Katharina Hottelart is leading the "CarLab" at Valeo in Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany - an innovation unit and creative hub dedicated to innovation projects and an iterative design approach. With a background in market and communication research from Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences, Katharina embarked on her journey with Valeo in 2007 while simultaneously pursuing an MBA at Steinbeis University Berlin. Since 2010, she has been an integral part of the Innovation and Collaborative Research Team, working on a range of projects within the realm of connected and automated cars and the Human-Machine Interface (HMI).

Katharina's enthusiasm lies in the implementation of cutting-edge methodologies, fostering close collaboration with R&D teams to seamlessly integrate iterative and user-centered approaches. Leading a dynamic, multi-disciplinary team, she leverages diverse UX methodologies to redefine the automotive experience to help shape the future of innovation at Valeo.
A firm believer in the power of collaboration, Katharina champions the idea that successful product development stems from the seamless integration of User Experience experts and R&D. Her conviction is simple yet profound: products become truly successful when people not only use them but want to use them.

As a technology company and partner to all automakers and new mobility players, Valeo innovates to make mobility cleaner, safer and smarter. Valeo is a technological and industrial leader in electrification, driving assistance systems, reinvention of the interior experience and lighting everywhere. These four areas, vital to the transformation of mobility, are the Group's growth drivers. Valeo in figures in 2022: 20 billion euros in sales; 109,900 employees; 29 countries, 183 plants, 21 research centers, 44 development centers, 18 distribution platforms. Valeo is listed on the Paris Stock Exchange.