CAS (Ceská Automobilova Spolecnost) is the Czech Republic’s national society. Its membership is made up of engineers who work or study in the Czech Republic, or hold Czech national nationality. Headquartered in Prague, CAS has been a member of FISITA since 1968 and in September will host FISITA World Congress 2021.
Here, Ondřej Vaculín, President of CAS, outlines the work of the society and its mission “to support the sustainability of the Czech position in the mobility world.”
"Our intention is to increase awareness of the community to new technologies. We approach not only our members, but also the government as well as the industry and universities to support the transformation of the automotive industry"
Please could you outline your current role and responsibilities within your society?
As President of the Society, I am responsible for representing CAS as a member of other organizations. In addition to FISITA, these include the Automotive Industry Association of the Czech Republic and the Czech Association of Scientific and Technical Societies.
However, I am particularly involved in the organisation of events such as FISITA World Congress 2021 and the MobilitySympo conferences.
I also represent CAS in negotiations with governmental authorities, and was delegated by the Association of the Automotive Industry of the Czech Republic as Vice-Chairman of the working group for Autonomous Driving led by the Ministry of Transport. These activities take place within the framework of the Memorandum on the Future of the Czech Automotive Industry.
Can you tell us about the activities and services your society offers?
CAS organizes a number of events and supports the Formula Student Czech Republic competition.
Since last year, our Society has organized annual conferences under the new brand MobilitySympo. This conference continues the tradition of AutoSympo conferences held since the 1980s. We are pleased that MobilitySympo has become a meeting point for experts working in the fields of R&D and operation of road and rail vehicles, as well as in the broader mobility field.
What are the key mobility trends that your society is focusing on?
For many years, we have been regularly evaluating mobility megatrends and focusing our activities on emissions reduction and alternative drivelines. Recently, we have added a new topic, namely cooperative, connected and automated mobility.
What opportunities do these trends create for engineers developing the technology of mobility?
Our intention is to increase awareness of the community to new technologies. We approach not only our members, but also the government as well as the industry and universities to support the transformation of the automotive industry. Our future-oriented approach, which is not determined by short-term profit and loss figures, is to support the sustainability of the Czech position in the mobility world.
How can engineers benefit from membership of your society, and how can they join?
Our mission is to bring together engineers and technicians working in mobility and related fields in the Czech Republic. We offer a range of activities for our members, including seminars, conferences and discussion tables. Last but not least, our members can benefit from our membership of FISITA and the Czech Association of Scientific and Technical Societies.
Do you have anything you would like to share with FISITA members?
CAS is a proud member of FISITA. For more than five years, we have worked with FISITA on the organisation and development of FISITA World Congress. The next World Congress will be held online from Prague in September 2021, and I would like to invite the FISITA community to participate in this event.
