SHIFT Automotive is an innovative and independent conference and exhibition format that is held alongside IFA Berlin, the world’s most significant trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances. This two-day convention brings together start-ups and tech giants, car manufacturers and city planners.

Ford Smart Mobility, Daimler’s smart lab, Fujitsu, Hitachi and AXA are among the companies attending this year’s convention. To discuss the future of mobility, they will be joined by speakers like Jay Ward, automotive consultant and the creative director of the Cars franchise at Pixar Animation Studios, Rodney Williams, Founder, LISNR and Christof Schminke, Managing Director, Trafi Germany.

This festival of global insights and ideas for the future of mobility – will explore questions such as: Can we design smart mobility-as-a-service solution that work not just for industry, but individuals and society? Will sustainable technologies overcome the chicken-and-egg problem of demand and infrastructure? And in a world of autonomous vehicles, what happens to the joy of driving?

One of the keynote speakers, Prof. Dr. Venkat Sumantran, Chairman of Celeris Technologies and former chief executive of Tata Motors, says: “In 1900, one out of every six inhabitants on the planet lived in an urban area. By 2050, four out of every six will. Accelerated urbanisation results in cities where population density is rising fast. The economic value of urban space is rapidly climbing and societies are compelled to use this resource equitably and efficiently. A car-dependent mobility architecture is therefore not space-efficient.”

Sumantran adds: “Recent analysis across the globe suggests that the average automobile is used for less than five percent of its lifetime. The automobile is an expensive asset, filled with precious materials and created via an elaborate manufacturing process. Macro-economic considerations demand that it is better utilised.”

This year’s SHIFT Automotive convention is taking place on September 10 and 11, 2019 in Berlin, Germany.