Can you briefly introduce yourself, your position, and your company?
I serve as Director General for the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA), a global, cross-industry organisation of companies from the automotive, technology and telecommunications industries, working together to develop end-to-end solutions for future mobility and transportation services. I’m also responsible for the 5G Automotive Program at Deutsche Telekom.
What does the IAA TRANSPORTATION slogan “People and Goods On The Move” mean to you?
Mobility is one of the major wealth drivers in a society. People and goods should be able to move safely, efficiently, effectively and without producing CO2 emissions. Connectivity is of utmost importance to achieve these mobility goals. Mobile communication is the key enabler for many mobility and transportation services.
What are your expectations for IAA TRANSPORTATION 2024?
Mobility and transportation ecosystems consist of a variety of stakeholders: vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers, service providers, traffic infrastructure operators for road and other transportation modes, as well as mobile network operators and their suppliers. I expect to exchange ideas and to stimulate market developments to foster future mobility and transportation services.
What topic will you be presenting at IAA TRANSPORTATION 2024?
I’ll be presenting on 5GAA’s contributions to the transportation industry at 10:30-10:45 on 19 September on the Main Stage. Attendees can expect to hear about Automated Driving and Teleoperations as a hot topic in transportation, road safety and safety for vulnerable road users (such as cyclists), the benefits of road operator investments for transportation, and the ambitions of ubiquitous connectivity by integrating Non-Terrestrial Networks into existing terrestrial mobile networks.
What crucial topic of the future gets too little attention from the public in your opinion?
Information and data from traffic infrastructure operations play an important role for traffic safety and efficiency. Road operators and public fleet operators, such as emergency vehicle operators, need to work on this to provide their data for the benefit of all road users. We need to raise the ambition level here for data exchange in an open ecosystem.
In which area of the transport and logistics sector do you see the greatest potential and where do you see the most room for improvement?
5GAA stands for road transportation. Road capacities are limited, and congestions are causing huge economical losses. Electrification of the vehicles will require even more connected ecosystems, such as the energy sector. Connecting the various stakeholders’ value chains will bring the most benefits for safety, CO2 emission reductions, and efficiency.
IAA TRANSPORTATION is the leading global platform for commercial vehicles, transport, and logistics. It brings together innovators from all areas of mobility. Who do you want to network with this September and why?
In the last years, 5GAA has focused very much on private cars. Trucks, commercial vehicles, and public transport are very important stakeholders 5GAA wants to engage further with.
The shift in the transport and logistics sector towards sustainable solutions is significant. What is your vision for the sector in 20 years?
For road transportation, the vast majority of energy consumption will be in electrified vehicles. Connectivity will play a very important role in the organisation of an efficient and economically viable infrastructure for electrical energy.