Klaus Bengler

Prof. Dr. Klaus Bengler is Full Professor and Chair of Ergonomics at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), located within the TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan in Garching, Germany. He leads research and teaching activities that integrate human factors engineering with cutting-edge topics such as automated driving, digital twins, and human-centred production systems.

Education: While specific degrees are not detailed, his title “Prof. Dr. phil.” indicates a doctoral degree in philosophy or a related discipline and the venia legendi required for a German professorship.

Research Interests

• Human–Machine Interaction – developing user-centred interfaces for complex technical systems.
• Automated & Connected Driving – studying driver behaviour, trust, and safety in conditionally and fully automated vehicles.
• Digital Twins & Cyber-Physical Systems – leveraging virtual replicas to sustain long-living human-machine systems in construction and production.
• Lean Ergonomics – integrating lean management and ergonomics to foster resilient socio-technical production environments.
• Remote & Teleoperated Systems – analysing human reliability, organisational structures, and interface design for teleoperation.
• VR/AR Applications – employing immersive technologies for ergonomic design and training.

Across more than 35 peer-reviewed publications from 2023–2025, a clear thematic trajectory emerges: leveraging human-centred design to shape the safe introduction of automation across road transport, aviation, and industrial production. Studies repeatedly address longitudinal adaptation, risk-aware AI, pedestrian interaction with automated vehicles, and the organisational embedding of new technologies.

Scientific Awards
No specific honours or prizes are mentioned in the supplied text.

Advising & Funding Landscape
While individual student names are not provided, the Chair of Ergonomics hosts a dynamic research group engaged in numerous large-scale projects, including federally funded initiatives on teleoperation and KI-Fabrik. These projects typically involve interdisciplinary consortia with industry partners such as BMW, enabling extensive graduate-level supervision.

Laboratories & Teams
Prof. Bengler directs the Chair of Ergonomics (www.ergonomie.tum.de), which maintains state-of-the-art facilities: multi-driver connected simulators, VR/AR labs, instrumented vehicles, and industrial demonstrators within the KI-Fabrik pilot plant. The team comprises post-doctoral researchers, doctoral candidates, technical staff, and student assistants working in tight collaboration with national and international partners.