Vehicle Tech Week Europe 2026 has come to a close at Messe Stuttgart, bringing together companies and technologies shaping the future of vehicle development across testing, autonomy, interiors, and mobility
The event ran from 23-25 June and united three of the industry’s most established technology exhibitions under one platform: Automotive Testing Expo Europe, Autonomous Vehicle Technology Expo Europe and Automotive Interiors Expo Europe.
The event created an environment for senior OEMs, Tier 1s, suppliers, engineers, designers, software developers, validation specialists, policymakers, researchers, and technology leaders to come together, source solutions, strengthen relationships, and advance critical conversations.
Audience indicators reflected a shift toward senior, high-intent engagement across the week:
- Automotive Testing Expo Europe delivered a 143% year-on-year increase in VIP attendance, and Automotive Interiors Expo Europe delivered a 54% year-on-year increase in VIP attendance.
- Autonomous Vehicle Technology Expo Europe maintained a strong senior/VIP audience, with VIP attendance up 16% on both day one and day two year on year, alongside its specialist conference audience of delegates, speakers, moderators, OEMs, regulators and technology innovators.
Jason Sullivan, group portfolio director, Vehicle Tech Week Europe, said,
“Vehicle Tech Week Europe has been designed around a simple reality: vehicle development no longer happens in silos. Testing, autonomy, interiors, software, electronics and user experience are now deeply connected, and the industry needs a place where those communities can come together, compare ideas and make progress.
“At a challenging moment for automotive, it has been incredibly encouraging to see the industry show up in Stuttgart with such focus and intent. The quality of OEM, VIP and senior-level engagement across the week demonstrates the continued importance of Vehicle Tech Week as a platform for practical innovation, commercial collaboration and the conversations that move future mobility from concept to deployment.”
Julia Grab, chief strategist and planner, European Passenger Vehicles, Ford, said, “I’m delighted to be at Vehicle Tech Week Europe, bringing together ADAS, testing and interiors under one roof. In this age of uncertainty, it is even more critical that every new product development starts with the voice of the customer. Voice of the Customer is not a marketing artefact; it’s a core engineering requirement that should shape architecture, HMI and validation from day zero.”
One platform: Three communities
The week reflected how modern vehicle development works today, with the future of mobility no longer being defined by a single discipline. Testing, validation, autonomous systems, AI, software-defined vehicles, HMI, UX, interiors, safety, materials, regulation and customer experience are increasingly interconnected.
By combining three specialist events, Vehicle Tech Week Europe enabled visitors to move across the entire vehicle technology ecosystem, creating more opportunities for cross-functional discovery, supplier comparison, and joined-up industry thinking.
Visitors had access to over 75 hours of content, including free-to-attend show-floor sessions, technical showcases, forums, live zones, workshops, leadership roundtables, and the paid Autonomous Vehicle Technology Conference.
Automotive Testing Expo Europe brought together the testing, development, validation, and quality engineering community, highlighting technologies across ADAS and autonomous vehicle testing, simulation, HIL, digital twins, EV and battery testing, NVH, durability, crash and safety testing, emissions, test and measurement, data acquisition, environmental testing, connectivity, and EMC.
Autonomous Vehicle Technology Expo Europe provided a platform for the technologies and conversations shaping the path to safe autonomous deployment, including sensors, perception, AI, software-defined vehicle architecture, simulation, virtual validation, safety systems, data, regulation and public trust.
Automotive Interiors Expo Europe showcased the future of the vehicle cabin, connecting designers, engineers, material specialists, suppliers, and OEM teams working across comfort, safety, user experience, sustainability, lighting, seating, HMI, UX, surfaces, acoustics, climate systems, personalisation and future cabin architecture.
Guido Di Pasquale, managing director, PAVE Europe, said,
“I came to Vehicle Tech Week to engage directly with the ecosystem shaping the future of mobility, from industry leaders to innovators in automated driving. Events like this are essential for PAVE Europe and me, not only for understanding the latest technological developments, but also for advancing our mission to build public awareness and trust in autonomous vehicles across Europe through collaboration and dialogue.
“In-person exhibitions create a level of connection and exchange that simply cannot be replicated online. You can experience the technology first-hand, have spontaneous and meaningful conversations, and build trust more effectively. For a field like autonomous mobility, where public confidence is key, these face-to-face interactions are invaluable for aligning stakeholders and moving the industry forward together.”
2027
Vehicle Tech Week Europe 2027 will see updates to two of the three existing shows and the addition of a fourth show.
Automotive Interiors Expo will be renamed to Automotive Design and In-Cabin Expo. Today’s interior decision can not be separated from exterior form, vehicle architecture, software platforms, or system integration. Design teams are having to orchestrate connected, end-to-end experiences instead of solving isolated problems. Automotive Design and In-Cabin Expo will support this shift from complexity to coherence, from individual components to fully integrated design systems.
Autonomous Vehicle Tech Expo will be renamed Intelligent Vehicle Expo, reflecting the broader shift in the automotive industry toward software-defined vehicles. Vehicle performance and competitiveness are not defined by isolated autonomous functions but rather by how intelligence is designed, integrated, and sustained across the vehicle ecosystem.
Advanced Chassis and Powertrain Showcase is a new addition for 2027, created to reflect the increasingly integrated nature of modern vehicle engineering. As propulsion strategies diversify and platform architectures become more complex, the development of powertrain, chassis, and vehicle dynamics systems can no longer be considered in isolation.
Awards
The Vehicle Tech Week Awards and networking reception created another important moment for the community to come together and celebrate progress.
The Automotive Testing Technology International Awards 2026 were presented at Messe Stuttgart alongside the Autonomous Vehicle Tech Awards, recognising the companies, technologies, and people advancing vehicle testing, validation, and future mobility.
Winners included Humanetics with the THOR-5F for Testing Hardware Innovation of the Year, Tracetronic with its one:cx platform for Testing Software Innovation of the Year, Genesis by WeRide for Simulation Innovation of the Year, Drive System Design for Facility of the Year, and Diversified Technical Systems for Supplier of the Year.
For 2026, the Vehicle Tech Week Trailblazer Awards were introduced to recognise outstanding professionals reshaping the future of mobility, autonomy and vehicle interiors across Europe.
The content programme, awards, and networking reception reinforced Vehicle Tech Week’s role as a sourcing destination and a platform for recognition, knowledge sharing, and industry momentum.
Vehicle Tech Week Europe will return to Messe Stuttgart on 2-3 June 2027, continuing to unite the automotive technology ecosystem across testing, autonomy, interiors and future mobility.
