General Motors' Senior Program Manager Talks New Tech Making Innovation Possible for Automakers

The opinions and views expressed in this story belong to Satyabrata Pradhan and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of any organization.

Automotive is the latest industry to begin preparing for the next phase of digital transformation. With new technologies poised to propel automakers of the past into the future, the sector may soon solve some of its most fundamental challenges to date. Now, some experts say the next generation of technology could be on the verge of accelerating global innovation at unprecedented rates.

To learn more, we spoke with Satyabrata Pradhan, a Senior Program Manager at General Motors. With over 14 years of experience building the next generation of vehicles, Pradhan's expertise thrives at the intersection of engineering and transformation. During our conversation, he described a future where electric vehicles are not just incrementally better than other automobiles, but superior in every way.

• The capacity challenge: For most automakers, the impact of these new technologies will be revolutionary, Pradhan explained. For example, with quantum computing to help them discover new chemistries and materials, automakers could create lighter, more energy-dense batteries that charge faster and last longer. Here, he identified an exciting opportunity for the industry to resolve persistent EV limitations in areas like charging, capacity, and range.

• A quantum leap for sustainability: Because the research still relies on traditional computing, Pradhan said, the imagined applications can be hard to explain. To illustrate, he asked a pointed question: "What might be possible with a computer that's specifically designed to test which materials can help keep a charge, or to detect the behaviors to reduce battery degradation? Once the automotive ecosystem can identify that information, then we can significantly increase the sustainability of EVs."

But the road to next-gen transportation won't be without obstacles, Pradhan explained. With quantum still in the research and development phase, the next transformation is at least five years away. Even as companies like NVIDIA, Qualcomm, and NXP experiment with early-stage chips, practical implementation has yet to be seen. Instead, the immediate focus for OEMs should be strategic preparation, he advised. "If leaders can improve efficiency now, more significant technological leaps will only be more possible in the near future."

• The power of incremental progress: The estimated reduction in carbon footprint per car might seem insignificant at first, Pradhan cautioned. But scaled across millions of vehicles, it quickly adds up. And with even more powerful tools to multiply these gains, he explained, even ambitious visions like 'zero pollution' can become a reality.

• A new solution: But first, Pradhan said, an industry-wide shift to Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) is essential. SDVs enable advanced computing systems to be implemented, he explained, by transforming vehicles into flexible, updatable platforms. "Without them, quantum has no place to plug in. Once you introduce SDVs, new capabilities can integrate and evolve with a vehicle's existing systems more naturally."

Until then, Pradhan said, AI will continue redefining the auto industry. "AI can reduce software bugs by 30-40% before code ever reaches the vehicle, and it can automate approximately 70% of testing scenarios," he said. In the end, Pradhan concluded, all technological advancements must serve the consumer to be successful, whether quantum or AI. "Customer adoption depends on trust, reliability, and a superior product experience now more than ever before. Today, even the most advanced technology is meaningless if customers simply refuse to buy the car."