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Engineering conversations on connectivity, sensors, and what comes next.

TE Connectivity is a global manufacturer of sensors and connectivity solutions serving automotive, industrial, data communications, aerospace, and consumer electronics markets. Their MarketScale channel hosts the Our Connected World podcast series, which brings together TE engineers and industry guests to discuss the technical challenges created by AI infrastructure, electrification, and data connectivity. The show targets engineers and product leaders who need to understand how connectivity standards and sensor design are evolving.

31 episodesVisit website ↗
Channel Brief·TE Connectivity · 31 episodes
Updated Jun 20, 2023

Connectivity and power solve real industry adoption barriers

TE Connectivity's channel argues that physical infrastructure—connectors, sensors, cabling, fiber optics—unlocks emerging markets (EVs, autonomous vehicles, urban air mobility, renewable energy). Hard problems require hardware, not just software.

TE Connectivity's channel argument is that physical connectivity infrastructure is the bottleneck constraining adoption of transformative technologies, not the technologies themselves. The content patterns this across verticals: battery charging speed for eVTOLs, power distribution architecture for autonomous vehicles, fiber optics for aviation EMI immunity, and sensor ubiquity for factory automation. By treating connectivity as a solved problem, the channel implicitly challenges the assumption that software or regulation alone drives market transitions.

Drawn from Challenges and Solutions for Designers Creatin… and 3 more →

“Power management is the biggest challenge. Designers are responsible for helping with that.”

Taylor Fitzpatrick, Product Manager of Power Connectors, TE Connectivity, episode 16

By the numbers

750,000 to 17 million

Commercial drone market expansion 2021 to 2029 forecast

10%

Cloud data connection annual growth rate versus 6% user growth

1500s

When Leonardo da Vinci conceptualized autonomous vehicles

1939

General Motors debuted first true autonomous car model at World's Fair

What the channel argues

InsightExecutives and engineers diverge on innovation definition: transformation vs. iterative improvement, per TE Connectivity Industrial Technology Index.→
InsightCobots operate in tight spaces handling hundreds of grams to several kilograms, unlike isolated large manufacturing robots.→
InsightThree renewable energy sources—hydropower, wind, solar—are naturally replenished and increasingly critical globally.→
InsighteVTOL aircraft require fast charging capability and significant battery power for takeoff, making power management the dominant design challenge.→
InsightRange anxiety and charge time remain the main barriers preventing EVs from complete adoption over internal combustion engines.→
DataCloud data connections grow at 10% compound annual growth rate versus 6% compound growth in user numbers.→

What you'll learn

•Why eVTOL power distribution differs fundamentally from traditional aerospace: eVTOLs distribute power across distributed electric motors, not from a central generation plant.
•How safety and trust are the leading adoption concerns for autonomous vehicles, not technical feasibility, shifting deployment first to controlled urban robo-taxi environments.
•Why advanced metering infrastructure is shifting from proprietary mesh networks to cellular: cost and radio technology maturity now make mobile networks viable for AMI at scale.
•How fiber optics solve aviation challenges by reducing weight and eliminating electromagnetic interference without sacrificing bandwidth needed for modern aircraft systems.
•Why battery density, charging speed, and cost improvements are converging to accelerate EV adoption, though infrastructure parity with ICE refueling remains incomplete.

What to do about it

→Audit your power and cabling architecture for emerging vehicle platforms (eVTOL, autonomous, EV) to identify component gaps before market launch windows close.
→Invest in sensor integration and fast-charge power management as competitive moats in electrified and autonomous product lines, not afterthoughts.
→Shift IoT and metering deployments from proprietary mesh to cellular infrastructure to improve scalability and reduce long-term maintenance costs.

Who and what shows up

Shad Kroeger

TE Connectivity

Led TE Connectivity Industrial Technology Index survey revealing divergence between how executives and engineers define innovation.

Alex Megej

Chief Technology Officer, Industrial Business Unit, TE Connectivity

Explained how cobots differ from traditional robots: compact, handling hundreds of grams to kilograms in tight spaces near factory workers.

Dr. Thomas Schoepf

VP and CTO of Energy, TE Connectivity

Defined renewable energy sources as three primary naturally replenished types: hydropower, wind, and solar.

Ralf Klaedtke

Chief Technical Officer, Transportation Solutions, TE Connectivity

Discussed autonomous vehicle adoption barriers, safety concerns, and the new competitive landscape with electronics and software companies entering the market.

Taylor Fitzpatrick

Product Manager of Power Connectors, TE Connectivity

Identified power management as the biggest eVTOL design challenge, requiring fast charging and sufficient battery storage for multiple daily flights.

Questions this channel answers

Q

What is holding back autonomous vehicle adoption?

Safety concerns and trust in AI systems, along with cost and unresolved technical challenges, will delay mainstream adoption to robo-taxi pilots in controlled urban environments first.

Connected World: Toward a Sustainable Future for Mobilit… →
Q

Why are eVTOL vehicles so difficult to power?

eVTOLs require significant battery power for takeoff, fast recharging between multiple daily flights, and distributed power architecture across multiple motors, unlike traditional aircraft that draw from a central generation plant.

Challenges and Solutions for Designers Creating eVTOL Pl… →
Q

What is blocking electric vehicle mass adoption?

Range anxiety and charging time remain the primary consumer barriers, alongside incomplete electrical infrastructure parity with traditional refueling networks.

Connected World: Partnering with OEMs on EV Innovation →
Q

How is AMI technology infrastructure evolving?

Advanced metering infrastructure is transitioning from proprietary mesh networks to cellular solutions as radio technologies matured and IoT mobile networks became cost-effective.

ConnecTEd World: How the AMI Market is Shifting from Pro… →
Q

What role do sensors play in industry transformation?

Sensors are ubiquitous in consumer and industrial applications—from health wearables to driver assistance systems to factory automation—reshaping how systems perceive and respond to their environment.

Reshaping Industries with Sensor Technology →
Topics:Electric vehicles and EV charging architectureUrban air mobility (eVTOL, UAM, AAM)Autonomous driving and sensor systemsRenewable energy infrastructureFactory automation and cobots5G and IoT connectivityFiber optics and aerospace applications
Themes:Physical infrastructure constraints are the real barriers to technology adoptionPower, speed, and reliability trump novelty in industry transitionsConnectivity standardization unlocks scaling and cost reduction

Industry context

Global EV stock surpassed 30 million units by 2025, creating unprecedented demand for both residential and public charging infrastructure networks worldwide.