Research & Innovation

Individual customer expectations and social goals are leading to a fundamental change in expectations of the automobile, its systems and its use. Sustainability, safety and social participation play just as much of a role as the protection of technological sovereignty and competitiveness.

The vehicle will be emission-free and highly automated and will be effectively embedded in the energy, data and transport networks. In addition, careful planning of transport and logistics in urban and rural areas must harmonize individual mobility needs with the collective expectations of citizens through new products and services.

This change in automobility will be reflected in a series of partly disruptive innovations in technology and system solutions. In order to secure competitiveness and thus Germany's position as a technology location in this process, the appropriate research, innovation and funding policy framework is also required.

The main objectives of the department are to pool pre-competitive research interests and to represent the industry's research, innovation and funding interests. The department represents manufacturers and suppliers equally at national and European level. The VDA works together with the Research Association for Automotive Technology (FAT).