Trade fairs and congresses are important platforms for the networking work of innocam.NRW and they support the goals and tasks of this competence network. Here, business and industry can enter into direct dialogue with research institutes, associations and the public sector.
From 18 to 20 February 2025 the US trade fair XPONENTIAL will be held in Europe for the first time and will be coming to North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). Organised by Messe Düsseldorf it will place autonomous technologies centre stage as a global meeting point for uncrewed systems, mobility and robotics.
innocam.NRW spoke with Malte Seifert, Director Metals & Autonomous Technologies, about the background, challenges and opportunities of the event.
Mr Seifert, can you tell us what XPONENTIAL Europe is all about and which target groups it addresses?
Malte Seifert: XPONENTIAL Europe is a trade fair that focuses on the entire spectrum of autonomous systems and technologies with all the associated components, sensors and services. We address industry leaders, innovators and decision-makers who will present the developments, products and services in the fields of drones, autonomous mobility and robotics next year. Participants from these sectors can not only discover the latest innovations at XPONENTIAL Europe but also forge valuable contacts, enter into partnerships and exchange ideas on current and future market developments.
What prompted Messe Düsseldorf to bring a trade fair specialised in the “Autonomy of the Future” to NRW?
Malte Seifert: There is enormous demand for a European platform for these forward-looking technologies and Düsseldorf is an ideal destination due to its central location in Europe and the strong industrial and research landscape in North Rhine-Westphalia. In cooperation with the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), which has successfully held XPONENTIAL in the USA for 50 years now, the idea was born to offer a trade fair for autonomous technologies in Europe.
What are XPONENTIAL Europe visitors in for and what focal points feature in the line-up?
Malte Seifert: The trade fair is held concurrently with an expert conference and an extensive line-up of side events providing a platform for visitors to discover the latest trends and also discuss the regulatory framework on an international scale. One of the biggest planning challenges is to consider the various regulatory conditions in different European countries and put together an agenda catering to all interest groups with their thematic fields and challenges.
To this end, XPONENTIAL Europe plans to stage a broad and cross-modal offering. In addition to innovative technologies in autonomous aviation, developments in the field of autonomous shipping and logistics automation will also be on show, for example, complete with all the associated components and sensors needed for these systems. Another important field are the challenges and perspectives related to automation as well as to the integration of autonomous systems into existing road traffic, which will be a focal theme in the programme.
An exciting feature will be the start-up eco system “XPO+ Launcher” providing a stage for pioneers and innovators. Here start-ups will be given the opportunity to present their latest innovations, vehicles and services in the areas of air, land, water and aerospace. The demonstrations on the start-up stage and in the lounge cover a wide spectrum of technologies including drone hardware, Artificial Intelligence, Cloud computing, cybersecurity and IoT. In addition, central topics such as design, operationalisation, integration and security, guidelines and regulations, safety, data privacy as well as testing and certification processes will be addressed.
A key complement to the conference programme will be the European Drone Forum on 17 and 18 February 2025. Organised by UAV DACH, the Unmanned Aviation Association, this Forum brings together global UAS industry players thereby fostering dialogue between industry and decision-makers.
Can the innocam.NRW actors also participate in the content?
Malte Seifert: The Call for Presentations at the conference at XPONENTIAL Europe 2025 is still open until 23 September 2024. Interested parties from industry, science and business can actively help to shape the conference agenda with their ideas on all three days of the event. The presentations should reflect the thematic fields of technical research & platform development, components & materials, implementation for end users, politics & regulation, supporting infrastructure & operation or national security; the conference language is English.
What do you feel are the special opportunities emerging for transport and mobility through autonomous systems and robotics?
Malte Seifert: Autonomous systems and robotics are indispensable to many sectors of industry these days. They boost efficiency, increase safety and make for completely new business models. XPONENTIAL Europe 2025 is designed to play a pivotal role in driving these technologies by serving as a catalyst for innovations and as knowledge transfer platform. By bringing together experts from various sectors – ranging from aviation and automotive to logistics – the trade fair is set to contribute to faster and more efficient integration of autonomous systems and robotics into the market.
How do you rate autonomous mobility in Germany currently compared to international standards?
Malte Seifert: Germany is leading in many fields of autonomous locomotion especially so in the automotive industry and logistics. However, there are still challenges particularly in view of the legal framework and the integration of these innovative systems into the existing infrastructure. Only when clear and uniform regulations are adopted and investment in expanding the required infrastructure is made, can autonomous technologies become established on the market faster, more efficiently and under clear conditions.
Which trends and innovations do you expect to see in the field of autonomous systems and robotics over the coming years?
Malte Seifert: Over the coming years I expect major advances to be made in the integration of Artificial Intelligence in autonomous systems; this will significantly improve their self-adjustment and decision-making capabilities. In addition, linking various autonomous systems with others will pave the way for new synergies and applications. Another trend will be the increasing advance of autonomous systems in agriculture and in urban areas where they can help to solve such challenges as labour shortages and traffic congestion.
Thank you very much for the interview! We look forward to the programme, expected to be published from November 2024.
Innocam.NRW is the competence network for automated and connected mobility in North Rhine-Westphalia and beyond. The competence network is the central and neutral point of contact for all stakeholders in the mobility sector, in science and administration, especially also for local authorities, as well as for different groups in society.
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