Research Priority Area 2: Mobility

Mobility and transportation are linchpins in our social and economic systems and thus form the basis of our prosperity. Future mobility solutions must be safe, convenient, affordable, reliable and, above all, climate-neutral and socially acceptable. Our research activities addressing future mobility and transportation thus investigate technical innovations for automated driving, energy-efficient and emissions-free vehicles, and develop new mobility and transportation models, data-based traffic systems and suitable means of providing energy, such as contactless electrical charging or hydrogen.

These innovations are only made possible by rigorously involving information and communication technology (ICT)) and artificial intelligence (AI). This Research Priority Area also explores mobility and transportation from a sociological perspective, as investigating acceptance is crucial to the success of introducing new technologies. Tourism-related aspects – for the role that they play in driving innovation in social developments – are also considered.

The scientists engaged in this Research Priority Area work together in interdisciplinary collaboration. The following disciplines are involved:

• Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
• Driver assistance systems and automated driving
• Reliability and safety
• Artificial intelligence (AI)
• Systems and electrical engineering
• Mechanical and production engineering
• Social and behavioural sciences

Besides assisted and automated driving (ADAS/AD), the main subjects addressed in this Research Priority Area include battery and hydrogen-powered electric mobility, big data, rural mobility, and sustainable, safe and climate-neutral industrial traffic.