On February 16, 2026, the final lecture Hardware/Software Co-Design took place in the NTI lecture hall. Foivos Paraskevas used RISC-V examples and AI accelerators to show how theory can be translated into practical implementations.

We congratulate Fabian Lesniak on successfully defending his dissertation under the supervision of Prof. Jürgen Becker. His research provides new impetus for adaptive and energy-efficient computer architectures in the field of autonomous driving.

Cutting-edge research meets industry know-how: representatives from Valeo, the KIT and the FZI came together on February 9 to identify joint priorities in the field of automotive computing and autonomous driving. In addition to the technical exchange on modern vehicle architectures, the focus was on networking. The aim is to provide new impetus for the development of software-defined vehicles by combining the expertise of ITIV, FZI and Valeo.

We congratulate Martin Sommer on the successful defense of his dissertation on February 5, 2026. Martin did his doctorate under Prof. Dr.-Ing. Eric Sax, co-supervisor of the thesis was Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Andreas Oberweis from the Institute for Applied Informatics and Formal Description Methods (AIFB).

Stefan Otten successfully defended his dissertation on variant management in E/E development in buses on 23.01.2026. With his model-based concept, he solves the challenge of high product diversity with small quantities and makes the development process from the idea to series production significantly more efficient. We congratulate him on his success and wish him all the best!

"Exactly 140 years ago, Carl Benz registered the patent for his "vehicle with gas engine operation" - the birth certificate of the combustion car. Although much has changed since 1886, one thing remains: What comes out of the exhaust of cars is a source of debate."

Sandra Göttisheim | KIT

On January 29, 2026, the KIT Innovators Homecoming brought together more than 500 alumni, founders and partners from the innovation environment of KIT in the Eventhall Karlsruhe under the motto "Merging Generations". ITIV and the Innovation Campus Mobility of the Future (ICM) presented current research impulses and technological insights.

What many people don't know: A recent study thoroughly dispels old prejudices - and Prof. Eric Sax from ITIV explains why the electric motor is even superior to the combustion engine in terms of maintenance and durability. So why is mistrust of the technology still so persistent? The linked SWR report provides exciting facts - and Prof. Sax gets to the heart of the matter.

The Chip Connect BW project has been successfully launched at ITIV. Partners from research, industry, and academia met at the kickoff workshop to promote the establishment of a strong chip design network in Baden-Württemberg. With a focus on networking, technology transfer, and close cooperation, the project lays the foundation for future innovation in the region.

Every year, the Innovators Homecoming brings together founders, alumni and partners of KIT for a day full of keynotes, technology insights and networking. ITIV is represented with a lecture by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Eric Sax and the OTRACE demonstrator- an exciting insight into the art of engineering and digital transparency.

Prof. Eric Sax puts current developments in context and explains why decisive steps are needed right now. The KVV's ' Test Field Autonomous Driving Baden-Württemberg' with the participation of KIT and FZI plays an important role here - as does the MINGA research project, which is testing automated bus platoons in public transport. Read more in the full article in the BNN.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Eric Sax, Head of the ITIV Institute at KIT, took part in the practical "Brain Surgeon for 1 Day" program at Karlsruhe Municipal Hospital (SKK) together with a medical technology student - a unique opportunity to promote interdisciplinary exchange between medicine and engineering sciences.

As part of the Hardware/Software Co-Design course, Dr. Ing. Karim Guirguis (SiMa.AI) inspired the students with his guest lecture at ITIV. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. h. c. Jürgen Becker, Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Inform. Tanja Harbaum and Prof. Dr. Torben Ferber and ensured a strong response in the NTI lecture hall.

The research group of Prof. Eric Sax is looking for committed doctoral students to join our team and actively shape the generational change. We offer you an excellent research environment at KIT, practical projects with industrial partners and the opportunity to help shape the innovations of tomorrow.

Carl Esselborn successfully defended his dissertation on 01.12.2025. The thesis presents a new framework that combines virtual test drives with model-in-the-loop simulations in order to validate automated driving functions in a realistic and user-representative manner. With the help of representative routes, regional influences can be better mapped and operation design domains can be quantified more precisely. Congratulations on this success!