Prof. Hans-Peter Lenz initiated the International Vienna Motor Symposium in 1979. He was at this time chairman at the Institute for Internal Combustion Engines and Automotive Engineering (now Institute for Powertrains and Automotive Technology).  Since then, it takes place annually and has served as a rallying point of the international world of automotive engineering. In two days the latest innovations in engine development, future legislation, new engines and fuels, components, electronics and drivetrains are presented in a large number of papers.

The Symposium is organized by the Austrian Society of Automotive Engineers (ÖVK) and the Institute for Powertrains and Automotive Technology.

This high-calibre symposium is supplemented by a technical exhibition and a wide-ranging social programme.