Car shows now digital?

Car shows now digital?

The coronavirus has forced the Swiss government to cancel major events with over a thousand people. First victim: the Geneva Motor Show. So quickly that all the new products were there, the exhibition stands were set up and the staff was ready. In short: a financial disaster for the trade fair and the exhibitors. However, the solution for the manufacturers was quickly found: online streams.
This was obvious, as all major new launches in recent years have been broadcast via live stream on the web. Unfortunately, I don't know how many people watched the presentation streams instead of the trade fair. But the fact is: streaming is massively cheaper than a trade fair stand. And especially now, when the automotive industry is moaning about the massive technology investments and the sales figures are not looking as desired, the “Digital Auto Show” seems to be a great savings measure.
You could sell it as “modern, digital, borderless and individual, as everyone can watch wherever they are - and when, as long as it is not a live stream.
Does this mean the days of car shows are numbered? I don't believe. For many private individuals, the car is still the second most expensive investment in their lives - next to buying land, a house or an apartment - and is therefore extremely valuable, in the truest sense of the word. At the end of the day, I don't think the automotive industry wants to only show the end product of a long, expensive development digitally. You have to experience the shiny paint, the soft leather and the feeling in the car in person to be able to enjoy it. I believe that end customers still want that. And the industry too, even if it costs more than a video clip with interviews and statements from the developers.

A comment from Philipp Bednar, editor of the automotive industry