The North American International Auto Show, or Detroit Auto Show, could be in for some of its biggest changes in decades. Show organizers are reportedly looking at moving the show to October from January and even rebranding the show’s name.
The Detroit News reported on the news on last Friday, and discussions to move the show’s dates are further along than the name change.
Switching the Detroit show from January to October has a host of benefits, per Rod Alberts, executive director of the Detroit Auto Dealers Association and NAIAS organizer. Foremost, the weather is a major factor. NAIAS takes place in the bitter cold of January, and Alberts said October weather would also open up the show to include more outdoor events, especially as consumers seek out more information and displays on self-driving cars.
“A decision would still be several months down the road,” he said, “but October is a prime, fresh, exciting month. The weather and the timing make a nice blend if it were to work out.”
Although he didn’t mention it, moving the Detroit auto show to October would put some serious space between it and the Consumer Electronics Show, which takes place just a week before. CES has become a rival to NAIAS as automakers choose the show to debut new technology and even full concepts.
Alberts said a decision to move the show is still months out, and if agreed to, the first Detroit show for October would happen in 2020.
Comments
It would help on the weather too. May years I skip it due to the cold or snow off the lakes.
The real question is how will this effect SEMA and the automakers participation there. It is in Nov.
At first, I was opposed to this idea, since NAIAS is the first auto show of the year, and this would bump it down. Then, I considered it would be much nicer go to on a cool Michigan autumn day, rather than cold as balls January. So yeah, I’m for it.
It’s an awkward time for big reveals.
For example, a show in October 2018 is too late for 2019 model reveals but too early for 2020 models.
I have no issue with NAIAS moving its date but don’t agree with October as a choice, first it’s still possible for weather to be a factor as first signs of winter can show up then, but its too early into a new model year that might prompt missing important reveals. Thinking spring would be a better target, people tend to be more excited by spring events in their daily life that this would only add to that excitement an OEM might need for an important reveal from the public eye.
A few years ago, the LA show moved up from January to November because they were tired of getting Detroit’s leftovers. So I can see how Detroit would want to move up to October to get ahead of LA again. That and CES, which has been increasingly stealing high-tech concept debuts from them. This shrewd behavior reminds me of when states were pushing up their primaries to be the first and get the most attention. Honestly I only think it would benefit the Chicago and New York shows.