Normally she is in Brussels, but for Automotive Week Suzanna Kraak travels specially to Helmond. During her keynote, the policy officer at the European Commission will give an update on the topic she deals with on a daily basis: connected, cooperative and automated mobility (CCAM).

What can you tell us about your work?

‘I am policy officer within the Future Urban & Mobility Systems theme at the European Commission. I work for the DG Research and Innovation department. Together with my colleagues, I deal with the funding of research projects and initiatives: how do they relate to European strategies? We do that mainly within the scientific European R&I Investment framework: the Horizon Europe Work Programmes 2021-2027.’

How do all these technological developments translate into your work?

‘Cameras, AI, digital maps, electrification… Developments within the mobility sector are moving at lightning speed. Especially in the field of digitisation and automation. This also demands a lot from us. It is up to me and my colleagues to support the advancement of all these technologies within this complex industry, in order to innovate in the field of mobility and sustainability. In 2020, we set up the CCAM Partnership to propose a coherent and long-term research and innovation agenda until 2030.

As a public organisation (European Commission) and with our public-private CCAM Partnership, we will then sit down with all parties to discuss the innovation agenda. With the aim of making transport safer, more sustainable and smarter. Our research is dedicated, we really innovate to tackle the challenges of the transport sector’.

So which parties will you be dealing with?

‘If you look at the automotive sector, the stakeholder community is huge: from road hauliers to OEMs and from local authorities to research institutes. Everyone has a different interest and a different way of working. The step from design, development and production is quite a puzzle.’

What is your keynote about?

‘I will talk on behalf of the European Commission about our activities in the field of transport and give an update on the theme of connected, cooperative and automated mobility. I will also zoom in on the transition of mobility and transport within cities. After all, the built environment is the first to be affected by these developments. In short: with my keynote, I hope to give all parties present an idea of what we are working on and how these developments will affect them.’

What do you think is the added value of Automotive Week?

‘This week is a great opportunity to get informed about the latest developments in the mobility sector in a relatively short time, also for me. I find it valuable to know what mobility innovations other professionals are working on. What challenges do they face? What can we learn from each other? And are there also similarities with what we do at the European Commission? I will actively look for (local) parties interested in joining our CCAM Partnership. Because connected, cooperative and automated mobility on our roads and in our cities starts with innovation and research!’

Suzanna Kraak’s keynote is on Tuesday 18 April at 10.00 am.