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DEKRA contributes expertise to ITF Summit in Leipzig

Safe, sustainable, and resilient transport systems: Tackling a diverse set of challenges

May 07, 2026Safety on the road

  • The world’s largest gathering of transport ministers
  • DEKRA CEO speaks alongside high-ranking officials and industry leaders
  • Technical demonstration showcases V2X technologies’ potential to save lives

At the 2026 ITF Summit in Leipzig, Germany, the international expert organization DEKRA is contributing its expertise on safe and sustainable future mobility. After becoming a member of the ITF Corporate Partnership Board earlier this year, DEKRA is participating with high-ranking representatives. CEO Stan Zurkiewicz was part of the Opening Plenary of the summit, which is themed “Funding Resilient Transport”. In a live demonstration, DEKRA showcased practical innovation, namely V2X (vehicle-to-everything) technologies and their potential to avoid collisions involving cyclists, as well as the company’s own patented battery state-of-health test for electric vehicles.

Achieving safe, sustainable, and resilient transport systems requires close collaboration between policymakers, industry and independent third parties. Having been active in road safety for more than 100 years, we at DEKRA want to bring our unique expertise to the table. It is great to have the opportunity at this high-profile event”, says DEKRA CEO Stan Zurkiewicz. The ITF Summit in Leipzig is the world’s largest gathering of transport ministers and the premier global transport policy event.

Live demonstration of V2X technology

In a live demonstration supported by the Coalition for Cyclist Safety, DEKRA experts showed how V2X technologies can save lives on the road. “Cyclists and pedestrians face a significant risk of serious injury or fatal accidents, especially in complex intersection scenarios in urban traffic”, says Christoph Nolte, Executive Vice President of DEKRA and Head of the Service Division Vehicles. “V2X can open up a whole new level of safety by alerting road users to potentially dangerous situations even before they could actually notice them.”
The demonstration consisted of three different real-life scenarios: a car and a cyclist both approaching an intersection with a truck obstructing the view, a car coming up behind a slow-riding cyclist, and a car turning into a cyclist’s path. “Situations like these happen on our roads every day and put lives at risk, often without anybody being really at fault. Our awareness is based on perception, so being made aware of critical situations early can make a vital difference”, says Nolte.

DEKRA’s patented EV battery state-of-health test

In terms of sustainable future mobility, electric vehicles are an important factor. For e mobility to be more widely adopted, a functioning used-car market is essential, DEKRA experts are sure. “Uncertainties around the state of health of the traction battery are among the main obstacles for this development”, says Christoph Nolte. “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.” So far, almost 160 car models can be tested with the patented procedure.

Opening Plenary and Ministers’ Roundtable

In the Opening Plenary, DEKRA CEO Stan Zurkiewicz spoke alongside government officials and industry leaders on the price of resilient transport. “Resilience pays when investment is complemented by strong governance, trusted data and independent assurance across the full lifecycle of transport assets and systems. This requires a shift from reactive crisis management to proactive, system‑wide performance oversight, giving investors, operators, and citizens confidence that transport systems will function under stress. The key question, therefore, is not whether we can afford resilience, but whether we can afford its absence”, he stated.
At a Ministers’ Roundtable, governance and funding for the use of AI in improving transport resilience were discussed. The DEKRA CEO had a clear message for the decision-makers: “As AI becomes increasingly integrated into transport, authorities must balance the drive for innovation with the need to uphold safety, cybersecurity, and public trust. Robust independent testing, certification, and lifecycle oversight are critical for translating AI principles into tangible, reliable outcomes. Investment frameworks should connect funding directly to measurable safety, resilience, and accountability goals.
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