The Autonomous Main Event 2026

Lars Reger is executive vice president and chief technology officer for NXP Semiconductors. He is responsible for managing new business activities, R&D in automotive, industry 4.0, the internet of things (IoT), mobile and connectivity & infrastructure. Prior to joining NXP as CTO of the automotive division in 2008, he was responsible for business development and product management within Continental’s connectivity business unit. In December 2018, Lars was appointed NXP’s CTO and has since then been responsible for the technology portfolio of NXP.

Peter Schaefer is leading the Automotive Segment of Infineon as Executive Vice President and CSO Automotive. Previously, he was Head of the Automotive Microcontroller Business Unit from 2008 to 2021, establishing the foundation to grow Infineon into a broadliner and market leader in automotive MCUs with product families like AURIX and TRAVEO T2G. He has been with Infineon and Infineon associated or predecessor companies since 1995.

Mathias Pillin is CTO of Bosch Mobility and a Board member since 2023. He began at ETAS in 1999 as a software developer, then joined Bosch, holding roles in software, electronics, sales, and project management. In 2012, he became Head of Development and SVP for Car Multimedia. From 2016–2019, he was EVP for Drivetrain Electrification, then President of Chassis Systems Control (2020) and Cross-Domain Computing Solutions (2021–2022).

Young Sohn is a Silicon Valley business executive and investor. He is currently a Founding Managing Partner at Walden Catalyst Ventures, an over $550M early-stage venture capital fund dedicated to deep-tech investments focused on data & AI across North America, Europe, and Israel. Previously Corporate President and Chief Strategy Officer for Samsung Electronics, as well as CEO of two Silicon Valley public companies (Inphi, Oak) and board member of Arm, Cadence, Cymer (ASML), and others, he now serves as Chairman of the Board of HARMAN International.

Enrico Salvatori is SVP & President of Qualcomm Europe. In this role, Enrico is responsible for Qualcomm’s EMEA strategy, ensuring that OEMs and operators drive new technology adoption throughout all EMEA markets. His role oversees all areas of technology innovation, including smartphones, automotive, IOT, connectivity and the transition to 5G. Enrico joined Qualcomm in 2002 as a member of the product marketing team in Europe for QCT. He has a master’s degree in electronic engineering from the University of Rome.

Dr. Ingo Stürmer is CTO & Head of Technology at Volvo Autonomous Solutions, leading strategy for autonomous transport. He brings 20+ years in autonomous systems, with senior roles at CARIAD (VW Group), Audi, Aptiv, Cruise, and Einride across vehicle automation, software-defined platforms, robotaxis, and Tier 1 systems. He holds a PhD in software engineering (Bundeswehr University Munich), focusing on safety-critical systems and scaling autonomy to production.

Philipp von Schierstaedt is EVP and Chief Sales Officer for Infineon’s Consumer, Computing & Communication (CCC) segment. Since joining in 2001, he has held several leadership roles, including Chief Marketing Officer of the Power & Sensor Systems division and head of the Communication & Payment and Radio Frequency & Sensors business lines. He studied mechanical engineering and economics.

Dr. Christina Strohrmann is Head of AI Research at Bosch Corporate Research, leading work across foundational AI, intelligent sensing, and scaling research into products. She holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering (ETH Zurich) and an MSc in IT (Univ. Kaiserslautern). Since 2013 at Bosch Sensortec, she has worked on advanced sensor technologies. With 10+ years across MEMS, TMR, optical sensors, and AI-driven products, she leads innovation from concept to production.

Peng Xu is Vice President at Horizon Robotics and GM of the Automotive Business Unit Europe. He was formerly Senior Director at Audi China, leading Technology Strategy, Innovation & Partnering, and Deputy Head of R&D, transforming a 250+ person organization. At Volkswagen China, he led Economy Markets & Special Projects and served as Executive Assistant to the CEO. Earlier at Audi AG, he worked on electrification strategy (e-tron) and managed A6 localization in China.

Georg Kopetz is co-founder, CEO and member of the executive board at TTTECH. As the company’s Chief Executive Officer, he is responsible for the overall strategy of the corporation, marketing, sales, finance and human resources. He also serves as the President of TTTech’s joint-venture company TTControl in Brixen/Bressanone, Italy. After attending school in Germany, Austria and the US, he studied law at the University of Vienna in Austria and at the Université Paris II (Panthéon-Assas) in France.

Dr. Stefan Poledna is the CTO at TrustMotion (former TTTech Auto). He is responsible for the technology roadmap, all scientific topics and quality management in both companies. Dr. Stefan Poledna has over 30 years of international industry experience in innovative embedded systems development. He has authored several patents with a focus on safety, communication, and automated driving. He received his Ph.D. degree in computer science with distinction from Vienna University of Technology, where he also lectures on Dependable Computer Systems.

Frederic Geber is a lawyer and Partner at PSWP (commercial law firm specializing in public & regulatory law), focusing on AI, data, and mobility. He advises on complex cross-border projects, regulatory compliance, and represents clients before German and EU authorities and courts. His expertise spans AI governance, automotive regulation, energy, and finance, with a strong focus on technology-driven legal frameworks and risk management.

Alexander Pröll is State Secretary at the Austrian Federal Chancellery since March 2025. He previously served as Secretary General and Managing Director of the Austrian People’s Party, and as an advisor in the Federal Chancellery. He holds an LL.M. and LL.B. in Business Law from WU Vienna, with a background in political management, strategy, and public administration.

With over 32 years of experience in the automotive and technology industry, Ricky Hudi acts as Chairman of The Autonomous. Passionate about innovation and the development of autonomous driving technologies, Ricky is a true pioneer in the mobility sector. After holding various roles at BMW AG and AUDI AG he took over in January 2009 as EVP Development Electrical/Electronic AUDI AG. He also founded his own company “FMT – Future Mobility Technologies” and is leveraging a world-wide network of key players in the autonomous driving industry.

Thomas Biringer, a mechatronics graduate of JKU Linz specializing in automation and semiconductor design, began his career at Magna, spending 10 years in roles including start-up manager for BMW X3 production and Global Operations Manager Powertrain (Europe & Asia). He later worked 13 years as an interim manager (CRO) for family businesses. Since June 2025, after a year as interim CTO, he is CTO of Rosenbauer, leading global vehicle, component, and AI development.

Matthias Benz is CEO and Chairman of the Managing Board at Zeppelin since October 2024, after joining its Group Managing Board in July 2024. He previously led Neuman Aluminium / Raufoss Technology as Managing Director and was part of the CAG Holding leadership team. Before that, he held senior roles at ZF Group, including CFO North America, Managing Director ZF Services, Board Member ZF Marine, and EVP Sales & Customer Development.

Jennifer has spent her entire adult life on stages, in front of the camera or at the microphone, in Trinidad &Tobago, the UAE and Europe working as a performing artist, presenter and voice over artist. Additionally she studied media management and media journalism and is currently doing her master's in business psychology. Continuously learning and receiving new perspectives is her great passion. In her free time she loves to travel to new places, spend time with friends and family or try out any kind of sport.