IAA Mobility 2023: Mobile Transformation as a Collective Task

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, together with VDA President Hildegard Müller, has opened the IAA Mobility in Munich. Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder and Munich's Mayor Dieter Reiter also attended the opening of the second edition, which aims to redefine itself as a global platform for mobility, sustainability, and tech. Once again, the event takes place at two locations: the trade fair with the B2B IAA Summit and the IAA Open Space in the city center for B2C.

“We are experiencing a show of innovation here, a mobility festival that makes the future tangible and will excite people: Whether it's groundbreaking solutions in the field of electromobility and digitalization, impressive advances in the expansion of the circular economy and energy efficiency, or technical quantum leaps thanks to human and artificial intelligence,” promoted VDA President Hildegard Müller in her opening speech.

The motto 'Experience Connected Mobility' is more than a slogan, said Müller; it is a promise: Digital networking, fast data processing, artificial intelligence, and real-time navigation are all intended to make the mobility of the future better, safer, and more comfortable for everyone. Müller sees the IAA Mobility as a platform for digital mobility, but also for mobility committed to climate protection and the conservation of resources. Both must be considered together.

"For climate-neutral and digital mobility to continue being developed, produced, exported, and associated with jobs in Germany in the future, we need internationally competitive framework conditions,” Müller further explained.

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) recalled that the first mobility revolution 135 years ago originated in Munich. He believes: "The second revolution – towards climate-friendly mobility – is also at home here at the IAA MOBILITY."

“We are committed to the car. Mobility is part of our Bavarian DNA and stands for progress and freedom. Future concepts for modern and sustainable mobility of tomorrow are presented here,” propagated Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU).

The trade fair is breaking new ground, having transformed from a car show to a mobility platform, agreed Munich's Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD). Munich is just the right location for this. The interplay of universities, strong local industrial companies in the field of transport and infrastructure, as well as a vibrant and creative start-up scene, makes the city predestined to innovate further in transport and mobility, finds the city leader.

IAA MOBILITY: Future Mobility as a Collective Task

The immense transformation is a collective task. At the trade fair in Munich, the key players come together – the manufacturers and suppliers of the automotive industry, technology companies and startups, urban planners, energy providers, and providers of other forms of mobility – bicycles, e-scooters, the railways.

"In this collective task, it is of central importance to involve people on the way to climate-neutral mobility of the future, to inspire them with the opportunities and possibilities, and to take their needs seriously," Hildegard Müller further explained.

Exchange and dialogue are crucial to meet the demands of society, politics, and the economy. The trade fair is a central meeting point that enables and promotes constructive dialogue, said Müller.