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.

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).

Péter Fankhauser is Co‑Founder and CEO of ANYbotics, a Swiss robotics company developing AI‑driven autonomous mobile robots for industry. With 15 years in robotics and a PhD from ETH Zurich, he leads solutions that improve safety, productivity and sustainability in hazardous environments. ANYbotics operates globally from Zurich and San Francisco; its quadruped ANYmal is used across mining, energy and chemicals. The company has raised $150M from international investors.

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.

Julia Badger is a robotics and autonomous systems leader at NASA, recognized for advancing technologies that will support future lunar and deep-space exploration. She currently leads initiatives in Moon Base surface mobility and has held key leadership roles on the Lunar Gateway program, including autonomy, verification, and systems management. Holding a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Caltech, Julia combines expertise in robotics, controls, and formal methods to develop innovative solutions for autonomous spacecraft and human spaceflight missions.

André Loesekrug‑Pietri is Chairman & Scientific Director of the Joint European Disruptive Initiative (JEDI), Europe’s ARPA‑style program funding breakthrough technologies for competitiveness and sovereignty. With experience across private equity, industry, entrepreneurship and government, he drives “moonshot” programs in energy, materials, life sciences, AI, quantum, semiconductors and space. Franco‑German, he serves on major boards and is a reserve Colonel in the French Air & Space Force.

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 Chief Sales Officer Consumer, Compute & Connectivity, Infineon Technologies (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.

Gilles Mabire is Chief Technology Officer at Valeo Brain, leading innovation in software‑defined vehicles and next‑generation automotive systems. With over 30 years in the industry, he previously served as CTO Automotive and Head of Software and Central Technologies at Continental, driving the shift from embedded systems to cloud‑connected mobility. He has held senior leadership roles across infotainment, connectivity and vehicle platforms, shaping the evolution of AI‑driven automotive technologies.

Simone is VP of Product & Delivery at Wayve, leading product, automotive and customer programs to deliver AI‑driven software for autonomous vehicles, while ensuring safety, quality and compliance. With 15+ years in AV and ADAS, he previously led platforms, safety and industrialization at Mobileye, and held senior roles at ZF. He specializes in scaling innovation, product leadership and program execution, and has published work on automotive safety methods.

Dorothee Andermann is a technology executive with over 25 years of experience. She serves as Google Cloud’s Head of Technical Account Management for Automotive, Retail, Travel & Logistics. With deep expertise in manufacturing and process industries, she pioneered new solutions at SAP and start‑ups, including the first SaaS on SAP HANA, and scaled an IoT platform to 1,000 users within a year. A mathematician by training, she is known for translating AI innovations into tangible business value.

Johann Jungwirth leads Mobileye’s AV group and is responsible for the development and releases of Mobileye's L2+ to L5 AV products, including Mobileye SuperVision, Mobileye Chauffeur and Mobileye Drive. He is also responsible for the global deployment and rollout of Mobileye’s Mobility-as-a-Service business based on self-driving vehicles, including the global MaaS scale-out strategy, vehicle programs, fleets, mobility platform and services. Before joining Mobileye in 2019, he held engineering leadership roles at some of the world’s biggest automakers.

Dr.-Ing. Arne Nordmann received his PhD in Software Engineering for robotic systems in 2015. From 2015 to 2022, he worked at Bosch Corporate Research on system engineering projects in both robotics and highly automated driving. Since 2022, he has served as Vice President Technology & Innovation at NEURA Robotics, overseeing software and hardware development as well as system integration across all robotic platforms.

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.

Sophia Kircher is a Member of the European Parliament (EPP, Austria) since 2024 and Vice‑Chair of the Transport and Tourism Committee (TRAN). She is also a substitute member of IMCO and part of the EU‑US delegation. Previously, she was First Vice President of the Tyrolean State Parliament. Since 2025, she serves as President of YEPP. She holds multiple leadership roles within the Austrian People’s Party and studied International Business and Economics in Innsbruck.

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.

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.

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.

Alexandre Corjon is Senior Vice President of Engineering at Sonatus, where he leads teams advancing AI‑driven software‑defined vehicles. With over 30 years in automotive and aerospace across OEM and Tier‑1 environments, he has held senior roles at OPmobility and the Renault‑Nissan Alliance, including President of Software Labs. He has driven the shift to software‑centric vehicle architectures and the integration of data‑ and AI‑enabled systems.

Dr. Maria J. Alonso leads the Autonomous Systems portfolio at the World Economic Forum, spearheading the ongoing work around autonomous mobility and robotics. Throughout the portfolio activities, she collaborates with C-suite and VP-level executives to ensure the responsible development and deployment of these technologies. She holds a Ph.D. in new mobility services from Delft University of Technology, and Masters in Civil Engineering from the Technical University of Munich and the Technical University of Madrid.

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.

Dr. Jan Moritz Joseph is Co‑founder and CEO of Roofline, enabling seamless deployment of modern AI workloads on edge devices. Working with semiconductor partners such as NXP and Arm, Roofline supports cutting‑edge on‑device AI models. The company focuses on physical AI, including industrial IoT and automotive systems. With a background in AI systems and edge computing, he combines entrepreneurial leadership with a strong focus on turning advanced research into commercially viable products.

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.