Changing trade patterns, connectivity, smart cities and clean mobility are just some of the trends creating challenges and opportunities for the global automotive industry. Are Chinese U.S., Japanese and European manufactures ready to deal with these challenges? What should be the role of public authorities in navigating these trends? Will the industry find common ground to deliver cleaner, safer, connected, automated cars?

LIASE Group was a sponsor of the 15th CEIBS Automotive Forum, which tried to answer the important questions outlined above. Taking place October 21, 2017, the event was located at the China Europe International Business School’s main campus in Shanghai. This was a great opportunity for LIASE Group to meet senior industry executives, leading academics and government leaders from Europe and Asia to better understand automotive industry trends and opportunities for future growth.

Globalization, autonomous vehicles and clean cities

In a climate where the U.S. administration has signaled its intention to make significant changes to global trade regime, the global automotive industry is facing major challenges, perhaps the largest since the invention of the combustion engine. Not only does the industry have to deal with important environmental requirements, leading to massive investments in the in the development of new powertrains, but the pressure to invest in connected and autonomous vehicles is also driving unprecedented levels of R&D investments in the industry. At the same time, pollution and growing traffic problems require new ways of thinking about mobility, urbanization and the place of the car in moving millions of people every day.

To overcome these challenges, the auto industry will require a holistic, integrated approach, involving the industry, governments and citizens. But as those who attended CEIBS heard, it will above all require a change in mindsets for everyone concerned.

4 sessions and over 20 speakers
The 15th CEIBS China Automotive Industry Forum was organized around four key sessions.

Changing trade relations and the strategy of China’s automotive industry

How will changing trade relations affect the automotive industry in the near future? Will China play an increasingly important role in multilateral and bilateral trade agreements among the major players? Are we witnessing a turnaround in globalization?

Digitalization, mobility and smart cities

What cars will be allowed to circulate in smart cities? Who will build the infrastructure? What are rules and regulations will be needed to create a smart city?

Automated and connected vehicles

Who will be building smart cars and who will be buying them? Will today’s young customers continue purchasing cars as their forebears did? Does individual car ownership still have a future, or will car-sharing services and other mobility solutions replace the current model?

Clean mobility

Electric cars are seen as a solution for clean mobility and have received major investments, yet the technology has failed to take off with customers. When will the technology take off? Will other solutions such as hydrogen be adopted faster than electric cars?

To discuss these and other issues, the forum gathered over 20 speakers from the industry, government and from the academy. Notable speakers from the auto industry included:

-Lu Yongtao, Director and General Manager of SAIC Capital; Chairman and General Manager of SAIC Venture Capital

-Weiming Soh, Executive Vice President, Volkswagen AG
EVP Group Strategy and Sales & Marketing, Volkswagen Group China

-Yuan Mingxue, Vice President, Changan Automobile

-Christophe de Charantenay, Managing Director, Renault (Beijing) Automotive Co. Ltd; Vice President, Chinese Business Office of Renault China

-Enno Tang, President and CEO, Continental China

-Peter Zhou, Vice President, Banma

-Lu Qun, Chairman, Beijing CH-Auto; Chairman, Qiantu Motor

-Allan Stejskal, CEO, incadea (a Cox Automotive Brand)

-Jin Wenhui, Executive Vice President, Jiangling Motors Co., Ltd.

-Hyuk Joon Lee, Vice President, Hyundai Motor Group (China) Ltd.

-Bodil Eriksson, Chief Executive Officer, Volvo Cars Mobility

LIASE Group was proud to serve as a Silver Sponsor of this important discussion and continue to facilitate the development of strong leadership in the global automotive industry.

Ms. Bodil Eriksson, Chief Executive Officer, Volvo Cars Mobility at the 15th CEIBS China Automotive Industry Forum

Mr. Jin Wenhui, Executive Vice President, Jiangling Motors Co., Ltd.

Mr. Allan Stejskal, CEO, incadea (a Cox Automotive Brand).

Mr. Lu Qun, Chairman, Beijing CH-Auto; Chairman, Qiantu Motor.

From left to right: Mr. Ivan Hodac, Founder and President, Aspen Institute Prague; Mr. Jin Wenhui, Executive Vice President, Jiangling Motors Co., Ltd.; Mr. Hyuk Joon Lee, Vice President, Hyundai Motor Group (China) Ltd.; Ms. Bodil Eriksson, Chief Executive Officer, Volvo Cars Mobility; Mr. Lu Yongtao, Director and General Manager of SAIC Capital, Chairman and General Manager of SAIC Venture Capital.

Left to right: Mr. Ivan Hodac, Founder and President, Aspen Institute Prague; Mr. Jeffrey Sampler, Adjunct Professor of Management, CEIBS; Mr. Yuan Mingxue, Vice President, Changan Automobile; Mr. Christophe de Charantenay, Managing Director, Renault (Beijing) Automotive Co. Ltd., Vice President, Chinese Business Office of Renault China; Mr. Xu Qian, Director of AlixPartners, Head of Automotive Practice for Greater China.

Mr. Yuan Xiaolin, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific, Volvo (left) and Dr. Li Mingjun, President, CEIBS (right).

Mr. Enno Tang, President and CEO, Continental China (left) and Mr. Erik Jonnaert, Secretary General, European Automobile Manufacturers Association (right).

Mr. Christophe de Charantenay, Managing Director, Renault (Beijing) Automotive Co. Ltd; Vice President, Chinese Business Office of Renault China.

Mr. Yuan Mingxue, Vice President, Changan Automobile.

Mr. Weiming Soh, Executive Vice President, Volkswagen AG; EVP Group Strategy and Sales & Marketing, Volkswagen Group China.

Mr. Xu Qian, Director of AlixPartners, Head of Automotive Practice for Greater China spoke about development trends and outlook in global automotive technologies.

The event was attended by senior members of the Chinese automotive industry, academics and government officials.

LIASE Group Managing Director Asia Vanessa Moriel attended the World Intelligent Vehicle Conference & Exhibition (IVC) on September 28 and 29, 2017, in Shanghai, China. The IVC 2017 Conference gathered more than 150 experts and global industry leaders focusing on the latest technology and developments in intelligent mobility, automated driving and connected vehicles.

Intelligent and connected vehicles are creating a massive new business opportunity for auto, tech and telecom companies. Self-driving cars and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications are two hot topics in the auto industry that make up part of the intelligent vehicle sector. However, for this technology to achieve its full potential, governments and industry need to align their interest to develop an intelligent transportation system. Various companies also need to work together to accelerate the development of smart operation systems and features for smart and autonomous vehicles that connect with one another seamlessly. IVC 2017 aimed to advance this agenda to promote the adoption of the right mix of technologies in the Chinese context.

Markets and technology
The main conference featured discussions about the market outlook for intelligent mobility, Chinese government plans to develop the industry, connectivity, automation, sensors and LiDAR, advanced driver assistance systems, fleet management, automotive cyber security, the standardization of V2X communication and OEM strategic plan for future development of connected technologies.

Notable speakers at the two-track conference included:

• He Jugang, Vice President Global R&D Center, Chang’an Automotive
• Zhang Wensong Vice President, Didi Chuxing
• Chen Bin, CEO, Daimler Car2go China
• Liu Fen, Director of Intelligence Vehicle Development, SAIC Motor
• Dr. Daniel Kirchert, COO, Future Mobility Corporation
• Matthew Tsien, Executive Vice President, General Motors
• Dr. Wu Qingwen, Executive Director of Technical Engineering, SAIC Volkswagen
• Liu Weiguo, Chief Engineer of R&D Center, Geely Auto
• Chen Xiaohua, VP of New Technology Institute, BAIC GROUP
• Toshiro Muramatsu, Deputy General Manager, Telematics Engineering Group, Nissan Motor
• Dr. Stefan Greiner, Director Automated Driving and Chassis Development, Audi China
• Li Qi, Deputy Director of Electric control Development Department, Technology Institute, Great Wall Motors
• Li Kai, Director of Technical Center, Head of Automated Driving, Dongfeng Motor Corporation
• Gao Jiyong, Executive Director of Product Technology Center, Chery Automobile
• Dr. Meikei Ieong, Chief Technology Officer, Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute

Intelligent vehicle CEO talk
Ms. Moriel also attended the conference’s high-level CEO talk meetings. This invitation-only, closed-door program included private sessions and meetings between 15 high-level automotive C-suite executives to discuss the future of the automotive industry in China. Executives present at these meetings included:

• Chang Cheng, General Manager of R&D, SAIC Group
• Li Zhengyu, Deputy General Manager, Baidu Intelligent Vehicle
• Jennifer Jiang, Vice President, Business Unit Driver Assistance Systems, Chassis Systems Control, Bosch China
• August Wu, Vice President of Product Line, Asia/Pacific, Volvo Group
• Shen Haiyin, Co-founder& CEO, Singulato Motors
• Jacques Foulquier, VP, Powertrain Department, Projects & Programmes, Dongfeng Renault
• Wang Zhan, Global VP and Asia-Pacific President, Electronics & Safety Division, Delphi Automotive
• Xu Yanhua, Deputy Secretary General, China Association of Automobile Manufacturers
• Zhang Xiwei, VP of Cloud Core Network Product Line, Huawei
• Ray Bierzynski, Vice President, Chery Automotive

The event, which attracted over 1,000 people from all across the supply chain, also included high-level networking events.

Vanessa Moriel during the CEO session of IVC.

Vanessa Moriel during the CEO session of IVC 2017 in Shanghai.

Over 1,000 people attended the 2-day event.

IVC 2017 was held at the Marriot Shanghai Luwan.

A panel of participants during the World Intelligent Vehicle Conference 2017 in Shanghai.

A formal diner following the CEO talk portion of IVC 2017.

David Allard, EPEL Innovation Outpost Manager with PSA Peugeot Citroen.

The event was an opportunity to network with intelligent mobility professionals from China and around the world.

The 2-day event included a cocktail reception for intelligent vehicle professionals.

The LIASE Group’s Wolfgang Doell, President and Managing Director Europe; Vanessa Moriel, Managing Director Asia; and Adam Pumfrey, Managing Director U.K., attended the 67th International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt am Main Press days and the opening of the show on September 12 to 14, 2017. IAA is the largest auto show in the world and featured many world premieres by German OEMs.

As usual, the auto show was a great opportunity for LIASE to network with auto executives and stay on top of industry trends. Here’s what they saw.
 
Strong push from governments for electrification

The IAA came just ahead of the German federal election. Germany’s returning Chancellor, Angela Merkel, made her views about the German Automotive clear during the campaign: It’s time to electrify and help consumers switch. Combined with China’s recent push for electrification, the pressure’s now on for OEMs electrify and sell more electric vehicles (EV) and hybrids.
 
However, the low price of gas, the lack of EV charging infrastructure, lagging battery technology and an unwillingness on the part of many consumers mean that the combustion engine is clearly not about to go away.
 
This was represented by the fact that while German automakers, eager to turn the corner on the ‘dieselgate’ emissions scandal, presented a number of sleek, self-driving electric concepts, Nissan and Tesla – the only two carmakers actually mass producing electric cars – weren’t present at the IAA.
 
Crossovers and SUVs still rule the market

SUVs reigned supreme at this year’s IAA, accounting for a majority of model launches. These launches ranged from Volkswagen’s sporty T-Roc, to the updated Dacia Duster. Chinese automakers weren’t left out of the action. Chery and Wey both unveiled compact 4x4s. BMW also unveiled a competitor to Mercedes’s G-Wagon and Audi’s Q7. The new BMW X7 Concept will come with seven seats and will include a plug-in hybrid version.
 
German automakers unveiled their latest models

BMW was firing on all cylinders at this year’s IAA. BMW showcased its latest technological developments, including powertrain electrification, comprehensive digitalization and advances in the field of automated driving. In the luxury segment, the BMW Concept 8 Series and the BMW 7 concept made a remarkable appearance. So did the BMW Concept Z4, the new BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo and the new BMW X3.

Daimler unveiled the Smart Vision EQ ForTwo concept, which it says is “a new vision of urban mobility and individualized, highly flexible, totally efficient local public transport.”  There was also the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE, Daimler’s two-seater sports car performance plug-in hybrid. A bit more unusual was the Mercedes-Benz X-Class, the brands first ever pick-up. Mercedes also unveiled the GLC F-Cell preproduction car, which it claims is the “world’s first electric electric vehicle with fuel-cell/battery powertrain.”

Not to be left out, Volkswagen group unveiled the new Audi A8, “the first production automobile in the world to have been developed for highly automated driving,” the Audi RS 4 Avant, and the third generation of the Posche Cayenne. It was also the market launch of the new SEAT Arona, and the automaker unveiled the new Volkswagen T-Roc, a new sub-compact crossover, the brand’s challenger for the Nissan Qashqai.
 
Chinese brands are getting noticed

Taiwanese upstart Thunder Power was back at Europe’s top industry showcase. Positioned next to European luxury brands Maserati and Ferrari on the showroom floor, Thunder Power unveiled a high-end electric SUV prototype set for mass production in 2020. The firm already has a factory in China and plans to set one up in Spain.Thunder Power eventually aims to sell 40,000 units a year in Europe, he said.
 
German brand Borgward, which was brought back to life in 2015 with the help of Chinese truck maker Beiqi Foton, showed off the limited-edition BX7 SUV. The new luxury SUV will go on sale in Germany first before other models are launched across the continent. Borgward also unveiled a sporty Isabella concept car. The German-Chinese manufacturer plans to increase its European footprint by building an assembly plant in Bremen, northern Germany, next year. Production is slated to begin for 2019.
 
WEY, the new luxury label of Chinese carmaker Great Wall, showcased a range of compact 4x4s, with both combustion and hybrid drivetrains. It also showed off its XEV concept, a crossover with futuristic-looking gullwing doors. No European launch plan was announced.
 
Chery displayed the Exeed Tx. Produced in China, this crossover has been developed for European customers, and will launch with three electrified powertrains: hybrid (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and battery EV (BEV).
 
Automotive suppliers make a bang

Not to be outdone by OEMs major automotive suppliers also made major announcements at Frankfurt.

• Continental unveiled 3 new tire concepts: ContiAdapt is a tire and wheel combo that features microcompressors that can adjust the tire pressure, inflating and deflating it as necessary, and hydraulics to change the width of the rim so the tire can lower pressure for improved grip on a slippery road and increase pressure for a smaller footprint l fuel economy on a dry highway. ContiSense is a tire that adds sensors and a layer of electrically conductive rubber to the tire in order to detect when a metal object punctures it. Other sensors and an app are also included in the concept that is meant to attract fleet managers at first. Taraxa Gum is conceived of as a replacement for natural rubber. The idea is to use Russian dandelions as a replacement material that could be grown close to factories.

• Magna demonstrated its full capabilities and autonomous drive platform technologies including a 360-Degree Capabilities Demonstrator, an Advanced Driver Assistance Simulator and the MAX4 Demonstrator, a dynamic demonstration of Magna’s scalable autonomous driving platform.

• Adient, the leading supplier of automotive seating, showcased its vision for interiors, and especially the vehicle seating system, in a concept where new forms of mobility such as autonomous driving, car sharing and electromobility are changing how we get around. Adient.

• Bosch showcased new technologies such as its Automated valet parking (driveless parking), over-the-air software updates, and the electric axle (e-axle), a cost-optimized solution for electrical powertrains in EVs and hybrids, whereby the electric motor, power electronics, and transmission are integrated in a compact unit which directly drives the vehicle’s axle.

• TomTom, a navigation technology company, announced a deal with Daimler who will use TomTom maps for its infotainment platform in North America. They also showcase their real-time EV charging service, which has been developed to help EV drivers to make informed decisions about when and where to charge their vehicles, reducing range anxiety.

 
New Mobility World

LIASE group participated in the New Mobility World B2B event that was held in parallel with the main IAA auto show from September 14 to 17, 2017 brought together technology firms, the automobile industry, start-ups and disruptors to discuss and build the future of mobility.
 
The entire spectrum of the new mobility industry was represented at the conference. Exhibitors included tech giants like SAP, semiconductor manufacturer NXP, start-ups and software companies like Facebook.
 
Speakers at the conference portion of the event came from OEMs, Tier suppliers, start-ups and tech companies. Among the notable list of executives and innovators were:

• Helmut Matschi, Member of the Executive Board of Continental AG
• Steve Mollenkopf, Global CEO Qualcomm
• Erez Dagan, Senior VP Advanced Development & Strategy, Mobileye Vision Technologies
• Steven Armstrong, Group Vice President and President of EMEA, Ford Motor Company
• Carlo d’Asaro Biondo, President EMEA Strategic Relationships, Google
• Jan Carlson, Chairman, President and CEO, Autoliv
• Erez Dagan, Senior VP Advanced Development & Strategy, Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd.
• Karl-Heinz Glander, Chief Engineer for Automated Driving and Integral Cognitive Safety, ZF Friedrichshafen AG
• Michael Heckmeier, Executive VP, Head of Business Unit Display Materials, Merck KGaA
• Han Hendriks, Chief Technology Officer, Yanfeng Automotive Interiors
• Stephan Hönle, Senior Vice President Business Unit Automated Driving, Robert Bosch GmbH
• John Kitchingman, Vice President, IBM Global Automotive
• Marek Neumann, Director / CTO Automotive Solutions, Intel Corporation
• Lars Reger, CTO Automotive, NXP
• Erich Smidt, Regional Director – EMEA, Velodyne LiDAR
• Christoph Stadeler, Head of Automotive, Facebook
• Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management, AUDI AG
• Christoph Weigler, General Manager Germany, Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Sergey Zorin, Head of Transportation Systems Security Department, Kaspersky Lab

 
These speakers and others spoke about the following topics:

• How big data can be gathered and used to change the (urban) mobility of tomorrow
• How connectivity within and between vehicles and their environments will transform what is possible
• Intermodal transport systems and the car in everyday life
• Individualization of air transport
• Platforms in the mobility world
• Future urban mobility

 
The New Mobility World Exhibit and conference was a great opportunity for LIASE to network with the speakers and industry leaders present at the event and gain insights into the future of mobility.



Vanessa Moriel, Managing Director Asia (left); and Wolfgang Doell, President and Managing Director Europe at the BMW booth.



Vanessa and Wolfgang next to the Audi A5 g-tron, which can run on a choice of climate-friendly Audi e-gas, natural gas (CNG) or gasoline.



Adam and Wolfgang at the new BMW Z4 Concept, co-developed with Toyota.



LIASE Group Managing Director Asia, Vanessa Moriel and Eddy van der Vorst at the Holland High-Tech Pavilion.



LIASE Group’s President and Managing Director Europe, Wolfgang Doell (right).



LIASE Group Managing Director Asia, Vanessa Moriel (left) with Senior Executive from Chery.



Erwin Doll, CEO from Röchling and Wolfgang Doell, President and Managing Director Europe from LIASE Group.



Angela Merkel at the Frankfurt IAA 2017 auto Show.



Angela Merkel at the Frankfurt IAA 2017 auto show.





Chinese automaker Chery displayed the Exeed Tx. Produced in China, this crossover has been developed for European customers, and will launch with three electrified powertrains: hybrid (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and battery EV (BEV).



TomTom announced a deal with Daimler who will use TomTom maps for its infotainment platform in North America. They also showcase their real-time EV charging service, which has been developed to help EV drivers to make informed decisions about when and where to charge their vehicles, reducing range anxiety.



The Lamborghini Aventador S Roadster made its public debut at the 2017 Frankfurt show. In continental Europe the sportscar will be priced at EUR 313,666 and around $460,000 in the USA. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in February 2018.



Sino-German luxury carmaker Borgward unveiled a sporty Isabella concept car.



The backside of the BMW Z4 Concept, built on a platform co-developed with Toyota.



A picture of Chery’s Exeed Tx unveiled at the 2017 IAA in Frankfurt.



The Volocopter was on display in Frankfurt. Daimler has invested millions into the company and Dubai is reportedly interested in using them as flying taxis.



Borgward showed off the limited-edition BX7 SUV. The new luxury SUV will go on sale in Germany first before other models are launched across the continent.

The LIASE Group’s Vanessa Moriel, Managing Director Asia, attended the International Automobile Industry Exhibition (Auto Shanghai), which was held from April 21-28, 2017 in Shanghai, China.  Auto Shanghai is one of the largest auto shows in the world, where many of the latest automotive models, technological innovations and concepts are unveiled. The biennial event featured most of the major automakers – both Chinese and global – and showcased approximately 1,400 vehicles, of which 113 were world debuts.

Several trends emerged from the auto show in Shanghai, including the prominence of SUVs. There is a growing demand for SUVs in China and many local and international automakers seized the occasion to exhibit their SUV models to car enthusiasts.

Electric cars make a big splash

Electric mobility was another hot trend at the show. Many auto manufacturers are developing electric or hybrid models in response to changing environmental regulations introduced in China to reduce emissions.  Auto Shanghai was a great opportunity for automakers to display their new electric vehicles or concepts. Notable examples from the show include two Chinese automakers:

• NextEv – introduced its first mass-produced electric car, a seven-seat SUV
• Qoros – showcased its K-EV electric car concept

With regards to global automakers:

• Jaguar Land Rover introduced its first all-electric SUV
• Audi exhibited its electric SUV-Coupe, the E-tron Sportsback.
• Toyota, Volkswagen, General Motors and Ford displayed their new electric and indicated that they planned to further expand their range of electric products in the future.

Autonomous driving and connectivity

Autonomous driving and connectivity was another major focus of the Shanghai Auto show.  Several car manufacturers exhibited car models with smart technology and Internet connectivity.

• Chinese automaker SAIC Motor introduced its Roewe I6 model, a smart car that launches an automatic self-check and can offer drivers advice on weather and road conditions.
• Volkswagen announced that it was working on a self-driving electric concept car as well as a partnership with an AI company.

Several automotive executives discussed the possibility of partnering with Internet companies to develop in-car AI systems, further underlining the move towards automated driving and connectivity.

Car sharing and personal mobility

Auto Shanghai also included several exhibits of the latest in car sharing and personal mobility technologies. For example, Chinese company Lynk & Co introduced its first vehicle, a small electric SUV, co-developed with Volvo, which includes digital locks for car sharing, among other features.

Technology reshaping the Chinese auto market

Auto Shanghai was a great opportunity for the LIASE Group to witness how technological innovation is having an impact on the Chinese automobile market and to learn about some of the latest innovations and trends in the global automotive industry. Like in previous years, LIASE Group had the chance to connect with many executives, leaders and professionals who were also at the auto show.

Vanessa Moriel speaking with a Ford Asia Executive.

Vanessa Moriel speaking with a Volvo Global Executive.

Vanessa exchanging business cars with Borgward and Deloitte Executives.

Vanessa Moriel speaking with a Mercedez-Benz Executive.

Vanessa Moriel speaking with a Link & Co Global Executive.

Vanessa Moriel posing for a picture with a Delphi Executive.

Lynk & Co at their press conference during the Shanghai Auto Show.

The biennial event featured most of the major automakers – both Chinese and global – and showcased approximately 1,400 vehicles, of which 113 were world debuts.

Thousands of people attended the week-long event.

An Aston Martin Classic on display at the Shanghai Auto Show.

NIO showed off the ES8 full electric SUV concept at the Shanghai Auto Show.

LIASE Group attended the 2017 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), more commonly known as the Detroit Auto Show. The NAIAS is one of the most important annual automotive events in the world, where some of the latest automotive products, technological innovations and concepts are exhibited. Attended by some of the auto industry’s key executives, leaders and professionals, it was also an opportunity for LIASE Group to connect with old friends and business contacts.

The NAIAS ran from January 8-22, 2017 and showcased over 300 exhibitors, including global automakers. The show attracted 806,554 people over the two weeks that it ran.

Automobili-D

The show kicked off with Automobili-D, a one-day event focusing on the future of the automotive and mobility landscapes. It featured 120 exhibiting companies including automakers, tier-one suppliers and technology start-ups from around the world. Nearly 40,000 industry leaders participated in the event and had the opportunity to interact with their peers as well as with the new vehicles and technologies that were exhibited.

The speaking list at the NAIAS featured an impressive number of leaders from the automotive industry, as well as technology firms and start-ups, including:

• Chris Thomas (Founder & Partner, Fontinalis)
• John Krafcik (CEO, Waymo–formerly the Google self-driving car project)
• Carlos Ghosn (Chairman and CEO, Nissan Motor Co.)
• Julia Steyn (Vice President of Urban Mobility and Maven, GM)
• Ted Serbinski (Managing Director, Techstars Mobility)
• Donna Satterfield (Vice President and Partner of Automotive, Aerospace and Defense Industries, IBM Corp)
• Dan Gilbert (Chairman and Founder, Rock Ventures and Quicken Loans Inc.)

The presentations and panels at NAIAS discussed the future of mobility and the role of hybrid, electric, and autonomous cars in driving change in the automotive and transportation industries. The topics covered included cybersecurity, regulations, autonomous technologies, vehicle to vehicle (V2V) automobile technology, vehicle to infrastructure interaction (V2I), and ride sharing.

Debuts and Reveals

Many exhibiting automakers made their world debuts and reveals at NAIAS. The debuts that sparked the most interest include the Honda Odyssey (a new van), the Toyota Camry, the KIA Stinger GT (a sports sedan), the Infiniti QX50, Nissan’s Rogue Sport, the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan, and the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. Ford showcased its newly redesigned F-150 truck and announced that it would debut the Ford Ranger in 2019 and the Ford Branco in 2020, which generated a lot of excitement at the event.

Luxury car aficionados were not disappointed with the display of luxury cars showcased at NAIAS. Some of the most notable examples include the Mercedes-AMG GTC Coupe, the Audi Q8 concept, the Lexus LS 500, the BMW M550i xDrive and 530e iPerformance, the Porsche 911 GTS and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe.

The auto show also featured prototypes of futuristic concept cars such as the Volkswagen I.D. Buzz (an autonomous electric minivan), Nissan’s Vmotion 2.0 (a partially self-driving car) and the Rinspeed Oasis concept (an electric car with a fully autonomous driving system), among others.

Several vehicle of the year awards were presented at NAIAS. The Chevrolet Bolt electric car was named the 2017 North American Car of the Year. The 2017 North American Truck of the year award went to the Honda Ridgeline. And finally, the Chrysler Pacifica minivan won the 2017 North American Utility Vehicle of the year award.

The 2017 edition of the North American International Auto Show ended with a 9-day public event where over 800,000 car enthusiasts came to see the new car debuts and mobility innovations.

Like in previous years, NAIAS was a great opportunity for the LIAISE Group to learn about the latest innovations and trends in the automotive industry and to connect with leaders and professionals from around the world.

A Mercedes-Benz Global Executive (Left) ; LIASE Group Managing Partner Asia, Vanessa Moriel (center); and LIASE Group Managing Director Americas, John Bukowicz (right).

John Bukowicz and Vanessa Moriel pose for a picture at the Detroit Auto Show charity gala.

John Bukowicz, Vanessa Moriel and Global Executives from ZF TRW.

Annual Charity Dinner at the Detroit Athletic Club.

Vic Doolan and a Volvo Global Executive.

John Bukowicz and Vanessa Moriel and Lear CFO, Jeffrey Vanneste, and his wife.

John Bukowicz and Vic Doolan stop to take a picture during the Detroit Auto Show.

Carlos Ghosn, Chairman and CEO, Nissan Motor Co., talked about the future of autonomous driving and rapid technological change in the automotive industry during the the North American International Auto Show’s Automobili-D event.

James R. Verrier, CEO of Borgwarner, speaking during the Detroit Auto Show.

William Clay Ford Jr. Executive Chairman, Ford Motor Company spoke about growing collaboration between automakers and of Ford’s transition to become a “mobility company.”

Autonews Dinner in Detroit. William Clay Ford Jr., Executive Chairman of Ford and KC Crain, Executive Vice President of Ford Motor Company holding a fireside chat.

Nissan Chief Creative Officer Shiro Nakamura introduced the Nissan Vmotion 2.0 concept vehicle at the 2017 North American International Auto Show.

Charity dinner at the Detroit Athletic Club.