27 October 2022. The University of St.Gallen (HSG) has founded the "Lab for Smart Mobility" with PwC Germany. The new think tank will develop and test future models for connected and sustainable mobility. The research institution started its activities at HSG in October 2022 and offers three doctoral positions. The Lab is located at the Institute for Mobility (IMO-HSG), headed by HSG mobility expert Prof. Dr. Andreas Herrmann. 

Solutions for innovative forms of mobility
The automotive industry is facing the biggest upheaval in its history: the digital transformation in society has also ensured that the demand for connected, autonomous and electric driving is increasingly on the rise. The Lab for Smart Mobility is investigating these changes and their significant impact on people's mobility behaviour. The Lab is also exploring the question of where this new mobility industry will settle and what solutions it will need to offer in the future. "The challenges of transforming mobility are enormous. To develop new solutions, we also need to ask new questions. Through the close exchange with the IMO-HSG, we expect to uncover new and dynamic ideas", says Felix Kuhnert, Automotive Leader at PwC Germany.

Science with practical relevance
"In the new Lab, we want to put current mobility systems to the test. Our goal is to research mobility behaviour in order to make getting around more efficient, accessible and environmentally friendly in the future. According to our research to date, more accessible mobility options increase the likelihood of people being able to lift themselves out of poverty in many regions of the world," says Andreas Herrmann, head of the Lab for Smart Mobility. In the coming months, PwC will work with HSG to develop further concrete study topics and research questions that will be investigated as part of academic dissertations.