Daimler : Digital pioneers, tech fans and start-ups meet at Tech Open Air in Berlin

• Daimler is the main partner of the Tech Open Air (TOA) Festival in Berlin
• Focus is on innovative employee projects from many units
• Live communication using the hashtag #DaimleratTOA

Berlin is the digital capital: with some 20,000 participants, over 150 speakers and 120 side events the TOA (19 to 22 June at the Funkhaus Berlin on the banks of the Spree) will once again be one of the biggest German tech festivals in 2018. Daimler is represented at the TOA for the first time this year, and is also the main partner of this unique event, which is a mixture of a festival and conference.

Daimler is driving digital transformation forward at the TOA too with DigitalLife@Daimler. Daimler is providing a stage for innovations from the Group, demonstrating the digital transformation in the company. The focus is on the involvement of the employees: 'Our innovative culture is not merely technology-driven. The employees are a really fundamental factor, as they are actively helping to shape the digital transformation with diverse ideas', said Wilko Stark, Vice President Daimler and Mercedes-Benz Cars Strategy & Head of CASE.

On the 150 m² show stand in the 'House of Tech' selected teams of employees from different corporate units are presenting their innovative projects to the specialist audience and seeking feedback. One of the innovations being presented is the digital packing assistant pacTris. Via virtual loading this app helps the users to make optimum use of the available space in the boot. In 2015 employees launched the idea at DigitalLife Day and took first place in the pitch. In 2016 the app was launched for smart models and soon found delighted users. At the TOA the pacTris team is now presenting the beta version for further vehicles, integrated into the Mercedes me Portal. The virtual loading is being shown using the example of a Mercedes V‑C lass - which is a challenge because of the various seating and configuration options in the interior. By using special artificial intelligence developed for this purpose pacTris also solves all loading problems here.

Further Daimler activities at the TOA:

• Daily DigitalLife Tech Talks on the stand on technology, intrapreneurship, partnerships, start-up initiatives and culture of innovation & change at Daimler.
• Students are presenting ideas and prototypes from the globally successful hackathon series 'DigitalLife Campus'.
• Visitors have the opportunity to find out about career options at Daimler and to talk to experts from the specialist units. At the same time innovative companies and interested start-ups can find out about potential collaboration/cooperation.
• smart is showing the smart EQ fortwo and smart EQ forfour. smart is also providing insights into the innovative 'ready to' services which were developed in the smart lab and make life in the city easier. These also include the two latest services: 'ready to spot' and 'theft recovery'. 'ready to spot' helps, for example, with finding the car again after it has been parked, for where necessary the app navigates the owner back. 'theft recovery' supports the user in case of theft as they communicate with the authorities and helps with finding the stolen smart.

DigitalLife@Daimler: leading the digital transformation

Daimler has been systematically active in the field of digitisation for a long time and has made it a core component of its corporate strategy. The aim is to drive forward the digital transformation and to make the culture of innovation tangible. DigitalLife@Daimler supports the implementation of numerous digital projects in the digital transformation at Daimler. Alongside internal events such as Open Spaces or DigitalLife Days, which promote dialogue between employees, Top Management and the Board of Management, DigitalLife@Daimler also initiates and organises Group appearances at tech and digital trade fairs such as the Mobile World Congress Barcelona and Tech Open Air Berlin.