Six new Summit speakers bring a practical sequence of decisions into focus: how a difficult diagnosis reaches a technical assistance center, how support teams balance digital tools with expert judgment, how warranty evidence improves claim review, and where human responsibility must remain.
MAPconnected is pleased to welcome Shane Schmitt of Ford Motor Company, Miles Thompson of Hyundai Motor America, Dan Dobbs of Advantage Technical, Mike Roberts of MR Insights, Tyler Betthauser of The Car Conservatory, and Craig Stack of Truepic to the 6th annual Service & Warranty Lifecycle Summit.
The event takes place October 19-21 at The Westin Southfield Detroit. Together, these 6 speakers will contribute to 4 distinct agenda conversations across technical support, advanced diagnostics, warranty transformation, repair quality, and claims decision-making.
MEET THE 6 NEW SUMMIT SPEAKERS
SHANE SCHMITT | DIRECTOR TECHNICAL HOTLINE | FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Shane Schmitt leads technical hotline work at Ford Motor Company. At the Summit, he will join the panel, “The Hybrid TAC: Balancing Digital & Human Support.” The discussion will discuss two different perspectives of migrating technical assistance centers to combine self-service, direct expert access, analytics, and AI-supported decisions.
That balance has immediate operational consequences. A digital pathway may speed up a routine case, while an experienced specialist may recognize the context that changes the diagnosis. The panel will explore how organizations decide which form of support belongs at each point in the process and their journeys to blend the different services.
MILES THOMPSON | SENIOR MANAGER ADVANCED DIAGNOSTICS | HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA
Miles Thompson brings Hyundai Motor America’s advanced-diagnostics perspective to the same Hybrid TAC panel. His role places him close to the challenge of turning vehicle symptoms, diagnostic data, and technician observations into a clear next step.
He will bring into the discussion how technical support can help technicians reach reliable answers without creating unnecessary handoffs or removing the judgment needed for complex repairs.
DAN DOBBS | SOLUTIONS ARCHITECT VEHICLE SERVICES GROUP | ADVANTAGE TECHNICAL
Dan Dobbs adds the solution view from Advantage Technical. He will help connect the Hybrid TAC discussion to the systems and workflows that move a case from technician inquiry to expert support and resolution.
His participation broadens the panel beyond a choice between people and technology. The more useful question is how the two should work together so that information arrives in the right place, specialists can intervene when needed, and the final answer supports an accurate repair.
MIKE ROBERTS | FORMER GLOBAL WARRANTY STRATEGY MANAGER | MR INSIGHTS
Mike Roberts brings decades of warranty strategy, dealer support, analytics, and benchmarking experience. Mike will serve as the main summit chairman leading the speaker introductions and interactive Q&A sessions. Additionally on Monday, October 19, he will lead the “2026 Warranty Management Study: From Operational Burden to Strategic Advantage” workshop.
Participants will explore real-world warranty operations from claim creation through adjudication and analysis using 2026 Study insights to identify friction points and opportunities to improve performance through data, automation, and AI. The workshop is designed to move from general discussion to a practical view of where work slows down, where decisions are repeated, and where improvement can begin. Participants will leave with a copy of the 2026 Warranty Management Study.
TYLER BETTHAUSER | FOUNDER | THE CAR CONSERVATORY
Tyler Betthauser will take on a familiar phrase with larger implications: “When ‘No Trouble Found’ Isn’t No Trouble: Rethinking Diagnosis, Technician Pay & Repair Quality.”
The subject reaches beyond a single unresolved concern. A no-trouble-found outcome can affect technician time, customer confidence, repeat visits, warranty records, and the quality signals available to the organization. Tyler’s background across automotive operations, data, software, and analytics brings those consequences into one discussion.
CRAIG STACK | CO-FOUNDER & PRESIDENT | TRUEPIC
Craig Stack will join the panel, “Decision-Making in Warranty & Claims: Where Should the Human Stay in the Loop?” The discussion asks what AI should decide, what it should recommend, and where human judgment remains essential.
Craig brings the perspective of verified photos, videos, and virtual inspection to the claims process. That evidence can help teams review claims with greater speed and confidence, but the session will address the question that follows every technical capability: who remains accountable for the decision?
WHY THESE 6 PERSPECTIVES BELONG IN ONE CONVERSATION
A difficult diagnosis can become a hotline interaction, a repair decision, a warranty claim, a quality signal, and a future data point. Each step depends on the information and judgment carried forward from the one before it.
These 6 speakers approach that sequence from different positions. Three will examine how technical assistance centers combine digital and human support. One will help participants map warranty operations from end to end. One will challenge the meaning and consequences of “No Trouble Found.” One will examine the line between automated recommendations and accountable human decisions.
Their sessions give attendees a connected view of the work, from the first diagnostic question to the evidence behind a claim and the operating changes that follow.
JOIN THE 6TH ANNUAL SERVICE & WARRANTY LIFECYCLE SUMMIT
The 6th annual Service & Warranty Lifecycle Summit takes place October 19-21 at The Westin Southfield Detroit.
The 3-day program includes workshops, case studies, panel discussions, Leadership Xchange Group meetups, roundtables, the AI-Service Warranty Lifecycle Management Think Tank, and peer networking across warranty, quality, technical assistance, field service, customer care, purchasing, data, and technology.
STAY CONNECTED
MAPconnected creates year-round opportunities for service and warranty leaders to compare operating practices, surface shared challenges, and learn from the people doing the work.
