EUCAR Press Release: Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, speaks at the EUCAR Annual Event 2025
Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, speaks at the EUCAR Annual Event 2025
Brussels, 26 and 27 November 2025 — The EUCAR Annual Event 2025, held on 26–27 November at Autoworld Brussels, brought together Europe’s leading automotive innovators, researchers, industry experts, and policymakers to discuss the transformation of the automotive landscape and the strategic role of Research & Innovation (R&I).
This year’s event marked a pivotal moment for the European automotive industry. Amid rising global competition from new entrants with shorter innovation cycles, supported by significant financial backing and lower production costs, EUCAR highlighted the critical need for accelerated, collaborative, and impact-driven research and innovation to uphold Europe’s leadership in sustainable, digital, and resilient mobility technologies.
Commissioner Zaharieva addresses the Industrial Steering Forum
On 26 November, the Industrial Steering Forum met ahead of the EUCAR Reception evening with Ekaterina Zaharieva, the European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation. In her message, Commissioner Zaharieva emphasised:
‘The future of automotive research and innovation will be about turning bold ideas into concrete, deployable solutions. Because to innovate is to survive. But surviving is not our ambition. We want to lead! To really lead, we must deploy solutions that are competitive and affordable, at scale.’
The EUCAR Conference on 27 November featured a rich programme of expert sessions and discussions. The agenda included sessions on
- Successful Innovation,
- Digitalisation Drives Innovation, followed by a high-level panel debate on
- Speed, Scale and Intensity for Automotive R&I.
Distinguished speakers included: Nikolai Ardey, EUCAR President, Executive Director, Volkswagen Group Innovation, Sven Wittfoth, Head of Foresight & Open Innovation, Volkswagen Group Innovation, Biagio Ciuffo, Deputy Head of the Sustainable Smart and Safe Mobility Unit, JRC, Helene Niklasson, VP Innovation Ecosystems & Partnerships, Head of CampX, Volvo Group, Jan Bosch, Professor, Chalmers University of Technology, Thibaut Kleiner, Director, DG CONNECT, European Commission, Patrick Schaufuss, Partner, McKinsey & Company, Pierre Millette, CTO, ACEA, Stephen Marvin, Director R&D, PFA, Muriel Attané, Secretary General, EARTO.
Discussions centred on Europe’s capacity to innovate at scale, the impact of digitalisation on industrial transformation, and the urgency of accelerating R&I cycles to remain globally competitive.
Exhibition highlights: innovation on display
Participants also had the opportunity to explore an exhibition showcasing demonstrators and technologies from EUCAR members. A highlight was the presentation of the EU-funded Hi-Drive project, Europe’s flagship initiative on connected and automated driving. Hi-Drive exemplifies the power of close collaboration between industry, academia and policymakers, demonstrating that highly automated driving is both feasible and safe across different road environments in Europe.
A shared ambition for European leadership in automotive innovation
The EUCAR Annual Event 2025 reaffirmed that Research & Innovation are Europe’s strongest assets in shaping the future of mobility. Through strategic cooperation, targeted investment and strong political support, Europe can accelerate the transition to a climate-neutral, intelligent and competitive automotive ecosystem.