Event
ECE Colloquium Series - Anuja Sonalker, STEER Tech
Friday, November 21, 2025
3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
Jeong H. Kim Engineering Building, Room 1110
Darcy Long
301 405 3114
dlong123@umd.edu
Talk Title: Autonomy at Scale: Transforming Fleet Operations Through Intelligent Vehicle Systems
Abstract: Autonomous mobility has evolved from a futuristic concept into a national imperative — reshaping how fleets operate, maintain readiness, and ensure safety across both commercial and defense domains. In this talk, Dr. Anuja Sonalker, Founder and CEO of STEER Tech, will discuss how scalable autonomy and cybersecurity-first architectures are redefining logistics and mobility infrastructure. Drawing on STEER Tech’s real-world deployments with government and industry partners, she will explore key innovations in autonomous retrofit systems, human-machine teaming, and resilient vehicle networks. The session will also address the challenges of integrating autonomy into aging fleets, advancing operational efficiency, and cultivating the next generation of engineers to lead this transformation.
Bio: Anuja Sonalker, Ph.D. is the Founder and CEO of STEER Tech, an autonomous vehicle technology company pioneering secure, efficient automation for commercial and defense logistics. Recognized by Automotive News as one of North America’s Top 100 Leading Women in the Automotive Industry, Dr. Sonalker brings over two decades of leadership spanning the automotive and U.S. cybersecurity defense sectors. Before founding STEER, she held executive roles at two technology firms that achieved successful acquisitions. A global authority in vehicle cybersecurity, she chairs the ISO 21434 standard for road vehicle cybersecurity and serves on multiple national boards, including the U.S. DOT National Center for Transportation Cybersecurity and Resiliency. She holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and is a Distinguished Alumna of the University of Maryland, College Park.
