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The National "Jugend forscht" Competition is the grand finale of the annual competition series for young researchers in STEM subjects. Awards are presented in seven subject areas as well as in an interdisciplinary category. Prof. Dr. Sanaz Mostaghim, institute director of Fraunhofer IVI, served on the five-member expert jury in the subfield of computer science and mathematics again this year.

At the international innovation platform The smarter E Europe 2026 in Munich, the Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems IVI was a finalist for the prestigious The smarter E AWARD in the E-Mobility category with its Underbody Charging System (UBCS). The award ceremony took place on June 22, 2026, as part of the opening night.

At the Advisory Board meeting on June 10, 2026, representatives from academia, industry, public transportation agencies, and government authorities, as well as the institute director and managers, gathered to discuss the development of Fraunhofer IVI.

The decarbonization of heavy industrial machinery is one of the most pressing – and most complex – challenges in the transition to a climate-neutral economy. Agricultural equipment, port machinery, and other non-road mobile machinery (NRMM) operate under extreme conditions that make electrification alone insufficient. Hydrogen-powered powertrains offer a promising path forward – and the recently launched EU project H2ROAM (Hydrogen for Robust Off-Road Application Modules) is set to demonstrate just how viable that path can be. Running from January 2026 to December 2029, H2ROAM brings together nine European partners to advance and validate hydrogen-powered powertrain systems at Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL6).

Driverless buses that reliably transport passengers from A to B—not as an experiment, but as an integral part of everyday life: This is the goal that the Free State of Saxony has set for itself in collaboration with partners from politics, business, academia, and the public transportation sector. At the symposium “Vision 2030: Autonomous Driving in Saxony’s Public Transportation System” on April 23, 2026, a letter of intent was signed, marking the launch of a coordinated initiative. Prof. Dr. Sanaz Mostaghim, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems IVI, signed the letter of intent on behalf of the institute, which will contribute its scientific and technical expertise to the project in a targeted manner.

The official launch of the SIAS-ÖV project took place on March 23, 2026, in Leipzig with the ceremonial presentation of the grant notification by Minister of State Dirk Panter, followed by a kick-off event at Fraunhofer IVI. The “Saxon Initiative: Automated Shuttles in Public Transport” (Sächsische Initiative: Automatisierte Shuttle im ÖPNV) will significantly advance autonomous public transportation in the Free State of Saxony.

The electrification of heavy-duty and passenger transport is a key component of the transportation transition. However, the availability of suitable charging infrastructure poses a major challenge, particularly for trucks and buses: Large battery capacities require megawatt-level charging power to achieve practical charging times. With the successful completion of the collaborative "HV-MELA-BAT" project, a complete high-voltage megawatt charging system is now available that meets these requirements—while setting new standards in contact technology.

Decarbonizing long-haul freight transport is one of Europe’s toughest climate challenges – and ZEFES is tackling it where it matters most: in real-world operation. By developing modular zero-emission vehicle platforms and demonstrating battery-electric and fuel-cell trucks under daily long-haul conditions, the ZEFES project goes beyond isolated pilots. It aims to prove that zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles can match or even exceed the performance, efficiency and usability of today’s diesel trucks – paving the way for large-scale deployment in line with the European Green Deal.

How can we charge electric trucks and other heavy commercial vehicles in a fast, efficient, and space-saving way in the future? This was the central question when Fraunhofer IVI and their application partner, Stadtreinigung Dresden GmbH, welcomed Tobias Wagner, professional trucker and influencer known as the Elektrotrucker, at the institute. On our test track, we presented our innovative charging solution for commercial e-vehicles to him and invited him to experience it for himself.

No more casualties and severely injured persons in road traffic – this is what Vision Zero stands for as a global concept. The aim is to implement innovative technology, better infrastructure and comprehensive education initiatives in order to jointly create a future in which road traffic is safe for everyone. Since 2024, the Deutsche Verkehrssicherheitsrat (DVR, German Road Safety Council) has been presenting the DVR Vision Zero Award to projects that reduce the risk of road accidents through creative safety measures and bring us closer to Vision Zero.