DEKRA Brings Expert Knowledge to the International Transport Forum in Leipzig

May 13, 2026Mobility

It is an everyday scene you can find in any city: A cyclist is rolling toward an intersection, a truck is blocking the view, and at the same time a car approaches. No one is driving particularly fast, no one is doing anything obvious wrong – and yet a split second is enough for the situation to turn dangerous. Situations like these were part of the International Transport Forum (ITF) Summit 2026 in Leipzig – and DEKRA’s contribution showed how technology can prevent crashes and make transportation systems more resilient.

The ITF Summit in Leipzig as a Stage for Safe and Resilient Mobility

The ITF Summit is considered the world’s largest gathering of transport ministers. Government representatives, industry leaders, and experts from around the globe come together to discuss how to make mobility safer and more sustainable.

This year, DEKRA was taking part for the first time as a member of the ITF Corporate Partnership Board – and used the platform to showcase concrete solutions: from connected vehicles to cyclist safety and independent battery testing for electric vehicles.

In the opening plenary, DEKRA CEO Stan Zurkiewicz addressed the summit’s central question: How do we finance a resilient transportation system – and why is this investment worth it?

Resilience pays when investment is complemented by strong governance, trusted data and independent assurance across the full lifecycle of transport assets and systems.

Stan Zurkiewicz, CEO DEKRA

Live Demo of V2X Technology in Leipzig: When Cars Talk to Each Other

The topic of safety became especially tangible in a live demonstration during the summit’s side program. Supported by the Coalition for Cyclist Safety, DEKRA experts showed how so‑called V2X technologies (vehicle-to-everything) can save lives.

Vehicles communicate with each other and with their surroundings, for example with infrastructure or mobile devices. This allows them to warn of hazards before people can even perceive them.

Cyclists and pedestrians face a particularly high risk of serious or even fatal injuries, especially at unclear intersections in dense urban traffic. V2X technology can create an entirely new level of safety here because it warns road users of critical situations at an early stage, long before they would recognize them on their own.

The live demo in Leipzig covered three realistic scenarios:

A car and a cyclist approach an intersection, and a truck blocks the line of sight.
A car approaches a slower cyclist from behind.
A car turns into the cyclist’s lane.

In all three cases, the technology issues an early warning before a human can see the danger. Often, situations like these emerge without a clearly identifiable party at fault. Enabling early awareness is therefore absolutely essential.

Building Trust in E-Mobility: DEKRA’s Patented Battery Test

Safety and resilience do not end at the intersection. They also matter when people decide whether to buy a used electric vehicle.

For DEKRA, one thing is clear: Without a functioning used-car market, electric mobility will struggle to gain widespread acceptance. One of the biggest barriers is uncertainty about the condition of the traction battery.

Uncertainties around the state of health of the traction battery are among the main obstacles for this development. With our patented state-of-health test, which we are also showcasing at the summit, we are able to determine the battery’s remaining capacity independently, quickly, and precisely, giving potential buyers peace of mind and enabling trust.

Christoph Nolte, Executive Vice President at DEKRA and Head of the Service Division Vehicles.

The test measures the battery’s state of health and is designed to bring transparency to the market. The patented method can already be applied to nearly 160 different battery models.

Resilience in safe mobility comes at a price – but so does doing nothing

n the opening plenary, Stan Zurkiewicz joined government representatives and industry leaders to discuss how to finance resilient transportation systems – and why they are worth the cost. His core message: It is not just about new technology, but also about a new mindset.

Artificial intelligence in transportation: Innovation, yes but with a safety net

Another ministerial session focused on the next major topic for the future: artificial intelligence in transportation. How can AI be used in ways that make systems more resilient and safer – while maintaining public trust at the same time?

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into transport, authorities must balance the drive for innovation with the need to uphold safety, cybersecurity, and public trust.

Stan Zurkiewicz, CEO DEKRA.

From DEKRA’s perspective, independent testing and certification play a key role. They help ensure that AI applications in transportation are not only innovative but also reliable. Investment rules should link funding directly to measurable outcomes – for example in terms of safety, resilience, and accountability.

DEKRA as a Bridge Builder for Safe Mobility Between Policy, Industry, and Practice

Across all formats – live demos, plenaries, and ministerial sessions – one common thread ran through DEKRA’s presence at the ITF Summit 2026: Only when policymakers, industry, and independent experts work closely together can transportation systems become safer, more sustainable, and more resilient at the same time.

The scene at the intersection – with a cyclist, a truck, and a car – is more than just a demo scenario. It stands for a future of transportation in which technology, smart regulation, and independent testing go hand in hand, so that dangerous situations are addressed before it is too late.