Ingolstadt
Innovation through cooperation
Corporate responsibility
For Audi, cooperating with the scientific community and promoting education are important drivers for a successful future. In this context, it is important to Audi that the transfer of knowledge is mutual. Different forms of cooperation are possible: For example, a number of national and international universities work with the company. In addition to being involved in research projects and giving scientific lectures, Audi employees teach at universities. Audi contributes towards extending research and teaching into new fields through endowed professorships.
With all these activities, Audi contributes to society and puts corporate responsibility into practice. Audi sees universities as special partners and is actively involved through various initiatives for a transparent, fair and honest cooperation between industry and academia. For example, a doctoral program enables young scientists to conduct research in technical and non-technical projects for Audi.
Conference on mobility of the future
Other pillars of Audi’s activities are the public lecture series “ Wissenschaft im Dialog” (Academia in Dialogue) at the sites in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm as well as an international, interactive conference on the mobility of the future called “MQ! Innovation Summit.” The conference, which took place in China for the first time in 2019, brings together international pioneers, thought leaders and experts from business and science to discuss new approaches to innovation topics and the future of mobility. The main topics of discussion in 2019 were social and sustainable mobility as well as more flexible mobility concepts.
Complete electrification
Inspired the audience at the “MQ! The Mobility Quotient” summit hosted by Audi: Peggy Liu, chairperson of JUCCCE
Peggy Liu “Sustainable mobility means not just low CO₂ emissions. It means zero carbon emissions. More than 30 cities in China will have fully electrified their public transport systems by 2020. We can learn from China how sustainable solutions can be implemented on a large scale.”
Relevance of block chain technology
Prof. Wolfgang Prinz: “With regard to the digitalization of services and processes, blockchain technology is of great relevance for many areas of application outside the financial sector, above all independent of cryptocurrencies. In production, but also in administration, there are applications that can benefit from using blockchains for the secure and reliable management of transactions, assets or documents in a network.”
(Excerpt from the presentation “Blockchain technology: principles, application examples and recommendations for use” (February 2019, Audi Conference Center Ingolstadt))
Integrated concepts are necessary
Prof. Dr. Stefanie Bremer, University of Kassel, Integrated Traffic Planning and Mobility Development
Prof. Dr. Stefanie Bremer: “In the future, more and more people will live in densely populated areas. Negative impacts between mobility and settlement areas can only be reduced with integrated concepts. Traffic planners, vehicle manufacturers, urban planners, technicians and sociologists must work together. Digitalization creates opportunities to customize apartments, mobility offers or transportation to the needs of different target groups and to implement them in a cost-effective manner.”
(Excerpt from the presentation “Drive+: The diversity of the mobile future” (February 2019, Audi Forum Neckarsulm))
Using parking space for people
“Technology allows people to occupy more space. Only six percent of all cars are actually driving at any given time, which means that most of them are standing around. We could use 80 percent of the available parking space for other purposes. Car sharing, autonomous driving and electrification are all very important.”
Creating and demanding transparency
Prof. Dr. Gudrun Sander, Director of the Competence Centre for Diversity & Inclusion, University of St. Gallen
Prof. Dr. Gudrun Sander: “If it is unclear who contributed how much to a team task, the share contributed by the men is often overestimated and that of the women underestimated. This is especially true where there is no clear information on what each individual has contributed. How do we overcome this attribution bias? By creating and demanding transparency.”
(Excerpt from the presentation “The treasure trove diversity: new challenges and opportunities for managers” (December 2019, Audi Conference Center Ingolstadt))
Designing digital working environments
Prof. Dr. Sabine Pfeiffer, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Chair of Sociology, with a focus on technology, work and society
Prof. Dr. Sabine Pfeiffer: “No one can say at the moment what tomorrow will be like. The more important question is: What do we need to design today and how do we want the digital working world to look? This question is not decided in Silicon Valley, but in companies and at the workplace.”
(Excerpt from the presentation “The digital transformation: Who is actually implementing it?” (October 2019, Audi Conference Center Ingolstadt))
Choosing the right tools
Prof. Dr. Detlef Stolten: “Renewable energy generated by wind, sun or water is virtually emissions-free during its use and also has a low level of emissions over its life cycle. It’s therefore the best tool for making both the energy and transport sectors clean.”
(Excerpt from the presentation “How do clean drives and renewable power generation fit together?” (September 2019, Audi Forum Neckarsulm))
Networked world: Audi and One Young World Summit
In 2019, AUDI AG again sent ten young employees from its worldwide locations to the One Young World Summit as delegates. At the Summit, this time in London, they had the opportunity to network with like-minded people, experts and mentors to find solutions to social problems. After each summit, Audi supports its employees in implementing their ideas.
