German leader opens Frankfurt Auto Show

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) - Chancellor Angela Merkel has called on Germany automotive industry executives to take urgent steps to win back the trust they lost in the recent diesel-emissions scandal.

Speaking at the opening of the International Motor Show in Frankfurt on Thursday, Merkel said although the scandal involved only a minority within the automotive sector, it had led to a serious loss of consumer confidence.

“Therefore the automotive industry must do everything to restore trust and credibility as quickly as possible; this is in its own interest and that of its employees and the whole of Germany,” she stressed.

Germany’s auto giants have come under pressure this year after the authorities discovered secret meetings between leading companies and their use of a software trick to hide illegal pollution levels.

The automotive industry plays a key role in the German economy, with more than 870,000 employees and an annual turnover of over €400 billion ($475 billion).

Germany’s leading car makers and their international rivals will try to impress auto enthusiasts with their presentations at the Frankfurt show, which has focused on digitization, urban mobility and electric mobility this year.

Around 1,000 exhibitors from 39 countries will display their products at the car show, with 363 innovations, including 228 world premiers.

The car show will last till Sept. 24.