Corrosion experts from across the automotive supply chain will converge in Ann Arbor in May for the Automotive Corrosion Symposium, a two‑day technical event focused on the evolving challenges of corrosion protection in modern vehicle design.
The symposium will take place May 18–19 at the Ford Presidential Library and is designed to foster collaboration among automotive OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, material producers, and paint and coating suppliers. With corrosion increasingly tied not only to aesthetics but also to vehicle performance, reliability, and safety, organizers say the event is well‑timed for an industry undergoing rapid material transformation.
Abstracts may be submitted to https://www.swri.org/automotive-corrosion-symposium-call-abstracts.
Corrosion Risks Grow as Materials Evolve
Corrosion has long been a concern in automotive finishing and coatings, but its implications are expanding as manufacturers adopt lighter‑weight, high‑strength materials to meet tightening fuel‑efficiency and emissions regulations. These mixed‑material architectures—often combining steel, aluminum, magnesium, and advanced alloys—introduce new corrosion mechanisms, including galvanic and crevice corrosion that can challenge conventional coating systems.
“Today’s materials don’t behave the way legacy substrates did,” organizers note. “That shift requires new thinking in corrosion protection strategies, pretreatments, coatings, and design compatibility.”
The symposium aims to create a forum where these emerging issues can be openly discussed by professionals directly responsible for corrosion testing, surface treatment, coatings formulation, and long‑term durability performance.
2026 Theme: Challenges and Innovations in Corrosion Protection
The 2026 symposium theme, “Challenges and Innovations in Automotive Corrosion Protection,” reflects the industry’s need for both practical and forward‑looking solutions. Sessions are expected to explore a broad range of corrosion‑related topics relevant to finishers and coaters, including:
- Corrosion performance of lightweight and mixed‑metal assemblies
- Advances in pretreatment and surface preparation technologies
- Coating system compatibility with new substrates
- Corrosion testing methods and predictive tools
- Real‑world durability and lifecycle performance considerations
A call for abstracts will be issued in the near future, inviting technical presentations from automotive OEMs, suppliers, and research organizations. Organizers encourage submissions that address both fundamental corrosion science and applied finishing and coating solutions.
Location, Registration, and Contact Information
The Automotive Corrosion Symposium will be hosted at the Ford Presidential Library in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
For updates, interested parties can visit https://autocorrosion.swri.org, email AutomotiveCorrosion@swri.org, or contact Symposium Chair Jim Dante at +1‑210‑522‑5458.
