Defining the software-defined vehicle – Ep. 6

Nand Kochhar is the vice president of Automotive and Transportation Industry Strategy for Siemens Digital Industries Software. He joined Siemens in 2020 after nearly 30 years with Ford Motor Company, where he most recently served as Global Safety Systems Chief Engineer. In this capacity, Kochhar was responsible for vehicle safety performance of all Ford and Lincoln brand products globally. He also served as Executive Technical Leader, CAE, and as a member of Ford’s Technology Advisory Board. Kochhar’s tenure at Ford also included executive engineering leadership across a range of disciplines including in product development, manufacturing, digitalization, simulation technology development and implementation.

Kochhar has additionally been active in SAE International, where he has served as Chairman of the Executive standards committee, leader of a cross-industry group focused on driving standards for mobility, autonomous vehicle development, electrification and connectivity. Kochhar also served as Chairman of SAE’s Motor Vehicle Council for 2015-16 terms, after which he was named the Vice Chair of Technical Standards Board (TSB) in 2017 and then TSB Chair in 2018 and 2019.

Kochhar graduated from Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) with a master’s degree in Engineering Mechanics. He was inducted as a member of the Academy of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineers at Missouri S&T in 2005. He lives in Northville, Michigan with his wife and two kids.

Michael Munsey is the Vice President of Electronics & Semiconductors for Siemens Digital Industries Software. In this role, Munsey is responsible for setting the strategic direction for the company with a focus on helping customers drive unprecedented growth and innovation in the semiconductor and electronics industries through digital transformation.

Munsey began his career as a designer at IBM more than 35 years ago and has the distinction of contributing to products that are currently in use on two planets: Earth and Mars, the later courtesy of his work on the Mars Rover.  

Before joining Siemens in 2021, Munsey spent his career working in positions of increasing responsibility across the semiconductor and electronics industries where he did everything from leading cross-functional teams to drive product creation and executing business development in new regions to setting the vision for corporate strategy. Munsey holds a BSEE in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Tufts University. 

With over 25 years of experience in the Semiconductor industry having held senior technical roles at NVidia, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, and others, Mr. Fritz is the Vice President of Hybrid and Virtual Systems leading the global autonomous IC and validation initiative at Siemens EDA. Mr. Fritz brings innovation of fast moving Silicon Valley companies to the Siemens EDA team by applying transformative technologies to the challenges of autonomous and connected vehicles.

Mike Severson is a Senior Automotive Marketing Manager for Siemens Digital Industries Software, where he drives the achievement of the company’s strategic automotive objectives. He joined Siemens in 2022 after nearly 15 years with Ford Motor Company. During his tenure at Ford, he held several key positions in which he developed and executed initiatives to drive innovation, deliver business results, and enhance the customer experience. In his most recent role at Ford, he served as the Ford GT Program Manager, where he launched and marketed high-value vehicles and designed luxury customer experiences. He also served as the Technology Marketing Manager, collaborating with key technology partners to drive monetization and introduce industry-first technologies.

He graduated from the University of Washington Foster School of Business in Seattle, Washington, and currently lives in the Detroit Metro area with his wife and daughter. In his free time, he enjoys riding motorcycles, snowboarding, and attending concerts.