Dr. Sebastian Rudolph

Handelsblatt Exklusive: Following the software deal between Volkswagen and Rivian, the two car manufacturers are exploring further areas of partnership, several insiders from both companies told us. According to them, both a hardware cooperation and joint production are being discussed: 🚘 One scenario for an expanded #partnership involves Rivian's new #R2 SUV being produced at the VW plant currently under construction in South Carolina. SUVs and pick-ups from VW's new US EV brand Scout are to roll off the production line at this site from 2026. The R2 is due to be launched around the same time. The ideas are at an early stage and could be put aside again, the insiders said. How well the partnership between Rivian and VW gets off the ground in the critical #software area is likely to be of key importance. 🚦 A VW spokesperson declined to comment on speculation about an extended partnership. A Rivian spokesperson said: "There are currently no cooperation plans for the hardware sector." Last week, the German OEM and the US start-up announced the establishment of a new joint #venture in the software sector. Volkswagen is investing up to five billion dollars. The goal: use the start-up's expertise to develop an operating system for the next generation of EVs that is better than what CARIAD has to offer. ⚡ Further cooperation is likely to involve VW's new subsidiary Scout Motors Inc. VW is investing five billion dollars here: in the construction of the new plant and in the development of an independent platform. According to an insider, #OliverBlume told RJ Scaringe that VW does not know how to proceed with Scout. Its development would cost billions, despite the changed market environment. Accordingly, even a discontinuation of the Scout project had been discussed. 💡 In an interview with me, Scout CEO Scott Keogh contradicts this statement: "Oliver Blume is 100 percent behind our vision." Scout is bringing "an iconic brand back to life" with a "phenomenal product". The end of Scout has not been discussed, on the contrary: "The Group has made the decision to grow in #NorthAmerica, the largest economy in the world. One of the strategies necessary for this is the revival of Scout in the heart of the USA." Full story with Lazar Backovic in Handelsblatt:

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I am a big fan of MOIA, because #autonomous #shuttle services will be so important for more sustainable and inclusive transport in #cities. I can only applaud #Berlin and #Hamburg becoming lead cities on this topic. This is so important to disrupt mobility to the better for their citizens. It would be good, if the two cities (maybe including other cities) discuss and learn from each other concerning their respective #mobilitystrategies including close consultation of citizens , industry and other stakeholders. The really big and exciting news: from 2025 on, self-driving shuttles of automation level 4 are then to be in use by MOIA. 👍 on the way towards safer, more sustainable and more inclusive mobility

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Great interview of Michael Cole, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Europe, in Germany’s leading top management publication. Mr. Cole sees Hyundai‘s innovation mindedness, strong and broad product portfolio in all drive train technologies, high yet affordable quality products, a well established brand and innovations in retail, including the recent collaboration with Amazon, as the key to succeed in the increasingly competitive market environment. I couldn’t have summed up our ground-breaking collaboration in better words. A great partnership that is driven by Customer Obsession, Innovation and Trust. 🤝 Manager Magazin: In the USA, Hyundai now also wants to cooperate with Amazon to sell cars. Is this really the right way? Michael Cole: Yes, we are convinced of it. We are also talking to Amazon in Europe, our brand is in good hands there. But sales will go through our dealers, they are involved. This will not be direct sales, our partners will benefit from additional attention. Manager Magazin: When will the first Hyundais be available on Amazon in Europe? Michael Cole: Even now. The Hyundai Brand Space on Amazon has been available in Germany since April, and other countries will follow. For those who have not seen the Hyundai Brand Space on Amazon in Germany yet, be invited to discover it now https://lnkd.in/e-UvrJBU #Hyundai #Amazon #AmazonAds #Automotive #Cars #Retail

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See my interview today with FOCUS magazin. We talk about the importance of mobility and its affordability, the development of electric cars and why tariffs on EV’s are not the right solution. @VDIK

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How to lower CO2-Emissions of the Transportation Sector   „Innovation instead of instruments of torture against car users” is the title of my editorial on the German debate on CO2 emissions of the transportation sector. https://lnkd.in/ec8sGv7g For many weeks, the liberal German Transport Minister Volker Wissing has been criticized for not reaching the targets for lowering CO2-emissions by the transportation sector.   The Public German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt) presented a report on “Getting the Transportation Sector on Course” (Report 59/2024) with suggestions for lowering the emissions of the transportation sector. These seem like a list of torture instruments for individual transport, car users and freight transport by lorry: Speed limits would be only a minor thing. What is asked for would be a tax called “Malus for combustion engines”, to be paid with the road tax of the first year. From 2025 onwards, for a simple Volkswagen Golf with a petrol engine of 150 horsepowers (110 kW), there would be an additional tax of 2760 Euro, from 2030 onwards a tax of 30.240 Euro, then mercifully reduced to half of the price of the car. On top, for all private cars, there is the request of a tax on every kilometer covered, initially 1,3 Eurocent, later more than 7 Eurocent per kilometer. Thus, individual transport should be cut by one quarter. Also freight transport should pay more, with tolls for all lorries and roads, which should be drastically increased.   The reason for these drastic measures should be the inability of the transport minister to increase the number of electric cars on the roads. But it is not his fault that there are not enough possibilities to charge cars at home or at work or that there is not enough green energy to charge the cars. This is the responsibility of the Green Minister for the Economy and Climate, Robert Habeck.   The general problem of German climate activists is that they want to make an example of Germany, forgetting the rest of the world. In Germany, in general, CO2-emissions have shrunk by 37 per cent from 1990 to 2022, in the EU by 27 per cent, while they have risen by 62 for the whole world, in China by 285 per cent. During the same period, the emissions of the German transportation sector have shrunk by 10 per cent, while they rose by 19 per cent in the EU, globally by 72 per cent.   Lowering the German contribution to the World CO2 emissions – 1,4 per cent in general and 0,27 per cent for the German transportation sector – will not save the climate. While German climate activists seem to desire the end of the local car industry, the opposite would be necessary: Innovations of the car industry, clever regulation, and openness of consumers for change would offer the chance for a contribution to lower global emissions.

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🚗 The „Deutschlandnetz“: An Important Step for E-Mobility 🚗 I am thrilled to welcome the recently launched campaign "Das #Deutschlandnetz ist da" by Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing. This initiative, which aims to create over 9,000 additional charging points at more than 1,000 locations nationwide by 2026, is an important signal for the future of #electromobility in Germany. ⚡️   🔋 Key Aspects of the Campaign:   🛠️ More Charging Infrastructure: The creation of 9,000 additional charging points will reduce range anxiety and boost confidence in #electricvehicles.   🌍 Nationwide Coverage: By distributing these #charging points across over 1,000 locations, more comprehensive coverage is ensured.   🚀 Support for E-Mobility: This initiative not only supports current e-car drivers but also promotes acceptance and the transition to #emobility.   As someone who has been driving a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) for over 10 years, I am deeply passionate about the potential of electric mobility. For me, it's about making a real difference.   Harnessing renewable energy for driving reduces our reliance on fossil fuels and enhances energy independence. 🌱And it’s not just about environmental benefits—it's also about embracing innovation and progress. It's extremely exciting to see what's happening right now and how digitalization, technology and new, innovative solutions are supporting us in driving the future of mobility. 🚀   #AudiBusinessInnovation #FutureOfMobility #Cars #Sustainability #Innovation 

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The surge of new battery-electric vehicles is reshaping the landscape for future models. Pete Holdmann from ZF Group's Chassis Solutions division highlights a key trend: the rise of rear-wheel steering, driven by the shift to e-mobility. EVs like the Mercedes-Benz AG EQE are adopting this system to enhance agility and maneuverability. ZF is responding to the soaring demand by expanding production lines in Mexico and China. Why the shift? With longer wheelbases to accommodate larger battery systems, EVs risk losing agility. Rear-wheel steering solves this by enhancing maneuverability, especially in tight spaces. ZF's Active Kinematics Control technology facilitates this, already integrated into over 1.64 million units since 2013. As Holdmann projects, the market for rear-wheel steering systems is set to double, reaching €300 million in two years. This innovation isn't new, but its adoption is gaining momentum, with models like the Mercedes S-Class and Ford F-150 embracing it. Suppliers like Continental and Magna International are also vying in this space. #ElectricVehicles #AutomotiveInnovation #RearWheelSteering

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The Contradictions of Elon Musk The daring promises of the past are now falling on the feet of Tesla Boss Elon Musk. This is a comment on the occasion of job cuts by Tesla, on Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. https://lnkd.in/evaiyBHE Because due to his impetuous urge to realize, from the starting point Musk has promised to achieve many objectives which are in contradiction with each other.   From the beginning, everything seemed possible, due to the role of Tesla as a pioneer of the mass produced and widely distributed electric car. This was a support for the image. And many drivers who were open-minded about innovation and green ideas would like to pay a bit more for a Tesla and even become loyal fans to the brand.   Now, on the way towards more growth, contradictions come to the light even more clearly: Elon Musk set the long-term goal, to sell 20 million Teslas per year, double the actual number achieved by the biggest car groups of the World. After total sales of 1,8 million cars in 2023 and a slump in sales of 12 per cent during the first quarter 2024, Tesla wanted to proceed with the programme for conquering markets using drastic price cuts. However, this disturbed the calculations for residual values of car hire companies and forced them to make write-downs worth millions. These important fleet customers will be annoyed over Tesla for a while. And lower prices do not fit with the promise of record profit margins.   With the market capitalization shrunken from 1200 billion dollars to 535 billion dollars, now there is the necessity of a job cut and a cut of production capacities which actually lie at 2,3 billion cars. This step again puts a damper on the prestige of the seemingly unstoppable growth of the innovator.   Furtheron, there are scratches on the brand, because Elon Musk wants to strengthen the aura of the company through rapid introduction of innovations, while technical weaknesses and incidents with autonomous driving are revealing the risks. Finally, the question is whether Tesla is still to be considered a premium brand, to justify a valuation like a luxury brand. Mass products and cheap interiors point into another direction. The American professional information service Automotive News does not want to categorize Tesla any more with Mercedes, instead, it puts the Tesla brand side to side with Ford or Toyota.   For Elon Musk, it will be painful to sort out his promises. But without clear communication of priorities, contradictions and turbulences for Tesla will even grow bigger.

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Good overview, analysis and summary on the demand and customer side … I am more than excited to see the modeling of the supply side…..from an economic, social and business perspective! Who will operate such fleets with what capital requirements, who will finance them and how does the social benefit will look like….and finally: under which framework is such a mobility system viable and feasible?!

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🌟 I am honoured to announce that I have been invited to speak at the INDUSTRY.forward, organised by publish-industry Verlag GmbH. In these times of rising uncertainty and rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, it is more crucial than ever to place people at the heart of our business strategies, especially when it comes to innovation. 🚀 In the Industrial Tech sector, our focus often lies heavily on the task at hand, machinery, and technology. However, we must not overlook the wellbeing of our people and their interaction with technology. By prioritising our teams and fostering a human-centric approach, we can drive meaningful and sustainable operations & innovation. 💡 I am excited to share the PFAFF Werkzeug- und Formenbau approach to this challenge and explore how we can collectively grow, adapt, and innovate. Together, we can transform challenges into opportunities and set new standards for the future. 🌍 A heartfelt thank you to Sabrina Koch and Sylvia König for this incredible opportunity! ✨ Join us at the Industry Forward Summit to dive into these themes and more. Let's shape the future of manufacturing together, embracing a mindset of continuous growth and inspiring each other to reach new heights! #IndustryForward #Innovation #Manufacturing #ArtificialIntelligence #PeopleFirst #GrowthMindset #FutureFocused

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German speed🚀: The Bundestag is debating the Hydrogen Acceleration Act, which is intended to speed up the approval process for electrolysers, import terminals and transport pipelines, among other things. A great deal would be gained by reducing the authorisation requirements, making the process more robust and allowing early operation. Read what our partner Dr. Michael Schramm had to say about this in the Börsen-Zeitung (translation available). #regulatory #hydrogen #sharpminds

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Detroit understands only very little of the Car Market   After the surprise that the Head of Ford in Germany left for Volkswagen, this was the comment on the printed newspaper of 7th of June and on the internet at https://lnkd.in/eg3NS2sZ   The scenario around the once important German participation of Ford is actually best described as a shambles. Ford wanted a European strategy which pointed towards a fast change towards battery electric cars. But for some technical reasons which are still difficult to understand, the market start of the electrical Ford Explorer built in Cologne has been delayed for almost one year. Now, two days after the start of production in grand series, the German Ford Boss Martin Sander left the company, rejoining Volkswagen Group.   Due to the delay, the new electric cars by Ford now start during a slack market, and on top of this, Ford in Europe stands now without a leader. In general, it was right to change the structure of the models offered in Europa, from a full range towards offering a selected number of cars in important segments. But for this reason, at this moment Ford is not flexible enough to react to changing demand between cars with internal combustion engine and electric models. At this point it is also little help that Ford started to reposition its brand, with American flair and an image linked to outdoor – as this effort is still in its beginnings.   The Detroit headquarters of Ford could now be tempted to cut and delete, or at some point to withdraw completely. Such instincts come from the arrogance of the past. But Detroit is not the navel of the motorcar world anymore, and the USA are by far no more the most important market. Last year, the market for passenger cars, with 3,1 million new registrations, was barely any bigger than the German one with 2,8 million new registrations – because beyond the market for passenger cars there is the segment of Pick-ups and Offroaders, since many years protected by high tariff walls.   So it does not help, if now Detroit finance managers intended to show how the car business works. The opposite applies: Car producers from Detroit are not competitive outside their local niche, and they are still less able to see through long term market stratregies.

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Moin Moin. Was Geht? OMR24   A lot is going on, a lot of moving pieces – it’s exciting and fun! Answers to my question before going this year to OMR and my key take away to these: ⚡How to make best use of AI and ML? Other than the name “Artificial Intelligence” suggests, it is not intelligent, it cannot solve new problems (yet). But AI tools are extremely efficient in managing standard tasks, based on experience and data. Therefore, all indirect processes should be targeted asap: Supply Chain, Purchasing, Bookkeeping, Payroll, etc. You need these savings urgently to stay competitive. Get going. Use the Data you have. ⚡How best to manage risk and ops? It is as simple as this: The opportunity is - just f…. do it! Then you have the chance to stay in the business. The risk is - not do it or be too slow. You will lose out and get uncompetitive.   ⚡How to make your team fit for this future? Make AI a Boss Thing! Appoint an AI responsible reporting directly to you. Have an AI responsible in every department. Talk about the opportunities, give confidence that you will manage this and succeed. Invest in your people. Make them be part of something special – and driving AI within the company and for the benefit of the company if very special and very rewarding!   The key consequences for the practical work with my clients are: ✅ You need a clear objective and a road map for the next 12 months (these times you are not able to look out longer) – and then focus on max Top 3 priorities! Your resources and in particular your AI knowledge is still limited. To make a good decision you need to know where you want to be using AI in 12 months. Analyze your potential projects portfolio and decide what brings you the biggest bang for the buck $$$. Then – Focus, Focus, Focus - and - Execution, Execution, Execution! ✅ Don’t overcomplicate it – get going, get experience, learn, and adjust as you go. Speed is far more important than perfection. ✅ Be Technology open and flexible. The application you might choose today might not be there tomorrow or not the best solution for the next phase.   In addition, two hints that I liked very much: 💡Combine your Chatbots for Service, Sales, Technical Hotline etc. with ChatGPT. Significant improvements of customer satisfaction are measurable. 💡Use TikTok as a Sales Channel. For people under 30 years TikTok is already the No.1 search Engine. 53% of the users start the App with the search function. Be fast, take a risk, have fun – I am here to support you being successful for the long run!   #OMR24

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Sharing some of QÌ Advisory‘s thoughts about the Beijing Auto Show brought to you by Table Media GmbH and Julia Fiedler asking about the observations we had today #qiadvisory #beijing #autochina2024 #beijingautoshow #tablemedia #buildingbridges

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The latest AllBright Report shows notable progress in gender diversity within Germany's 100 largest family companies. 🎉 In a significant shift, the representation of women in leadership roles is increasing. Although the current proportion stands at 12.6%, change is underway. Over the past two years, the proportion of women in executive positions has grown by 4 percentage points, nearly matching the growth seen in listed companies. Interestingly, nearly half of family businesses now include a woman in their management teams, a significant increase from just under a third two years ago. Yet, there's a stark difference between listed and non-listed family businesses. The proportion of women in leadership roles is almost double in listed companies (19.6%) compared to non-listed ones (10.6%). This suggests that transparency and external influence can drive gender diversity in management. Let's not overlook the fact that succession still remains male-dominated, particularly within owner families. However, as the Baby Boomer generation begins to retire, there's a golden opportunity for companies to diversify their leadership. Change is happening, and some companies are already leading the way. Let's keep this momentum going! For more detailed insights, check out the full #AllBright Report #genderdiversity #womeninleadership #changemakers

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Brain fitness at it’s best 🤹‍♂️ ... #corporateinfluencing – what a great hobby 📣 My learning out of the last two years on this plattform: the main challenge is #storytelling. If you would like to be successful as a corporate influencer it is significantly guided by your talent to tell little stories 🖋 When I started to be more active here on LinkedIn it was indeed very uncertain where this journey will go to and what kind of influence this activity will have on my #personalbranding, on my #personality, on myself 🙋‍♂️ People who knowing me personally are aware about the fact that I’m a very reliable and structured person. I don’t like surprises that much - so always a proper preparation is key for me 📑 But we all know, the dance floor on this platform is something different. Surprises are self-evident and you need to learn to deal with this 🕺 The positive thing was, that I identified that the storytelling part suits me incredibly well. I neither have an issue to identify content ideas nor I have a topic to build a #story around. And along with this finding – the fun is also coming 📚 This means, that in the meantime quite frequently I’m also dealing with storytelling in my private life. Instead of a "must" it became more like a hobby. Of course, my #personalbrand is still mainly influenced by business topics as my strategy is to be seen as an expert within my business 👨‍🔧 But also, business topics could be enriched by a little story around and on top with pure authenticity 😀 What about you? Is it still hard business for you to post on #linkedin - or is it becoming more and more a hobby for you too? #filtrationambassador #linkedinbyjuergenjenner

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Will we see you in Bonn tomorrow? Vincent is en route to participate in the annual Mittelstandstag hosted by the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) on June 5th-6th. He'll also be delivering an opening to the Startup Pitches. Here's a glimpse of what he will cover: 1️⃣ Challenges in the European Automotive Industry: Join us as we delve into the current competitive landscape, highlighting the challenges the industry faces. 2️⃣ Collaboration and David vs. Goliath: Discover the significance of collaboration between industry giants and young companies developing disruptive technologies. We shift the narrative from traditional 'David vs. Goliath' to a cooperative approach essential for reclaiming Europe's technological leadership. 3️⃣ Addressing Climate Change through Innovation: We'll emphasise the urgency of combating climate change and the industry's responsibility to take action. Learn about DeepDrive's contribution with the development of the most efficient electric motor, enabling EVs to reduce carbon emissions by a fifth, potentially saving multiple gigatonnes of CO2 emissions over the EV fleet's lifetime. 4️⃣ The Importance of Platforms like the Mittelstandstag: We'll highlight the significance of events like the Mittelstandstag in fostering connections between large corporations and young, agile businesses. See you there! #DeepDriveRide

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I just had the unique opportunity to participate in the Sounding Board - a special workshop format having the following core as idea: With the "European Policy Industrial Compass" (#EPIC), H/Advisors Deekeling Arndt and PANTARHEI Corporate Advisors aim to develop guidelines that the new Commission and the new Parliament can use to measure their announced industrial policy actions and be guided by concrete proposals. 🇪🇺 Quite important for innovation driven tech players like us from QUANTRON fighting for decarbonization of transportation but also for all the other participants such as MAN Truck & Bus SE, BMW Group, Huawei, BSH Home Appliances Group, ADAC, Lufthansa Group and many others. We had an intense and exciting discussion in an interesting setting, trying to develop ideas that will be incorporated into the EPIC planned for September. Background: The elections for the #European #Parliament have also ushered in the mandate of the new EU Commission. But how should the new EU Commission's mandate be shaped from an economic perspective? What specific measures are needed to make #competitiveness and #investmentsecurity future-proof again? Christian Böllhoff from Prognos AG started us off with five key tasks for Europe: #investments, #innovation, #labor market, #productivity, and #bureaucracy were the focus. I addressed concrete points such as establishing an #unbuerocratic investment fund to support #innovation and positive disruption from EU side to increase #CO2 improvements, #digitization and therefore benefit for all European #citizens. It was a lot of fun, and I sincerely thank everyone involved, especially Hans-Peter (HP) Kleebinder and Markus Kirchschlager for the invitation and Gilbert Rukschcio for leading through the program with all participants, including: Stefan Gerwens, Maik Böres, Ellen Carey Ulrike Mühlberg, Stephan Sellmaier, Christoph Schuler, Jacqueline Casini, Markus Binding, Miriam Bienert-Kukiolka Hans-Joachim Bues, Dr. Andreas Kießling Markus Gruber, Ingobert Veith.

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It’s always nice to be back at Technische Universität München - and hard to believe it’s already close to seven years since I started my own journey at the university. Thanks to Anna Efa, Eckehard Steinbach and the TUM Venture Labs team for the invitation and the chance to share insights into all things autonomous driving, our approach at driveblocks, the technology behind it as well as the business models and strategies around it. The key messages of the talk were: 💡While autonomous driving leverages a lot of artificial intelligence, safety is paramount and can’t be compromised. This changes a lot of the development dynamic compared to „standard“ AI. 💡 Data collection and management is a much bigger part of the efforts required - this has to be considered from a technical as well as from a business model point of view. 💡 We focus on early commercial deployments of the technology in industrial and commercial vehicle applications. This helps in growing the technology as well as the business and working with the certification bodies on the regulation aspects. And now back to building 🚀 #mapless #autonomousdriving #autonomoustrucks

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