Software Defined Vehicles
AUTOMOBIL-ELEKTRONIK Kongress 2026
AEK 2026: where the future of the car takes shape
The AUTOMOBIL-ELEKTRONIK Kongress celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2026. At a time of profound transformation, industry leaders discuss SDVs, AI and new partnerships — and how vision turns into execution.
“The AUTOMOBIL-ELEKTRONIK Kongress is, above all, a place for exchange — with high-level presentations and the opportunity to better understand different perspectives,” says Dr Riclef Schmidt-Clausen, SVP Domain Intelligent Cockpit & Body at Cariad. From the perspective of technology providers, too, the congress is one of the most important gatherings in the industry. Zohar Fox, Co-Founder and CEO of Aurora Labs, describes it as an event that “brings together an exceptional mix of technical experts and leading figures from the German automotive industry”.
When top executives, development leaders and technology experts gather again in Ludwigsburg on 16–17 June 2026, it will be far more than just another industry event. The AUTOMOBIL-ELEKTRONIK Kongress (AEK) celebrates its 30th anniversary at a time when the automotive industry is fundamentally redefining itself.
Electrification, software-defined vehicles, AI-driven development and new collaboration models are reshaping the sector faster than ever. Over the past three decades, the AEK has established itself as a platform where this transformation is not only discussed, but often actively shaped.
30 years of AEK – and the industry faces its next turning point
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Since its foundation, the AUTOMOBIL-ELEKTRONIK Kongress has evolved from a specialist event for electronics engineers into an international meeting point for the entire automotive ecosystem. Today, OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, semiconductor companies, software providers and technology players come together — in short, the industry’s “who’s who”.
The anniversary also highlights how dramatically the focus has shifted. Where discussions once centred on ECUs, wiring harnesses and traditional E/E architectures, attention has moved towards software platforms, centralised compute, over-the-air updates and artificial intelligence.
Vehicles are increasingly becoming digital systems on wheels. That is why AEK 2026 will once again revolve around a central question: how technological visions can be translated into industrial reality.
2026 becomes a reality check for SDVs
This shift is particularly evident in the field of software-defined vehicles. In recent years, the industry has developed numerous strategies and architectural concepts. However, 2026 is likely to reveal which companies can turn SDV concepts into robust, scalable systems — and which struggle with legacy structures or rigid development processes.
Martin Schleicher, Eclipse SDV Ambassador, summarises the change succinctly: “Traditional engineering virtues such as the pursuit of perfection are no longer sufficient in the SDV era. Flexibility is more important than fixed processes, and speed of response matters more than perfection.”
This is exactly what AEK 2026 will focus on: not just vision, but execution. The ability to deploy software quickly, securely and at scale will take centre stage. Topics such as hybrid zonal-central architectures, AI-supported development, release cycles and update capabilities will play a defining role.
Ultimately, SDV maturity will be measured by whether new functions and improvements can be rolled out reliably across entire vehicle fleets.
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S-CORE: from announced initiative to real implementation
The growing importance of AEK as a platform for strategic industry decisions was already evident in the previous edition. At the 2025 congress, eleven leading automotive companies signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on an open, cross-industry software ecosystem based on Eclipse S-CORE — including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Bosch, Continental, ZF, Valeo, ETAS, Hella and Vector Informatik.
The objective is clear: to jointly develop foundational software components such as middleware and basic services within an open framework, instead of duplicating efforts across companies. This approach aims to reduce development costs, accelerate innovation and free up resources for differentiating features.
That this initiative is moving beyond announcements is reflected in the AEK 2026 programme. In a joint presentation, Dr Thomas Irawan (ETAS) and Chris Salzmann (BMW Group) will outline how the initiative has progressed. Under the title “The Moment of Delivery: Turning Our Promise into Reality”, they will demonstrate how strategic commitments are translated into working software platforms.
A “code-first” approach is central to this development, placing functional code at the core of collaboration rather than lengthy coordination processes. The roadmap also outlines how S-CORE could evolve into a production-ready, certifiable software foundation, with a potential series rollout towards the end of the decade.
A global line-up for transformation
The first confirmed speakers for 2026 underline the ambition of the congress. Among those taking the stage are Dr Markus Heyn (Bosch), Peter Schiefer (Infineon), Lars Reger (NXP), Nakul Duggal (Qualcomm), Christian Sobottka (Harman), Dr Florian Weig (BMW), Magnus Östberg (Mercedes-Benz) and Dr Chengyin Yuan from the China Automotive Chip Industry Innovation Strategic Alliance (CACA).
With representatives from companies such as Google, Texas Instruments, Li Auto, Audi China and MicroVision, the line-up also reflects the increasing globalisation of automotive electronics.
Beyond traditional OEM and supplier perspectives, semiconductor companies, software platform providers and new mobility players are all part of the discussion — highlighting how the industry ecosystem continues to expand.
An anniversary with strategic relevance
That the AUTOMOBIL-ELEKTRONIK Kongress celebrates its 30th anniversary at one of the most transformative moments in the industry is more than symbolic. It underlines how central electronics and software have become to the vehicle — and how competitive advantage is increasingly defined by architecture, development speed and the ability to collaborate.
The AEK has accompanied this transformation for decades. In 2026, however, the congress may serve even more clearly as a barometer of the industry.
It is here that it becomes visible which technologies are ready for deployment, which partnerships have real substance, and which companies are truly capable of managing the transition from a product-driven industry to a software-defined system landscape.
When the industry’s leading figures gather again in Ludwigsburg in June 2026, the focus will not only be on 30 years of history. It will be on the next phase of automotive development — and on who will shape it. Find more event updates on the official AEK LinkedIn focus page.
