Busan Mobility Show seeks breakthrough as popularity fades

The 2026 Busan International Mobility Show opens Friday amid a deepening identity crisis, as experts and industry officials warn that the biennial auto exhibition risks becoming an expensive, fragmented marketing showcase for only a handful of carmakers. While eight global brands including Hyundai Motor, Kia, BMW Korea and BYD Korea will occupy the exhibition floors, the glaring absence of major players such as Mercedes-Benz Korea, Renault Korea and KG Mobility, highlights the event's declining appeal. The limited lineup for the show reflects a broader challenge facing auto shows worldwide, as manufacturers increasingly favor digital product launches and dedicated brand events over large-scale exhibitions. Industry experts have repeatedly warned that without a radical pivot toward a specialized, tech-driven identity such as a focus on artificial intelligence (AI) or software-defined vehicles (SDVs), the Busan event faces the same obsolescence that has recently claimed legacy exhibitions abroad. Despite such recommendations, this year's Busan International Mobility Show is expected to lar