Applications for development and engineering
Generative artificial intelligence opens up new possibilities for development and engineering in the automotive industry. In this concise blended-learning workshop, you will gain a practical overview of current areas of application, learn how to use modern AI tools safely within the regulated automotive environment, and gain initial hands-on experience with synthetic data generation and prompt engineering.
Learning outcomes and content
Preparation (self-study):
- Introductory tutorial video (approx. 60–90 mins): How generative AI works (LLMs, diffusion models, multimodal models), the 2026 tool landscape (open source vs. commercial), gold standards for AI deployment (data classification, prompt engineering, output validation, documentation, compliance/EU AI Act, reproducibility)
Live morning session (15 September 2026):
- First session: questions on the tutorial video, data classification using automotive examples (handling confidential development and customer data)
- Automotive GenAI Landscape 2026: seven main application areas – synthetic data for perception, design & concept generation, manufacturing quality control, cockpit assistants, predictive maintenance, technical documentation, code generation
- Deep dive into synthetic data generation: edge case problem, diffusion models vs. GANs, sim-to-real gap; Live demo with Flux/ComfyUI (road scene in five weather/lighting variants with a fixed seed)
- Gold Standards for Automotive AI: ISO 26262 + SOTIF, Tool Qualification (TCL), Data Provenance, Coverage Testing
- Hands-on: creating your own prompts for scene variations in two groups (weather / time-of-day lighting)
Target group and prerequisites
The workshop is aimed at specialists and managers at automotive suppliers – particularly those in development, engineering, quality assurance and testing – who wish to evaluate and utilise generative AI for tasks such as synthetic data generation, technical documentation or software development. The workshop is also specifically aimed at staff with no prior experience of AI; the basics will be covered in advance via a tutorial video. Participation is free of charge for automotive suppliers through the AuToS SW-BW project.
Prerequisites
Admission to a face-to-face course generally requires a university degree or vocational training in a relevant profession, as well as at least one year’s professional experience.
Format
Qualification
Lecturers
External link opens in a new window:Dimitri Schultheis, Dipl.-Ing.
Member of Projekt AuToS academic staff
Registration
Please register by email at: Email application is started:hfu-akademie[at]hs-furtwangen.de
When registering, please provide your full name and date of birth so that we have all the information needed to issue your certificate of participation.
University offers continuing professional development: lifelong learning - with us!
The HFU Academy team
In a world that is constantly evolving, lifelong learning is the key to success. Continuing professional development enables you to keep up with the latest trends. Reskilling and upskilling open up new career opportunities.
The CPD programmes offered by the HFU Academy not only expand and update your specialist knowledge, but also your personal skills and opportunities.
The HFU Academy is the central institution for academic continuing professional development at HFU. Our team works with highly competent specialists who pass on their expertise as lecturers.
AuToS SW-BW - For a sustainable automotive and technology hub
With over 25,000 jobs in the automotive industry, the Schwarzwald-Baar-Heuberg region ranks among Germany’s top 100 automotive regions. The predominantly small and medium-sized suppliers are, in part, facing significant pressure to transform due to their focus on mechanically manufactured components and their status as Tier 2 or 3 suppliers. At the same time, innovative pioneers can be identified in key future-oriented fields.
This is where the automotive initiative “AuToS SW-BW” comes in. The project stands for “Automotive Transformation Strategy for Southwest Baden-Württemberg.” Together with the many small and medium-sized enterprises, the goal is to create a visible network of the regional automotive industry with a strong voice, to align business models with the future, to train employees, and to transfer knowledge.
The goal is to develop the Schwarzwald-Baar-Heuberg region into a sustainable and future-proof automotive and technology hub with innovative, medium-sized suppliers.
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