Innovation Increasingly Happens in Ecosystems
Automotive Campus on the changing automotive sector and the road to Drive Forward 2027
With Drive Forward 2027 on the horizon, preparations are underway for the next edition of the European automotive and mobility conference. In the run-up to the event, we speak with key figures who are closely involved in shaping the themes, ambitions and direction of Drive Forward.
This time, we spoke with Sascha Bloemhoff of Automotive Campus about the changing role of the automotive sector, the importance of ecosystems and the campus as a living lab for the mobility industry of the future.
A Sector That Reaches Far Beyond Vehicles
Looking back at the previous edition of Drive Forward, Sascha says the event confirmed how broad and strategically important the automotive sector has become.
“It is no longer just about vehicles. Today, automotive is about an entire chain of technology, software, materials, production, logistics and services.”
For Automotive Campus, Drive Forward created new connections between OEMs, suppliers, scale-ups, knowledge institutions and public partners. What stood out most was the growing importance of collaboration in an increasingly complex supply chain.
“Innovation is happening less and less within a single organisation, and more and more within ecosystems.”
At the same time, mobility is becoming part of larger societal systems, especially the energy system. Electric vehicles, smart charging and data integration are making mobility not only cleaner, but also smarter and more connected to the energy transition.
“That has strengthened our ambition to further develop the campus as a place of business and as a living lab where this connection becomes visible, tangible and directly applicable.”
A Meeting Place for the Mobility Industry of the Future
Today, Automotive Campus is increasingly developing into a place where the future of mobility can be built, tested and experienced.
According to Sascha, the automotive sector is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Vehicles are becoming software-driven, decarbonisation and electrification are changing the value chain, and data, digitalisation and smart production processes are becoming more decisive.
“The supply chain is becoming broader, more international and more strategic. New players are entering the market, while traditional parties need to take on new roles.”
This also increases the importance of system integration. Vehicles are no longer standalone products, but part of a broader mobility and energy system in which smart charging, energy storage and digital control are becoming increasingly important.
“That is exactly where the strength of the campus lies: bringing together companies, researchers and governments around innovation, talent development and practical application.”
The ambition is clear: to further grow Automotive Campus into what Sascha describes as a mini-society.
“We want the campus to be a place where future mobility solutions are not only developed, but also experienced.”
The Themes of Drive Forward 2027
The developments at Automotive Campus closely align with the themes heading towards Drive Forward 2027. The automotive sector is in the middle of a transformation in which technology development, supply chains, digitalisation and the energy transition are becoming increasingly connected.
From the perspective of the campus, Sascha sees major opportunities in smart manufacturing, battery and materials innovation, software-defined vehicles, autonomous systems and new forms of collaboration across the value chain.
But one theme stands out in particular: the connection between mobility and energy.
“Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly relevant as part of a flexible energy system, for example through smart charging and vehicle-to-grid applications.”
At the same time, there is urgency. Europe must remain competitive, maintain access to technology and talent, and become faster at scaling innovation.
“Drive Forward 2027 can play an important role by bringing together parties from across the entire value chain — from startups to OEMs and from policymakers to technology companies.”
Where New Connections Begin
Looking ahead to the next edition, Sascha is especially looking forward to the new connections that will emerge between different parts of the automotive and mobility sector.
“The innovations that will define the coming years are emerging at the intersection of technology, production, digitalisation and energy.”
For Sascha, Drive Forward should be more than a place where companies meet. It should be a place where collaboration starts.
“I hope Drive Forward 2027 becomes a place where companies not only meet each other, but where real partnerships are formed that accelerate the next step in mobility.”
It is also an opportunity for visitors to experience how the automotive world is changing: smarter, more digital, more sustainable and far more connected to other systems in society.
A Living Lab for Europe’s Automotive Future
During Drive Forward 2027, Sascha hopes to engage with parties from across the entire automotive value chain: OEMs, suppliers, software companies, battery developers, grid operators, scale-ups and public partners.
The central question is clear.
“How do we ensure that Europe maintains a strong, innovative and future-proof automotive sector in a world where technology, supply chains and energy systems are changing rapidly?”
For Sascha, Automotive Campus has an important role to play in answering that question.
“The campus can act as a neutral meeting place and living lab where innovations come together more quickly, are tested in practice and ultimately find their way to the market and society.”
That is also what makes Drive Forward relevant: it brings together the people, technologies and partnerships needed to move Europe’s automotive and mobility ecosystem forward.
Drive Forward 2027 will take place on 14 and 15 April 2027 at Automotive Campus in Helmond, the Netherlands.
