Day Three of IAA TRANSPORTATION 2026: Here Are Thursday’s Highlights

Artificial Intelligence in Practice

Starting Thursday, the Main Stage in Hall 18 will be closed. The program on the Industry Stage in Hall 13 and on the prototype.club Stage in Hall 12 begins at 9:30 AM with a McKinsey Morning Talk. Niklas Emlind, Head of Group Business Intelligence at Volvo Group, will speak with Anders Suneson from McKinsey & Company about current developments in the commercial vehicle industry.

Beginning at 10:00 AM, TIMOCOM and freight forwarder Spedition Hovanec will demonstrate how artificial intelligence can assist dispatchers with freight assignment. An AI-based negotiation assistant handles recurring communication, structures offers, and supports price negotiations—while keeping final decision-making in human hands.

At 12:00 PM, HUSS-VERLAG's Transport Forum will focus on the concrete benefits AI offers the transport industry. Representatives from Volvo Group Trucks Technology, Geotab, Webfleet, and BPW will discuss applications in dispatch, fleet management, and manufacturing. The primary focus will be on which solutions already work in day-to-day operations, where the limitations lie, and the role of responsible data handling.

E-Trucks and Charging Infrastructure Reality Check

Starting at 11:00 AM, the panel on the E-Truck Tour Germany will highlight how well electric trucks are already functioning in daily logistics operations. Participants will share their experiences regarding handling, energy consumption, and range, as well as route and charging planning. Load management, driving and rest times, and ongoing infrastructure challenges will also be addressed.

Beginning at 2:00 PM, Kempower will present real-world insights from operating electric trucks in depots, logistics centers, and public charging stations. Real charging data will demonstrate how far electrification has already progressed and how important megawatt charging will become in the coming years.

New Solutions for Trailers and Commercial Vehicles

Starting at 3:00 PM, ZF and vehicle manufacturer KEMPF will show how intelligent systems can improve trailer safety. The iEBS (Intelligent Electronic Braking System) combines controlled braking, active safety, and connected features. In doing so, it lays the groundwork for automated driving, electrification, and software-defined commercial vehicles.

Another session starting at 4:00 PM is dedicated to vehicle-integrated photovoltaics. Representatives from Kässbohrer, IM Efficiency, OPES Solar Mobility, and Fraunhofer ISE will show how solar modules on trucks, buses, and vans can reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Topics include insights from pilot projects and series production, technical challenges, regulatory frameworks, and fleet cost-effectiveness.

To close out the stage program starting at 5:00 PM, PwC Strategy will offer an international perspective on the transformation, focusing on global competition in truck electrification.

Hackathon on the prototype.club Stage

The hackathon kicks off at 10:00 AM on the prototype.club Stage in Hall 12. From 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, participants will work on new solutions for the transport and logistics industry. Teams at the IAA.prototype.club booth in Hall 12 will spend the day developing solutions for software-defined commercial vehicles—specifically, how customer devices can be securely integrated into a light commercial vehicle platform, ranging from cargo monitoring to fleet optimization. Industry partners like Bosch, Deloitte, and digital.auto are providing the challenge and will mentor the teams throughout the day; the top results will be presented and awarded on stage in the evening. Participation is free.

The accompanying stage program takes a close look at specific areas of innovation. Starting at 1:00 PM, the Ferdinand-Steinbeis-Institut will present a Bring-Your-Own-Device approach for software-defined commercial vehicles, designed to allow the safe integration of external cameras, sensors, and smart devices to turn vehicles into flexibly expandable platforms.

At 1:30 PM, the focus shifts to a daily challenge for drivers: finding available truck parking. Aeternum is developing a solution that predicts the occupancy of German highway rest stops up to eight hours in advance. This data will eventually be made available to telematics providers, vehicle manufacturers, and fleets. Beginning at 2:00 PM, another session will address the journey from prototype to market-ready product and how trust in new technologies is built.

Test Drives and Historic Commercial Vehicles

From 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, professional visitors can once again get behind the wheel and experience numerous commercial vehicles firsthand during the Test Drives. Departure points are located at Halls 11, 14/15, and 19/20.

The megawatt charging demonstrations are also taking place again at 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 4:00 PM at the Test Drives departure terminal in Hall 14/15, featuring MAN, Milence, Daimler Truck, and Scania.

Additionally, on the Show Truck Mile in front of Hall 26, more than 20 historic vehicles from brands like Büssing, Hanomag, Henschel, MAN, Mercedes-Benz, Neoplan, and Volvo await. Historical photos and conversations with the vehicle owners will offer further insights into the history of these trucks.

In Hall 22, a special exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the International Truck of the Year traces the development of the modern truck, displaying 20 award-winning vehicles from across five decades—including the oldest winning model on display from 1979.