The Detroit Auto Dealers Association in Troy, which produces the annual North American International Auto Show, today announced its first-ever indoor-outdoor fall auto show, including plans for vehicle activations, free community activities, the return of Charity Preview, and a rebranded logo for the iconic Detroit show.
Scheduled for Sept. 14–25, at Huntington Place in Detroit, the auto show returns after a multi-year absence precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The “next-generation show” will seek to capitalize on numerous assets, including Huntington Place, Hart Plaza, the Detroit riverfront, downtown parks, and its position as a mobility and technology incubator.
The auto show will offer a totally transformed indoor and outdoor experience, including what organizers state will be brand-defining vehicles, product ride-and-drives, and dynamic experiential activations.
“This year’s auto show plays a vitally important role in promoting emerging technologies particularly in the EV space,” says Rod Alberts, executive director of the North American International Auto Show, or Detroit Auto Show. “As the first auto show of the season and with the release of new models in the fall, we expect the show to be a pivotal player in consumers’ vehicle shopping and purchase decisions.”
New show details include:
- According to show officials, the main show floor at Huntington Place is sold out and will feature a mix of hands-on activations, traditional vehicle exhibits, and a showcase of automotive innovation and technology.
- Plans call for at least five active tracks inside Huntington Place with a number of dynamic activations envisioned outside in Hart Plaza.
- Multiple brands are planning street course ride-and-drives along the new 2023 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix downtown circuit.
- AutoMobili-D (AMD), presented by the Michigan Economic Development Corp., returns inside Huntington Place featuring 80-plus technology companies, Tier 1 suppliers and start-ups, as well as leading universities.
- AMD will also be the backdrop for powerful content with panel discussions being scheduled with an emphasis on mobility and electrification trends and observations.
The signature Charity Preview gala returns on Friday, Sept.16, at Huntington Place with black-tie attire and soon-to-be-announced headline entertainment.
Show organizers expect an energized citywide celebration on Charity Preview night, with downtown restaurants, bars, and other venues activated that evening.
“We are thrilled to bring back our much-anticipated and longstanding Charity Preview,” says Joe Lunghamer, 2022 chairman of the Detroit Auto Show. “The event is a very important night of giving in Detroit, but it also sets the stage for the public show that brings thousands of visitors downtown and generates incredible economic impact for our community.”
Tickets for Charity Preview are priced at $400 each, or $700 a pair, and will go on sale July 11, 2022.
Charity Preview has raised more than $100 million for children’s charities in southeast Michigan over the past 25 years. In total, Charity Preview has generated over $121 million since its inception in 1976.
Beneficiaries for this year’s Charity Preview include:
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan
- The Children’s Center
- The Children’s Foundation
- Detroit Auto Dealers Association Charitable Foundation Fund, a fund of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
- Detroit PAL
- University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital
This year’s auto show also is being designed with a community-wide focus and an eye on the rich diversity that makes Detroit the perfect host city for this global mobility show. Auto show organizers are working with the Downtown Detroit Partnership to offer robust programming and entertainment free of charge to the community at downtown area parks.
In addition, the 2022 show will include a new logo that emphasizes the energized Detroit-centric focus of the event while reflecting the continued global flavor of the show.
“With the show’s exciting transformation, it was the ideal time to introduce fresh branding for what will be a Detroit auto show experience unlike any other before,” Alberts says.
The logo’s green and blue color palette moves the brand forward and speaks to the new, clean energy pathways and technologies transforming today’s mobility industry. The incorporation of DETROIT into the logo is a nod to the show’s proud roots and acknowledgment that the event will be a true celebration of community in 2022 and beyond.
Show organizers also announced Delta Air Lines will return as the Official Airline of the Detroit Auto Show.
The reimagined event includes: AutoMobili-D, an inside look at future mobility platforms; Media Day, an opportunity for automakers and industry suppliers to debut new products and technologies; Industry Tech Days, a chance to preview emerging mobility technologies and engage with innovators; Charity Preview, a signature fundraising gala for children’s charities; and the Public Show, a nine-day mobility and community celebration with activations and entertainment citywide.
For more information, visit www.naias.com.
Dates for the 2022 Detroit Auto Show
- Media Day, Wednesday, Sept. 14
- AutoMobili-D and Industry Tech Days, Wednesday, Sept. 14 and Thursday, Sept. 15
- Charity Preview, Friday, Sept. 16
- Public Show, Saturday, Sept. 17 through Sunday, Sept. 25
