The 360°UX Mobility Conference 2026
will take place on 13 May at the Hochhaus Süddeutscher Verlag in Munich,
bringing together experts from across the mobility and technology ecosystem to
discuss the future of automotive user experience.
Designers, engineers, strategists and decision-makers from OEMs, suppliers and
academia will examine how new interaction paradigms, software-defined
vehicles and intelligent ecosystems are transforming the relationship
between drivers, passengers and vehicles.
From in-car interfaces to connected mobility ecosystems
As vehicles increasingly evolve into
connected digital platforms, user experience has become a central
differentiator for automotive brands. Interaction models are shifting from
purely functional interfaces towards proactive, intelligent systems that
anticipate user needs. Voice interaction, gesture control, biometric sensing
and context-aware services are expanding the possibilities of human–machine
interaction both inside and outside the vehicle.
Rather than focusing solely on the in-car interface, the
conference takes a broader view of the mobility ecosystem. Smart homes,
connected devices and digital services are becoming part of the extended
mobility experience, creating a seamless customer journey across multiple
touchpoints. Against this backdrop, the programme explores how OEMs and
suppliers can design holistic and scalable UX
architectures that connect vehicles with the wider digital environment.
Customer experience across the entire vehicle lifecycle
The first part of the programme focuses on the customer
journey, from the first brand interaction to the vehicle handover and the
subsequent usage phase. The opening session is introduced by Joachim Langenwalter, CEO of TMT CoPilots and Board
Member of the conference, and Audrey Matarage, User Experience expert and
management consultant, setting the stage for discussions on how automotive UX strategies can address every phase of the
customer lifecycle.
One of the industry perspectives comes from Werner Koestler,
Executive Officer for Europe and America at Pioneer Corporation. Drawing on
decades of experience across automotive electronics and human-machine
interfaces, Koestler examines how infotainment platforms and interaction
technologies are evolving in an era of software-defined vehicles and connected
services.
User interface design from the perspective of emerging
electric vehicle brands will be addressed by Inae Song, UXUI Lead at NIO. With
experience across international markets including the United States, Japan,
China and Germany, she explores how user-centred design principles are
reshaping the emotional and functional relationship between drivers and
intelligent mobility systems.
Key Facts – 360°UX Mobility Conference 2026
What is the 360°UX Mobility Conference?
The 360°UX Mobility Conference is an event focussing on automotive user
experience, smart mobility ecosystems and next-generation human–machine
interaction.
When does the event take place?
13 May 2026.
Where is the conference held?
Hochhaus Süddeutscher Verlag, Munich, Germany.
Who should attend?
UX designers, engineers, software developers, system architects, product
strategists and decision-makers from OEMs, suppliers, technology companies and
research institutions.
Which topics will be discussed?
Automotive UX design, AI-driven interaction, software-defined vehicles, smart
mobility ecosystems and cross-domain collaboration.
Why is the
conference relevant?
As vehicles become increasingly software-defined and connected, user experience
is becoming a key differentiator for automotive brands.
Academic perspectives complement these industry insights.
Professor Wolfgang Henseler, Professor for Digital Media and User Experience at
Pforzheim University and Creative Managing Director at the design studio
SENSORY-MINDS, discusses how customer-centric ecosystems and AI-driven
experience design are changing the way companies approach digital innovation.
Together with Professor Lutz Fügener, Professor for Advanced Mobility Design at
Hof University, he examines how design thinking and mobility design methodologies
can support the development of intuitive and meaningful mobility experiences.
Agentic AI and the next generation of automotive UX
Artificial intelligence is emerging
as a central driver of next-generation user experience. A dedicated
workshop led by Professor Wolfgang Henseler and his team explores how Agentic
AI can enhance customer-centric design in smart mobility ecosystems.
Participants will work in small teams to develop design concepts for AI-driven
interaction models, including agent-based vehicle dashboards, automated service
interactions and so-called “invisible services” that anticipate user needs
without explicit input.
The workshop reflects a broader trend within the automotive
industry: intelligent systems are increasingly expected not only to respond to
user commands but to actively orchestrate contextual services. These systems
may integrate data from vehicles, smartphones, smart homes and digital
platforms in order to deliver personalised experiences across multiple
environments.
Smart ecosystems and the expanding mobility platform
The second major thematic block of the conference addresses
the integration of mobility into wider digital ecosystems. As vehicles become
part of connected service environments, seamless interaction between hardware,
software and cloud-based services is becoming a central design challenge.
Betty Yagis, UX/UI Strategy Manager at Hyundai Connected
Mobility, will present a keynote on the role of user experience strategy in
shaping connected mobility platforms. Her talk explores how Hyundai is building
integrated digital ecosystems through services such as the Bluelink platform
and the company’s latest flagship electric vehicle, the IONIQ 9. By combining
mobile applications, in-car infotainment systems and digital service platforms,
Hyundai aims to create a unified user experience across all customer
touchpoints.
Another keynote perspective comes from Mercedes-Benz. James
Liu, Head of MB.OS Infotainment Platform Experience, will discuss how
artificial intelligence can drive user engagement within the smart cabin. His
presentation, “Spinning the Customer Flywheel with AI”, examines how Mercedes-Benz measures and strengthens customer engagement
through intelligent infotainment systems, AI-supported design processes
and the Mercedes Virtual Assistant.
The concept of the “flywheel effect” — widely used by
technology companies to drive user engagement — is increasingly relevant for
automotive platforms as well. As vehicles become digital products, continuous
service updates, software features and data-driven interaction models can
create long-term customer relationships that extend well beyond the initial
vehicle purchase — although the growing role of
connected services also raises questions around transparency, pricing models
and long-term customer value.
Cross-domain collaboration and the future of mobility
design
The final part of the conference focuses on cross-domain
collaboration within automotive organisations. As vehicles integrate software
platforms, digital services and connected ecosystems, user experience design
requires closer cooperation between traditionally separate engineering domains.
Wolfgang Bremer, Design Executive Fortune 500s & Global
Startups, brings an industry-wide perspective to this discussion. He has led
global design teams and worked on products used by more than one hundred
million users in more than 190 countries. His work combines product strategy,
entrepreneurial thinking and user-centred design to create intuitive and
scalable digital experiences. At the conference, Bremer shares insights into
how design leadership, product strategy and user-centred innovation intersect in
modern technology ecosystems.
Additional perspectives come from speakers including Vishnu
Sundaram of Gentherm, who examines cross-domain engineering approaches in
automotive systems. Together, these contributions highlight how UX design
increasingly relies on collaboration between software engineers, hardware
developers, data scientists and design teams.
Agentic AI in Automotive UX
A dedicated workshop at the conference explores the role of
Agentic AI in next-generation automotive user experiences. Led by Professor
Wolfgang Henseler and his team, the session examines how AI agents could
enhance customer centricity and create more proactive interaction models within
smart mobility ecosystems.
Agentic AI is increasingly seen
as a key technology for enabling contextual and intelligent experiences
across digital platforms. During the interactive workshop, participants will
explore design patterns and practical concepts for integrating AI-driven
services into automotive environments.
They will address questions such as how an Agentic
AI-powered vehicle dashboard could look, what kinds of orchestrated AI-driven
interaction moments could enhance user experience, and how AI agents might
transform customer service and support processes in mobility ecosystems.
Further design challenges include the role of Agentic AI in
reshaping inbound customer interactions and enabling new levels of automation
for service teams. Another focus lies on the concept of “invisible services” –
intelligent functions that anticipate user needs and trigger contextually
relevant actions without explicit user requests.
By bringing together designers, engineers and UX
specialists, the workshop aims to develop practical ideas for how intelligent
agents could become a core component of future automotive user experience
architectures.
Dialogue, networking and industry exchange
Panel discussions, workshops and networking sessions provide
opportunities for participants to discuss design strategies, technological
challenges and emerging trends shaping the future of automotive user
experience.
A trade exhibition accompanying the conference allows
technology providers and industry partners to present their solutions in an
environment designed for direct interaction with decision-makers and
specialists from across the automotive ecosystem. Integrated networking breaks
and an evening get-together further encourage informal exchange and
collaboration.
By bringing together experts from design, engineering,
software development and mobility strategy, the 360°UX Mobility Conference provides
a platform to explore how holistic and customer-centric experiences will shape
the next generation of mobility.
