“Welcome to your personal ride to the DOCT Final Event” – with these words, an AI-generated voice welcomed around 60 guests in the elevator to the Heinrich Hertz Antenna Measurement Hall at Mercedes-Benz. A fitting introduction to an impressive event that combined high-tech with experience.

At the heart of the event was the Digital Twin Concept, developed as part of the DOCT (Digital OTA Connectivity Twin) project, funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and the European Union. Over three years, eight partners from industry, research, and technology collaborated to significantly improve the safety of in-vehicle connectivity systems through its digital twin concept and innovative testing methods.

Along the central project graphic, it was illustrated how real-world environments are digitally captured, key performance indicators (KPIs) identified, and then transformed into a digital twin through the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning. The proof of concept impressively demonstrated how this leads to a scalable, reproducible testing environment – marking a significant milestone in the validation of modern vehicle communication systems.

In an accompanying exhibition, participants were able to learn more about the concrete project results – including test drives in real networks, antenna comparisons, and a newly developed method for emulating radio environments. This method allows systems to be validated even before real test drives, enabling more efficient use of resources.

“EICT was a great support in the project – always excellently informed, prepared, and organized, and played a key role in making today’s event possible.” With these words, Steffen Baumgärtner, consortium leader of the DOCT project at Mercedes-Benz, acknowledged the role of EICT GmbH, which co-coordinated the project with Mercedes-Benz, promoted knowledge exchange, and was responsible for communication and organization – right up to the final event

The final event video can be found here.

Picture: © Hendrik Pfeifer