Automechanika Shanghai prepares for highly anticipated new theme – Tomorrow’s Service & Mobility

Hailed to be Asia’s leading trade fair for automotive parts, accessories, equipment and services, organisers of Automechanika Shanghai strive to stay at the forefront of the industry’s latest advancements. As such, the show is delighted to present its new cutting-edge theme: Tomorrow’s Service & Mobility. Buyers can expect to see leading manufacturers, suppliers and start-ups showcasing their most forward-thinking products and services, and will have the opportunity to explore key themes within the many associated fringe events.

Tomorrow’s Service & Mobility is set to become one of the most popular themes in this year’s Automechanika Shanghai. In response to the shift towards a more connected industry, the fair’s latest addition will be a platform to showcase many different aspects of digitalisation, alternative drives, autonomous driving and new mobility services.

The need for this theme is becoming increasingly pertinent in China’s automotive industry, as it continues to take cues from the ever-growing advancements of digitalisation. Outlined by a number of government initiatives, the industry has seen massive growth in new energy vehicles in China, with the volume of sales recently increasing by 53% equating to 777,000 units in 2017[1], amounting to over 50% of total global sales. This is forecasted to reach the 2 million-unit mark by 2022[2]. Reports also predict that the global market revenue for connected cars is estimated to reach US$153.60 billion by 2022, with a CAGR of 33.38% during the period between 2015 and 2022[3].

Mr Cheng Yongshun, Vice President of the China National Machinery Industry International, noted: “Automechanika Shanghai has placed an increased focus on products, technologies and ideas related to the Tomorrow’s Service & Mobility theme. At the heart of this new area in the show, industry leaders can, for example, display the latest technology in new energy and composite materials for cars, showcase charging facilities and parking infrastructure showcases, and discuss the future of the automobile lifecycle.”

Located in the North Hall, the five most essential elements of car connectivity – people, vehicle, road, network, and cloud – will all be featured within the sector in the form of exhibits, interactive activities and open forums. Also on display will be a dedicated Hong Kong pavilion, where 23 exhibitors will showcase a range of products. Among them will be a ‘smart seatbelt’ embedded with sensors which aims to reduce accidents by 50%, a navigation system to provide real-time traffic and scheduling functions, and a cell voltage system for monitoring system health.

Other products on display include driver assistance solutions, vehicle light-weighing, advanced diagnostics, and more. What’s more, dedicated area, themed: “Advanced Composite Materials & Automotive Lightweight Innovation Application” will bring together raw materials suppliers to demonstrate how the evolution of material science contributes to the automotive development, with high strength and lightweight materials.

The themed sector will also welcome a number of renowned firms who specialise in the latest industry advancements. One such participant is CRRC, who will present its electric vehicle integration and transmission systems. Meanwhile, Japanese electronic components manufacturer ALPS will present its vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-object communication systems at the show. These provide early warning indicators for car collision to improve driver safety. Fellow exhibitor APG will showcase its propulsion systems for new energy vehicles, with higher driving efficiency and more compact structures.

Other key exhibitors within Tomorrow’s Service & Mobility include Bluestar, Broad-Ocean, INVT, Keihin, KUS, Min-Car, PATEO, Potevio, TEN-D, Vie, Westlake and more.

Ms Fiona Chiew, Deputy General Manager of show organiser Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd, said: “We will continue to emphasise the connected car industry as a key topic within the fair. Increased exploration of car connectivity highlights the rapid enhancements in autonomous driving, car safety, entertainment, vehicle management, cost, comfort, controls, mobility, and energy efficiency. Accordingly, Tomorrow’s Service & Mobility is a core element to the development of these fields.”

New show theme shines through fringe events

Away from the zone’s exhibitors, many forums and interactive activities will take place in the area via the trade fair’s extensive fringe programme. The Tomorrow’s Service & Mobility Summit 2018 will take place on the 28 November between 13:30 – 17:00. Held at the NECC Intercontinental Hotel, the event will discuss current and future developments in areas of car connectivity, new energy vehicles and autonomous driving. Experts will share their views on the opportunities and challenges associated with these trends.

On the same day between 09:00 – 16:00 at NECC, the Application of Advanced Composite Materials in New Energy Vehicles Summit 2018 will guide the audience through the application of advanced composite materials across the entire production cycle of new energy vehicles, from design, product development and manufacturing, to moulding and cost efficiency.

On top of this, the Connected Mobility Conference 2018 is back for its third year running. It will be held on the 29 November, 09:00 – 17:00 at the Sofitel Shanghai Hongqiao. Here, key speakers in the world of car connectivity will share their insights into how to build and profit from the connected digital mobility ecosystem.

For further information about Automechanika Shanghai 2018 and this year’s Tomorrow’s Services & Mobility sector, please visit www.automechanika-shanghai.com