This year’s IAA in Munich felt different.
Two years ago, at the IAA Mobility 2023, one could see that Chinese OEMs brought new competition into the market and started setting the pace for innovation in mobility. European carmakers looked hesitant by contrast.
In 2025, the mood has shifted. European OEMs have risen to the challenge and found their confidence. Their message to the market: “We’ve done our homework, and we’re back in the game.”
Experience trumps hardware
That shift in confidence also shows in how the industry now talks about cars. Less about hardware supremacy and more about what the car actually does for people.
Some examples:
- BMW’s Neue Klasse brings together your phone, your profile, even your mood. Gemini AI, Android Auto and digital keys are all layered into the interface. The driver feels a clear “this is my car” when they step in.
- LG’s in-cabin platform is similar. WebOS and ACP bring games, Zoom calls and productivity tools. Again, the real win is not that it supports your video calls. It’s that you can finish your calls in the car without fumbling.
- Polestar, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai all spoke about AI that makes your life easier. “Desirable over possible” was a frequent line. Customers don’t care about algorithms. They want to know, “Does this help me?”
The takeaway: Software, AI and personalization are no longer add-ons. They are the experience. And the experience is what people remember.
Challenge: Demonstrating road-ready experiences on the trade show floor
Even with all the exciting features OEMs have announced, many of the actual experiences remained theoretical at IAA. I couldn’t feel the promised experiences on the trade show floor.
Displays showed smooth interfaces, but when features depended on real connectivity, live vehicles or data streaming, they often fell flat inside a venue with stationary cars and a limited network.
That’s an important signal. If your experience only works under perfect conditions, it won’t survive customers’ imperfect lives.
3 solutions for OEMs: How to make in-cabin experiences tangible at trade shows
Showing a seamless AI car assistant is one thing. Having visitors truly experience it is another.
Here are three ways OEMs and their partners can make their experiences come alive, even in less-than-perfect trade show conditions:
1. Script real-world scenarios
Instead of static menus, guide visitors through short, relatable journeys such as a traffic jam, a charging stop or picking up kids. This makes the experience human and memorable.
2. Show off your offline mode
Connectivity might fail in a hall. But a good system gracefully degrades. Show the assistant working offline. Have digital car-key transfers, profiles or remote-controlled car features still run without network.
3. Be honest about what’s live and what’s not
If a feature is simulated, say so. People respect clarity more than staged perfection. Transparency turns prototypes into credibility.
Experience, not just motion: How Valtech can help
A memorable in-car experience must be lived, not just shown in slides. Pull back the curtain a little. Show what the assistant does when it’s offline. Let people feel their profile switch between cars. Let visitors stress-test the AI assistant when the network drops.
That’s what Valtech tried to do with our own AI Audio Travel Assistant demo.
If you’re struggling to bring your in-car experiences to life, Valtech’s Mobility team can help by:
- Designing meaningful demo journeys. We help craft short, human-centered scenarios that make new features tangible. Instead of abstract capabilities, your visitors will experience what the car actually does in everyday moments of truth.
- Building resilient prototypes. We design experiences that still work when networks or data aren’t perfect. Our teams know how to show fallback modes that feel natural so your demo proves credibility, not fragility.
When people can feel what’s new — not just see it — confidence turns into momentum.
Reach out to me or to anyone on our Mobility team to discuss digital prototypes or the best ways to demo your digital experiences.
