How Japanese Cars Changed the World: An Insider’s Look

Born in Perth, Australia in 1960, Peter Lyon graduated with a BA majoring in Politics and Japanese Studies from the University of Western Australia. He also studied advanced Japanese language at Japan’s prestigious Keio University. As a fluent speaker and writer of Japanese, he went to Japan in 1988 and began contributing automobile related stories and test drive reports to Australia’s Motor Magazine. He now writes for six publications worldwide, including two in Japanese. He authored a book in Japanese in 2014 called “Flashing Hazards” about Japan’s car culture, and from spring 2015 has hosted a TV series called “Samurai Wheels” on Japan’s national broadcaster NHK World. Lyon has also raced cars since 2000, culminating in a 4th in class placing in Germany’s Nurburgring 24-hour endurance race in 2010. He is chairman of the World car Awards, a juror for Japan’s Car of the Year and a judge for Toyota’s Dream Car Art Contest.

Tim Stevens is Editor-in-Chief for Roadshow, CNET’s automotive portal. A journalist with more than 15 years of experience, Mr. Stevens runs Roadshow, CNET’s new site focusing on the intersection of tech and automotive. Additionally, he is a frequent contributor to major domestic and international news outlets, sharing his insights and perspectives on such topics as consumer technology and the latest advancements in the automotive industry. Mr. Stevens focuses on deep, immersive features telling the behind-the-scenes stories of products ranging from smart watches to muscle cars. He serves as a judge on the CEATEC Innovation Awards panel, attended the exclusive 2013 XPRIZE Visioneering Conference and regularly acts as speaker and moderator at industry events. He joined CNET in 2013 after serving as editor-in-chief of Engadget, part of the AOL /Huffington Post network.