From May 1, 2003, Matthias Rabe is to take charge of the Volkswagen Group’s research activities, succeeding Dr. Ulrich Eichhorn, who moved on March 1 to Bentley Motors Limited in Crewe, Great Britain, as Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development, but who retains joint responsibility for Volkswagen’s research work until April 30, 2003. Rabe reports to Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen, who is in charge of group research activities and motor sport and also chairman and chief executive of Bentley Motors.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


Since October 1998 Matthias Rabe has headed the vehicle safety department at Volkswagen. He has worked for Volkswagen at various locations and in a number of different positions since 1988.

Just Auto Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Auto Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Continental has secured the Window Displays Innovation Award in the 2025 Just Auto Excellence Awards for its Window Projection solution, transforming side windows into dynamic, data-rich canvases. Discover how this compact projection technology and intelligent software are reshaping in-car UX and opening fresh revenue streams for OEMs and mobility providers.

Discover the Impact