Detroit 2022: Why the Auto Show Was a Success and Not a Failure

If you've followed the automotive news over the past weeks, you’ve probably come across opinions railing about the decline of the Detroit Auto Show (or NAIAS, for North American International Auto Show), or car shows in general.

I simply don't agree with many of my colleagues on this point. Yes, it’s true that the show did not generate the same buzz as in the past. The majority of manufacturers were not present. But many of their cars were.

It’s also true that the physical space taken up by the show was smaller than in some prior editions. The pandemic has left its mark. But the fact is, we’d already started seeing carmakers absent themselves from such shows even before Covid-19.

Why was that? The Web, which changed the game. These days, manufacturers can unveil models at any time and at any place, all for a fraction of the cost of attending traditional shows.

This change is here to stay. Does it threaten future event presentations? No. And here's why: car shows don’t exist for members of the media, but for the general public. And what was visible in Detroit after that media left after day one reflected the continued enthusiasm of paying customers.

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