In 2025, Drive2Transform successfully established four international expert groups that have become a central pillar of our European collaboration.
Across all sessions, 51 experts from companies, research institutions and business-support organisations actively contributed. Many of them also joined our regional workshops, the Driving Innovation sessions or our first Automotive Transformation Conference—creating strong links between regional and international activities.
We sincerely thank all participating experts for their commitment, their insights and their strong willingness to share knowledge across borders.
Four groups, one shared ambition: accelerating transformation together
Each expert group created an open space for exchange, peer learning and co-creation. A warm thank you goes to the moderators who guided the groups with strong expertise and dedication:
- Electrification – Silvia Miháliková (SEVA – Slovak Electric Vehicle Association)
- Autonomous Vehicles – Luk Palmen, Doris Straub and Stefan Hopfer (Silesia Automotive & Advanced Manufacturing / Biz-Up Austria)
- Connectivity – Filipp Frei (NOI Techpark)
- Platform Economy – Lukas Waidelich & Luc Schmerber (Pforzheim University)
A special thanks goes to Hochschule Pforzheim - Gestaltung, Technik, Wirtschaft und Recht (Prof. Dr. Bernhard Koelmel, Lukas Waidelich, Schmerber Luc), which developed the full workshop concept for the expert groups. This approach culminated in an internal workshop in Bolzano/South Tyrol at the end of October, where the results were evaluated, refined and aligned for the next project phase.
Next steps: continuing the Expert Groups in 2026
Based on this experience the expert groups will continue in 2026.
The next cycle starts in February 2026, when we will further develop the identified use cases and begin transferring them into practical application.
We also look forward to the second Automotive Transformation Conference in Linz, Austria, where many of our experts from across Central Europe will meet on site.