evaluation.
In 1991, the participating governments agreed to change the name of the conference to, the International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles to reflect the broader focus. The 14th ESV conference, held in Munich, Germany, in 1994, was the first conference in which the new name was used.
The 25th ESV conference was held for the first time in Detroit, Michigan – “Motor City” itself. This event brought together many key stakeholders in vehicle safety to share knowledge, listen, engage, connect and collaborate with global counterparts. It brought together a wide range of panelists, speakers, authors and exhibitors. Attendees had the opportunity to participate in ride and drive demonstrations at Wayne State University. Over 30 technical exhibitors also provided attendees a firsthand experience of current and future safety innovations.
The most recent ESV conference – the 27th – held in Yokohama, Japan, April 3-6, 2023, marked the 50th anniversary of the conference and celebrated the unique opportunity to exchange ideas and strengthen global collaboration to improve vehicle safety technologies and standards. Growth of the automotive industry worldwide has brought new partners in pursuit of enhancing global vehicle safety.
Future
With a history spanning over 50 years, ESV remains dedicated to staying at the forefront of technical innovation, continuously seeking new avenues to advance safety. A cornerstone of the ESV program is its technical agenda, featuring author presentations that consistently push the boundaries of vehicle safety exploration, particularly in the realm of vehicle safety technology. As ESV approaches its sixth decade, organizers continue to strive to present participants with the latest achievements in the field of motor vehicle safety.
Transport Canada will host the 28th ESV conference in Toronto, May 12-15, 2026. Work is underway right now to make the next ESV another informative and inspiring vehicle safety experience for all attendees.
Student Competition
Join Us!
- A contest for students as part of the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles Conference May 12-15, 2026, in Toronto, Canada.
- Teams of students and faculty develop models or mockups of new safety systems.
- Top 9 teams present at ESV in Toronto.
- 5/13/26: Oral presentation by international finalists in Toronto
- 5/15/26: 1st place winner and runner-up recognition at the closing ceremony
Learn more about why — and how — you should enter the student competition!
28th ESV Conference Proceedings
Contact
For more information, contact NHTSA at: esv@dot.gov
For more information, contact Transport Canada at:
TC.EnhancedSafetyVehicles-SecuriteAccrueDesVehicules.TC@tc.gc.ca
Government Focal Point Members by Country
Contact: ESV@dot.gov
ESV Government Focal Point Chairman
Cem Hatipoglu, Associate Administrator, Vehicle Safety Research
ESV 2026 General Chair
Tim Johnson, Director, Vehicle Research and Test Center
ESV Organizing Committee
Dee Williams, Deputy Associate Administrator, Vehicle Safety Research
Jane Doherty, Director, International Policy, Fuel Economy & Consumer Programs
Brandon Gobel, Director, Digital Strategies
Stacy Balk, Division Chief, Human Factors/Engineering Integration
Matthew Craig, Division Chief, Human Injury Research
Peter Martin, Division Chief, Structures & Restraints Research
Jay Chen, Division Chief, Intelligent Technologies Research
Kevin Moorhouse, Division Chief, Applied Biomechanics
Jason Stammen, Division Chief, Applied Crashworthiness Research
Aloke Prasad, Mechanical Engineer, Applied Crashworthiness Research
Elizabeth McNeil, General Engineer, Human Injury Research
Chris Evans, General Engineer, Electronic Systems Safety Research
Garrick Forkenbrock, Mechanical Engineer, Applied Crash Avoidance
Thomas Fincannon, General Engineer, Human Factors/Eng Integration
Alexandria Rossi-Alvarez, General Engineer, Applied Crash Avoidance
Debbie Sweet, Program Analyst, Vehicle Safety Research
Deanna Barbour, Multimedia Specialist, Communications Services
Jennifer Oxenham, Program Analyst, Vehicle Safety Research
ESV Student Safety Technology Design Competition U.S. Coordinator
Whitney Tatem, General Engineer, Human Injury Research
Contact: TC.EnhancedSafetyVehicles-SecuriteAccrueDesVehicules.TC@tc.gc.ca
ESV Canadian Chair
Ibrahima Sow, Executive Director, Road Safety and Vehicle Regulations
ESV Government Focal Point Member, Canadian Representative
Dr. Peter Burns, Head of Human Factors and Crash Avoidance Research Division
ESV Committee Secretariat Lead
Zuzanna Strom, Manager, Road Users and Consumer Awareness
ESV Committee Secretariat Deputy Lead
Michelle Rozon, Senior Program Officer, Road Users and Consumer Awareness
ESV Exhibition Coordinator
David Woods, Policy Analyst, Road Users and Consumer Awareness, Transport Canada
ESV Student Safety Technology Design Competition Canadian Coordinator
Benoit Anctil, Engineer, Senior Crash Avoidance & Research