Autonomous driving – a technology on its way into everyday life.
In the latest Swiss–CEE Impulse Session with Dr. Andreas Herrmann, it became clear: autonomous vehicles are no longer a distant vision. Cities like San Francisco, Oslo, and Shanghai are already piloting real-world applications – bringing both opportunities and challenges to the table.

Dr. Herrmann explained the different approaches used by autonomous vehicles to perceive their surroundings. These include combinations of cameras and LiDAR systems, as well as camera-only setups used by some manufacturers for cost reasons. These technical differences have direct implications for safety and reliability.

Efficiency potentials were also discussed: autonomous vehicles can drive more smoothly and predictably than human drivers, which leads to energy savings – especially relevant for electric vehicles. Dr. Herrmann sees a functional connection between autonomous driving and e-mobility, even though the two are not inherently dependent on one another.

This is highly relevant for the CEE region.
With its strong industrial base, growing digital expertise, and engineering talent, the region is well positioned to contribute to the development and implementation of autonomous mobility – especially in collaboration with innovation hubs like Switzerland.

The SEC helps connect these perspectives.
Through formats like the Impulse Sessions, we create space for dialogue, cross-border collaboration, and shared innovation.