Environmentally friendly, networked and automated solutions are in demand for future mobility. Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HKA) are developing technologies for intelligent sustainable transportation systems, electromobility and autonomous driving, among other things. During a visit today (January 12, 2024), Baden-Württemberg's Minister President Winfried Kretschmann, Science Minister Petra Olschowski and Transport Minister Winfried Hermann learned about current research projects on site. The focus was on the Innovation Campus Future Mobility (ICM), in which KIT and the University of Stuttgart - funded by the state - are working on sustainable mobility and production solutions. The Baden-Württemberg Institute for Sustainable Mobility (BWIM) also presented itself as an independent think and do-tank that contributes to actively shaping the mobility transition in Baden-Württemberg.
Mobility of the future: State government gets informed in Karlsruhe
KIT, the University of Stuttgart and Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, together with partners, present current projects and results from mobility research.
The automotive industry is currently experiencing the greatest upheaval in its history. To ensure that it remains one of our key industries and an important driver of innovation in the future, we initiated the Automotive Industry Strategy Dialogue in Baden-Württemberg several years ago as a successful alliance between industry, science and politics. A key component of this is the Innovation Campus Future Mobility, which was established in order to develop new technologies together quickly and flexibly. The research projects presented today show that this has been successful. I am impressed by what KIT, the University of Stuttgart, Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences and everyone involved have achieved so far in a short time.
Our InnovationCampus Future Mobility and the Baden-Württemberg Institute for Sustainable Mobility impressively demonstrate the diversity of research in the state - from emission-free drive systems and sustainable transport infrastructure to new production technologies. As a state of transformation and innovation, this is exactly what we need: an interdisciplinary environment in which established and young scientists work together on sustainable technologies - in close cooperation between basic research and practice. That is why we are doing everything we can to support this future-oriented research into mobility. As a state, we have funded our InnovationCampus with over 65 million euros since 2019.
Close cooperation with the scientific community is essential in order to successfully master the mobility transition. The Baden-Württemberg Institute for Sustainable Mobility (BWIM), in which several universities in the southwest are involved, plays a central role in this. The BWIM's activities include information and qualification measures for those responsible at local authority level, advisory opinions and the development of public transport concepts as well as the evaluation of mobility pacts. The decentralized and interdisciplinary scientific network supports and accompanies topics of the transport and mobility transition in university education, in further education and in practice on site. The BWIM is a successful think and do-tank.
Challenges such as climate change, shortage of resources and urbanization require a radical change for the mobility of the future. We are promoting this at KIT with excellent research and pioneering technological developments in mobility research. In cooperation with the University of Stuttgart, we are also designing new mobility concepts for a sustainable turnaround in transportation and mobility.
The development of innovative mobility concepts is one of our four central research focuses at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences and the topics of climate change and climate neutrality can be found in all of our scientific and teaching fields. In this way, we at HKA want to make a contribution to reducing C02 emissions and meeting national climate targets. The design of innovative concepts for the future mobility of people and goods – especially at the inter-university Baden-Württemberg Institute for Sustainable Mobility BWIM – will have a major impact on our quality of life, in cities and conurbations, but also in rural areas.
Within the ICM, we can quickly and flexibly develop and test new technologies and create the basis for safe and sustainable mobility solutions. Together with our partners from research and industry, we are driving innovation for sustainable mobility and production.
The joint initiative of the University of Stuttgart and KIT marks a milestone for a sustainable innovation landscape. It creates a platform to tackle the challenges of our time through the exchange of expertise and ideas and to promote a vibrant culture of innovation.
Projects and demonstrators from e-motors to battery recycling
During the state government's visit, ICM researchers presented projects and demonstrators, in particular on the sustainable production of electric motors. One example is the ready-to-drive electric car demonstrator "eVee", in which the scientists are installing innovative electric motors without rare earths that they have developed themselves. The concept corresponds to a flexibly deployable lightweight vehicle that contributes to sustainable and connected mobility, for example as part of an autonomous car-sharing fleet. The vehicle serves as a modular test platform for testing hardware and software components. The ICM researchers also presented industry transfer projects, for example on the opportunities offered by digitalization in energy management and the recycling of batteries.
The InnovationCampus Future Mobility
How can we maintain mobility while respecting the Earth's natural ability to regenerate? This is the question being investigated collaboratively by researchers from the University of Stuttgart, KIT, and other partners at the ICM. Since 2019, more than 300 researchers have been dedicated to exploring new solutions for the transition in transport and mobility. Key research areas include innovative approaches to electric motors without rare earths, resource-efficient manufacturing processes, and self-learning software systems for vehicles.
The ICM's primary objective is to develop groundbreaking technologies that contribute to sustainable and efficient mobility and production in the future, transcending geographical boundaries and academic disciplines. Additionally, the ICM is actively involved in promoting the transfer of these technologies to the industry. Simultaneously, the initiative is committed to attracting exceptional young researchers and supporting startups emerging from the scientific community.
As one of the largest initiatives focused on the future of mobility and production in Germany, the ICM has received funding from the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research, and Arts. Specifically, it has been allocated over 65 million euros since 2019, being recognized as a focal point within the state's "Strategy Dialogue Automotive Industry."
Baden-Württemberg Institute for Sustainable Mobility
"Promoting and connecting mobility skills, developing and researching interdisciplinary and cross-university strategies, advising administration and politics and making the future of mobility a tangible experience for everyone: This is what the Baden-Württemberg Institute for Sustainable Mobility stands for with its teams at the universities of Karlsruhe, Biberach, Nürtingen-Geislingen, Offenburg and the University of Constance," illustrated deputy BWIM spokesperson Professor Markus Stöckner and presented some current projects together with young researchers from Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences.
For example, the BWIM is testing the use of cargo bikes for transporting goods for logistics and retail companies, developing sustainable asset management for transport infrastructure and investigating the motives for using local transport or the effectiveness of the Deutschlandticket on people's transport behavior. A virtual reality simulation - installed on a mobile truck - will make it possible to interactively experience local mobility scenarios directly on site. The same applies to temporary space and transport experiments in small towns in Baden-Württemberg, which will start in Weil der Stadt and Sulz am Neckar in spring 2024.
Joint project move.mORe
The joint project "Sustainable mobility in the Upper Rhine region – move.mORe" of the universities of Karlsruhe and Offenburg aims to develop solutions for the sustainable mobility of people and goods and for the energy transition in the Upper Rhine region – especially in rural areas – and to implement them on a region-specific basis. The focus is on shortening or avoiding journeys to work or for daily supplies as well as on the use of efficient and emission-free mobility such as walking, e-bikes, public transport or sharing services. During implementation, the main focus is on the participation of those involved and social dialog. The focus is on needs-based energy supply with locally available renewable energies for the mobility of people and goods as well as multimodal regional logistics concepts for the transportation of goods and digital services for users.
Text
Contact
Teresa Mittner
Marketing and Communication, InnovationCampus Future Mobility ICM
Phone +49 711 685 69738