Page 64 - Motor Trend (January 2020)

Bryan Salesky
Maurizio Reggiani Co-Founder and CEO, Argo AI
Chief Technical Officer, 2019 Rank: Unranked
Automobili Lamborghini Salesky’s startup has attracted
enough money and attention to play
2019 Rank: 19
in the big leagues with Waymo and
His latest is the $2 million, 808-hp Cruise and is testing its robocars
Sián hybrid supercar with a V-12 in six cities now. Ford and VW
and a supercapacitor (instead
have invested about $2.6
of a traditional battery pack), billion in the private firm, which
allowing it to store more power, will give each automaker an
discharge it faster, and require less autonomous driving system
cooldown time so it’s ready 48
it can tailor to its own vehicle
to squirt out of the
development programs.
next corner.
Alfonso Albaisa
50 49 Senior Vice President

for Global Design,
Nissan Motor Co.
Kyle Vogt 2019 Rank: 36
Albert Biermann Co-Founder and Chief Albaisa continues to
Head of Research and Technology Officer, Cruise redefine the look of the
Development, Hyundai 2019 Rank: 40 Nissan and Infiniti
Motor Group The robotics pioneer (above) has brands as they
2019 Rank: 17 seen his startup raise another embrace a focus
Biermann injected $7.25 billion and expand to on electric vehicles.
performance as head of more than 1,000 employees He poached former
Hyundai N, and now, as global developing and testing Lincoln designer
R&D boss, he spreads his autonomous vehicles for GM David Woodhouse to
engineering prowess across all with investment from Honda help create distinctive
Hyundai Group brands. We and SoftBank Vision. Cruise Japanese designs. For
is valued at $19 billion and is
anticipate a Ranger Raptor rivaling Waymo in the race to 46 Infiniti, the Inspiration
competitor for Hyundai, concepts represent the future
more N models, and a get robocars on city streets in of the brand. At Nissan, an overhaul of
limited-production halo big volumes. the lineup is foreshadowed by the IMQ
47 car in partnership crossover concept.
with Rimac.
Masayoshi Son
Founder and CEO,
Jim Hackett
SoftBank Group
CEO, Ford 2019 Rank: Unranked
2019 Rank: Unranked Son is a major player in Silicon
It has taken a couple of years for Valley, and his Vision Fund has
Hackett’s ideas and methods to contributed to the mobility space
become clear, resonate, and show signs with investments in Uber, Cruise, and
of change. He has made key partner- a research project with Honda.
ship deals with VW and Rivian, He has outlined a 300-year
expanded investment in plan to make SoftBank
Argo AI for autonomous a leader in artificial
driving, and sorted out intelligence, robotics,
the proper roles for his 45 44 and other advanced
top lieutenants. technologies.

t has been another fascinating year for the auto At the Volkswagen Group, there were more arrests and
industry, with product highlights ranging from the investigations in the wake of the never-ending Diesel-
much-anticipated mid-engine Corvette to a string gate scandal as investigators also turned their sights
of Tesla-challenging EVs to a swath of three-row toward Daimler, BMW, FCA, and Ford.
SUVs and heavy-duty trucks. But amid the drama, the auto industry’s powerful
As usual, there was drama in the executive ranks of the players continued to design, innovate, engineer, market,
automakers that make these vehicles happen. sell, and even race a slew of spectacular vehicles with
The most tumultuous was the Nissan-Renault alliance, increasingly complex technology.
where the list of “former” CEOs kept growing. The jailed This list is a hats-off to the people behind the accom-
Carlos Ghosn was out, but as the year progressed, many of plishments. They are the ones to watch. And No. 1 on the
the people who filled his leadership void were also out. Power List is the 15th MotorTrend Person of the Year.

64 MOTORTREND.COM JANUARY 2020 WORDS ALISA PRIDDLE