TechnikRadar

Center for Interdisciplinary Risk and Innovation Studies

The aim of the project is the regular collection of empirical data and analysis of the attitudes, expectations and perspectives in relation to new technologies and technical change

Project Funding

Körber Foundation 
German Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech)

Project Duration

April 2017 to May 2024

TechnikRadar is a joint project by the Körber Foundationacatech, ZIRIUS and the Chair of Sociology of Technology, Risk and Environment at the University of Stuttgart. The aim of the project is to empirically investigate the attitudes, expectations and perspectives of Germans on issues of technology and technological change and to stimulate and inform discussions about innovative technologies in the public and civil society.

Since 2017, the perception of selected, forward-looking technologies and technological change has been explored every two years with the help of representative surveys. These surveys have a fixed, recurring core that enables the analysis of changes in attitudes and also examine changing focus topics such as digitalization (2018) and bioeconomy (2020). On the one hand, this method design also allows us to determine attitude trends and their influencing factors. On the other hand, it enables in-depth analyses of the key topics. In the interim years, the survey data will be supplemented by qualitative studies to gain a deeper understanding of technology perception and assessment. For example, focus groups can be used to determine technology attitudes of specific population groups, but also context conditions of different technology perceptions. The first standardized survey wave took place in October and November 2017.

TechnikRadar 2024

The focus of the TechnikRadar 2024 is on the changes over time in the previous surveys 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022 in light of various crises and debates: Which topics are seen as Germany's most important future tasks? Which technologies are more likely to be associated with benefits or risks? How have general attitudes towards technology developed? And what about citizens' desire to actively shape technological development?

While the influence of age on many attitudes towards technology has increased over time, gender differences have decreased at the same time. The assessments between eastern and western Germany have also converged over the course of the surveys, more so than between people in rural and urban areas. Nevertheless, there are still significant differences in the assessments of climate issues.

The TechnikRadar 2024 also compares developments in Germany with changes in attitudes towards technology in Europe and looks at national differences. This shows that particularly euphoric as well as very pessimistic attitudes towards technical developments have declined significantly in recent years. Overall, a trend towards a more application-oriented differentiation can be observed. It is noticeable that, in a European comparison, Germans are somewhat more optimistic about technology when it comes to the long-term consequences of technological progress. The TechnikRadar 2024 does not confirm the cliché of Germans being particularly hostile to technology.

TechnikRadar 2023

The TechnikRadar 2023 is dedicated to the topic of sustainable building and living. In 2022, energy issues, but also building and housing issues have taken on a whole new significance. The transformation of the energy supply has been driven forward for years under the buzzword of the energy turnaround. Nevertheless, energy security in Germany was seen less as a major challenge than as something to be taken for granted. This has changed dramatically; Germany has become painfully aware of its high dependence on fossil fuels, especially in the heating sector. The long-discussed change in energy supply: now it is here. Rising energy costs are placing an unprecedented burden on the German population and also on the public purse. Against this backdrop, the TechnikRadar 2023 surveyed last autumn what savings potential Germans see, where and how they themselves want to and can contribute to the energy transformation, and what their willingness to invest is. In addition, attitudes, usage intentions and impact assessments were asked about technical solutions such as smart homes, smart cities and automated construction machinery. The results will be published at the end of June 2023.

TechnikRadar 2022

The fourth and fifth TechnikRadar (2021 and 2022) focused on the importance of digital possibilities in medicine and health care, in addition to examining general perceptions of technological developments and in particular digitization in times of the corona crisis. In four case studies, the project will first examine the aspirations, expectations, fears and risk perceptions that characterize the public debate on health technologies. In addition to a literature and media research, we will interview relevant stakeholders and interest groups with a focus on controversial scientific and technological knowledge and its possible consequences.

Building on stakeholder perspectives, a representative population survey focusing on the future of health was conducted for the TechnikRadar 2022. Initial results of this survey, focusing on the impact of the Corona pandemic, were published in a Corona Extra in fall 2021. In addition to the population survey, an online survey was also conducted among physicians for the TechnikRadar 2022, surveying their experiences and attitudes toward digitization in the healthcare system. Detailed results of both surveys were published in Mai 11, 2022.

TechnikRadar 2021

The TechnikRadar 2021, Stakeholder Perspectives on the Digital Future of Health has been published.
The 2021 edition focused on the digital transformation of healthcare, which is gaining significant momentum with the introduction of the electronic patient record, the creation of a common telematics infrastructure and the approval of digital health applications.

This study looks at the experts' debate among stakeholders and their representation in the media. Both are already of great importance in the early stages of innovations. The results show: We are facing profound changes in how sensitive health data are handled, protected, and their benefits assessed. This also has consequences for the future role, the mutual relationship and the necessary competencies of physicians and patients. The more competent doctors are in dealing with digital technologies, the greater the chances of achieving gains. TechnikRadar wants to contribute to the urgently necessary debate on how to shape this new way of dealing with our data.

TechnikRadar 2020

TechnikRadar 2020 focused on the effects of the bio-economy. What do Germans think about bioplastics and biofuel? How do they perceive meat substitutes from the laboratory? How do they assess new methods of organ replacement and gene therapy? These were the questions investigated by TechnikRadar 2020. The focus has been on the question of how Germans view the goals and possible effects of the bio-economy. The results showed: When it comes to protecting the climate and the environment, the majority of Germans have a clear attitude - at least when it comes to the objectives and general demands on policy. When asked about specific measures that directly affect people, the willingness to take consistent action is less distinct.

TechnikRadar 2019

The 2019 TechnikRadar "Attitudes toward digitization in a European perspective" compares our in-house representative survey from the 2018 TechnikRadar with international studies. The study revealed that Europeans have different assessments of the opportunities arising from digitization. The results of the study were presented in Berlin on May 28, 2019 and, two days after the European elections, giving rise to discussion.

TechnikRadar 2018

The focus of the 2018 TechnikRadar was on the impact of digitalization. The results were presented on May 25 in Berlin 2018.

Contact Person

Project Lead

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