Automechanika Academy: a name that has become synonymous with high-grade, future-oriented lectures and events. Event organizer Messe Frankfurt has spared no effort with improvements being made to the exhibition concept and to the accompanying lecture and professional-development programs. Trade visitors can look forward to a line-up of lectures, seminars and professional development courses unrivalled in terms of both quality and quantity, according to Messe Frankfurt. The organizers say that the Automechanika Academy program is now of a size and scope that could easily provide the material for several supplementary professional qualifications.

To structure the large number of lectures and events, and make it easier for visitors to choose, the program has been split into two main tracks. In the “Festhalle” (Hall 2), attendees have the opportunity to discover all aspects of tomorrow’s digitalized and networked automobiles, including servicing and repairs, on Sept. 13, 14 and 16. The focus of the events and workshops to be held in Hall 11 and the adjoining Portalhaus from Sept. 13-17 will be on everyday challenges in the modern workshop, particularly the various facets of vehicle repairs in body and paint shops.

Three thematic days on mobility in the future

The events on tomorrow’s mobility in the “Festhalle” are split into three themed days. On Tuesday, Sept. 13, the speakers will take a look into the potential future of mobility in 10 years time. In 30-minute lectures under the motto “Future of Mobility,” 12 experts will discuss the impact digitalization, networking and new car-sharing models are expected to have on tomorrow’s mobility.

Beginning at 10 a.m. on Sept. 14, 11 lecturers will present a variety of solutions and the challenges presented by alternative drive systems. The third day, Sept. 16, is entitled “Virtual worlds in the motor vehicle industry.” The presenters say it is likely to be of particular interest to workshop professionals as several of the nine lectures examine the question of how digitalization will affect working life in the automobile industry and the automobile service business. All lecturers on the three themed days come from the automobile industry, the parts industry, the IT / internet sector or the trade associations and are thought leaders in their companies or organizations for tomorrow’s technologies. Attendance at the 32 individual lectures is free and advance registration is not necessary.

Further details of the program can be found at automechanika.com/events.

Visitors who register at academy.automechanika.com by the end of August will be sent a voucher for a free day admission ticket to Automechanika 2016.

By hands-on practitioners for workshop professionals

There also will be expert speakers who will give the lectures for workshop professionals at the Workshop Days to be held as part of the Automechanika Academy on Sept. 16-17 in the Portalhaus building. Each of the 90-minute lectures on corporate management will be devoted to questions, such as how earnings and profits can be increased in a sustainable way and how workshops can operate more successfully through active sales.

The emphasis of the second Collision Talk for workshop professionals in the Portalhaus building at 10 a.m. on Sept. 15 will be political. At the première in 2014, more than 650 visitors came to hear the opinions of the panelists on the subject of repair processes and claims management. This year’s discussions also are likely to be controversial with renowned representatives of big insurance companies, claims managers, IT companies and the associations facing critical questions from co-chairs Christian Simmert and Wolfgang Auer.

Flanking the Collision Talk will be the new “Collision Repair Street,” where 14 companies, including workshop equipment suppliers, paint manufacturers and collision-damage specialists, present tried and tested solutions and new developments for optimizing repair processes in repair and paint shops.

Further development for professionals

Workshop professionals who want to roll up their sleeves and combine their visit to the fair with free professional development opportunities should register for one of the 12 workshops for body and paint repair specialists, which will be held daily from Sept. 13-17. The three-hour workshops will be held in German in the mornings and repeated in English in the afternoons. This year’s workshop program ranges from the calibration of assistant systems, through new bonding and joining techniques, to damage-cost calculations and digital communication. All workshops will be held in the Galleria between Halls 8, 9 and 10. Participation is free. Due to the demand, visitors are asked to register in advance online at training.automechanika.com.

New in the program is the topic of “Caravan Competence.” Held in cooperation with the Vogel Business publishing company, the expert meeting will focus on caravan skin repairs, including damage assessment, on Sept. 13. To support this lecture series, the Zentralverband Karosserie- und Fahrzeugtechnik e.V. (ZKF) association has created a special show in the outdoor area F11, where collision and small-damage repairs and preparatory work will be demonstrated using panels and exhibits.

Connected Mobility – premiere on Sept. 15

Although not yet a permanent part of the Automechanika Academy, it fits perfectly with the “Tomorrow’s Service & Mobility” lecture and event program: the first intercontinental “Connected Mobility – driving digitalization” roadshow, which makes its European debut in the Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Center forum from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 15. There, representatives of the automobile industry, internet companies and start-ups will discuss the technological, ecological, economic and social opportunities, challenges and consequences of digitalization and networking of automobiles, the infrastructure and the working world. Among those taking part will be Thilo Koslowski, new CEO of Porsche Digital GmbH; Chris Valasek, security lead of Uber Advanced Technologies Centre; and Olivier Bremer, general manager Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy of BlaBlaCar.

The organizers of Connected Mobility are the new “Mobility & Logistics” Business Unit of Messe Frankfurt and Convent Congress GmbH. The roadshow will continue on the continent of Asia in Shanghai on Dec. 2. The third stop, in North America, will be at Austin, Texas, on March, 17 2017. Participation in the roadshow is free but only possible after prior registration.

Further details about the event and registration at convent.de/mobility.