Partnership with auto-schweiz: Further development of the funding agreement through the establishment of a lab

The University of St.Gallen (HSG) and auto-schweiz, the association of official car importers in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein, established a long-term partnership at the end of 2024. The original plan was to establish a part-time chair for research and teaching in the field of mobility management, equivalent to 50 % of a full-time position. During their collaboration so far, it has become clear that the shared objectives can be better achieved within the framework of a lab. "As we already have a great deal of expertise in the field of mobility management at the University of St.Gallen, we want to use the funding primarily to support the next generation and to conduct project-based research into specific issues," says Professor Andreas Herrmann, director of the leading Institute for Mobility (IMO-HSG).

Launch in early May

The "auto-schweiz Lab" will commence its activities in early May 2026. Its primary purpose will be to investigate key future issues in the field of Swiss passenger and freight transport. The total funding amounts to CHF 2,400,000, or CHF 300,000 annually, over a period of at least four to a maximum of eight years, from 2026 to 2034. The donation is channelled through the HSG Foundation, which serves as the central funding body of HSG. "With this support, we can employ two PhD students and create a project manager position, with the existing faculty providing support for their work. This will allow us to further strengthen mobility research and better unlock its full potential," says Professor Andreas Herrmann. Peter Grünenfelder, President of auto-schweiz, adds: "The lab approach, combining high scientific quality with practical relevance, is compelling and creates significant added value for the automotive industry, which is in the midst of one of the most significant periods of transformation in its history."

Labs at the University of St.Gallen

Labs have a long tradition at the University of St.Gallen. One example is the SBB Lab, established in 2009, which focuses, among other things, on mobility-related issues. The SBB Lab is a centre of excellence for service and transport management between the state and the market. Its focus is on research into current issues in Swiss transport that receive little attention in Switzerland or internationally, as well as the promotion of promising young researchers in the transport sector. In addition, there is the Bosch Lab, a joint initiative of the Bosch Group, the HSG and ETH Zurich. Among other things, it investigates how European product companies can succeed in a world of hardware, software and services. Furthermore, the laboratory develops, implements and evaluates intelligent, networked systems that have the potential to make a significant environmental, social or economic impact. One focus of its activities is the mobility sector.

Image (from left to right): Thomas Rücker (Director of auto-schweiz), Peter Grünenfelder (President of auto-schweiz), Manuel Ammann (President of the University of St.Gallen), Andreas Herrmann (Director of IMO-HSG)