We are excited to welcome Riley Keehn– SBD Automotive, Sr. Consultant from Regulatory and Government Affairs to InCabin USA 2026!
In this exclusive interview, find out more about Riley’s expertise, and gain insights into her perspective on the evolving global policy landscape, the increasing complexity of regulatory frameworks, and how these forces are shaping the future of automotive innovation, mobility, and infrastructure.
With over seven years of experience across global government, regulatory, and legislative affairs- both directly with OEMs and as a senior consultant to OEMs, suppliers, and technology companies- Riley brings a well-rounded and strategic view of the industry. Alongside her work in automotive, her background leading R&D and project management in the stormwater sector gives her a broader, systems-level understanding of how infrastructure, policy, and technology intersect.
As a policy specialist, automotive-mobility consultant, and nonprofit chair, Riley focuses on enabling data-driven, human-centred approaches to transportation challenges. Her work centres on helping organisations navigate complex regulatory environments, align product strategy with policy direction, and make confident decisions in an increasingly uncertain and fast-moving global landscape.
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Check out Riley’s full interview below
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1. What are the biggest challenges or bottlenecks you are facing in your role currently?
One of the biggest challenges for those in regulatory and government affairs right now is managing the complexity of varying national and local requirements as countries continue to focus on domestic industry dominance rather than global cooperation. An unprecedented geopolitical landscape which has had a ripple effect across the globe is also creating fast-moving change which requires continuous review and strategic pivots.
Helping companies navigate and synthesize these requirements into clear, stable, confident product planning and business strategy decisions requires greater expertise, foresight, and flexibility than ever before.
2. What are the greatest opportunities you foresee for the sector in the next 12 months?
I believe the automotive industry is at another turning point, similar to what it was a few years ago at the crux of the EV boom. This time, OEMs are facing increased global competition, and consumer demand that is pressuring matters of affordability and technology commitments.
The next 12 months will be a make-or-break point for OEMs to redefine their niche and brand identities and decide if they are going to commit to running the highly digitized, feature-driven cockpit and electrification platform race with China, approach vehicles from a different perspective that plays to their unique strengths, or risk losing their footing.
Recent industry learnings have shown that, for most OEMs, the capital investment, uptake, and ROI is not available to be the leaders in every domain, as OEMs walk back on L3/L4 autonomous programs, move to catch up on hybrids, rethink ownership of their SW stack, and/or trial alternative revenue models to offset decreasing traditional sales margins to varying success. Meanwhile, startups like Slate have resonated with a growing number of consumers interested in ‘disconnecting’ from the technologies OEMs have bet their R&D capital on over the last decade.
This pressure is the greatest opportunity for OEMs, if it can fuel them to commit to a clear but agile USP.
3. What emerging trends do you believe will have the most significant impact on the automotive industry in the next 5-10 years?
AI Intelligence Stack (‘SDV 2.0’). Coming out of China, OEMs are redefining the definition of the SDV to be based on internalized AI intelligence. The ‘traditional’ SDV definition simply means a SW-enabled vehicle, with OEMs varying in their levels of vertical integration across SW layers – notably, often outsourcing for AI-capable hardware and processing. As legacy OEMs and the U.S. continue to build on the ‘traditional’ SDV definition, they risk falling behind both in technological capability and policy readiness. U.S. regulators should explore dedicated AI governance, liability, and security frameworks for SDVs before ‘SDV 2.0’ enabled vehicles enter the U.S. market.
Platform simplification. Many OEMs are facing exponentially growing costs across manufacturing, supply chain, and homologation as tariffs, regulation complexity, upstream materials costs, and more meet shifting consumer demand and purchasing behaviours. In order to combat shrinking margins and reduce product complexity, we will likely continue to see OEMs do any combination of 3 things: 1) Reduce the available platforms, models, and trims in their lineup. 2) Continue to explore more cross-industry collaboration, joint-development projects, and resource / platform sharing. 3) Merge, or ultimately dissolve, brands and groups.
Agentic AI, and whether or not it makes sense for the brand. It is important to be aware of and skilled on AI, but AI does not necessarily work for every brand. It is a shaky business justification (in my opinion) to invest in robust in-vehicle AI (from which most OEMs are not profiting off of as they are bundled into existing service subscriptions) simply to stay ahead of the ‘silicon-valley race,’ especially for OEMs with sustainability- and safety/security-directed branding. As energy, cost efficiencies, and the scope of liability frameworks may or may not improve, the next 5 – 10 years will determine the staying power of these features in the cabin.
The return to hybrids vs. BEVs. While sustainability regulations and aggressive targets have wavered or cooled in the U.S. and E.U. over the last few years, OEMs are racing to scale back up – or introduce – available hybrid powertrains. However, given the significant capital investment in the BEV transition, the technological advancements made in battery and energy technologies, and the inherent swing of the political pendulum in the U.S. and E.U., the next 5 – 10 years should show global BEV adoption continue to grow and stabilize.
Keep an eye out for more interviews with our InCabin USA 2026 speakers in the lead up to the event!
Interested in exterior sensing technology?
With a pass to InCabin USA, you’ll also get full access to our co-located sister event, AutoSens. The full agenda and line-up for AutoSens can be found here >>
