Executives and international experts in autonomous systems from OEMs, automotive suppliers, the semiconductor industry, and AI-based robotics companies will join senior academics, regulators, government officials and analysts to present their insights into the real-world implementation of software-defined autonomy at The Autonomous Main Event (September 17-18, 2025, online and at the Hofburg Imperial Palace, Vienna).
The Autonomous Main Event provides participants with the opportunity to learn about and discuss industry developments, challenges, and opportunities through engaging panels, workshops, fireside chats, and keynote presentations.
Now in its sixth year, the annual The Autonomous Main Event has established itself as a prestigious showcase for the industry’s most respected thinkers and decision makers in the field of autonomous mobility, and attracts representatives from OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, software companies, semiconductor firms, and a growing number of players involved in industrial automation and robotics.
Event Focus: Making a Real-World Impact: Safe and Secure Software-Defined Autonomy
Centered on the theme of ‘Making a real-world impact: safe and secure software-defined autonomy’, each session will explore how software-defined technologies can be safely and securely integrated into deployable autonomous systems in the mobility sector and in autonomous robotics applications. The agenda reflects this by emphasizing not only the real-world constraints of commercial deployment, but also solutions that can make a practical impact.
Among more than 30 featured speakers and panelists are: Kurt Sievers, CEO of NXP Semiconductors; Missy Cummings, Professor and Director of the Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center at George Mason University; Bernhard Augustin, Head of Development and Integration of ADAS/AD sensors and compute platforms at Audi; Ronen Smoly, CEO of PlaxidityX (formerly Argus); Mathias Pillin, CTO of Bosch Mobility; Wolfgang Hartmannsdorfer, Austrian Federal Minister for Economy, Energy and Tourism; Young Sohn, Founder of Walden Catalyst and Chairman of Harman International; Peter Schäfer, Executive Vice President and CSO Automotive at Infineon; Lars Reger, CTO of NXP Semiconductors; Dr. Matthias Traub, President and Managing Director at VECTOR Informatik, and Martin Hart, Director of Automated and Autonomous Software Development at Mercedes-Benz. The full speaker lineup can be found here.
Focus on Real-World Implementations of Autonomy Today – On the Road and In Industry
The purpose of the mix of workshops, talks and discussions at this year’s The Autonomous is to highlight not only the hardware and software technologies, but also the regulatory and compliance approaches which will be needed to make a success of autonomous mobility and intelligent robotic systems in the second half of this decade. From self-driving vehicles to factory-floor automation and agricultural robotics, the event focuses on enabling autonomy that is safe, secure and sustainable.
‘After the great success of The Autonomous Main Event in 2024, we are delighted to welcome back world-class speakers and delegates to our magnificent venue in Vienna,’ said Ricky Hudi, Chairman of The Autonomous. ‘This year’s event promises to show the industry new ways to accelerate the real-world deployment of safe and secure autonomous technologies by addressing the industry’s key challenges and enabling collaboration across a diverse range of stakeholders. The Autonomous Main Event is a unique forum for facilitating cross-industry collaboration, showcasing the maturity of autonomous technologies, advancing safety and regulatory readiness, and empowering much-needed initiatives such as The Autonomous Working Group Safety and Architecture.’
Key sessions and topics at a glance
At The Autonomous Main Event 2025, visitors will gain insights into the most important questions regarding the implementation of autonomy not only on the road but also in industry, agriculture, logistics, healthcare and elsewhere. Panel topics on the agenda include:
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End-to-end architectures for autonomous systems: from sensors to actuators
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From software-defined to AI-defined autonomy: enhancing safety and security
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The regulatory roadmap to autonomous vehicles
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The rise and evolution of robotics: a transformative impact on industry and society
As in previous years, the Working Group Safety & Architecture will present its latest report on safety architectures for automated driving. In addition to the Working Group session, Day 1 of the event will also feature a series of technical workshops and masterclasses hosted by The Autonomous partners. The key outcomes from these sessions will be summarized on the main stage during Day 2 of the conference.
Featured keynotes include Missy Cummings and Mathias Pillin, CTO at Bosch Mobility.
DAY 1 – IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS (VIENNA)
On September 17, in-person attendees are invited to participate in cross-industry workshops with mobility experts on various topics. Online registrations are open, so make sure you reserve your seat:
NETWORKING AND AUDIENCE INTERACTIVITY
Attendees of The Autonomous Main Event benefit not only from the insights and debate on the hottest topics in autonomous mobility and autonomous robotics: they can also enjoy opportunities to network and meet their industry peers before, during and after the event.
We recognize the importance of peer interaction, which is why we’ve built in multiple opportunities for networking and engagement, both in-person and virtually:
- Live Q&A sessions with speakers (available for virtual and in-person participants)
- Networking breaks (for in-person attendees)
- Event app providing early access to the list of participants and a 1:1 chat function (available for virtual and in-person participants)
RESERVE YOUR TICKET
There are only a few weeks left, but you can still secure your virtual or in-person ticket here. Join us and help make safe and secure software-defined autonomy a reality.
