The eco Mobility Competence Group is pleased to welcome its new Advisory Board Member, Dr. Julian Weber. As Senior Consultant for In-car Data, Cybersecurity & AI at the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), he aims to expand the potential of smart mobility, protect it against risks and work with the industry to make it fit for the future.
Which aspects of the digital transformation in the mobility sector do you consider particularly promising, and why?
First of all, I find it fundamentally difficult to view digital transformation in the mobility sector in isolation from other developments. Digitalisation is a classic cross-cutting issue – unlike humans, who generally need fixed structures [laughs] – it knows no departmental, industry or sector boundaries. It relentlessly transforms existing solutions and business models across all areas, often in a disruptive way.
Remember how Uber, back in 2013, managed to upend the taxi industry – an industry with over a hundred years of rules, licenses, contracts and fare systems – virtually overnight with nothing but two apps? And this without owning a single car, paying a single driver or needing to make any technical changes to vehicles.
But back to the question. In the field of mobility, I see three topics as particularly promising today: the use of data generated by connected vehicles, security against cyberattacks – and, of course, the use of artificial intelligence.
As an Advisory Board Member, how would you like to enrich the work of the Mobility Competence Group?
I see the core task of the eco Association as representing the interests of the Internet industry, which – in all its breadth and heterogeneity – has a decisive influence on the future of mobility. And it is precisely in this area, I would (without blushing) call myself an expert.
As a member of the Mobility Competence Group, I would like to contribute my personal expertise in “future mobility” to identify future potential and risks for the Internet industry in the field of mobility, to ensure that the appropriate strategic course is set, and to represent this course to politicians, society and other stakeholders.
What experiences or projects from your professional career can add value to the activities of the Competence Group?
My experience, which I would now like to contribute to the Competence Group, comes from three main areas. First and foremost, I have spent more than 25 years as a leader in the automotive industry, performing a wide variety of highly innovative tasks – for example, working in a think tank for sustainable mobility, setting up vehicle data infrastructure and utilising vehicle-generated data for service and repair. Secondly, current role is being an advocate for in-vehicle data, automotive cybersecurity and AI at the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA). And thirdly, I’m an adjunct professor, scientist, author, consultant, advisory board member and speaker in the fields of future mobility, digitalisation and automotive engineering.
What role do you see innovative technologies such as AI and Big Data playing in the future development of the mobility sector?
Artificial intelligence has already found its way into many areas of mobility, but the potential remains vast. This involves the implementation of innovative vehicle functions, smart applications in vehicle development and production, and intelligent traffic control. The data generated by vehicles holds enormous potential for new functions and services. In particular, the digital linking of previously separate sectors can generate added value here.
My favourite examples of such innovative links are trunk delivery, which allows delivery drivers to place letters, parcels or packages in the boot of a parked vehicle. Another scenario is the integration of electric vehicles and used EV batteries into the power grid to better store and use renewable energies. A further promising area is monitoring the condition of vehicles and their components for damage prevention, prediction and maintenance and repair requirements – and, in the next step, for implementing a smart circular economy. Last but not least, the networking of vehicles and infrastructure makes it possible to manage and optimise traffic flow effectively, taking into account real-time traffic conditions, obstacles, hazards and weather.
In addition, cybersecurity has become something of a shooting star among digital technologies in mobility – and current geopolitical developments will further reinforce its importance. Beyond the risk of espionage (i.e., the leaking of sensitive information), in connected vehicles the focus is especially on the risk of sabotage – malicious manipulation of systems like the drivetrain, steering, or brakes. When such attacks target not just individual vehicles but entire fleets, these risks take on a whole new dimension. In terms of regulation, passive safety (and low emissions) must now be complemented by the requirement to defend vehicles against cyberattacks and thus prevent espionage and sabotage. This requires consideration of the entire value chain for hardware and software, including the IT systems used for development and production.
In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges for sustainable mobility, and how can the eco Competence Group support in this area?
This question really calls for a counter-question: How do we define sustainable mobility? As we all know, sustainability has three pillars: the environment, society and the economy. Are we just talking about low-emission vehicles? Or safety for all road users? Or production processes that are optimised in terms of environmental, social and economic factors?
In my opinion, the eco Association’s Mobility Competence Group can make an effective contribution in two areas in particular, thanks to its expertise in the use of vehicle data and AI: reducing vehicle emissions while optimising the costs of transport infrastructure through intelligent traffic planning and management. It can also help through the optimised use, reuse and recycling of vehicle components in life cycle engineering.
What priorities should be set in the area of regulation and law for the mobility sector?
Over the last few years, a large number of legal acts have come into force at national and, above all, European level – affecting the digitalisation of the mobility sector and placing a heavy burden on the industry. In my opinion, it is now important to consolidate the regulatory landscape that has emerged and to make it lean, consistent and free of overlaps, especially at the European level. I see a key focus here, for example, in striking a robust balance between the possibility of data use on the one hand and ensuring data protection and cyber security on the other.
At the same time, given the geopolitical shifts currently unfolding before our eyes, safeguarding national and European security is becoming increasingly important. Where technological dependencies exist in the realm of connected mobility, we should work as quickly as possible to reduce them. That does not mean we should stop using non-European solutions altogether – but rather, that we should ensure we are not dependent on them. We should use technical means as far as possible to defend against espionage and sabotage of connected vehicles, so that trade policy measures such as import bans are only necessary in exceptional cases.
In your opinion, how can we improve collaboration between business, research and the public sector?
There is a somewhat simplified but, in my opinion, very fitting way to describe the difference between research and development: research turns money into knowledge, development turns knowledge into money. So, anyone who wants to boost the economy for the benefit of all should focus research funding on areas where the results can be used by as many people as possible and where the competitiveness of the economy is strengthened in the long term. For the mobility sector, I would again point to the three technology areas I mentioned earlier: data infrastructure, AI applications, and methods for defending against and reducing the risk of cyberattacks.
Only when business, research, and the public sector regularly put their cards on the table – ideally coordinated by the public sector – can the available resources be used in the best possible way. Conversely, I believe it is particularly important not to exploit research for political ends – for example, by commission studies solely to support one’s own agenda.
What personally motivates you to engage in the eco Mobility Competence Group?
I see myself as an advocate for attractive and sustainable mobility. Individual mobility is a basic human need, but – especially in urban areas – it increasingly conflicts with other needs, such as safety, air quality and the use of public space.
For me, the Internet and the Internet economy are the key to resolving this conflict of interests, which is now deeply rooted in society. They enable the design of safer, more sustainable and, at the same time, more attractive vehicles. They make driving safer, reduce emissions, and enable attractive additional functions for drivers and passengers as well as other road users. The Internet and the Internet economy, which are the focus of the eco Association, can therefore confidently be called the heart of tomorrow’s mobility. So for me, there is nothing more natural than to support both.
One last question: What impetus for the mobility sector would you like to see from the new federal government elected in 2025?
New digital policy initiatives are urgently needed. A new federal government should especially ensure a lean regulatory framework: one that allows for the development of connected, software-driven, and autonomous vehicles, that not only demands but actively supports value creation from data, and that enables independent supply chains and infrastructures.
And, of course, I hope for more objectivity in the debates again – away from ideologies towards solutions. This has already been lacking before and was completely run over during the election campaign. We can all do better in this regard.
Are you also passionate about the transformation of mobility? Then join the eco Association and get involved in our Mobility Competence Group. Contact us here!
