Navigating Tomorrow:​ Urban Mobility's Future Challenges​

4 December 2024 | Brussels, Belgium

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Margriet Van Schijndel-de Nooij

Program Director Responsible Mobility, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands.


Margriet van Schijndel has about 20 years of experience working with research programs and coordination. She is currently the Program Director Responsible Mobility within the Eindhoven Artificial Intelligence Systems Institute (EAISI) at Eindhoven University of Technology. She has also been serving as the EARPA Secretary General for 7 years, representing some 53 member organisations performing R&D activities in the field of road mobility research. Within EARPA, she now is Foresight Group leader on Connectivity, Automation and Safety. Furthermore, she is Cluster leader Key Enabling Technologies within the CCAM Partnership, and co-pillar leader on Innovative concepts, solutions and services.

She has been managing or coordinating several large national and European research projects such as UDRIVE, APROSYS, and several EU tender projects, with focus on e.g. large naturalistic driving study, evaluation and validation methodologies, large scale Field Testing, safety in automotive, vulnerable road user protection, ITS solutions for safer intersections, prevention of truck accidents and human modelling in automotive applications.

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Dr. Stephan Zecha

Head of Integrated Safety Systems, Continental Safety Engineering


Stephan is Head of Active and Integrated Systems at Continental Safety Engineering. Stephan has graduated at the Technical Universities of Munich and Delft in Aerospace Engineering and holds a PhD at the TU Munich.

Before Continental he worked for MT Aerospace, where he was a development engineer and project manager for launcher systems. Since 2001, Stephan joined Continental and had been working in different areas of active, passive and integrated safety development for road vehicles. He had initiated the development of Safe Infrastructure Systems due to his responsibilities in national research projects. Since 2018 he is responsible for active and integrated safety systems.

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Dr. Rajesh Tiwari

Senior Scientist, QinetiQ, SAE PNT Committee


Dr. Rajesh Tiwari is a senior scientist at QinetiQ, an Associate Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation, and an Honorary Fellow of the University of Nottingham, UK. He specializes in GNSS signal processing, navigation modelling, and is an expert in attitude determination using multiple GNSS receivers. Dr. Tiwari is proficient in RTK/PPP and developed an innovative integrity prototype for autonomous vehicle Level-5 in ESA NAVISP-El1, IMPACARS project, where he was the technical lead. He also applied short and long baseline (~20 km) RTK algorithms for driverless cars with sensor fusion, utilizing a 6-degree inertial sensor, magnetometer, and LiDAR. Dr. Tiwari was the technical lead of various ESA’s funded project. Dr. Tiwari has 15 years of experience in GNSS signal processing and sensor fusion, including eight years of academic research and six years of industrial research. During his academic career, he supervised four PhDs focused on precise positioning using multi-sensor data fusion for vehicular navigation. In the past six years in the industry, he has technically led various ESA NAVISP projects

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Dr. Pierluigi Mancini

Navigation Innovation and Support Program, Head of the NAVISP Program Office, Directorate of Navigation, ESA – European Space Agency


Specializing in electrical engineering, Pierluigi has initially graduated cum laudae from Naples University, then was awarded my Master's by the Polytechnic Institute of New York, and subsequently took a PhD at University College London.

He has more than 30 years of experience in the space sector where after several years of R&D activities in the spaceborne radar domain, and has been involved in the definition and implementation of several ESA missions such as ERS, Envisat, Small GeoSat as well as some key strategic developments in the field of space-based applications.

Pierluigi has been responsible for the Strategy and the Feasibility Studies Divisions in ESA’s Directorate of Telecommunications & Integrated Applications and in this capacity he conceptualized the actual creation of the Integrated Applications Program. Currently he is heading the NAVISP Program which aims to further foster European industry’s succeeding in the highly competitive and rapidly-evolving global market for satellite navigation, and more broadly Positioning Navigation Timing (PNT) technologies and services, while supporting the ESA Member States in enhancing their national objectives and capabilities in the sector.

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Rafael Lucas-Rodriguez

Navigation Innovation and Support Program, Head of Technical Program Office, Directorate of Navigation, ESA – European Space Agency 


Rafael Lucas-Rodriguez is a graduate in Telecommunications Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia at Barcelona, Spain. He has a wide experience on satellite navigation systems acquired at the European Space Agency in the frame of the EGNOS, Galileo and GNSS Evolutions programmes at various level of responsability. Rafael is currently the Head of the NAVISP Technical Programme Office, the programme of ESA aiming to support the development of novel position, navigation and time technologies and the competitiveness of industry on this field. From this position, Rafael is interested in fostering the utilization of space technologies leading towards more efficient and safer mobility regardless of the mode of transport envisaged.

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Isabella Panella

Head of AI in Digital Delivery Platform, Jaguar Land Rover, Gaydon, UK


Isabella is currently heading the AI chapter in DPP for JLR. She is an aerospace engineer and achieved first class honors from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Australia.

She holds an MBA from Cranfield University, UK and has over 23 years’ experience in applying AI technologies to complex systems.Her career started in aerospace, defense, and she has worked on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for X-listed companies in UK for 14 years. She created solution for Sensors Management Systems and Mission Management systems. Isabella delivered solutions for cloud architectures linked to Internet of Things (IoT) and Digital Twin, capitalizing the value of Big Data within the business she was in, including integration of satellite communication and unmanned aircraft swarm management and has been called as a subject matter expert by the European Commission in intelligent systems since 2016. She has been contributing to the international scientific community by publishing over 20 papers and leading the definition of an operational definition for industry to enable safe AI applications

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Dr. Nikos Tsampieris

Head of Transport for Logistics, ERTICO


A Greek national, Nikolaos Tsampieris holds a MEng in Electronics & Computer Engineering, an MSc in Digital Communication Systems and a PhD in Digital Signal Processing Techniques for Communication Systems. He also holds a patent for an Autonomous VSAT System, a patent for an Integrated Security System and a Patent on Content-based Routing. In addition, he is a senior visiting Research Fellow at Cranfield University in the UK.

Nikolaos has over twenty years of experience in Digital Signal Processing for Communication Systems, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN), IoT, embedded Security Systems, Cryptography and 5G. Before his engagement at ERTICO, he was leading the INLECOM IoT and security division and was the project manager for SELIS, a flagship EU program in Transport and Logistics. He has served as the International Programs Director at INTRACOM Defence Electronics, and as the General Manager of INFITHEON Technologies, overseeing the development of technologies, products and execution of European R&D and ESA programs and projects. He speaks Greek and English.

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Sanja Bandau

Navigation Innovation and Support Program, Business Development Officer, Directorate of Navigation, ESA – European Space Agency 


Sanja Bandau is the Business Development Officer within ESA’s Navigation Innovation and Support Programme (NAVISP), where she focuses on fostering commercial activities across the downstream segment of the Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) industry. Her work spans various sectors that rely on PNT information, with a particular emphasis on transportation and automotive industries. In these fields, Sanja promotes the development of innovative PNT solutions, advancing areas like autonomous driving, fleet management, and smart transportation systems. She supports market analysis, business intelligence, and partnership development in the PNT sector, expanding the use of PNT products and services across multiple markets.

Sanja graduated in geographical sciences, business economics, and a specialization in Innovation Sciences, where she focused on the Navigation and Earth observation markets. Passionate about PNT technology's impact on societal and economic growth, she is dedicated to fostering market expansion and innovation in these areas.

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Dr. Sven Beiker

Senior Scientist, QinetiQ


Dr. Sven Beiker has spent almost three decades focusing on the future of mobility and automotive safety during a career spanning BMW Group, McKinsey & Company, and Stanford University. Today, he is the Managing Director of Silicon Valley Mobility, a consulting and advisory firm he founded in 2017 specializing in technical diligence, product roadmaps and business models for mobility. Dr. Beiker is also an External Advisor to SAE International where he works with the industry association to further improve safety, efficiency, and convenience of automobiles and automated vehicles in particular. And he serves on advisory boards of several startups in the mobility space, as an advisor to the German American Chamber of Commerce in San Francisco, and as an advisor / co-editor to the Springer Lecture Notes in Mobility.

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Robert Sykora

Director of Europe, Ohmio Group


Robert leads the Luxembourg office for Ohmio Automotion – the European branch of the Australasian company. In his role he is responsible for the set-up of the business in Europe as well as advancing local R&D competence for the further development of the Ohmio LIFT Autonomous Shuttle vehicle.

He is a senior ITS professional with broad experience and a more than 35-years track record in managing and selling complex business and ITS services and solutions. With his sound background in the creation, growth and financial management of an ITS business, he provided consultancy, M&A, integration and supply services to the corporate ITS market. He has been involved in standardization for many years as a convenor, delegation leader and expert in ISO TC 204 and CEN TC 278. In Europe he is well known as member of several associations and advisory boards incl. ERTICO and the Board of Directors of the ITS World Congresses.

Robert holds a master’s degree (Dipl.- Inform.) in Computer Science.

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Dr Johanna Tzanidaki

Executive Director, EU Policy & Innovation Research at SAE Group Europe.

Dr. Johanna Tzanidaki has previously worked for the TomTom Group as Director of Public Affairs for 6.5 years and for ERTICO - ITS Europe as Director of Innovation and Deployment and Chief Innovation Officer for 6.5 years. She is an expert in Traffic Management and has launched and co-chaired the Innovation Platform TM 2.0 on Interactive Traffic Management since 2014. Johanna has been extensively involved in the advisory bodies consulting the European Commission on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS)-related policy and law (Delegated Regulations), and she has also been very active at the European Forums, contributing to the identification of R&D priorities under the EC Framework Programmes (C-ITS Platform, the Single Platform for CCAM, the CCAM Association). She was appointed a member of the US Transport Research Board (TRB, US Academy of Sciences) in April 2022. Johanna holds a PhD in EU Law from the Universities of Southampton and Cambridge, UK, and an LLM from Leiden Law School, NL. She also holds an MA and an MPhil from the UK Universities of Bristol and Cambridge, UK, and has professional qualifications in Project Management (PRINCE2), in CSR (Harvard Business School), and in Social Accountability (SAI).

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Dr. Young-Hee Lee

Scientific Researcher & Aerospace Engineer

Ms. Lee has a Ph.D. on camera-based navigation and sensor fusion for cooperative missions using multiple vehicles. Since 2022, she has been working at the Institute of Communications and Navigation of DLR, focusing on the safety and integrity of the navigation system for Urban Air Mobility (UAM). Her main research topic is marker-based vertical operation and multi-sensor navigation of UAM.

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Joao Laranjeira

Group Product Manager - ADAS & AD Software, TomTom

João Laranjeira is the Group Product Manager at TomTom, leading the development of software solutions for Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Autonomous Driving Systems (ADS). His team focuses on building a comprehensive suite of solutions that empower all levels of automation by delivering precise, detail-rich maps, enabling a unified navigation and ADAS driving experience.

With over a decade of experience in product management within the automotive sector, João brings extensive expertise in location technology. In previous roles, he led product management for TomTom's live services, including the flagship Traffic Information Services, where he was instrumental in developing and optimizing global traffic solutions.

João is also actively involved in industry initiatives such as the ADASIS board. He holds a Master’s degree in Strategy - Business Administration from the University of Amsterdam and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Universidade do Porto.

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Cécile Deprez

Researcher Next-Generation GNSS, Satellite positioning at German Aerospace Center

Cécile Deprez (she/they) is a researcher specializing in next-generation GNSSs at the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Cécile's expertise encompasses advancing positioning technologies for low-cost receivers, system architecture design for future satellite navigation systems, and high accuracy GNSS positioning for space and ground users. Beyond their scientific work, Cécile advocates for diversity in STEM through international speaking engagements, aiming to inspire the next generation of researchers to embrace their individuality and contribute to a more inclusive scientific community.

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Dr. Christian Scharnhorst

Director Automated Driving, Cross-Domain Computing Solutions, Bosch (Vice Chair, CCAM Association)

Christian Scharnhorst studied Business Administration in Hamburg and brings over 30 years of management experience in the pharmaceutical and automotive industries, with a proven track record of contributing to companies’ success. He began his career as a Product Manager at Beiersdorf AG, where he developed expertise in launching innovative products and driving profitable growth.

Since joining Robert Bosch in 2001, Christian has held various Product Management roles across multiple automotive divisions. He later served as the Head of Global Corporate Marketing before joining the leadership team for Automated Driving in 2019. In this capacity, he focuses on developing strategies for Highly Automated Driving and establishing partnerships with major Chinese start-ups. Christian has deep insights into the rapidly evolving ecosystem of automated mobility, particularly regarding business models that support the scaling of automated fleets for Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and Transport as a Service (TaaS).

His expertise spans the European, Chinese, and U.S. markets, where he has built extensive networks and gained valuable insights into go-to-market strategies and stakeholder decision-making processes. In 2022, he was elected Vice-Chair of the Administration Board of the CCAM (Co-programmed Partnership to establish Cooperative Connected Automated Mobility in Europe), further solidifying his leadership in the field.

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Aria Etemad

Sr. Project Manager at Volkswagen Group Innovation in Automated Driving

Aria Etemad is a Senior Project Manager at Volkswagen Group Innovation, specializing in Automated Driving. Since 2008, he has coordinated several European flagship projects in this field, including euroFOT, the first European large-scale field operational test to study the benefits of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) on traffic safety and efficiency, and L3Pilot, a major European pilot project aimed at introducing SAE Level 3 automated vehicles to European roads. Currently, he leads Hi-Drive, another flagship project focused on enhancing the robustness and reliability of Automated Driving.

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Christina Anagnostopoulou

Senior Researcher in ICCS of NTUA (National Technical University of Athens)


Electrical & Computer Engineer from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) in 2009, and a MSc in Environment Systems from The University of Tokyo (UTokyo) in 2013, where she remained as international researcher in Environmental Engineering focusing on renewable energy systems and sustainability. Based in Japan, she has gained industrial experience in the design, development and implementation of large-scale energy projects in the private energy sector. Joined the team of ICCS since 2017 as a senior project manager being active in research and development activities in the areas of ITS, electromobility, CCAM, Urban Air Mobility and application of innovative technologies in several fields, while she is representing ICCS in several ITS related platforms and communities, such as in the recent IDI Platform on Innovative Arial Services co-founded by ERTICO-ITS Europe.

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Dr. Oihana Otaegui

Director of Transport & Security Division, VICOMTECH


Oihana Otaegui earned her engineering degree and Ph.D. from the University of Navarra, where she specialized in applied technologies for industrial innovation in transportation. Her research career began at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS), contributing to advanced projects in optimized systems. Currently, she leads the Intelligent Transportation Systems division at Vicomtech, with a focus on trustworthy AI, big data, and communications for the automotive sector, bridging academic insights with industry needs to support Europe’s vision for ethical and safe mobility solutions. Otaegui actively contributes to European research initiatives as a member of the Executive Boards of EARPA, CCAM Partnership, BDVA.

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