AIC analyzes the future of the automotive sector in novel way with “AIC NEXT”

Inspired by the TED format, the forum will showcase creativity, innovation and new ways of thinking in the industry Setting will allow for open debate, where thinkers from various disciplines will exchange ideas and explore new concepts First edition takes place February 18-19 in Bilbao, Spain | 05/01/2010

Bilbao, Spain,

January 7, 2010—AIC-Automotive Intelligence Center, as part of its aim to

identify new trends in the automotive sector, has launched AIC Next, whose

objective is to analyze the future in a different way.

This project

takes inspiration from the TED format and will provide a forum for thinkers

from various disciplines to exchange ideas and explore new concepts related to

creativity, innovation and values/ways of thinking.

AIC Next

looks to cover as wide a range of issues as possible, including manufacturing,

technology, mobility, sustainability, social integration, consumers, etc. –

always with an eye to the long term.

In the first

edition, which takes place February 18-19, 2010 at the AIC, experts will

discuss such topics as ways to understand and prepare for the future, the

impact of geopolitical factors, the architecture of new energies, “emotional

engineering”, cities without cars or the Glasgow experiment, among others.

Among those

scheduled to speak are philosopher Daniel Innerarity; Alfonso Albaisa (Vice

President, Nissan Design Europe); Shaun Riordan (geopolitical expert);

Pedromari Olaeta (Managing Director, Ingeinnova); Javier Villalba (Director, Spanish

Network Business-Iberdrola); Gonzalo Alonso (Director, Going Green) and José

Solaz (Director-Automotive, Biomechanics Institute of Valencia).

The automotive

industry is facing one of the most dramatic periods of transformation in its

history. Intense and numerous outside pressures from opinion leaders, citizens

and society are imacting the sector in radical ways.

This forum

intends to become a point of reference for people and organizations in

automotive-related fields which are molding the future through their new ideas,

concepts and businesses.

AIC is an international benchmark center

located in Bilbao, Spain, integrating knowledge, training, technology and

industrial development in order to improve the competitiveness of the

automotive sector. The state-of-the-art public/private foundation opened in

2009.