L.A. Autoshow: LA-me Show

At least the L.A. Auto Show took place again – but it brought little new for the overall mobility system.

Many cars, but few ideas – that’s how you could briefly summarize the L.A. Auto Show. Cautious, it doesn’t quite feel like a new beginning, even though there are some new players in the market. Many OEMs were not even there, making the fair much smaller than usual.

Many combustion engine pickups were still the focus, as they remain the top sellers in the USA – especially in the center of the country. However, the domestic manufacturers otherwise held back noticeably.

The most exciting premieres were at Hyundai and Kia, where conceptually you could still feel and see the most of the new zeitgeist and progress. However, almost no one at the entire show properly demonstrated this: What does the digital ecosystem around a car look like? Where are the new features and services? In our opinion, this is far too short-sighted – many beautiful cars, but that’s it.

Additionally, there were some EV startups like Canoo, Fisker, Mullan Automotive, or Indi EV. But they hardly offer special features and lack real USPs. Moreover, they lack a long brand history and customer trust. Thus, it remains to be seen how they will fare.

At the CoMotion LA, which takes place concurrently, the future of mobility is much more palpable than at the LA AutoShow. Sure, EVs are coming – but that’s about it….

What does this mean?

In my opinion, there was far too little to see and feel from the possibilities of a connected, digital world. When will a new brand or a new model be launched for the first time that focuses primarily on digital features, content, apps, etc., and only then on the great new “vegan leather” or the striking exterior design? Where are the cool vehicles specifically designed for ride-share? Where is there something new and bold for car-sharing? I would wish for more of that next time!