“The IAA has developed again and again throughout its 123-year history, but the year 2021 in Munich will mark a fundamental new beginning,” announced VDA President Hildegard Müller. “We will be able to experience this IAA in the exhibition halls, at inner-city locations and on major arterial traffic routes. It aims to be something that visitors can grasp and ‘experience’ in the truest sense of the word – with all the senses. And, alongside the presentation of wonderful automobiles and the latest intelligent mobility solutions, it will also become a forum for debating the future of mobility,” according to Hildegard Müller. “I am delighted that we have brought the constructive negotiations with Messe München to a successful conclusion.”
“The IAA 2021 will devote a large amount of space to climate protection and sustainability: with clean, economical powertrains and the most modern cars, with a comprehensive mobility mix including passenger cars, e-bikes, e-scooters and local public transport,” Hildegard Müller explained.
The IAA will take place from September 7 to 12, 2021, and will be developed into a leading platform reflecting the entire new ecosystem of mobility. From vehicle manufacturers and suppliers to technology companies, mobility service providers and local public transport, all the way to startups, the IAA in Munich will become the meeting place for innovators from Silicon Valley, Europe and as far away as Asia.
The fascination of the most advanced cars will continue to be an important part of the new IAA, and in addition the world’s leading trade show for the automotive sector will evolve into one of the driving forces for the further development of a major metropole into a “smart city” with intelligent traffic concepts and innovative connectivity between the modes of transport – sustainable and geared to people’s needs.
“Our aim during the trade show is to engage in conversation with numerous motorists, experts, and lateral thinkers. We want to apply a holistic concept for automobiles and mobility in order to go on the offensive to attract international exhibitors, and to offer mobility providers a new home,” said Hildegard Müller.
The IAA will initially take place in Munich in 2021 and 2023. The contract also contains an option for 2025.
“We are delighted to be organizing the new IAA together with the VDA. Our worldwide network, our decades of experience with large events and our digital competence will help turn this challenging project into a success,” said Klaus Dittrich, Chairman and CEO of Messe München.
“Munich is the perfect location for the new-style IAA. Its international reputation and its unique atmosphere offer an ideal setting for the dialog with the general public and enough room for brand presentations, valuable business contacts and the experience of all forms of future mobility,” Dittrich explained. “We will build the best possible platform for the future of mobility for the sector.”
Dr. Markus Söder, Bavarian Minister-President said: “At the new venue in Munich, the IAA will open a new chapter as one of the largest and most important international mobility and motor shows. It will strengthen Bavaria as a technology and mobility location and Munich as a trade fair venue. But the IAA is more: we want it to spark off the transport concepts of the future and visions for the city as an intelligently managed metropolitan area. With its outstanding trade show infrastructure and its innovative exhibition design, Messe München is precisely the right, strong partner, because we don’t perceive any contradiction in climate protection and auto mobility. Instead we see the rewarding challenge of combining ecology and economy in a beneficial manner. We have already created highlights with the ‘Automotive Future Forum’ and the ‘Hightech Agenda’. Bavaria is investing 115 million euros just in the research and development of alternative powertrains, bio-based fuels and energy-saving lightweight designs. The IAA is an excellent fit with our overall concept. For this reason the State Government has made a massive effort to bring the IAA to Munich – and therefore we will also give our explicit support to the next steps.”
Dieter Reiter, Lord Mayor of the City of Munich: “The topic of mobility is one of the greatest challenges facing towns and cities. It concerns not only cars. Urban mobility must be reinvented in consideration of a wider context than has been the case to date. I am delighted that Messe München is taking up this challenge in cooperation with the IAA. I expect this will generate some interesting approaches – and not only for urban policy-making. Our trade show venue ranks among the most important exhibition locations for other fields as well, and will now have another great opportunity to host an international event. I hope that we will also see the necessary business success.”
Clemens Baumgärtner, Head of the Department for Labor and Economic Development, City of Munich: “The new-look IAA is a good fit for the City of Munich. Being a major automotive location and an innovative smart city, Munich will benefit from the IAA. For people here the IAA will be a hands-on show enabling them to experience right in the heart of the city what is being done to develop the mobility of the future. The world will see that new mobility concepts are unveiled in Munich. And Munich will present itself to guests from all over the world as a city of innovation, hospitality and joie-de-vivre.”
For the new IAA, the VDA and Messe München are planning a public event area in addition to the displays in the exhibition halls. In the city center, smart mobility and smart city concepts will be presented and discussed, which will involve intelligent and sustainable mobility solutions. The planned locations include Königsplatz, Odeonsplatz together with Ludwigstrasse, and Marienplatz.
The presentation of technology with innovation forums for trade visitors, B2B exchanges and forward-looking keynote speeches will take place on the trade show grounds. A transfer route is planned, linking these sites by means of priority lanes for environmentally friendly vehicles. Here, too, as many visitors as possible should be able to try out the new mobility concepts and get to know them at first hand.
Dittrich also drew attention to the great opportunities for Munich: “The IAA will give the whole metropolitan region a boost concerning key factors such as mobility, research, innovation and technology. This is possible only because the Free State of Bavaria and the City of Munich have supported our application to host the IAA. At this point I would like to express our grateful thanks to our partners for their support.”
Hildegard Müller and Klaus Dittrich both stressed, “Holding the IAA 2021 in Munich represents a huge opportunity for the entire automotive sector and the discussion of the future of mobility – at both national and international level. It will drive forward the successful transformation and thus the future viability of the vehicle industry. In 2021 Munich will therefore become the center of innovation for the whole automotive and mobility sector.”
SOURCE: VDA
