PROGRAM

Tim Pfitzer (BOSCH) has been working at Robert Bosch GmbH for over 7 years, specializing in ECU software virtualization, SiL architecture, and strategic development.

Benedikt Menne has over 15 years of experience in automotive function development, with a particular focus on Software-in-the-Loop (SIL), virtual validation, and model-based development processes. His expertise lies in the design, standardization, and implementation of simulation and integration solutions for the early verification and validation of ECU functions.

 As Product Owner for dSPACE VEOS, he has concentrated since its inception on contributing to the FMI-LS-BUS standard and its market establishment, as well as the integration of this technology within the dSPACE SIL/HIL toolchain. He is also working on implementing end-to-end workflows for virtual validation and co-simulation. His expertise encompasses combining standardized FMI-based approaches with modern simulation and test environments to shorten development times and sustainably improve the quality of software-defined vehicle functions. His goal is to create interoperable and scalable simulation solutions for efficient use in customer scenarios.

Matthieu Rullier leads the Virtualization Team at Stellantis, driving the deployment of virtual ECU solutions at scale within the XiL ecosystem. He has over 8 years of experience in XiL, previously working on propulsion systems at a Tier 1 supplier.

Mehmet Emre Büyükçerçi is an XiL Architect at Stellantis, specializing in virtual validation architectures and interoperability. He plays a key role in defining scalable XiL ecosystems. Emre brings around 15 years of experience in simulations, algorithm and XiL development across multiple Tier 1 suppliers, particularly in chassis and ADAS domains.

Engineer of ‘Ecole Nationale Supérieur d’Arts et Métier’

Engineer of ‘IF School, option internal combustion engine’

From gasoline engine combustion & emission development, tuning of engine & automated gearbox, tuning of OBD diagnosis to powertrain software validation.

Multicultural environment and activities with VOLVO Car, Renault Romania, Renault India, Nissan Spain and Nissan Japan.

Involded in European project ‘ACOSAR’ leading to DCP standard, FMI Advisory comitte and FMU3 LS-BUS.

After ten years in HIL validation and responsible of Renault Group worlwide HIL powertrain roadmap, deploy software virtualization since four years for Ampere softwares.

Associated expert for electric powertrain virtualized software

Nicolas Laurent is a technology expert with over 25 years at Renault Group. He specializes in simulation platforms, AD/ADAS validation, and engineering IT systems. With a background in mechanical and software engineering from Centrale Méditerranée, he has led multiple innovative projects and teams, combining technical depth with strategic vision in complex automotive and industrial environments.

Experience: 24 years in the Aerospace and Automotive industry, with deep verification expertise across multiple products.

Current Position: Deputy General Manager, Daimler.

Role / Responsibilities:
Leading the Virtual Verification (iSIL) Team in Bangalore, responsible for virtual verification activities using the dSPACE VEOS environment. The team creates a virtual verification platform and configures it for various vehicle variants for integration maturity. The team ensures virtual verification as a prime path for current vehicle projects and seamlessly extends it to SDV in the iSIL framework.

Matthieu Rullier leads the Virtualization Team at Stellantis, driving the deployment of virtual ECU solutions at scale within the XiL ecosystem. He has over 8 years of experience in XiL, previously working on propulsion systems at a Tier 1 supplier.

Mehmet Emre Büyükçerçi is an XiL Architect at Stellantis, specializing in virtual validation architectures and interoperability. He plays a key role in defining scalable XiL ecosystems. Emre brings around 15 years of experience in simulations, algorithm and XiL development across multiple Tier 1 suppliers, particularly in chassis and ADAS domains.

ZF Group
8 years
Senior Simulation Engineer
May 2025 – Present (1 year, 2 months)
Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

Simulation Development Engineer
July 2018 – June 2025 (7 years)

Koblenz University of Applied Sciences
Lecturer in Technical Thermodynamics
October 2023 – April 2025 (1 year, 7 months)  

Adjunct Lecturer – Mechanical Engineering – Thermodynamics Module

ZF Group
1 year, 3 months
Master’s Student
August 2017 – January 2018 (6 months)
Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
- Development of a multiphysics simulation method at the component level
- Analysis of current coupling strategies for multiphysics simulation
- Correlation/validation with measurements
- Examination of sensitivity and tolerance studies

August 2024 – present

Engineering Supervisor

ZF in the “CDYT832” department (Vehicle XiL Simulation Tooling)

September 2012 – August 2024 Senior Simulation Engineer

ZF (formerly TRW) in the “Vehicle & System Simulation” (VSS) department

October 2009 – October 2011 Lecturer

Koblenz University of Applied Sciences, teaching the introductory mathematics course

Education

July 2012 Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Koblenz University of Applied Sciences

Dr. Thomas Ringler studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Stuttgart and has been working for more than 20 years in AUTOSAR methodology and toolchain development at Mercedes-Benz R&D. As development engineer he is leading a project on the virtual integration of distributed Body & Comfort functions based on AUTOSAR.

Amir Sardari is a Senior Expert in Software & System Engineering and Virtualization Strategist at Robert Bosch GmbH. With nearly 18 years of experience in automotive research and development, he has worked across a broad range of vehicle domains, including Chassis Systems, ADAS, Powertrain, Electrification, and Mobility Electronics. His current focus is on virtualization and Software-in-the-Loop (SiL) engineering. Amir serves as the lead of the VDA Project Group for SiL Standardization, where he collaborates with automotive OEMs, suppliers, tool vendors and industry working groups to establish common standards for SiL ecosystems. 

Nic Eckstein bridges the worlds of mechanical engineering, IT, and modern software development. Following his start in enterprise IT, he brought his expertise into EE testing at an early stage and helped drive the transition towards Software-in-the-Loop (SiL). Today, as a Team Manager, he is responsible for cloud platforms for embedded testing and shapes the business development of innovative testing solutions for the mobility of tomorrow.

Kushal Koppa Shivanandaswamy is a Solutions Architect at Bosch Global Software Technologies (BGSW), Bengaluru, India, with overall 16+ years of industrial experience from various domains inclusive with over 7 years of experience in automotive software engineering, specializing in Software-in-the-Loop (SiL), Virtual ECUs, virtualization, simulation, and Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) technologies. Throughout his career, he has been instrumental in developing scalable virtualization platforms, AI-driven engineering solutions, and cloud-enabled simulation ecosystems that accelerate software development, integration, and validation for next-generation automotive systems. His experience in leading and delivering virtualization solutions for automotive domains, such as powertrains, BCM, ADAS, PK, and GWM is very valuable. He is a professional with a strong background also in embedded and aerospace domains with 9+ years of experience, and holds dual Master degrees with specialization in VLSI Design and Embedded Systems and Automotive Engineering.

Kushal leads strategic initiatives in Virtual ECU generation, simulation automation, metadata-driven engineering, and enterprise virtualization platforms, including MeDaC, VirtuGo, VirtuVerse.SDV Studio, and AI-powered simulation orchestration. His current work focuses on enabling virtualization-first engineering through AI, cloud technologies, and tool-agnostic simulation frameworks. He also mentored graduates and post graduate students in their dissertation programs.

He has authored multiple peer-reviewed technical publications in the fields of model-based engineering, formal methods, safety-critical systems, aerospace systems, multicore architectures, and automotive virtualization. His publications include research presented through IEEE, Springer, Hindawi, and SAE International, including the SAE paper "A Virtual Environment for Early Development and Validation of Next Generation Digital Vehicle Entry Functions."

At the SiL Conference Munich 2026, Kushal will present his vision for AI-powered virtualization, scalable Software-in-the-Loop ecosystems, and next-generation virtual engineering platforms that are transforming automotive software development from hardware-dependent validation to continuous, cloud-enabled software engineering.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kushal-k-s-5445082a/

Vice President Technology and Engineering, Bosch Mobility, actively Leading the Bosch Mobility Program "Virtualisation 1st"

Since more than 30 years in Bosch in a lot of responsibilities from Engine Calibration over Systems Engineering including Lead of Rolling Chassis and the complete time as Evangelist in Virtualizations

2022 – present: Lead Engineer Virtual E/E Validation at Porsche AG

2017 – 2022: XiL Simulation Engineer at Porsche AG

2013 – 2017: Project Lead XiL Simulation Models at VAIVA GmbH

2009 – 2013: Research Assistant at the University of Duisburg-Essen

BMW Group

BMW Group

Alessandro Giacomazzo is a Senior Software Engineer with over 15 years of experience in autonomous driving systems and simulation infrastructure. For the last four years, he has focused on simulation platforms, leading the strategic migration and integration of legacy systems into advanced dSPACE-based ecosystems. His work spans the full development of Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulation pipelines, managing core codebase integrations, and spearheading research in Generative AI for automated virtual environment synthesis. He specializes in building high-fidelity, scalable virtual testing solutions that drastically optimize operational efficiency and accelerate autonomous vehicle validation.

Alessandro Giacomazzo | LinkedIn

Daniele Molinari is a Computer Science graduate and AI-focused Intern developing synthetic worlds for autonomous‑driving simulation. His work centers on OpenDRIVE‑based environment modeling and the integration of generated road networks into dSPACE ecosystem for large‑scale virtual testing. Passionate about generative AI and LLMs, he explores how emerging AI techniques can support automated creation of diverse and realistic driving scenarios for next‑generation simulation pipelines.

Daniele Molinari | LinkedIn

Prof. Dr. Peter E. Pfeffer is Professor of Automotive Engineering at Munich University of Applied Sciences and Co-founder and CEO of MdynamiX AG. He combines deep academic expertise with extensive hands-on industry experience, with a particular focus on vehicle dynamics, steering systems, chassis development, and ADAS systems.

He studied mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Vienna. Before founding MdynamiX, he worked in the development department of Audi AG and subsequently lectured at the University of Bath, where he also earned his PhD on virtual steering system development.

Beyond his research and entrepreneurial work, he serves as Scientific Director of the Munich Chassis Symposium (chassis.tech plus), coeditor of the Steering Handbook, and as an advisory board member of the VDI Society for Vehicle and Traffic Engineering as well as the scientific journal ATZ.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-pfeffer-938b4284/

BMW Group