The 31st FISITA 2006 World Automotive Congress will take place in Yokohama, Japan, from October 22 to 27. According to its press release, the main goal of the congress is to "promote the international exchange of information between automotive engineers, industry, government, academia, and environmental and other relevant organizations."

In opening plenary sessions, top technical leaders from five global automakers will discuss the key issues which they believe will drive the automotive industry in the next two decades. Just a few of the major topics to be discussed will be the future direction of automotive powertrain technology, whether safety systems should be active or passive, and how the automotive needs of developing countries can be met.

What distinguishes the World Automotive Congress from other automotive events is that the FISITA brings together top decision makers, experts, and automotive engineers from around the world. The plenary sessions will include Environment & Energy, Manufacturing & Logistics, Traffic Control & Transportation, and Safety and Collaborative Engineering. In addition, over 100 technical sessions will cover themes such as Vehicle Design & Manufacturing, Powertrain Technology, "Driver/Vehicle Interface, Information and Assistance Systems, Vehicle Safety, and Transportation Challenges in Emerging Economies.

Find out more about FISITA here.

To read more about the future direction of car tech, click here.