At Automotive IQ’s recent online Autonomous Vehicle event, industry experts came together to discuss the technological and organisational challenges that must be addressed to bring scalable, safe, and trusted autonomous systems to market.
Across three panel discussions, several common themes emerged: the need to scale AI beyond proof-of-concept deployments, the importance of earning public trust, and the growing role of cybersecurity in protecting increasingly software-centric vehicles.
Scaling AI and SDV Architectures for Higher Levels of Autonomy
The event opened with the panel discussion, How AI and SDV Architectures Are Enabling Next Generation Scalable L3, L3+ and L4 Autonomy, moderated by David Doria, Director of Engineering – Automated Driving at Magna International, joined by Ahmed AbuTabl, Engineering Director and Head of Global Software Engineering – Body Control at FORVIA HELLA, and Sergey Malygin, CEO of SODA.Auto.
A key theme was the industry’s transition from developing autonomous driving algorithms to scaling them for production deployment. While AI capabilities have advanced significantly in recent years, the panel agreed that the next challenge lies in creating the engineering systems, validation frameworks, and development workflows required to deploy these technologies at scale.
The discussion highlighted the growing importance of zonal architectures and centralised compute platforms as foundational enablers of software-defined vehicles. By consolidating multiple electronic control units and reducing wiring complexity, zonal architectures provide the computing power and flexibility needed to support advanced driver assistance systems and future autonomous driving applications.
The panel also explored the evolution of autonomous driving systems from traditional sensor fusion approaches toward end-to-end AI models. As vehicles become more software driven, testing and validation strategies must evolve accordingly. Speakers emphasised the need for integrated testing environments that combine simulation, software validation, and vehicle-level testing to manage growing system complexity.
Looking ahead, technologies such as V2X communication could further enhance vehicle intelligence by enabling access to external data sources, real-time infrastructure information, and potentially off-board computing resources.
Building Public Trust in Robotaxis
While technology remains a critical enabler of autonomy, the second panel demonstrated that public acceptance may be an equally important challenge.
During the session, “Overcoming Skepticism: How to Build Public Trust in Robotaxis,” Aitor Pena Morales, Regional Sales Excellence Lead – Spain and Portugal, BYD Europe and Philip Koopman, Faculty Emeritus at Carnegie Mellon University, examined how autonomous vehicle companies ca,n build confidence among consumers and regulators.
A central takeaway was that trust cannot be achieved through technical performance alone. The panellists argued that transparency, accountability, and effective communication are essential for building long-term confidence in autonomous systems.
Rather than relying solely on statistical safety claims, companies must communicate in ways that resonate with consumers. People often respond more strongly to individual incidents and stories than to abstract safety metrics, making proactive communication and transparency particularly important when issues arise.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of customer experience design. Early deployments of robotaxi services will need to deliver clear, intuitive user experiences that help passengers understand what the vehicle is doing and why. Future solutions may include more user-friendly interfaces, visual indicators, or AI-powered assistance systems designed to reduce uncertainty and improve confidence.
Preparing for the Next Generation of Automotive Cyber Security
The event concluded with a panel on future-proofing cyber security for autonomous vehicles, moderated by Florian Rohde, Managing Partner at iProcess LLC, and featuring Dr. Sheikh Mahbub Habib, Head of Product Cybersecurity and Privacy Innovation at AUMOVIO.
With cyber security becoming a core pillar of both safety and trust, Dr. Habib explained that modern vehicles introduce significantly larger attack surfaces through connected services, software integrations, and third-party ecosystems.
Particular attention was given to the future threat posed by quantum computing. While large-scale quantum attacks remain years away, the industry is already preparing by adopting post-quantum cryptographic standards and more flexible, crypto-agile vehicle architectures that can adapt to future security requirements.
The discussion reinforced the importance of incorporating cyber security considerations at the earliest stages of vehicle development. Secure over-the-air updates, authenticated software delivery, continuous vulnerability management, and close collaboration between OEMs and suppliers will all be critical to maintaining vehicle security throughout the lifecycle.
Looking Ahead
The event highlighted that the future of autonomous mobility extends far beyond AI algorithms alone. Success will depend on scalable SDV architectures, robust validation processes, transparent communication with consumers, and resilient cyber security foundations. As the industry progresses toward higher levels of autonomy, organisations that successfully combine these elements will be best positioned to deliver safe, trusted, and commercially viable autonomous vehicle solutions.
These topics, and more, will be explored at Automotive IQ’s SDV & AV Technology 2026 conferences.
Find out more about SDV & AV Technology Silicon Valley 2026 here.
Find out more about SDV & AV Technology Europe 2026 here.
