Autonomous systems work, but proving they function safely across thousands of edge cases has become the defining challenge of our time. Instead of celebrating software milestones, the industry is slamming into a homologation wall, realizing that legal liability and digital validation are the true bottlenecks preventing autonomous deployment.

Coming to you from the floor of Tech.AD Berlin 2026, this special dispatch brings together five engineering and strategic leaders: Pierre Vincent and Emmanuel Follin (ANSYS/Synopsys), Gordon Köfner (Cadence/VTD), José Rui Simões (Critical Software), and Khaled Alomari (MHP). With these experts, we talk about the increasing complexity that automated and autonomous driving bring to an already complex SDV world, and how homologation and testing are at the center stage.

🔍 In this episode, you will:

▶ Discover how generative AI shrinks complex test scenario creation from three weeks down to minutes. 

▶ Navigate the radical shift from traditional Tier 1 waterfall dynamics to a smartphone-like partnership model. 

▶ Understand why digital homologation and unresolved legal liability remain the ultimate autonomous deployment gatekeepers. 

▶ Learn how to avoid brute-force validation by targeting only the meaningful scenarios that add true engineering value.

This expert panel features technical leaders who have successfully architected advanced simulation toolchains, deployed safety-critical embedded systems, and structured complex OEM partnerships globally. Together, they are building the critical infrastructure required to test physical AI and bring certified autonomous vehicles onto public roads.

"Under the Hood: Automotive Storytelling" uncovers the human narratives driving innovation in an industry that impacts lives worldwide. Hosted by Stéphane Lagresle, this podcast explores how the power of storytelling ultimately connects technology to humans.