At the heart of tomorrow’s mobility



Security across the entire vehicle network

CarByte views vehicles as part of a connected, software-defined system (SDX). The company’s platform technology provides comprehensive protection for all components of this digital infrastructure – from the sensor to the control unit to the cloud application. Whether OTA updates, fleet management, or predictive diagnostics: the interfaces that make mobility smarter are secured by CarByte with proven security principles.

Security is not an add-on here; it is an integral part of the system architecture. Encryption, role-based access control, anomaly detection, and compliance with UNECE R155 or ISO 21434 are as much of a given as the scalability of the platform.

Additionally, the solution's multi-tenancy capability ensures that even highly complex operator structures can be organized clearly, securely, and in compliance with data protection regulations, whether for fleets, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), or workshop networks.











Cybersecurity as a driver of innovation for mobility providers

IT security is becoming a prerequisite for building data-driven business models for suppliers, insurers, and fleet operators. In addition to the platform, CarByte provides a complete, practical solution that is modular, API-first, and GDPR-compliant.

The integrated architecture ensures that vehicle data is processed securely, transparently, and efficiently. At the same time, CarByte supports the secure onboarding of new vehicle models and applications. The goal is not only to enable digital services but to actively safeguard them—without limiting innovation potential.

The solution demonstrates its strength, especially in multi-brand fleets, retrofit applications, and heterogeneous IT landscapes: through high adaptability while maintaining a consistent security logic.





Charging electric vehicles safely and quickly

In the large workshop hall on Bochum’s innovation campus MARK 51°7, there is a tangible sense of energy. In more ways than one: Bright minds work here with expertise and creativity to develop innovative testing technology. Plenty of switch cabinets, server racks, and power cables ensure a constant flow of electricity in Keysight’s research and development department.

Next to a closed roller door stands an electric vehicle. A charging cable connects the electric vehicle to a waist-high gray box. Inside: cutting-edge technology from Bochum. The Charging Discovery System (CDS) simplifies the testing of charging interfaces for electric vehicles and charging stations by emulating communication during the charging process. It also enables electrical parameter tests to ensure conformity and compliance with interoperability standards. This tool invaluable tool for development engineers at major electric vehicle and charging station manufacturers. Does an electric car charge just as smoothly, safely, and quickly in Asia as it does in Europe or the United States? The CDS can reliably test this.









Development for the Global Market

Right next to the CDS is another innovation: the Megawatt Charging Discovery System (Megawatt CDS). With this test system for electric truck charging technology, Keysight is setting new global standards. Like all of the company’s products, it was developed almost entirely in the Ruhr region.

The research and development department on Suttner-Nobel-Allee covers an area of 3,300 square meters. Around 300 employees work not only on testing solutions for electromobility but also for high-speed data networks and wireless communication.







Integrated security – continuous and in real-time

Modern vehicles are connected. Over-the-air updates, fleet management via app, or autonomous driving – all rely on software, data and cloud services. These are practical and necessary interfaces but can also quickly turn into vulnerabilities.

ETAS’s integrated security solutions provide comprehensive protection for vehicles and fleets against such external threats. From embedded security in control units to secure software updates, the company embeds holistic security solutions within the vehicle architecture. Intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS) and the Vehicle Security Operations Centre (VSOC) ensure ongoing protection. Potential threats are detected and repelled in real time.

These holistic security approaches ensure that vehicles are not only protected at the point of delivery, but throughout their entire lifecycle against constantly evolving cyber threats.













DNA – not an add-on

As part of the Bosch Group, ETAS combines technological expertise with long-standing automotive know-how. With around 3,000 employees worldwide – including numerous specialists in embedded systems and security – the company is a strong partner in implementing international regulatory requirements such as UN R155 / R156 or ISO/SAE 21434.

Knowledge transfer forms the foundation of all developments and is deeply embedded in ETAS’s DNA. Close collaboration between scientific institutions and in-house research labs creates an innovative ecosystem in which tomorrow’s cybersecurity solutions are already being developed today.









Automotive cybersecurity – scalable, modular, customised



Cybersecurity at ETAS is part of the design, not an afterthought. ETAS views it as an integral part of the vehicle architecture. Secure booting of control units, protection of in-vehicle communication, and access to backend systems – ETAS security solutions are based on proven cryptographic methods, real-time capability and consistent updatability.

For OEMs and suppliers, the company provides modular, scalable solutions – optionally including a Security Operations Centre (SOC) for real-time fleet monitoring. This enables tailored protection concepts that grow with increasing vehicle connectivity and the rising demands of software-defined vehicles.





Made in the Ruhr knowledge region

With its new site in Bochum, ETAS is deliberately strengthening its presence in the Ruhr area – and capitalising on proximity to talent, universities and networks such as ruhrmobil-E. Bochum is recognised as a hotspot for IT security, thanks in no small part to Ruhr University and institutions such as the Horst Görtz Institute.

This close exchange enables ETAS to further develop cybersecurity expertise in practical ways – through joint research projects, targeted promotion of young talent, or the integration of the latest academic insights into industrial applications. By actively engaging in the regional innovation landscape, the company helps position Bochum as a centre for applied IT security and transform MARK 51°7 into a research laboratory for shaping a sustainable future.







A material for all interfaces

Shape memory alloys (SMA) are materials with the ability to return to their original form when heated to a certain temperature after deformation. Ingpuls produces these materials on an industrial scale and is the only manufacturer of shape memory alloys in Europe.

The next step is processing these alloys into semi-finished products. Their use in mobility – for example in valves or other actuators – increases the efficiency of thermal management in vehicles. Combustion engines warm up more quickly after a cold start, and the same applies to battery systems in electric vehicles. SMAs therefore contribute to a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions, regardless of the drive technology.

They also perfectly complement the noiseless comfort of electric vehicles: glove compartments, flaps and latches can be opened almost completely silently thanks to SMA. For OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, that is a decisive advantage, strengthening their competitive edge.







Bringing innovative solutions to the road quickly

Shape memory alloys are genuine all-rounders – provided you have the necessary know-how. According to Ingpuls Dynamics Managing Director Harald Buchalla, the major hype surrounding SMA has so far failed to materialise largely because customers without prior knowledge were left to deal with the complex material on their own.

Ingpuls’s solution: focus on function, not material. With vertical integration at Ingpuls Dynamics, the effort required for customers to integrate SMA technology into their products is significantly reduced. In this way, customers benefit more – and much earlier – from the advantages of the technology. The joint venture between Bochum-based Ingpuls and Brand from Anröchte thus removes every hurdle to entering this flexible material world.





How does Ingpuls Dynamics support the automotive industry?

Each SMA application must take the customer into account, the application itself and the industry context. Where there is usually high friction between development teams and engineers, Ingpuls brings all the strands together through this joint venture.

Felix Manhart, Head of Marketing & Communications, puts it succinctly: “With Ingpuls Dynamics, we don’t just deliver a spool of wire, but the entire assembly or system unit.”

This approach puts customer value at the centre. Clients benefit immediately – without the need for specialist training – from turnkey, reliably functioning applications designed for their specific field of use.

Already during the development process, Ingpuls Dynamics seeks to demonstrate these advantages and provide direct visualisation with state-of-the-art prototyping methods.













The story behind Voltavision

The first stage of the technology transition

Voltavision’s beginnings date back to 2011 and the SolarCar project at Bochum University of Applied Sciences. It was here that Julian and Nils Stentenbach developed the idea of an energy storage testing laboratory – laying the foundation for a comprehensive support system well before the major boom in electromobility.

With the ongoing transition from combustion to electric engines, the demand for batteries has risen – and so has the need to test components for performance and durability. Today, the world’s largest carmakers have their products tested at Voltavision on a large scale, before batteries hit the road.

The company now provides 4,600 square metres of laboratory space, 195 test chambers and 2,111 test channels for cells, modules and batteries – supported by the expertise of over 188 specialists. And the numbers keep growing.







The world's most CO₂-efficient testing laboratory

The hidden drive

Although at the heart of millions of vehicles, the core business of Volkswagen Infotainment remains largely invisible. The Online Connectivity Units – what Managing Director Tobias Nadjib refers to as the “underwear of the vehicle” – form the backbone of the connection between car and VW server. These data streams feed a wide range of tools both inside the vehicle and in the Volkswagen app. The top priority: data security.

The Bochum headquarters is regarded by the team as a true “software factory” – a place where work can be carried out quickly and to the highest quality standards. Among other things, innovative vehicle simulations on the laboratory bench ensure this efficiency.





Teamwork for mobility

Volkswagen Infotainment’s software is as global as the team behind it. Experts from more than 53 nations – in fields ranging from software and hardware development to vehicle simulation, automation and administration – come together at the Bochum headquarters. For former Managing Director Tobias Nadjib, it is precisely this diversity that not only makes the work enjoyable but also leads to better and more creative development projects.