The Connected and Automated Mobility Cluster of Zala has approved its medium-term strategy

The Connected and Automated Mobility Cluster of Zala – established by the cooperation of leading Hungarian info-communication, energy, automotive and air transportation companies – has adopted its medium-term strategy, defining its mission to become a significant European professional base for the future mobility solutions and infrastructure developments. For this reason, members offer partnerships in four areas for the government and knowledge institutions: 1. Regulation and methodology, 2. Zala smart specialization & establishment of the innovation ecosystem, 3. Realization of demonstration and pilot projects in Hungary, 4. Education & training & awareness raising.
The aim of adopting the medium-term strategy is to convert the Connected and Automated Mobility Cluster of Zala into a significant professional European base for “Smart Mobility” solutions – which are defined as the convergence field of combining future ground and air mobility solutions and infrastructure (i.e.: connected, automated and e-mobility also including its energy supply combining traditional and renewable energy sources) and modern info-communication technology – regarding both forming future regulation and developing business cases.
The four main pillars of the medium-term strategy are:
1. Supporting regulation and methodological: The pillar aims to establish the professional consultancy and standardization organization of the convergent fields of mobility, attached energetics and info-communication – considering the relevant European Union recommendations and directives – for the Carpathian Basin. For this reason, the cluster aims to provide support for the development of the Hungarian regulatory environment including the enlisting of tasks to be standardized in the new innovation environment, preparing the state-of-art analysis of the present situation and the current regulatory environment, also issuing innovation and professional regulatory recommendations.

2. Establishing Zala’s smart specialization and innovation ecosystem: The aim is to establish a mobility industry / service provider technology and innovation area also significant on EU scale in the Zala region. To achieve this, the cluster offers a partnership to the Zala Region providing help to prepare the development of the Zala Innovation Ecosystem, to create the Infrastructure Development and Business / Financing Concept and to implement projects based on the regional innovation strategy for smart specialization.

3. Implementation of Demonstration and Sample Projects: The Cluster believes that it is a top priority for Hungary to get involved in the creation of future mobility solutions, therefore, it supports the development of operational and economically self-sustaining Hungarian innovation pilot and demonstration projects that are marketable without significant external support and can be transferred and replicated in other cities and regions.

4. Education & training & awareness raising: For the successful implementation of the first three pillars, it is essential to have adequate human resources in Hungary. Therefore, the Cluster supports the launch of competency-based adult learning initiatives to meet the increased or new training needs (e.g.: in the convergent topics of 5G, info-communication, connected, automated & e-mobility For this reason, the cluster plans to establish a non-formal adult education program which builds on and/or supplements the traditional education system and provides competence-based education that will enable trainees to get a much higher level of professional knowledge.

Zoltán Kaszás, CEO of T-Systems Hungary Ltd. and the elected president of the cluster stated: “The priority and importance of these cluster objectives are demonstrated by the exemplary cooperation of the leading firms of the Hungarian info-communication, energy, automotive and air transportation sectors in adopting and implementing this strategy. Members of the Cluster can effectively support the development of the regional innovation ecosystem by creating a partnership to coordinate their regulatory, innovation, educational activities and planned projects. Significant development is expected in the near future in 5G technology, attached info-communication solutions, e-mobility and autonomous driving, thus with the recognition and active management of this transition the region together with the economic actors can become the winners of the digital transformation.”
László Sajben division manager of AVL Autókut Mérnöki Ltd. stated: “AVL is market leader in automotive industry test systems. Automated vehicles pose significant challenges regarding this, since a more sophisticated validation environment is required for vehicles interacting with their own environment. The Connected and Automated Mobility Cluster of Zala can provide a useful help for our company, that is why we are happy to participate in this initiative„
„BASF cooperates closely with customers all over the world. We supply and develop functional materials and solutions that enable vehicles to be built and to operate more efficiently. Our product range includes engineering plastics, polyurethane and specialty foams, coatings, pigments, catalysts, lubricants, fuel additives, coolants and brake fluids, as well as innovative battery materials. Hungary is dynamically becoming the automotive-hub of Eastern Europe, meaning our partners (including OEMs and tier suppliers) are running their operation here, so it was no question that we join this innovative platform. The Connected and Automated Mobility Cluster of Zala helps us to continue to work with partners in the industrial and scientific communities to develop innovative materials, processes and technologies for current and next-generation lithium-ion batteries and future battery systems, while we have the chance to significantly contribute to the countryside development of Hungary also – said Dr. Thomas Narbeshuber, Managing Director of BASF Hungaria Kft., leader of BASF Central and South-East Europe”
Otto Dalos, CEO of Cisco Systems Hungary stated: ”Connected and autonomous vehicles require a secure, intelligent infrastructure. Cisco is the worldwide leader in networking and security and we have been making the Internet work since 1984. We are pleased to offer our competencies for the benefit of the Cluster.”
Roland Jakab regional director of Ericsson stated: “There is a paradigm shift going on in the transport industry where 5G with its high-data speeds and ultra-low latency, is powering autonomous vehicle development and their connections to networks. 5G can drive cost efficiencies, improve safety, and create a sustainable solutions in the future. The newly accepted strategy of the Cluster is boosting this paradigm shift. The analysis of the regulatory issues, creation of sample projects, fostering competence development and the founding of an innovation ecosystem all aims to ignite domestic developments.”
Attila Simon, Director of Business Development of HungaroControl Ltd. stated: „The cluster is an exceptional model of the large-scale national cooperation covering the top segment of the industrial, academic and state-owned establishments in the info-communication, automotive and air transportation sectors in Hungary. The aim is to address the most challenging innovative concepts related to connected and automated mobility. It is unquestioned that the innovation lifecycle is covered from basic R&D, through the establishment of a sound regulation environment, until the required training and education activities. The targeted actions will provide the eminent regional performance in the era of digital transformation, and thus generate exceptional added value for the Hungarian economy.”
Marie-Theres Thiell managing director of innogy Hungária and CEO ELMŰ-ÉMÁSZ stated: “we are very much proud of the goals of the mid-term strategy of the Zone Cluster that assist Hungary in staying at the forefront of automotive developments while also fostering innovation in this specific and related sectors as well. ELMŰ-ÉMÁSZ, with the international experience of innogy is able to contribute to the success of the strategy by deploying smart city infrastructure, such as smart street lighting poles and smart electric vehicle chargers that can transmit Vehicle to Infrastructure messages to autonomous cars. These aforementioned products themselves are important elements of an extended autonomous driving ecosystem, yet our core experience, the operation and development of networks, is a key success factor in this field as well as in realizing the Cluster’s medium term strategy.”
Attila Bíró General Manager of KNORR-BREMSE Fékrendszerek Kft. stated: “Our industry has currently been shaped by four megatrends: urbanization, eco-efficiency, digitalization and automated driving. These trends provide sustainable growth and immense R&D opportunities in the markets dominated by Knorr-Bremse and the members of the Cluster. The Cluster’s strategic attempts made to ensure innovative, regulatory, infrastructural and professional education background appropriate for the Research & Development Centers operated in Hungary represent highly opportune challenges. This contributes, to a great extent, to the Cluster members’ sustainable business growth and our common aim to shape tomorrow’s mobility in our country.”
Current members of the Connected and Automated Mobility Cluster of Zala: AVL Autókut Mérnöki Ltd., BASF Hungaria Ltd., Cisco Systems Hungary Ltd., HungaroControl Ltd., innogy Hungária Llc., represented by ELMŰ Nyrt, Ericsson Hungary Ltd., KNORR-BREMSE Fékrendszerek Ltd., T-Systems Hungary Ltd., ZONE Cluster Nonprofit Ltd. (Cluster Management Organization)