Audi discusses mobility concepts of the future

At Audi’s second Stakeholder Forum in Berlin a couple of days ago, the company discussed the mobility of the future with approximately 120 participants. The interdisciplinary discussion focused on automobile connectivity with infrastructure, road users and mobile applications. The automobile manufacturer wants to further intensify the open exchange of opinions and experience with experts from the fields of business, science and politics.

“Communication between vehicles, between vehicles and infrastructure, and between vehicles and the Internet can significantly improve safety on the roads,” emphasized Axel Strotbek, CFO of AudiAG. “Digitalization and connectivity offer new development opportunities for the mobility of the future, in combination with enhanced quality of life,” continued Strotbek. He also referred to the challenges arising from the use of data.

Tech blogger Sascha Pallenberg does not believe that cars will disappear from cities, but that will become important network nodes. In his keynote speech, Pallenberg indicated on the one hand how global developments will revolutionize mobility, and on the other hand how the automobile itself can trigger revolutionary developments. At the same time, he appealed for more courage in dealing with issues such as digitalization and data networking. He believes the digitalized car has the potential to be “the next big thing,” although that is not a task solely for the automotive industry. According to Pallenberg, the car will increasingly become a product of connectivity and the exchange between industries and sectors that to a great extent are now operating independently of each other.

José Castillo, architect and Harvard professor, also developed a positive scenario for data usage. Castillo, a participant in this year’s Audi Urban Future Award in the Mexico City team, presented his vision of a city that “drives out of traffic congestion on the data highway.” For what the IBM Commuter Pain Index has found to be “the world’s worst commuter metropolis,” he aimed to demonstrate that thanks to the intelligent use of data, individual mobility can solve the problems it has created. By means of crowdsourcing, a valid database has been created in Mexico City to facilitate sustainable urban and transport planning. “The goal is to test new forms of cooperation between governments, companies, science and citizens, in order to develop mobility in the city of the future in a positive way,” explained Castillo.

In addition to opportunities for the mobility of the future, Audi dealt with the issue of data security. The automobile manufacturer is aware that increasing connectivity means that questions will have to be asked about dealing with data responsibly. Audi experts showed how the technical conditions for handling data safely will already be created during the stage of developing new cars.

Dr. Peter F. Tropschuh, Head of Corporate Responsibility at AUDI AG, sees contributions from stakeholders as “impetus for future developments.” He believes that the regular exchange of ideas and experience with them helps the company to identify and process society’s expectations and challenges at an early stage.