Under the aegis of the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and in the presence of the Governor of Sfax, Mohamed Hajri, the city of Sfax hosted the proceedings of the day “Digitalization for the Automotive Sector.”
This event brought together actors from academia, scientific research, industry, and innovation around the digital transformations affecting the automotive sector.
An initiative led by several stakeholders
The event was organized jointly by the Sfax Technopole, the Sfax Center for Digital Research, the Tunisian Association of the Automotive Industry, and the Mechatronics Cluster.
This cooperation expresses a willingness to bring the results of scientific research closer to the needs of the industrial fabric, especially in high value-added sectors.
Digital technology at the core of the transformations in the automotive sector
The meeting allowed addressing the challenges of the digital transformation in the automotive industry, a sector characterized by rapid evolution of technologies and production models.
The discussions notably focused on skills development, strengthening innovation, and the integration of digital solutions into the industrial supply chains related to the automotive sector.
The car of the future at the heart of the discussions
Several technological themes were examined during the day, notably software-defined vehicles (SDVs), where software becomes a central element of the vehicle’s operation.
Participants also discussed AI-assisted vehicles (AIDV), autonomous driving (AD), and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), which aim to enhance safety and the intelligence of mobility.
The discussions also covered remote software updates, over-the-air (OTA), enabling maintenance and improvement of onboard systems without a trip to the dealership, as well as automotive cybersecurity, which has become a major challenge to protect connected vehicles against intrusion risks.
An international support in the service of employment
This day is part of the “Invest for Jobs” program, under the special initiative “Decent Work for a Just Transition.”
The event is supported through the project “Partnerships for Employment and Support to Small and Medium Enterprises in Tunisia II,” mandated by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
This project is implemented by the German Agency for International Cooperation, GIZ Tunisia, under the supervision of the Tunisian Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy.
Sfax, a platform for smart industries
The choice of Sfax to host this day highlights the region’s role as an industrial and technological hub.
The objective is to consolidate its position as a national platform for smart industries, while promoting the training of Tunisian skills capable of designing, programming, and securing technologies related to the car of the future.
This orientation could also enable Tunisia to strengthen its place in the global value chains of the automotive industry.
Digitalization as a growth lever
Beyond its technological aspect, digitalization appears as a driver of competitiveness, employment, and growth.
In an economic context marked by the rapid evolution of industrial technologies, integrating digital technologies into the automotive sector constitutes a strategic challenge to support the transition toward an economy based on innovation and knowledge.
