Starting December 3, 2011, the Tokyo Motor Show will open for the general public. The 42nd exhibition is held at Tokyo Big Sight in the Kotoku (ward) of Tokyo; the first time in 24 years that the Tokyo Motor Show will actually be in Tokyo. This year’s running theme involves environmental and energy responsibilities of the automobile industry, with an overwhelming focus on electronic vehicles, hybrids and next generation advanced technology automobiles.
All 14 automobile manufacturers from Japan have exhibits at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, as well as all 15 brands of Japanese automobiles. In addition, 20 automobile manufacturers and 24 brands from foreign companies are also presenting their next generation environmental and energy-efficient vehicle models. Among the most common manufacturers, visitors will see exhibits from Audi, BMW, Honda, Jaguar, Lexus, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Range Rover, Land Rover, Subaru, Suzuki, SMART and Toyota. Commercial vehicles and motorcycles will also be on exhibit from various manufacturers.
With the struggling economy in 2009, many foreign manufacturers were unable to attend the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show. This year’s event demonstrates a 36% increase in exhibitors and the Tokyo Big Sight location is 61% larger than the 2009 expo location. Inspiring demonstrations, presentations, exhibits and videos present hope for future advancements in the automobile industry, pointing out the fact that typical automobiles are no longer simply for basic transportation. A series of exhibits and special next generation vehicle models that use smart phones to interact with and navigate through the driver’s general vicinity will be among the highlighted exhibits this year.
A special video presentation will present a futuristic look at automobiles and transportation in 2040 through 2050. A series of next generation automobiles will be available for test drives and driving demonstrations will also be among the exhibits. Special seminars regarding advancements in technology have been set up for automobile industry specialists attending the event and even workshops for children attending are designed to inspire the future growth of the automobile industry. Later in the week, motorcycle rides are also planned, as well as electricity-assisted bicycles.
For those not in Tokyo and those that cannot attend the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, the website has a series of photos and information on the vehicles in the exhibits and presents the information in both Japanese and English for a worldwide audience.
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