Automakers Should Look to the Day After the Autonomous Vehicle Revolution, Says Daimler Exec

When it comes to autonomous vehicles, the question is not when, but how, and for what, according to Alexander Satanowsky, head of German automaker Daimler AG’s innovation and tech scouting initiative NeXt Scouting. The important questions are how the automotive industry will be affected and what solutions can rely on autonomous vehicle fleets, Satanowsky said, speaking at a panel held last week as part of Calcalist’s WeTechBerlin conference.

For daily updates, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here.

The conference was held in collaboration with accounting firm KPMG, real estate company Aroundtown Property Holdings PLC, Bank Leumi, one of Israel’s two largest banks, its digital banking subsidiary LeumiTech Ltd., and European investment fund Target Global.

Also speaking at the panel was Thilo Koslowski, CEO of Porsche Digital, the digital services subsidiary of the Porsche car brand. Porsche has received over a thousand petitions from companies developing innovative automotive technologies and is examining them and conducting pilots, Koslowski said.

Other participants in the panel hosted by Target Global partner Ben Kaminski were Sigalit Klimovsky, a partner at Israel-based venture capital firm Grove Ventures Capital (GP) Ltd.; Rouven Spinner, an investment partner at Continental Venture, the investment arm of German automotive manufacturer Continental AG; and Michal Vakrat Wolkin, manager of Israel operations and investments at automotive seating and electrical systems manufacturer Lear Corp.