After half a century in Berlin and seven decades in Frankfurt, the premier German motor show opened this week in Munich.
The IAA Mobility motor show is taking place in Munich this week, marking the first major trade event in Germany since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The event, from 7-12 September, features two concurrent elements: the exhibition grounds where trade conferences and product presentations happen, and adventure tours at popular outdoor locations in downtown Munich, all governed by Covid-safe rules.
The logistics behind the event are especially unique — a 12km 'Blue Lane' connects the exhibition grounds with the open-air activations, collectively known as Open Space.
This is where attendees can hop on zero-emission, hybrid and electric vehicles for test drives, with the alternative option of riding IAA shuttle buses where there'll be live talks, lectures and even concerts onboard.
The 'environmental track route' is part of IAA's effort to encourage carpooling and exclusive use of zero-emission vehicles, where the Blue Lane will remain even after IAA Mobility ends.
Governing the massive event is a comprehensive set of Covid-safe rules, which may change due to the unstable nature of the pandemic — as many planners have experienced.
For entry to the exhibition or Open Space, mandatory health certificates are required: 1) showing status of being fully vaccinated, 2) recovered from Covid, or 3) a negative PCR or rapid antigen test (within 24 hours of event).
To ease this step, IAA embedded the option of including proof of 3G when purchasing event tickets, with test results uploaded on the day of visit, in order to bypass queues via dedicated Fast Lanes.
All attendees are required to mask up, even in outdoor areas, and a minimum 1.5m distance is required between delegates from different households. All areas are cleaned frequently and a "large number of disinfectant dispensers" are available on site.