On December 2-3, 2025 more than 250 experts from academia, industry, and politics gathered at the Harnack House in Berlin for the conference Research and Technology for Autonomous Driving. Invited by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the Federal Ministry of Transport, and the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, the event provided a platform to exchange views on current developments, challenges, and future perspectives in the field of autonomous and connected driving.

Key topics included the safe and efficient design of autonomous systems through the use of powerful AI, integration into existing systems, and synergies between different transportation domains. Collaboration between research, industry, and politics was highlighted as the key to holistic mobility solutions.

A particularly valuable element was the networking format for projects that were initiated and developed under the VDA Lead Initiative on Autonomous and Connected Driving and are funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

The projects of the KI Familie, jbDATA, nxtAIM and Safe AI Engineering presented their approaches. In addition, expert dialogues, panel discussions, and conversations once again highlighted the importance of cooperation in shaping the mobility of tomorrow together.