The engineer Carl Benz was born in Karlsruhe and one of the pioneers of mobility. 125 years ago, he succeeded in inventing the automobile. On January 29, 1886, it was patented officially under No. 3 74 35, and his wife Bertha set out on a first drive from Mannheim to Pforzheim. Baden-Württemberg still is an important location of major automotive manufacturers and suppliers. Hence, the state of Baden-Württemberg will celebrate the invention of the automobile with a number of exhibitions and events in 2011. KIT now is one of ten winners of the competition of ideas for celebration events.
KIT plans to open its laboratories and vehicle test rigs on the premises of the former Mackensen barracks to the interested public on July 02, 2011. Latest research results of the more than 800 scientists conducting research in the field of mobility systems will be demonstrated. The exciting future of mobility can be experienced. Mobility systems research mainly focuses on the future of the automobile and its important, but changed role in the mobility mix of the next years. KIT creates the basis for automobile innovations, some of which are presently being implemented in cooperation with large automotive manufacturers and supply companies in Baden-Württemberg. In the future, this fruitful cooperation will even gain importance.
“At our open house event, visitors will be provided an exclusive insight into the world of mobility research. Laboratory visits, popular scientific lectures, test drives, and a large accompanying program will offer information and entertainment for young and old. People will have the opportunity to experience the future of mobility,” underlines Dr. Thomas Windmann, coordinator of the 2011 Automobile Summer at KIT. The event will include a program for children with presentations of the KIT Children’s University, pupils laboratories, and a rallye. To present an entertaining artistic program, KIT will cooperate with media partners in order to attract many visitors.
The following topics will be covered by this event: Fuels of the future (fuel from biomass, hydrogen, energy stores), e-mobility (project house e-drive, electric drives, steer-by-wire, stores), lightweight construction (component optimization, test rigs, bionics, production technology), light technology (visibility conditions, perceptibility, safety), navigation and assistance systems (vehicle control, traffic control, logistics, driver assistance systems, cognitive vehicles). Under the heading of “studying racing”, KIT supports the KA Racing Team that will soon participate in electric car races.
Professor Horst Hippler, President of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, has all reasons to be proud. “We are very happy about this success of KIT. Under the heading of The Future of Mobility, KIT will make an excellent contribution to the 2011 Automobile Summer.” The event will demonstrate that KIT is the mobility campus in Germany.
Being “The Research University in the Helmholtz Association”, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 10,000 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,800 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.