Welcome

The automotive industry is facing one of the most difficult periods in its history.

Global vehicle markets have been hit hard by the financial crisis. But look beyond the current economic turbulence and it is clear that the demand for personal mobility will continue to increase, while at the same time, the pressure from society to reduce the environmental impact of vehicles is intensifying. The only solution lies in engineering technology.

FISITA has organised the World Automotive Congress for more than 60 years. Throughout this time, the automotive industry has continued to evolve and innovate and the FISITA Congress has done the same. Our theme for FISITA 2010 is Automobiles and Sustainable Mobility. This means providing engineers with the knowledge and insights they need to develop cleaner, safer vehicles in ways which meet the needs of drivers and society on a profitable basis.

It involves helping engineers to navigate through the many promising advances in conventional and alternative powertrain technologies which will help our industry to continue reducing the CO2 emissions from road transportation.

It also involves understanding the radical transformation taking place in today's global industry, where emerging markets demand vehicles tailored for local needs, and even the creation of new vehicle categories. The division of labour between vehicle manufacturers and suppliers changes all the time, posing new challenges for collaboration and logisitcs throughout the supply chain.

For the first time, the FISITA 2010 Congress will devote a special session to the development of Commercial Vehicles a branch of the automotive industry which is vital to the health of the global economy and which has been hit especially hard by the financial crisis. The Truck and Bus industries are pioneering a number of exciting, progressive technical solutions which will have impact throughout the transport world.

The automotive industry today is about much more than just vehicles. Sustainable mobility will also require the deployment of state-of-the-art intelligent transportation systems for efficient traffic control, utilising the latest car-to-car and car-to-infrastructure communications technologies. Our philosophy in organising this Congress is that we are no longer simply in the business of making cars but of providing personal mobility to meet the needs of people everywhere.

We believe that the current environmental and financial pressures are combining to force major changes in the way that automobiles are developed, manufactured, sold and used. Innovation and collaboration will be key to success in this new world order. If we don't want to be left behind, we must equip ourselves with the latest information, creative thinking and global perspectives.

The FISITA Congress is the best way for engineers and executives to come together to share technical knowledge and meet the challenges facing our industry.