Auto Expo 2022 Postponed Indefinitely Over Covid-19 Concerns

The biennial motoring event attracts large crowds where social distancing norms will be difficult to enforce

• The Auto Expo is India’s prime motor show that is held once every two years 

• The next installment was initially scheduled for February 2 to 9, 2022.

• SIAM has cited the risk of Covid-19 infections at a mass event like the Auto Expo as the reason for the delay.

• It could get pushed to 2023 or even 2024 depending on how the pandemic continues to unfold.

• The next Expo will still likely be held at the Indian Expo Mart in Greater Noida.

The Auto Expo is India’s premier motoring exhibition and has been a biennial event with the next one scheduled for February 2-9, 2022. However, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) has announced that it will be postponed due to concerns over Covid-19.

The Director General of SIAM, Rajesh Menon, stated, “The Indian Automobile Industry and SIAM recognises the inherent risks in organising the Auto Expo due to the on-going Covid-19 Pandemic and the apprehensions of a possible third Wave.”

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As a major event open to the public, the Auto Expo attracts large crowds and it would be difficult to maintain social distancing norms at that scale. That increases the risk of infections especially with uncertainties regarding the new strains of Covid-19. Putting the safety of exhibitors and visitors at top priority, SIAM’s decision to delay the event seems like the appropriate course of action.

It is unclear whether the Auto Expo will be postponed to a later time in 2022 or to early 2023. The event could be skipped altogether until the next scheduled Auto Expo that would be held in 2024. Either way, the venue is unlikely to change with the previous expos being held at the India Expo Mart in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.

Also read: Our Highlights from Auto Expo 2020

Various motoring shows around the world have either been cancelled, postponed or digitised since the initial wave of the pandemic in early 2020. Automotive expos have often been the grandstand for carmakers to unveil their latest projects or launch new products with direct access to the attending public. These shows do play an important role in the automotive industry but they could benefit from offering digital experiences alongside real world events as well.