MAPconnected confirms 36 speakers for Detroit warranty summit

MAPconnected said its 6th annual Service & Warranty Lifecycle Summit will bring more than 200 leaders from 80 companies to Detroit on Oct. 19-21, 2026. The event will focus on warranty, quality, service, AI and afersales decisions across automotive and adjacent industries.

Why it matters: - The summit puts warranty, service, quality and technology leaders in one room as AI and data reshape aftersales operations. - The event is aimed at helping executives compare approaches to common problems such as diagnostic support, supplier accountability, governance and customer experience. - More than 200 leaders from 80 companies are expected, giving the Detroit meeting broad industry reach.

What happened: - MAPconnected announced 36 confirmed speakers for its 6th Annual Service & Warranty Lifecycle Summit. - The summit runs Oct. 19-21, 2026, at The Westin Southfield Detroit in Southfield, Michigan. - Confirmed speakers include Tim Turvey of General Motors, James Kiriazes of Bridgestone Americas, Marijo Prodanic of Kia America, Graham Swan of Cummins, Shane Schmitt of Ford Motor Company, Ben Bergman of Crown Equipment, Victor Garcia of Nissan Motor Company, Justin Brookman of Consumer Reports, Steve Olejniczak of International, Josh Cohen of General Motors, Jim Holloway of Toyota Motor North America, Daryl Kreskowiak of Stellantis and Peter Dentler of Mack Trucks / Volvo Trucks. - MAPconnected said additional speakers and program details will be announced later.

The details: - The summit will draw leaders from OEMs, component and aftermarket manufacturers, retailers, dealer networks and aftersales, aftercare and technology providers. - Industries represented include automotive, heavy truck, powersports, motorcycle, agricultural and industrial sectors, plus EV manufacturers and warranty service providers. - Two Leadership Xchange Group breakout periods will focus on Parts Return & Quality Analysis, Financial Products & Insurance, Recall, Customer Campaigns & Legal, Technical Assistance Centers, Purchasing & Supplier Cost Sharing and Warranty Administration. - A Tech Expo and more than 12 hours of networking will run alongside the formal program. - Tuesday executive dine-around dinners are part of the networking schedule. - The summit is designed to help leaders leave with better evidence, stronger peer perspective and clearer priorities.

Between the lines: - MAPconnected is positioning the event as a cross-functional decision forum, not just a conference. - The speaker mix suggests the summit is trying to connect OEM, supplier, retail and consumer perspectives in one discussion. - The emphasis on AI, warranty governance and supplier cost sharing reflects pressure on companies to do more with tighter service budgets and more complex vehicles. - Pam Walter, MAPconnected founder, said the value comes from hearing the same information from different perspectives and identifying what deserves attention when leaders return to their organizations. - Sarah Huff, director of global warranty systems at Cummins, said MAPconnected has been a catalyst for warranty transformation.

What's next: - MAPconnected said more speakers and program details are still to come. - Group ticket discounts are available for teams of three or more. - The event will be supported year-round through MAPconnected's MyWarrantyNetwork Members Hub and Marketplace, including Leadership Xchange Group meetups, round-the-clock Members Hub access and AI-SWLM Think Tank access. - The company is directing attendees to get more information about the summit, register ticket packages and read more about MyWarrantyNetwork.

The bottom line: - MAPconnected is betting that the next wave of warranty and aftersales improvement will come from shared problem-solving across industries, not isolated internal teams.