Presentation of the 2026 Manfred Nagl Award for outstanding research on the mobility of the future

The DSA Schäfer-Schulz Stiftung once again presented the Manfred Nagl Award during the graduation ceremony of the Faculty of Computer Science at RWTH Aachen University. This year's award was presented to Dr Patrick Scheffe for his dissertation “Prioritized Motion Planning for Connected Vehicles.”

Since 2022, the DSA Schäfer-Schulz Stiftung has been honouring excellent scientific achievements in the field of applied computer science with the Manfred Nagl Award. In addition to scientific excellence, a key selection criterion is the potential to translate research results into practical applications and entrepreneurial innovation.

In his dissertation, Dr Scheffe addressed a central challenge in the field of autonomous and connected vehicles: the safe and efficient coordination of vehicles in complex traffic situations. To tackle this challenge, he developed novel planning methods that combine intelligent prioritisation mechanisms with advanced control approaches. The resulting methods provide an important foundation for the efficient coordination of larger groups of autonomous vehicles and open up new possibilities for future mobility and logistics systems.

The work combines scientific depth with high practical relevance. The developed methods open up prospects for application in autonomous vehicles, mobile robotics, as well as in logistics and production, where the coordinated control of many autonomous systems is becoming increasingly important. In particular, the jury valued the combination of scientific innovation, technical feasibility, and high application potential.

Wie congratulate Dr Patrick Scheffe on being awarded the Manfred Nagl Award and wish him continued success in his scientific and professional career.