The German automotive industry is in the midst of a transformation toward e-mobility. At the same time, the industry is facing massive pressure from numerous challenges, such as a faster pace of transformation elsewhere, protectionism, and supply chain issues. How can the German automotive industry get back on the fast track? What strategies will help it succeed in the global innovation race? These questions were discussed in Berlin on March 25, 2026, at an event organized jointly with the OECD Berlin Centre at the Bertelsmann Foundation's Berlin office.
Uwe Pfeil, Cluster Manager at TechBase Regensburg GmbH, was invited to participate as a panelist in the high-profile panel discussion titled “Back in the Fast Lane – Strategies for Germany's Automotive Industry in the Global Innovation Race.”
Prof. Karoline Rogge (Sussex/Fraunhofer ISI) opened with compelling data: What does the industry really need for a successful transformation? The answer is clear: a reliable policy framework that makes long-term investment planning possible. In the subsequent discussion with Michael Jansen (Volkswagen) and Dunja Kreiser (Member of the German Bundestag, SPD), moderated by Nicola Brandt (OECD), Uwe Pfeil was able to contribute the regional Regensburg perspective: Transformation networks such as the Cluster Mobility & Logistics are an underestimated pillar of industrial policy—close to the companies, close to their needs.
Many thanks to the OECD and the Bertelsmann Foundation for the invitation and the excellent organization.