Press

Less data protection, more innovation? A new policy paper by Plattform Privatheit (Platform Privacy), which is coordinated by Fraunhofer ISI, shows why this simple equation falls short. Instead, the authors argue for a European approach that combines innovative capacity and competitive strength with data protection, self-determination and digital sovereignty. The policy paper’s findings are also part of the Platform’s 11th annual conference Innovation, Competition and Value Orientation: Data Protection and Digital Regulation between Innovation Barriers and Competitive Advantages, which will take place in Berlin on October 8 and 9, 2026.

Industrial progress is increasingly shaped by digital and AI-driven technologies. Automation, data-driven systems and intelligent machines are fundamentally transforming production and innovation processes. At the same time, it is becoming clear that: Technological performance does not arise solely from new systems, but largely from the way employees are integrated into production and change processes. A new study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI makes it clear that human-centered value creation can be a key factor for innovation and productivity in companies.

Quantum repeaters are considered a key technology for future quantum networks. One day, they could transmit quantum information and entanglement over long distances and therefore enable applications such as quantum-secure communication via quantum key distribution, distributed quantum computing, or networks of quantum sensors. Fraunhofer ISI’s new roadmap, compiled as part of the Umbrella Project for Quantum Communication Germany (SQuaD), compares different technology approaches and outlines the possible development steps leading to the commercial use of quantum repeaters in the future.

In Europe's largest automotive market, battery electric vehicles became about 18 percent cheaper in real terms between 2020 and 2025, even as average prices appeared to rise as a result of a changing model mix. Meanwhile, the number of electric models available on the market has more than quadrupled. That is the finding of a new joint study by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI, covering the German market as a key indicator of broader European trends. The study draws on more than 100,000 individual data points across six vehicle segments, from small to luxury cars.