Until sustainable technical and economic solutions for electric drives are found, the internal combustion engine will maintain its dominant position as a power source for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. In the coming decades, the classic engine will continue to play the role of a pace-setter for low-CO2 mobility. To achieve ambitious environmental goals, all components, systems, and functions of the engine must be further optimized and adapted to the increasingly complex requirements of the overall system. Against this backdrop of development challenges, ATZlive and the VDI Wissensforum are jointly hosting the International Engine Congress for the first time.