Unstoppable change

EU regulations, political dogmas and the question of whether to phase out the internal combustion engine or not - the direction of the wind is anything but constant. The automotive companies seem like proud sailing ships heading for a lee shore and have to make a daring turn in an attempt to reach the open sea.

The IAA is also in a turning maneuver. It used to be the Holy Grail, a place of pilgrimage for car enthusiasts. In the exhibition halls in Riem this year, there was little of the glamor of past years to be felt; the major OEMs presented themselves downright modestly, while some Chinese suppliers showed considerable commitment. To what extent the concept of Open Spaces is a sustainable future concept for a trade show remains to be seen. In any case, the dynamics on the exhibition grounds in Riem were slowed down and were more reminiscent of a B2B trade fair on the subject of electric mobility and batteries than of a passionate public trade fair on the subject of automobiles. It is also thought-provoking that the supplier industry offers very powerful and compact electric motors, but so far German OEMs are not interested in them. They would rather distinguish themselves with their own engines - as in the days of the combustion engine. In view of the strength of Chinese competitors, the question arises whether German OEMs are aware that the glory from combustion times will fade all too quickly with customers if performance and price are not competitive. Pragmatism doesn't help sell electric vehicles, we've already seen that.

What does the mobility shift mean for the surface industry? Not only are customer tastes in flux, but EU regulations will have an increasing impact in the coming years. From this point of view, the "Vision New Class" presented by BMW at the IAA could represent a not unrealistic look into the future. Decorative chrome is sought in vain, while elements such as the front apron, the sills and the diffuser at the rear shine with a thoroughly coherent look of recycled plastic. There is neither a classic cockpit nor buttons in the interior. If you let BMW's vision sink in long enough, you may well come to the conclusion that this is currently the most future-oriented vehicle in terms of design. Provided that this vision does not remain an avant-garde design, but instead catches on, we may be on the verge of a design turnaround that could radically change what OEMs will buy from their suppliers in the future.

The only thing left to do is to recognize changes and trends early and approach the needs of the future with an open mind to technology - before the leeward coast is too close. In this context, in the October issue of mo we have brought together many current topics, from new trends in automotive color shades (page 14) and the comeback of a renowned paint shop manufacturer (page 20) to the current status of chromic acid-free pretreatment in plastic electroplating (page 28) or laser coating of brake discs to reduce particulate matter (page 34).