A commitment to Vision Zero: Ten years CARISSMA

The Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt (THI) held a ceremony to mark the tenth anniversary of the Centre for Vehicle Safety Research (CARISSMA ). Representatives from the worlds of politics, academia, and business paid tribute to the institution's development, which has made it one of Germany’s leading centres for vehicle safety research. For the past ten years, CARISSMA has been pursuing a clear goal: to make road traffic safer and to reduce the number of road deaths and serious injuries.

Research vehicle for safety research: At CARISSMA, technologies are developed and tested to help prevent accidents and reduce the severity of crash consequences (Photo: THI).

Guests from academia, politics, industry and the wider community came together to celebrate CARISSMA's tenth anniversary (Photo: THI).

Professor Walter Schober opened the anniversary celebration and reflected on ten years of successful safety research at CARISSMA (Photo: THI).

Panel discussion: Professor Hans-Georg Schweiger, Professor Werner Huber, moderator Professor Christian Birkner, Professor Andre Seeck and Dr Reinhard Brandl (left to right) discussed the future of automotive safety research (Photo: THI).

What began in 2016 with a research building on campus has developed into an organisation with five sites: In addition to its main site in Ingolstadt, CARISSMA now comprises the outdoor test site, the Forensics Centre, test facilities in Schrobenhausen, and the Hydrogen Technology and Application Centre in Pfeffenhausen. Around 130 staff members, including some 100 scientists, work there on solutions for safe and sustainable mobility. The achievements of the past ten years include 61 completed doctorates, more than 800 scientific publications, several patents, and collaborations with over 150 partners from academia and industry.

“Ten years ago, with CARISSMA, we laid the foundations for a new dimension in nationwide vehicle safety research. Today, CARISSMA has fulfilled the remit of a nationwide scientific centre for vehicle safety and is an institution with national and international standing. Our mission is more relevant than ever: together with our partners, we are developing technologies that make mobility safer and bring us step by step closer to Vision Zero – zero road deaths,” said THI President Professor Walter Schober.

In a video message, Federal Minister Dorothee Bär praised the importance of CARISSMA for mobility research. At the event, Ingolstadt’s Lord Mayor Dr Michael Kern emphasised the institution’s role as a key driving force for the region.

In his keynote speech, Professor Thomas Brandmeier traced the history of the CARISSMA from its beginnings to the most important milestones of the past ten years. During the subsequent panel discussion, Dr Reinhard Brandl, Member of the Bundestag and Parliamentary Secretary, Professor Andre Seeck, Vice-President of the Federal Institute for Roads and Transport, and the institute’s directors, Professor Werner Huber and Professor Hans-Georg Schweiger, discussed the future of automotive safety research. At the reception that followed and during the Open Labs, guests were given an insight into the testing facilities and current research projects.

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