The first quantum computer in Europe was inaugurated near Stuttgart. The auto industry could also benefit from the super machine.
Ehningen – The inner workings of an electric car battery is quite complicated. How the electrochemical processes take place is not a mystery, but a very complex, lengthy and ultimately also expensive matter. But the exploration is appealing. Understanding how the chemical substances react with one another provides the basis for building batteries more effectively. For the automotive industry, this means in the best case: more range, shorter charging times, higher capacity.
For car manufacturers like Daimler AG (BW24 * reported) it is very difficult to see inside a battery. Because the molecules in it behave quantum mechanically. A so-called quantum computer is required to take a close look at them. To date, there was no such supercomputer in Europe that made this kind of research possible. But that changed on Tuesday: In Ehningen, south of the state capital Stuttgart *, the US company IBM inaugurated the first system of this type at its location. It has been in operation since February.
The quantum computer near Stuttgart should bring results for economic applications
According to IBM, the system is “Europe’s most powerful quantum computer in an industrial context”. Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) described the computer in a video message as a “marvel of technology”. Germany ranks among the world leaders in quantum technology research. The goal now is to make research results usable for economic applications “as quickly as possible”.
With quantum computers, research and industry are responding to the fact that the development of high-performance computers that has been common up to now is reaching its physical limits. Quantum computers can theoretically be many times more powerful than conventional computers; they can perform more complex tasks than conventional systems in a shorter time.
Baden-Württemberg is investing 40 million euros in the quantum computer
For car manufacturers like Daimler, quantum computers play an important role in the transition to more electromobility. The group is bringing more and more e-models onto the market, the last time Daimler presented the EQS * in April. At the same time, Daimler is also developing e-car batteries * that should be rechargeable in a shorter time. In an international comparison, higher capacities with shorter loading times with the help of quantum technology could bring competitive advantages. According to Auto-Motor-Sport , the company is doing its research at full speed – together with tech companies and research institutes such as the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
For the exclusive use of the quantum computer, which is operated in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute, according to SWR , the state of Baden-Württemberg has initially made available the largest share of all federal states involved – around 40 million euros. Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) said at the inauguration on Tuesday that quantum technologies are the “key to the future”. The field of application is not limited to the automotive industry. Quantum research could also optimize other processes, such as in traffic, medical technology or even for financial investments. * BW24 is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
