Dear SIAR Members and Participants at the CONAT 2010 Congress in Brasov,

On behalf of FISITA, the umbrella organization of the worldwide national automotive engineer societies and EAEC, the European wing of FISITA, I would like to welcome you to the CONAT 2010 Congress. SIAR, the Romanian Society is an important member of our FISITA and EAEC Family. Romania has a long tradition in automotive production, research and education in many technical universities. Furthermore, Romanian engineers from industry, research and academia participate at international congresses as well as at national congresses of other societies and present their papers.

Now the automotive world has to reinvent itself in order to meet the challenges of a dramatically changing global automotive landscape. New regulations and consumer demands are influencing the development and marketability of innovations throughout the vehicle. First among these demands is fuel efficiency in connection with CO2 reduction as well as safety, responsible use of our resources, saving of energy, the reduction of dangerous emissions and traffic management.

Cars and trucks have played and will play an important role in the mobility of the society. Congresses like this offer ways or open discussions to face these challenges. We are entering the second decade of the new millennium and it is a momentous occasion for all of us in the automotive world to create and to support vehicles and transport systems for the future and for a better world.

I wish the organizers a successful congress and the participants an attractive programme full of interesting information and technological innovations.

Brigadier ret. Prof. Guenter Hohl FISITA Vice President Europe EAEC President Vice President OVK Austrian Society of Automotive Engineers