- IAA: Meeting place for car, bicycle and tech industry in Munich
- Pilot project: Germany's first environmental lane
- Sustainability as a core topic of the IAA Mobility Conference
Inevitable change in mobility?
This week, from September 7 to 12, the IAA Mobility starts in Munich, presenting innovative concepts as well as solutions for the mobility of the future. The "International Automobile Exhibition", which has moved from Frankfurt to Munich in 2019, no longer sees itself as a showcase for new car models, but as an international mobility platform. For this purpose, the car, bicycle and tech industries come together.
The automotive industry is under increasing pressure to break away from its negative image as one of the largest CO2 emitters and prioritize sustainability. Consumers are more aware, innovative technologies intensify competition and politics influence the market with regulations.
This also applies to the "European Green Deal“ , which commits to making Europe the first climate neutral continent. With the growing trend toward electric mobility and the planned ban on new cars with combustion engines by 2035, the sector is showing its willingness to shape the mobility of the future in a sustainable manner.
Source & Copyright IAA Mobility
Protests against IAA Mobility
Despite the new concept, the counter voices do not remain quiet. Several protest actions as a sign against the automotive industry already took place on the first official kickoff day, while more are planned for Friday and Saturday. For instance, activists rappelled down from highway bridges to unfurl banners. There was also an on-site protest action by Greenpeace. The activists are calling for a faster phase-out of internal combustion engines and hold the automotive industry partly responsible for the climate crisis.
IAA shrunk: Assembly nevertheless important for joint solutions
The car exhibition is significantly smaller than it was at its peak a few years ago. Many large companies such as Toyota, Bentley or even e-mobility pioneer Tesla have cancelled their participation. However, there is all the more room for established German manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz or BMW to present their latest innovations.
A study by the Center of Automotive Management showed that German vehicle producers are leading the way when it comes to innovation. With VW and Daimler at the top of the ranking, ahead of Tesla. Crucial to change, however, is the infrastructure of the industry as a whole. For this reason, it is important to bring together as many parties in the industry as possible to strengthen exchange and tackle the issue of sustainability together.
Highlights 2021: Less space for cars, more room for innovation
Four concepts: Summit, Conference, Blue Lane and the inner-city Open Space - make it possible for experts, specialists and also the general public to experience the future of mobility In doing so, the event will be accompanied by digital and climate-neutral mobility topics under the title "What will move us next". Mobility is taking on increasingly diverse facets. Here are the innovative highlights of the 2021 exhibition:
- ACM City One: The compact e-car with exchangeable battery for the fleet area
- CityTransformer: The Israeli start-up presents a vehicle model with an innovative folding mechanism
- BMW: Future vision with sustainability and luxury - outlook on the first circular car
- Microlino: Small cars for the city are in vogue, a new electric model is coming from Switzerland
- Porsche: Rapid technology in the Porsche Mission R - 1088 PS produced with sustainable materials
Summit: the future of mobility in one place
In the six exhibition halls, vehicle manufacturers as well as suppliers, startups and leading companies from the tech and IT industry will present new, innovative products and services, visions and solution ideas for the future. As a result, around 750 companies come together at the Summit. These include Bosch, BMW, Huawei, Mercedes-Benz, Schaeffler Technologies and Volkswagen. The main new products are non-vehicles such as bicycles, e-bikes, e-scooter or sharing models.
Source & Copyright IAA Mobility
Conference: Dialogue on sustainable mobility
The fact that the exhibition is accompanied by the topic of sustainability is reflected in the selection of topics for the english-speaking conference. These include issues relating to CO2-neutral mobility, emission-free/reduced-emission supply chains and the concept of "circular cars", which will be presented and discussed by international experts from society, science, politics and the tech scene, as well as CEOs and visionaries.
Admission to the conference is free for visitors to the Summit, but non-participants can also attend on Friday September 10th - on site or virtually, where the entire program will be live-streamed.
"Blue Lane": Germany's first environmental route
One highlight of the sustainability concept is to be the Blue Lane - Germany's first environmental route. This will put the focus on electric, hybrid and hydrogen vehicles, as well as zero-emission local transport, which alone will be allowed to use the twelve-kilometer-long lane. Hereby, a sustainable test and transfer route between the Summit and the Open Space in the city center is made possible for the visitors, allowing the public to directly experience future and sustainable mobility in everyday street life.
Furthermore, the Blue Lane includes tracks for micromobility and is accompanied by live talks, VR worlds and lectures while driving. In addition, low- and no-emission premiere models as well as automated driving shuttles and valet parking can be tried out. Moreover, an 5 kilometer-long partial lane is to remain as a pilot project after the IAA Mobility. This environmental lane will then be used exclusively by zero-emission vehicles or cars with at least three occupants.
Open Space: Exhibition throughout Munich
This time, IAA Mobility is spreading throughout the city, making it accessible to the general public. Many places in Munich, such as the Königs-, Odeons- or Marienplatz, will be transformed into stages for future mobility. Bicycle, car and tech exhibitions as well as live talks and food concepts will be offered.
