Show Review: 2024

This year’s edition of Automotive Interiors Expo Europe saw three days of product innovations, trends, concepts, demonstrations and discussions on vehicle interior design, sustainability, occupant comfort, UX, functionality, AI, VR, future mobility, ergonomics, production systems, manufacturing and more.

The show was held at the Messe Stuttgart on November 12, 13 & 14, with new features including Reutlingen University’s VR Zone, a New Product Zone and a Spanish Pavillion.

Feedback from exhibitors and attendees has been positive.

“I really like the exhibition, it’s very good to be here. It’s very international. We are looking for interior systems for future cars and we’ve had a good time. It’s well organized, the setting fits for us. We’ve had a good impression,” said Christoph Dueker, designer, Mercedes-Benz.

“I’ve been coming to the expo quite a few times now and I find it a really interesting exhibition for innovation, to see new materials, to connect with suppliers – a few that I know are McLaren suppliers –  so it’s a very useful exhibition for us to come to and I’m always interested to see what’s new,” said Steve Crijns, senior design manager at McLaren Automotive.

“We’re here to get new things, new impressions for our daily business, to get in contact with new suppliers and more,” commented Thomas Schmidt, test engineer at Porsche.

“I work for our customer, Mercedes Benz. I was really interested in this expo as my role involves technical project management, talking to suppliers and customers most of the time. In this expo I saw new technologies for the interior, the chassis, and comfort seats, and was able to speak to suppliers in different parts of the country and continent. It was really exciting to see all the new innovations. For me, it’s a learning experience and to get to have new contacts.” Anusha Gajawada, component manager, Da Vinci Engineering.

Reutlingen University VR Zone

The immersive technology at Reutlingen University’s VR booth was a particular highlight of this year’s expo, and garnered a lot of interest and engagement from visitors by showing how virtual reality is transforming interior design.

“The Automotive Interiors trade fair offers us an ideal basis to meet a broad spectrum of automotive contacts,” enthused Prof. Michael Goretzky, dean of studies for transportation interior design master’s degrees at the university. “We can demonstrate the application and results on-site and introduce our new XR laboratory which can test and further develop applications and processes alongside companies. This is an essential date in the calendar, especially for interiors!”

New Product Zone

New for 2024, the New Product Zone was located near the entrance and featured a group of exhibitors that showcased cutting-edge innovations designed for functionality, aesthetic appeal, compatibility and the overall passenger experience. Advancements in ink technologies, printing, materials, manufacturing and design were on display, from ORV Manufacturing, Helcor-Leder-Tec, Jumbo-Textil, Proell, Ash & Lacy Automotive, Dilo Systems, Dai Nippon Printing and VFP Ink Technologies.

Ash & Lacy Automotive translated digital design concepts into manufacturable, cost-effective volume production solutions, demonstrating how AI can support performance lightweighting and also design for metals. “By using AI generative design, we can create optimized solutions for defined performance or physical functions,” said Emily Evans, commercial director at Ash & Lacy Automotive.

“However, the gap between the structural output and manufacturing process feasibility remains a challenge, requiring human manipulation for DFM or aesthetic alien structure design application. Looking at the exhibitors around us, it’s clear that sustainability, mass reduction and high-quality materials and finishes are of increasing importance. There are lots of exciting developments here to see that allow designers to create beautiful, luxurious interiors.”

Exhibition 

Product innovations on display included: YHT’s new IMD film, blending design, texture and durability; Elematec’s sustainable vegan leather, made from eco-friendly cork and coconut shells; a new generation of design mesh for day and night from Haver & Boecker; and Dai Nippon Printing’s monomaterial PP decorative film.

TITV presented innovative e-textiles shaping the future of car interiors, with its centerpiece being an interior car door panel featuring advanced e-textile functionalities, including integrated LED lighting, heating capabilities and polymer optical fiber (POF) technology. “As the journey toward automated and connected driving accelerates, vehicle interiors are being reimagined, with global trends enhancing ambiance, comfort and functionality,” stated project manager Isabelle Grimm. “Textiles play a pivotal role, incorporating multifunctional elements that meet occupants’ diverse needs.”

First-time exhibitor Toppan impressed visitors with its groundbreaking transparent decorative film and printing technology. Seamlessly blending display and design, its new interior material is designed for next-generation mobility such as self-driving cars and software-defined vehicles.

“We are thinking of the whole interior concept and solution – we try to bring functionality to printed products,” explained Yasuaki Okita, design manager at Toppan. “Our root is printing and surface textures, enabling us to recreate real wood surfaces or patterns. Although new to the car interiors industry, we are combining our decorative printing technology with future automotive applications. We had overwhelming interest even before the show opened, with people stopping by.”

The Zoppas Industries Heating Element Technologies booth showcased the company’s latest developments in cabin comfort and smart heating solutions, including smart surfaces that combine heating, backlighting and HMI. “Automotive Interiors Expo is a unique opportunity to connect with the competencies of customers and suppliers, keeping pace with the automotive transition,” commented Alberto Rizzetto, sales manager, automotive, at Zoppas Industries Heating Element Technologies.

Innovation Showcase

The Innovation Showcase featured panel discussions and presentations on the evolution of automotive interiors, with contributions from MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions, Covestro, Filc, TITV (Textilforschungsinstitut Thüringen – Vogtland), McLaren and CTAG (Centro Tecnológico de Automoción de Galicia).

Steve Crijns, senior design manager at McLaren Automotive, discussed the 2026 W1 supercar’s unique brief and interior design innovations: “I came to talk about the McLaren W1 and the interior innovations on that car – how the aerodynamics on the exterior affect the whole of the interior design, and the materials we were using and the design principles.”

Miguel Peixoto, researcher at CeNTI (Centre for Nanotechnology and Smart Materials) presented new concepts for enhanced user experience, comfort and security: “CeNTI chose the Innovation Showcase as an ideal platform to present its latest advancements and technologies, targeting professionals and specialists to foster potential synergies and collaborations.”

Jörg Günther, managing director of KIMW Prüf- und Analyse, discussed using an AI-supported solution in cooperation with AI specialist d.velop to problem solve quickly and comprehensively. “I moderated the morning session (on Day 1, Nov 12) and the topic on AI was not directly touched on,” he said. “However, we talked about topology optimization of geometries, which is a system – intelligence is used, but not named as such, it’s computer-added engineering. Nowadays, you can say it’s artificial intelligence. In my opinion, we must know the borders from what is possible and what is not possible.”

CTAG senior researcher Vanessa Ventosinos Louzao presented innovations to maximize cabin thermal comfort, eliminating the need to choose between energy efficiency/safety and user experience.

Spanish Pavilion 

Several firms and innovation centers – including Cedrion – joined ICEX, the Spanish Trade Commission, to present state-of-the-art solutions at its booth and the Innovation Showcase.

Moderated by Lucinio Muñoz of the Embassy of Spain, Spanish exhibitors including Embega, NAITEC (Mobility and Mechatronics Technology Centre), EURECAT (Technology Centre of Catalonia) and Walter Pack presented their innovations including fine line printing for automotive HMI solutions, plastronics and more.

“Automotive Interiors Expo is a great opportunity for the firms to get acquainted with the main market trends, while showing their innovations to a highly specialized audience of professionals,” said ICEX representative Muño. The Spanish firms represent a diverse sample of the industrial branches and technologies Spain can provide.”

Visit Automotive Interiors Expo Europe to keep up to date on next year’s event, which will take place at the Messe Stuttgart, Germany, on November 11, 12 & 13, 2025.