Safetronic 2025
Safety remains a challenge

Is the perception of mobility changing? And if so, how? What role do software-defined vehicles (SDVs), automated driving, and AI play in this? Prof. Dr. Mario Trapp, director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Systems IKS, and Hans-Leo Ross of the Safe Mobility Solutions division at CARIAD, the Volkswagen Group's software company, discuss these questions, which are particularly relevant in terms of safety requirements, in the run-up to the international Safetronic conference.

Highlights of the discussion

1. The future of mobility

• People are looking for alternative mobility solutions that are both convenient and safe. This makes the question of whether owning a vehicle is necessary increasingly relevant.
• The balance between public and private transport is crucial, especially with regard to automated driving solutions.

3. Safety and ergonomics

• The driver remains responsible up to a certain level of automation (e.g., L2), while at higher levels of automation (L3 and above), responsibility is shared between the driver and the system.
• Ergonomic aspects are becoming increasingly important to improve interaction between drivers and technology and minimize distractions.

4. Technological challenges

• The cost of technologies such as RADAR or LIDAR is high, which affects the affordability of vehicles. It remains necessary to find a balance between drivers and technology to enable individually tailored forms of transport.

• Research and development should focus more on safety in use and the interaction between drivers and technology. There is a need to find new ergonomic solutions to optimize driver control.

You can watch the entire conversation in the video. Enjoy!