STUTTGART, Germany, May 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --
Expert organization calls for more regulation and independent testing
DEKRA views cybersecurity and sophisticated safety technology as critical factors in the success of interconnected and automated driving in particular. "Thanks to the numerous benefits, people are prepared to yield more and more control and responsibility to technology," said DEKRA CEO Stefan Kölbl to journalists in Stuttgart. "However, this does require that our health and our data are safe and secure - which is not always the case right now."
In light of this, the global expert organization has expanded its position as a digital safety expert. The company made investments of EUR 150 million in 2017, with most of that money going towards reinforcing its expertise in digital testing. This helped it to grow for the 14th year in succession. Consolidated revenues showed a marked increase of 8.0% to more than EUR 3.1 billion, while adjusted operating earnings (EBIT) rose by EUR 15.5 million to EUR 236.1 million. The employee headcount passed the 40,000 mark for the first time, going up by as much as 4,700 to 44,057. All of this means that as the largest unlisted company in the TIC sector, DEKRA has more than doubled both its revenues (by almost EUR 1.7 billion) and its workforce (by more than 25,000) in the space of ten years.
From automated mobility and smart homes to Industry 4.0 and modern working environments, the benefits accompanying digital transformation are undeniable. However, levels of safety and security are not keeping up with the rapid pace of development. Data theft and leaks, fatalities involving autonomous vehicles, scandals surrounding eavesdropping in children's rooms, and out-of-control robots - the negative headlines relating to digitalization are piling up. "We need clear regulations and sophisticated, fully tested technology at a global level. Anything else would be playing not only with people's privacy, but also with their lives," explained DEKRA CEO Stefan Kölbl.
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About DEKRA
DEKRA has been active in the field of safety for more than 90 years. Founded in 1925 in Berlin as Deutscher Kraftfahrzeug-Überwachungs-Verein e.V., it is today one of the world's leading expert organizations. DEKRA SE is a subsidiary of DEKRA e.V. and manages the Group's operating business. In 2017, DEKRA generated sales totalling more than 3.1 billion Euros. The company currently employs more than 44,000 people in more than 50 countries on all five continents. With qualified and independent expert services, they work for safety on the road, at work and at home. These services range from vehicle inspection and expert appraisals to claims services, industrial and building inspections, safety consultancy, testing and certification of products and systems, as well as training courses and temporary work. The vision for the company's 100th birthday in 2025 is that DEKRA will be the global partner for a safe world.
Contact:
Dr. Torsten Knödler
+49-711-7861-2075
+49-711-7861-742075
torsten.knoedler@dekra.com
DEKRA e.V.
Corporate Communications
Handwerkstrasse 15
70565 Stuttgart, Germany
www.dekra.de/presse
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