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30,000 rpm: How High-Speed Electric Motors Save Space, Weight, and Costs

In our interview, Dr. Stephan Demmerer (ZF) describes a high-speed electric drive concept that makes electric motors more compact: around 22 kg less system weight, around 50% less magnetic material, and over 10% cost savings—without any noticeable loss of efficiency.

Physics Instead of Ideology: Considering Fuel Efficiency Over the Entire Life Cycle

Defossilization requires speed and realism: Which energy sources can be scaled, imported, and used globally? In this interview, Marc Sens discusses efficiency along the chain, infrastructure costs, and the potential role of methanol in a technology-neutral mix.

Green Methanol: A Key Lever for CO₂ Reduction in the Mobility Sector

Liquid, storable, and rapidly scalable: Green methanol is set to defossilize heavy-duty transport, off-highway applications, and shipping. Martin Wieser (AVL) outlines its advantages in terms of infrastructure and handling—despite having only about half the energy density of diesel.

True or Apparent Technology neutrality? - CO2 fleet legislation from a legal perspective

Between aspiration and reality in technology neutrality: In this interview, Dr. Benedikt Wolfers describes the legal perspective on EU regulations regarding CO2 fleet values, crediting mechanisms, and the consequences for drive system diversity.

Operation Independence: Hundreds of E-fuel Plants for Europe’s Armed Forces

Self-sufficiency instead of dependence, availability instead of supply chain risk: Shena Britzen explains why Rheinmetall is focusing on a European network of independent e-fuel sites in the Giga PtX project, with the aim of achieving a resilient supply of drop-in fuels.

Multi-Pathway Concept: Developing Multiple Approaches and Decarbonizing Faster

Hybrid pioneer, BEV expansion, CO₂-neutral fuels, and hydrogen: Timothy D’Herde, Head of Powertrain at Toyota Motor Europe, explains why efficiency, modular systems, and technological diversity are the fastest route to climate-neutral mobility.

Lighter, More Sustainable, Smarter: Plastics in Automotive Engineering

PIAE 2026 for the first time in Baden-Baden: On March 18–19, the international expert community for plastics engineering applications in the automotive industry will meet to exchange views on lightweight design, the circular economy, smart surfaces, AI, and e-mobility.

Promoting Young Talent with Hydrogen and E-fuels

Formula Future as a hands-on laboratory for young talent: four approved powertrain concepts compete against one another, demonstrating that innovative solutions do not have to be conceived exclusively as battery-electric.

Strategies sought for the drive mix of the future

International Engine Congress 2026 in Baden-Baden discusses the importance of the internal combustion engine and sustainable fuels

“Without a Mix of Technologies, We Are Jeopardizing Europe's Position as a Center of Automotive Manufacturing”

How dangerous is an “either-or” approach to propulsion technologies for Europe’s automotive industry?
In this interview, Dr. Tobias Block explains why Europe as a business location is losing competitiveness without a technological mix, e-fuels, and realistic CO₂ regulations.

Accelerating Innovation with Agile Development and Powerful Technologies

Dr. Minea Schwenk (Bosch) sees agile development processes, open cooperation, and scalable architectures as the basis for significantly increasing the pace of innovation in the automotive industry and implementing new technologies more quickly.

Infotainment and Connectivity in Vehicles Are Becoming Decisive Purchasing Factors

From karaoke in the car to AI-powered assistants: In this interview, Poorab Sarmah (AUDI) reveals how infotainment varies around the world and why regional adaptation and personalization will shape the future.

Open Source in the Automotive Industry: A Paradigm Shift for Sustainable Software Development

In our interview, Michael Plagge explains how projects such as Eclipse S-Core and OpenSOVD are paving the way for the automotive software of the future – open, globally networked, and sustainably developed.

“Accelerate Innovation”: Deliver Better Products Faster

Software-defined vehicles, chiplets, AI methods, and open source – ELIV conference chair Dr. Rolf Zöller explains in an interview how electronics and software are working together to accelerate developments and shape the user experience.

Chiplets in the Automotive Industry: The Future Has Only Just Begun

In the run-up to ELIV 2025, Stefan Singer from Renesas Electronics outlines how chiplets could shape future vehicle architectures. Higher bandwidths, modular adaptation, and more efficient use of resources are met with open questions about standards and integration.

Open Source is Driving the Transformation of the Automotive Industry

The International VDI Congress ELIV 2025 will be held in Bonn in October, focusing on key future topics in automotive electronics – from open source and chiplets to artificial intelligence and automated driving to sustainable mobility.

Diversification Shapes the Drive Concepts of Tomorrow

At the 25th VDI Congress Dritev, it became clear that openness to technology is shaping the path to the mobility revolution. The industry relies on diversity and progress to ensure efficiency and competitiveness.

Digital Twins Speed Up Drive Development

Virtual prototypes, automated workflows and precise simulations: René Honcak explains how ZF uses a digital twin V model to shorten development times, save resources and significantly increase the quality of e-drives.

Cloud-based Analysis Makes High-voltage Batteries More Efficient and Durable

Stephan Schade from Bosch explains how a hybrid algorithm combining AI, big data and physical models is making batteries smarter. The system detects faults at an early stage, extends service life and creates transparency for fleets and used markets.

An Innovation That Brakes

Less brake dust, less wear, more sustainability: wet braking systems could soon become standard in electromobility. Dr. Katharina Völkel explains why this is not wishful thinking in an interview ahead of Dritev 2025.

Digital Homologation Requires New Processes and More Transparency

What does the path to digital homologation in automotive development look like? At ELIV 2024 and in our interview, Dr.-Ing. Christopher Wiegand from dSPACE provides insights into how verification and validation can succeed safely and effectively in the future.

Digital Homologation: the Key to Faster Vehicle Development and Higher Quality

Elmar Frickenstein considers digital homologation to be indispensable in vehicle development. He will be moderating a panel discussion on this topic at the VDI Congress ELIV 2024 and expects shorter development times, better quality and lower hardware costs.

More Development Efficiency and Shorter Time-to-Market with the Software Defined Vehicle

The Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) shortens time-to-market and increases efficiency throughout the entire development process. Gilles Mabire, CTO at Continental and keynote speaker at ELIV 2024, describes the path from the cloud to the road.

Tomorrow's E/E Architectures Require New Semiconductors

What will the E/E architecture of the future look like and what role will semiconductors play? Before his keynote speech at ELIV 2024, Dr. Fathi El-Dwaik (BMW) talks about the importance of new semiconductor technologies on the road to the Software Defined Vehicle.

Climate Neutrality in the Transport Sector Would Be Possible More Quickly

Professor Dr.-Ing. Peter Gutzmer, an expert in drive systems and head of the International Engine Congress, calls for more technological openness, a focus on e-fuels and hybridization and greater involvement of the existing fleet. In our interview, he answers key questions on topics that will also be discussed in depth at the Engine Congress.