The German Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure Alexander Dobrindt signed an innovation agreement today for setting up radar sensors in the “Digital Autobahn Test Zone” – together with Dr. Reinhard Ploss, CEO of Infineon Technologies AG (FSE: IFX / OTCQX: IFNNY) and Dr. Jochen Eickholt, CEO of the Mobility Division of Siemens AG. In the future, state-of-the-art technology will be used on the A9 autobahn in Bavaria, Germany to obtain highly accurate real-time data on traffic flow, traffic density, speed and driving behavior.

"The A9 in Bavaria will be the first intelligent and fully digitized road," said Federal Minister Alexander Dobrindt. "Innovative radar sensors will provide us with real-time traffic data in the Digital Autobahn Test Zone, thus laying the foundation for smart traffic control and communication between vehicles and infrastructure. We will make all the data available openly on our mCLOUD portal so that founders and startups can use it to develop digital applications for automated and connected driving."

"Connecting automated vehicles to digital control systems opens up new opportunities," said Dr. Reinhard Ploss. "By reliably collecting and processing data from their surroundings, assistance systems will make driving safer and more convenient. Exchanging data with the infrastructure and other vehicles will supply additional information, to enable anticipatory driving and improve the traffic flow. Sensors, controllers, power electronics and security chips from Infineon make this development possible. Microelectronics is a key technology for automated and connected driving." As part of the innovation agreement, Infineon will supply the necessary radar components and provide expertise on integrating them into the overall system.

"Siemens is the world's leading provider of digital mobility solutions," said Dr. Jochen Eickholt. "Our aim is to help shape the future of automated driving on the road. By signing this agreement, we will bring automated and connected driving on Germany's roads a significant step forward. Vehicles will increasingly exchange information with each other and their surrounding infrastructure. This will increase the traffic capacity on the road, since it will be used more efficiently, intelligently and safely."

The first phase of the project will involve setting up around ten sensor installations in the Digital Autobahn Test Zone. These are scheduled to go into operation in 2017. The Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI), Siemens and Infineon will invest several millions in the project over the coming years.

The collected data will lay the foundation for innovative traffic applications, for example:

• Individual traffic lane recommendations ("fast lane") that determine the best traffic lane based on lane utilization, destination and speed.
• Intelligent speed limits that adjust the permitted speed to traffic density.
• Digital early warning systems that notify drivers of heavy traffic, obstructions and risk situations.

The Digital Autobahn Test Zone and mobility of the future

Transport Minister Dobrindt set up the Digital Autobahn Test Zone (“Digitales Testfeld Autobahn”) on the A9 autobahn in Bavaria, Germany on September 4, 2015 as an open technology project for industry and research. Innovative companies from Germany and abroad can try out forward-looking systems and technologies in real conditions. During a visit to Infineon's headquarters on January 18, 2016, Dobrindt acknowledged the importance of microelectronics as the key technology for the mobility of the future. "Innovative companies such as Infineon demonstrate that Germany is a trailblazer for mobility 4.0," said Dobrindt in January.