Impact from Research — Industrial Partners Present Joint Results with BME at the ARNL Professional Meeting

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The Department of Automotive Technologies at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) and the National Laboratory of Autonomous Systems (ARNL) held a joint professional meeting on October 7, 2025, where key industrial partners showcased the outcomes and future directions of their collaborations with the university. The event was also streamed online for high school students, teachers, BME students, and researchers, offering a broader audience insight into the impact of academic–industrial cooperation.

The goal of the event was clear: to demonstrate how laboratory research evolves into industrial applications, and what tangible benefits university–industry collaborations bring to the fields of automotive technology and transportation infrastructure.

“Research becomes truly valuable when it has an impact on the world — when academic knowledge finds its way into industrial practice, and through it, into everyday life of society.”

– said Dr. Zsolt Szalay, Head of the Department of Automotive Technologies at BME and Scientific Director of the National Laboratory of Autonomous Systems, in his opening remarks.

Az együttműködés ereje – az ipar szemszögéből

A találkozón hat vállalat vezetői és szakértői osztották meg tapasztalataikat a BME-vel közösen végzett munkáról.

The Power of Collaboration — Through the Eyes of Industry

Leaders and experts from six major companies shared their perspectives on joint work with BME.

András Kemler, Managing Director for Technical Areas at Robert Bosch Kft., highlighted how collaborative research — such as the Ground Truth Cross-Validation and Intelligent Traffic Sensing System developments — supports the real-world testing and industrial deployment of autonomous systems.

Dr. Zoltán Gyurkó, Head of Research and Development at Knorr-Bremse Braking Systems Kft., discussed cybersecurity in vehicle systems and the role of artificial intelligence. He presented tools and methods — including AI-based TARA and smart fuzzer developments — that strengthen secure development lifecycles.

Mike Sasena, Automotive Product Manager at MathWorks, expressed his appreciation in a video message for the collaboration with the BME Automated Drive Lab, which led to the integration of three digital track elements of the ZalaZONE proving ground into the latest MATLAB and Simulink release. These realistic scenes are now available to researchers and developers worldwide.

Róbert Radnai, Engineering Vice President at SMR Automotive Mirror Technology Hungary, presented the company’s innovation ecosystem, emphasizing the importance of sensor fusion, augmented reality technologies, and formally verified models in developing safe and reliable vehicle systems.

Zoltán Karászi, Chairman of the Board at QTICS Group, shared insights from the field of automotive conformity assessment and cybersecurity certification. Through collaboration with ARNL and BME, Hungarian engineering expertise now contributes to international homologation processes aligned with UN R155, R156, and R157 standards.

Finally, József Attila Szilvai, CEO of Magyar Közút Nonprofit Zrt., spoke about the digital transformation of road management. His presentation introduced the digital twin and Central System developments on the joint section of the M1–M7 motorways, pioneering examples of real-time traffic monitoring and integrated use of geospatial data.

As the program concluded, participants experienced a VR-based demonstration that brought the Central System and the M1–M7 digital twin to life.
The immersive, real-time visualization offered a striking illustration of how research results can evolve into a development platform serving the future of safe and intelligent mobility.

When Research Becomes Tangible

The presentations made it clear that the joint developments of BME and its industrial partners reach far beyond the laboratory — taking shape in real-world systems, products, and services.
The digital twin, cybersecurity validation frameworks, and virtual ZalaZONE track elements are all innovations that simultaneously advance scientific progress and enhance industrial competitiveness.

After the formal program, guests continued their discussions informally, exploring new opportunities for collaboration and defining shared directions for the future.

Collaboration Continues

The Department of Automotive Technologies and the National Laboratory of Autonomous Systems extend their sincere thanks to all speakers — András Kemler (Bosch), Dr. Zoltán Gyurkó (Knorr-Bremse), Mike Sasena (MathWorks), Róbert Radnai (SMR), Zoltán Karászi (QTICS), and József Attila Szilvai (Magyar Közút) — for their inspiring and thought-provoking contributions.

The event once again demonstrated that when scientific research meets industrial innovation, the result is impact — on technology, on industry, and ultimately, on our shared future.

Intelligent Transport: Hungarian Innovations at the Forefront of Global Mobility

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Smart infrastructure and autonomous mobility in the spotlight of domestic research

Budapest, September 23, 2025 – Hungarian automotive and transport-technology developments are securing a strong international position for the country in the field of intelligent mobility research, while also helping to maintain the high standards of national engineering education. This message was emphasized at a joint press conference held by the Department of Automotive Technologies at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) and Magyar Közút Nonprofit Zrt.

Experts at the event presented a range of BME developments carried out within the soon-to-be-completed National Laboratory for Autonomous Systems project, several of which have already drawn significant international industrial and academic interest. Among the most remarkable is the digital system built on the shared section of the M1–M7 motorway in cooperation with Magyar Közút. This world-class development not only represents a breakthrough in intelligent infrastructure but also provides a unique testing environment for automotive innovators.

Bálint Nagy, State Secretary at the Ministry of Construction and Transport, stated:

“I consider this project a major milestone in Hungarian transport research. The long-standing cooperation between BME’s Department of Automotive Technologies and Magyar Közút has resulted in one of the most intelligent motorway sections in the world. Such initiatives benefit the national economy and strongly support the training and recruitment of future engineers. Thanks to high-level research and international collaboration of this kind, Hungary will host the Transport Research Arena 2026, one of Europe’s most significant R&D conferences.”

Bálint Nagy

Dr. Charaf Hassan, Rector of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, highlighted the educational value of the project:

“Our students gain first-hand experience with cutting-edge infrastructure, learning the practical application of real-time data analysis, artificial intelligence, and autonomous vehicle technologies. This knowledge ensures that Hungary remains at the forefront of mobility innovation.”

Charaf Hassan

Dr. Zsolt Szalay, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Automotive Technologies, outlined the department’s ongoing key research initiatives, ranging from next-generation windshield displays and advanced traffic-management systems to self-driving functions capable of maintaining control on low-friction surfaces, teleoperation methods, and the application of artificial intelligence across diverse mobility fields. He concluded:

“I am convinced that the future of safe and efficient transport will be defined by the cooperation of intelligent vehicles and intelligent infrastructure. The Budaörs motorway section is an important step toward making that interaction a reality, showing how we can prepare for the deployment of such systems in everyday traffic.”

Zsolt Szalay

József Attila Szilvai, CEO of Magyar Közút Nonprofit Zrt., also underscored the significance of the smart-motorway development:

“Together with BME, our teams have pioneered a practical foundation for digital road management. Thanks to the researchers involved, experts worldwide are now looking to Hungary, as this development benefits autonomous and connected transport alike—making roads safer and journeys more predictable for all.”

József Attila Szilvai

The M1–M7 Smart Motorway Section

As part of the Eureka Central System project, and in collaboration with BME, Magyar Közút has installed 39 different sensors along an approximately 800-meter stretch of the Budaörs section of the M1–M7 motorway. These sensors continuously monitor traffic on both sides of the carriageway and transmit the resulting information to a supercomputer located at the company’s data center.

Researchers at BME’s Department of Automotive Technologies calibrated the installed instruments—radars, LIDAR units, thermal cameras, and optical cameras with various fields of view—and developed AI-based models that now generate a complete digital twin of the monitored road segment. In this real-time environment, every object and every vehicle on the motorway is represented with exceptional accuracy.

This digital twin can provide road users with information that individual vehicle sensors cannot capture due to limited range or line-of-sight constraints. It can also supply data to driver-assistance or autonomous driving systems for testing in a live yet virtually risk-free setting. As a result, the Budaörs smart-motorway section offers an unparalleled test environment for automotive developers while laying the groundwork for the next generation of intelligent traffic management and safer, more predictable travel.

Mobile application demo version

The Department of Automotive Technologies Strengthens International Ties at Karlsruhe Workshop

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In early August 2025, Dr. Zsolt Szalay, Head of the Department of Automotive Technologies, Dr. Árpád Török, Head of the Safety and Security Research Group, along with Dr.Zsombor Pethő, Research Fellow, and Tamás Kazár, PhD student, took part in a professional visit to Karlsruhe.

The joint workshop, hosted by the Institute for Information Processing Technology (Institut für Technik der Informationsverarbeitung – KIT ITIV) and the FZI Research Center for Information Technology (FZI Forschungszentrum Informatik), provided an excellent opportunity to share research results, exchange professional experiences, and strengthen existing collaborations.

Held in a friendly and inspiring atmosphere, the event not only fostered discussions on current projects but also laid the groundwork for new joint research directions. The meeting further deepened the connection between the two institutions and contributed to the launch of future joint innovation initiatives and international projects

Hungarian Smart Road Becomes World Leader – Confirmed by BME’s Study Visit to China

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Three researchers from the Department of Automotive Technologies at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) recently conducted a study visit to examine China’s most advanced intelligent transportation systems. Their key takeaway: the digital twin-based smart highway section on Hungary’s M1–M7 motorway exceeds the Chinese systems in both accuracy and latency. The solution developed at BME has implemented what is currently the most advanced smart road section in the world.

“The World’s Smartest Highway Section” – Hungarian Innovation Recognized in China

In July 2025, three researchers from BME – Dr. Zsolt Szalay (Head of Department), Dr. András Rövid, and Zsolt Vincze – embarked on an extensive study tour across China and Hong Kong. Their goal was to gain firsthand insights into the development of Chinese intelligent transport infrastructure and strengthen the ongoing collaboration between BME and the City University of Hong Kong.

One of the most important conclusions from the trip was that – although Chinese smart road networks cover far greater distances than Hungary’s demonstration section – the technological sophistication of the M1–M7 digital twin system, especially in terms of precision and real-time performance, surpassed all the systems observed in China.

Experts at multiple institutions in China openly acknowledged this and expressed their aim to reach the technological level already achieved in Hungary.

This feedback reinforces the fact that the M1–M7 smart road section, developed by BME, is not only a European but also a global benchmark in intelligent road infrastructure. It rightly deserves to be called: the world’s smartest highway section.

Hong Kong: Teleoperation Breakthroughs and International Innovation Programs

Invited by the City University of Hong Kong, the BME delegation reaffirmed an existing research collaboration. The teleoperation system used in Hong Kong is powered by technology developed at BME, and recent improvements have reduced response latency to below 10 milliseconds using a local server—an exceptionally low delay even by global standards.

The development experiences from Hungary’s M1–M7 smart road also attracted strong interest, and two new joint project proposals were outlined during the visit.

The CityU leadership—including Vice President for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Prof. Michael Yang and Prof. Johnny Ho—introduced the HKtech300 program, which supports research-driven technology startups with seed investments equivalent to approximately 100,000 EUR. The program is open to international partners, and future joint patent applications with BME are also on the agenda.

BYD, Tsinghua, CICV – China’s Technology Hubs

At the Shenzhen headquarters of BYD, Vice President Luo Zhongliang and the future director of the Hungarian plant confirmed that they are actively seeking MSc and PhD students for their Budapest R&D base and are open to launching a collaborative program proposed by BME.

At Beijing’s National Intelligent Connected Vehicle Innovation Center (CICV), experts responded positively to the technological solutions implemented on the M1–M7 section, stating that they are aiming to reach a similar level.

At Tsinghua University, Dr. Zsolt Szalay’s lecture attracted great interest, particularly in the topics of digital twin technology and autonomous drifting—areas where Chinese professors acknowledged that Hungary has a truly unique approach.

Real-World Traffic Tests and AI – Insights from Multiple Chinese Cities

In Beijing and Suzhou, the BME researchers encountered various smart transport solutions where autonomous vehicles are already operating in real urban traffic. These included buses and shuttle vehicles that alternated between relying on their own sensors and external infrastructure signals.

Among the Chinese implementations, Suzhou had the most advanced digital twin model, but even this was found to be surpassed by the Hungarian M1–M7 system in terms of technical capabilities.

Chongqing and Seres Automotive: Training Future Engineers and Autonomous Luxury Vehicles

At Chongqing University, the team was introduced to cutting-edge research in the automation of land, air, and water-based vehicles. Meanwhile, a visit to the Seres Automotive factory showcased the production of Huawei-powered AITO luxury vehicles.

The delegation rode in the M9 flagship model on a fully autonomous 25-minute journey from the factory to the airport. The vehicle successfully handled two unexpected traffic scenarios, demonstrating the maturity of the system.

Global Experience, Local Success – BME’s Smart Road Becomes a Global Reference

The study tour offered unambiguous confirmation: the digital twin-based system developed by the Budapest University of Technology and Economics not only held its ground against the world’s top smart road technologies — it actually outperformed them.

The M1–M7 smart road section has become an international reference point and rightfully claims the title: the world’s smartest highway section.

The collaborations already launched or currently under development—as well as the growing international recognition of Hungarian solutions—are paving the way for Hungary to become a key player in the future of mobility.

Thought-Provoking Questions About the Future – Dr. Zsolt Szalay’s Lecture at BME Children’s University

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The BME Children’s University returned again in the summer of 2025, offering exciting lectures and activities for curious minds aged 8 to 14. One of the most popular sessions this year was a presentation by Dr. Zsolt Szalay, Head of the Department of Automotive Technologies and leader of the BME Automated Drive research group. His engaging and interactive lecture explored the evolution and future of self-driving vehicles.

From the very beginning, the young audience was visibly captivated. The combination of technological insights, visual demonstrations, and real-world examples sparked genuine curiosity among the children. After the lecture, many gathered around Dr. Szalay to ask questions—some of which reflected surprisingly mature thinking about topics such as the future of mobility, artificial intelligence, and the reliability of autonomous systems.

“For me, this is a true source of inspiration every year. It’s amazing to see how much talent and openness is present in this age group. These moments always reaffirm my belief in the importance of engaging with the youngest generation,” said Dr. Zsolt Szalay.

This was not Dr. Szalay’s first appearance at the Children’s University—he has been a regular contributor for years and is personally committed to introducing engineering and science to children from an early age. Based on the feedback, this year’s participants also left with new ideas, inspiration—and perhaps their very first impressions of university life.

We hope that many of them will one day return to the halls of BME as university students—perhaps even as members of the Department of Automotive Technologies.

Our researchers showcased their digital twin-based safety research at an international workshop in Naples

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The Vehicle Safety and Security Research Group of the BME Automated Drive Lab, part of the Department of Automotive Technologies, actively contributed to the professional program of the first International Workshop on Digital Twins for Dependability, Resilience and Security (DT4DRS). The event was held as part of the prestigious IEEE/IFIP DSN 2025 conference in Naples, Italy.

The workshop focused on the applications of digital twin technology in enhancing reliability, resilience, and cybersecurity—especially in the context of vehicle systems. Our colleagues delivered several presentations demonstrating how these tools can support the development of safer and more resilient mobility systems in the future.

Congratulations to our presenters – Tamás Márton Kazár, Roland Nagy, Emil Nagy, and Zsombor Pethő – for their excellent professional contributions!

We were especially pleased to see Andrea Marchetta among the organizers. Andrea is a PhD student at the University of Naples Federico II who previously spent several months in Budapest continuing his research at our department. The workshop was organized with great dedication by him and his colleague, Marcello Cinque.

The event provided a valuable opportunity not only to present our latest research findings but also to further strengthen the collaboration between BME and the international academic community.

Industry Insights on Academic Tracks – Jury Members Reflect on the Safety First! Competition

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Each year, the finals of the Safety First! competition offer a unique meeting point: young engineering students present their ideas and projects to experts working at the forefront of the automotive industry. This year, several of our industry partners accepted our invitation to join the jury – including Réka Jenei, a cybersecurity expert at Robert Bosch Kft., who participated in the competition for the second time.
In the first article of our two-part series, we share her impressions of the finals and her thoughts on the potential she sees in the next generation of engineers.

Fresh Ideas for Real Challenges

“This year’s competition, just like last year’s, was of a very high standard – both in terms of organization and the quality of the work presented,” Réka began. She was particularly pleased to see multiple projects offering innovative solutions in the field of cybersecurity – a topic of both professional and personal relevance to her.

The topics and approaches presented in the finals reflected the current state of the automotive industry well:
“The projects responded clearly to real-world challenges and gaps in the industry, and in many cases pointed to opportunities for improvement or optimization.”

More Than a Competition – A Real Learning Experience

From an industrial perspective, Réka sees the competition as a valuable learning opportunity. Participants need to conduct active research, understand standards and technical constraints, and be able to present their ideas clearly and convincingly. This presentation format closely mirrors the dynamics of pitching to corporate investors – making the competition a highly realistic training ground for students.

“The competition provides multiple avenues for growth – skills that participants can take with them into their future careers,” Réka emphasized.

Remarkable Commitment

We were also curious whether there was a student she could imagine working with in the future, or a project that she found particularly inspiring. Her answer was thoughtful:
“In my view, it’s already remarkable when someone decides to take part in a competition like this. It’s not a required part of the curriculum – it’s an additional challenge that takes time, effort, and genuine commitment.”

The projects that reached the finals, Réka noted, all stood on a foundation of real intent, interest, and hard work – and that alone sets the competitors apart.
“I would gladly work with any one of them in the future.”

A Word of Advice for Next Year’s Competitors

Her advice to future participants: don’t hesitate to apply – every project has value. At the same time, she highlighted the importance of how a project is presented:
“As jury members, we pay attention to both the content and the form – the way a project is documented and presented also plays a big role in how convincing it is.”

A Bridge Between Industry and Academia

For Réka, being part of the jury was not just a professional responsibility but a source of inspiration:
“It was an honor to serve on the jury again this year. It gave me the opportunity to meet talented young engineers and gain insight into new, innovative directions in both safety and security.”

She believes that involving industry players in academic competitions is key to helping higher education better respond to real market challenges:
“Collaborations like this help build a bridge between industry and academia – where both sides can learn from each other.”

A Day That Might Shape the Future: High School Students Among BME Researchers

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The Autonomous Systems National Laboratory at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) recently brought the latest results of autonomous vehicle research closer to high school students through an online educational resource and an associated knowledge-based quiz competition. The top-performing students of the nationwide quiz were invited to a unique experience day on campus, where they got a glimpse into the underlying technologies, laboratories, and ways of thinking behind future mobility. Interviews conducted throughout the day reveal that it was not only the live demonstrations that captivated students, but also the depth of knowledge and the authenticity of the expert speakers that left a lasting impact.

The event was hosted by actor Iván Fenyő.

“It’s important that kids hear about these technologies from credible sources”

Csilla Petrohainé Rostás, a teacher from Padányi Catholic School in Veszprém, shared her impressions after the event, speaking about the students’ curiosity and the pedagogical challenges of the digital future.

“There is a huge interest in autonomous vehicles,” she began. “We had already discussed the content with the students after the teacher briefing, and the materials clearly made a strong impression on them.” She noted that the students found the online content and the quiz game engaging, particularly the fact that sometimes there wasn’t a single correct answer—something that sparked real thinking.

Many students from her school took the test, and three of them were invited to the event. “They were thrilled, because they could feel this was a meaningful invitation, a real opportunity.”

As a teacher, she found the day equally inspiring. “It was fascinating to gain insight from first-hand experience, to see exactly where this field currently stands.”

The professional level of the event also reinforced her teaching philosophy. “It was motivating, because it confirmed that I’m on the right track when I talk to my students about the digital future. But I also see how much more teamwork, information, and inspiration they need, because their knowledge in this area is still quite limited.”

She emphasized the importance of credible sources. “There is a lot of sensationalist content in the media, but students only get a truly meaningful picture from events like this. That’s why it would be great if these programs were held more regularly.”

Dr. Szalay Zsolt előadása

She also highlighted that autonomous vehicle development is not only for engineers. “It’s important for students to see that if someone is interested in law, they don’t only have to become a lawyer—they could work on the legal aspects of autonomous systems. I’d love to see more attention given to these interdisciplinary paths in education.”

Social acceptance, too, is a key issue. “How does society handle the idea that not all vehicles are driven by humans anymore? This is an exciting area for both psychology and sociology.”

Closing her remarks, she thanked the organizers and offered suggestions: “It would be amazing if students had more opportunities to meet credible professionals who not only give presentations but offer real insight into what skills are needed. These moments also help teachers better understand how to motivate students. If we had a clearer idea of where incoming university students tend to struggle, we could better support them.”

“The quiz was great, and now we’re even considering trying out some form of Scientific Student Research Projects (TDK) ourselves.”

The Lecture of Tamás Bécsi, Ph.D

A Glimpse into the Near Future: Students Reflect on the ARNL Knowledge Challenge

The quiz competition organized by the Autonomous Systems National Laboratory at BME was more than just an online knowledge test: it was an opportunity for the top-performing students to experience firsthand what it means to work on the automotive technologies of the future. Interviews from the event reveal that students were not only amazed by live demonstrations but also deeply inspired by the expertise and authenticity of the speakers.

Márton Marton-Bódi (Szent Mór School Center, Pécs) joined the quiz out of a general interest in electronics and engineering. “I was already curious about autonomous driving and AI, but I had never seen these systems explained in such detail before.” By the end of the day, he was enthusiastically talking about AI functionality and vehicle architecture.

Zsombor Bánhelyi (Ady Endre High School) found the program “inspiring.” “I especially liked the sensor explanations in the presentations. I understood details I had never seen before.” He hadn’t expected to be invited but was delighted to attend.

András Vincze-Pál (Budapest Fasori Evangelical High School) already has his sights set on BME. For him, both the content and the environment were impactful. “The level of research and presence of technology were really impressive. It’s clear that the future is being built here.”

The Lecture of Szilárd Aradi, Ph.D

Kristóf Bognár and Gergely Mendrei-Benkő from the Bánki Donát Technical School received the quiz as an assignment during online learning. For both of them, artificial intelligence was the highlight: “We got a peek into the future,” said Kristóf.

Csongor Csevrenka and Patrik Pardi from Gyula Catholic High School especially remembered Dr. Tamás Bécsi’s lecture: “It was simple, easy to understand, and still exciting.” They also appreciated the lab visits and the presentation about the ZalaZONE proving ground, which Csongor described as “an amazing experience.”

Students Ármin Hegedűs and Benedek Dunajcsik (Padányi Catholic School, Veszprém) most enjoyed the presentations and seeing the real technologies up close. “We saw how the LIDAR works and how systems connect,” they shared.

Lab Visit

Angéla Balogh (Csokonai V. Mihály High School, Debrecen) was invited after her chemistry teacher forwarded the quiz. “I didn’t expect it to be this interesting. I learned so much about AI and autonomous vehicles. And it was great to see everything up close, not just in pictures.”

Marcell Kozsda, who learned about the event through his mother, a BME staff member, especially appreciated the amount of information. “There was a lot to process, but it was incredibly interesting. Especially the monitoring systems that feed data to AI. I had no idea how complex that process is.”

The students’ responses clearly show: this event offered not just information, but motivation, guidance, and inspiration. Many of them are still exploring their paths, but one thing is certain: on that day, they moved closer to a future we are only beginning to imagine.

Lab Visit