DTVP to explore the car’s rise as a new entertainment platform at IFA
August 27, 2026 15.49 Europe/London By Broadband TV News Correspondent

The car is increasingly becoming more than a means of transport – it is emerging as a new media environment for streaming, gaming and interactive services.

German industry association Deutsche TV-Plattform (DTVP) will explore the opportunities and challenges of this development in a panel at IFA 2026 in Berlin on 4 September.

The panel, titled In-Car Entertainment: The Car as the Third Habitat, will take place from 16:00 on the IFA Dream Stage in Hall 25. The 40-minute session is part of IFA’s “World of AI & Future of Tech” track.’

According to the DTVP, increasing connectivity and automation are turning vehicles into potential entertainment spaces. Streaming services, interactive content, gaming and mobile-office applications could all become part of the in-car experience, creating new opportunities for both car manufacturers and content providers.

The discussion will focus in particular on whether entertainment should be delivered through systems embedded by car manufacturers or via more open marketplace models. The panellists will also examine the technological requirements for delivering entertainment seamlessly and safely, possible monetisation models and how the industry can deal with the growing cost of data traffic.

User experience will be another key topic. The panel will consider how entertainment can be adapted to different situations, ranging from charging stops and traffic jams to the concept of “Cinema on Wheels”.

The line-up brings together representatives from both the automotive and entertainment industries. Speakers are Sven Eckoldt, Global Partnerships Lead at CARIAD; Robert Glas, Director Automotive Technology at 3SS; Maximilian Baur-Tauber, VP Business Development & Partnerships at Seven.One Entertainment Group; Thorsten Böhmer, Vice President Automotive Sales at Gracenote; Christian Hufnagel, Head of ARD Audio Lab at ARD; and Arkin Kol, Vice President Commercial Partnerships Europe at Dolby. The discussion will be moderated by journalist Dr Jörn Krieger.

“The car will become one of the most exciting places for media, and this future can only develop through cooperation between the automotive and entertainment industries,” said DTVP Managing Director Nicole Ludwig. “Exactly this interaction is what we are bringing to the stage at IFA.”

DTVP describes the vehicle as a potential “third living space”, alongside the home and other established environments for media consumption. For the automotive industry, this could make entertainment a new differentiator, while content providers gain access to an additional distribution environment and potentially new audiences.

The session will be held in German language; an English-language live translation will be displayed on screen.