CEO Talks is a quarterly format by TTTECH that explores key technologies and trends across industries. One of these is the shift from automation to autonomy, which is closely linked to the challenges industries are facing – from the energy transition to labor shortages, and sustainability demands.
Martin Pottendorfer, Director Autonomous Operations at TTCONTROL joined TTTECH’s CEO and co-founder Georg Kopetz, sharing insights on how TTTECH and TTCONTROL are supporting this trend, from high-performance computing and AI integration to cybersecurity and cross-industry collaboration. In the off-highway sector, particularly in agriculture, construction, and municipal services, autonomous systems are being implemented to optimize processes, reduce resource consumption, and enable safer operations. Find some of the key talking points below:
High-performance computing (HPC) and its role as the “brain” of modern machinery
With HPC, it is possible to aggregate and process a large amount of sensor and camera data, using AI-powered algorithms for safety-critical decisions. This is the base for a high degree of automation and for taking the operator out of the control look in autonomous systems. TTCONTROL offers its performance computing FusionAI and MotionAI to meet the demands of the off-highway market and support software-defined machines that can evolve over time through software updates.
Customer expectations – from modularity, connectivity, and AI-readiness to cybersecurity and functional safety
Customer needs are the starting point for introducing new functionalities. When new applications are designed, companies want them to be modular and cost-effective as well. Here, Martin Pottendorfer highlights the role of TTCONTROL’s Application Development Center (ADC), which supports OEMs throughout the machine lifecycle, so they can experiment with and adapt new technologies in a controlled environment. As machines are becoming more connected, aside from functional safety, cybersecurity is becoming non-negotiable and must be integrated into solutions from the very beginning.
Cross-industry collaboration as the basis for tackling technological and scientific challenges
Ecosystems play a key role for both TTTECH and TTCONTROL. TTCONTROL is a founding member of the Autonomous Operations Cluster (AOC), where five companies share their vision and jointly develop solutions for defined problem areas. They solve domain-agnostic parts together, with each company later adapting the solutions to their specific needs. Georg Kopetz also highlights The Autonomous, a key industry platform for autonomous mobility across industries. TTTECH is a founding member and TTCONTROL is contributing to the off-highway perspectives in 2026.
Looking to the future of autonomy
In the off-highway sector, agriculture is seen asa forerunner in the implementation of autonomous operations, closely followed by construction, municipal services, and mining. In other sectors, like aerospace and industrial machinery, autonomy is also seen as a key enabler as digitalization progresses. Cross-industry collaboration can support faster adaptation based on learnings from different applications.
Check out the full interview at TTTECH’s website
