New academic engagement program prepares the next generation of software defined vehicle talent
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, February 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — At the Toronto AutoShow, Ottawa Infotainment announced the launch of DragonFire University, a new academic engagement initiative designed to work directly with universities across Canada to help develop the next generation of automotive software and mobility talent.
As the automotive industry accelerates toward software defined vehicles, Ottawa Infotainment created DragonFire University to address the growing gap between traditional engineering education and real world industry needs. The program gives students hands on experience with production grade automotive software platforms, developer tools, and real time UI and UX environments through the DragonFire ecosystem.
“The industry is entering a massive paradigm shift where software defined vehicles will challenge our workforce,” said Sean Hazaray, CEO of Ottawa Infotainment. “The skillsets required are different and they require niche training. DragonFire University is about preparing students for where the industry is heading.”
As part of the curriculum, students are trained on industry relevant tools including DiSTI’s GL Studio, a platform widely used across the automotive industry for developing safety critical Human Machine Interfaces. Familiarity with these tools is essential for building production ready HMIs that meet modern safety, performance, and regulatory expectations.
Our goal is to help the next generation of HMI development professionals understand Industrial Production Level software engineering for tomorrows Software Defined Vehicles” said Chris Giordano, Vice President of UX/UI Technology at DiSTI Corporation, “DiSTI is excited to support this academic initiative with the University of Windsor and our close partners at Ottawa Infotainment.
“We are helping universities adapt their curriculum to be more aligned with real industry needs,” said Jonathan Hacker, CTO of Ottawa Infotainment. “By giving students direct exposure to the DragonFire platform and tools like GL Studio, they graduate with practical skills that allow them to contribute immediately in safety critical automotive environments.”
The School of Computer Science at the University of Windsor is the first institution to pilot the DragonFire University engagement. The program has already kicked off and is currently working with an initial cohort of approximately 125 students. The collaboration is focused on hands on automotive UI, UX, and software development, with defined technical and design deliverables scheduled for completion by Q2 2026. “The DragonFire University initiative with Ottawa Infotainment, combined with the support from OVIN/AIC, successfully engaged students in transforming their education to develop job-ready skills supporting the Ontario automotive industry and the global demand for this highly specialized skillset,” commented Dr. Ziad Kobti, Director of the School of Computer Science at the University of Windsor.
While the University of Windsor represents the first formal deployment of DragonFire University, Ottawa Infotainment has already seen strong interest from additional universities, including institutions in California, Michigan and the United Kingdom, as demand grows for industry ready automotive software talent.
Ottawa Infotainment believes that strong partnerships between academia and industry can help grow local economies and create high value jobs, particularly in specialized automotive software and HMI disciplines where global demand continues to rise.
About Ottawa Infotainment
Ottawa Infotainment is a full stack automotive cockpit technology company specializing in infotainment systems, cluster compute, real time UI and UX frameworks, and cloud connected software platforms for next generation mobility. Its DragonFire platform supports modern software defined vehicle architectures across automotive and adjacent markets.
Jason Kennedy
Ottawa Infotainment
+1 613-438-5070
press@ottawainfotainment.com
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