On Jan. 17, the annual Detroit Auto Show was opened to public viewing, drawing locals and out-of-state residents alike to marvel at the curated displays of designer vehicles, be chauffeured along high-speed tracks and experience product features firsthand.
This year’s showing, held at the Huntington Place convention center in Detroit from Jan. 17 to 25, showcased both the resilience of statewide auto innovation and the important transnational links that sustain it, amid tariff battles that affect local producers.
A professional driver at the locale reflected on the legacy of the city’s automotive industry.
“Detroit is full of wealth, old wealth,” she said.
Among these long-tapped resources is capital in cars, as a trade, financial and cultural asset.
In 1896, entrepreneur Henry Ford debuted the first gasoline-powered vehicle years before officially founding Ford Motor Co. in 1903. It soon employed mass-assembly line techniques to cut worker costs and production times. Other companies blossomed on the heels of Ford’s first factories, including Chrysler and General Motors, the first of its kind to consolidate other brands into its namesake. Decades later, the city is still “on the map” for its global leadership in auto-making.
The auto show honored this heritage with a gallery of vintage models alongside newer ones like an autonomous vehicle and Ford Bronco with a multi-camera display and advanced tilt capacities. Among the vehicle displays were locally produced Fords and Chryslers, custom-wrapped cars and international brands like the Italian Alfa Romeo and the Dodge Charge. Assembled in Windsor, Canada, the Dodge was awarded Car of the Year.
These appearances complemented native production with the trans-border cooperation that has reinforced the auto industry nationally. However, decades-strong links are being tested by tensions among manufacturing partners.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, in attendance on the second Industry Day of the show, delivered a keynote address. In it, she recognized the challenges and wins of the past year in auto manufacturing, emphasizing the need to protect trade-partnerships.
“Without our allies, we cannot stand a chance,” Whitmer said.
Whitmer’s statement comes as the US prepares to renegotiate the terms of the United States-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement (UNSCA) in July, after an initial wave of tariffs by the Trump administration were levied against Mexico and Canada last year.
The international tariffs undermined the UNSCA trade agreement between the three nations which share critical trade links, from import-export volumes to agriculture, energy and manufacturing and the American supply chain — the lifeline of automaking.
Michigan’s auto industry is vitalized by cross-border traffic, in which car parts from Canada are carried to city plants. These trade flows can take place over several months, between the conception stage and a finished product.
Dale Hader, President of the wheel-making plant Citic Discastal in Sterling Heights, stated, between 30% and 40% of auto parts used in Michigan vehicles are sourced from Canada, making tariffs disruptive to both trade flows and consumer purchases when costs are passed on from manufacturing.
Another challenge to car-making was electric vehicles (EVs), after President Trump rescinded policies introduced by Biden to incentivize EV manufacturing and penalize noncompliance with fuel-efficiency standards. Environmental activists like Kathy Harris of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NDRC), maintain that this ultimately benefits the oil industry while raising prices for consumers, despite a reduction in up-front vehicle costs.
Despite setbacks, the electric vehicle market still managed to attract curiosity at the show, despite waning zeal. A “mock” charging station featured a model car and charger to help visitors understand the mechanisms of an EV. Consumer information, in the form of signs stationed nearby, emphasized the environmental benefits of purchasing a clean energy vehicle (CEV) over a gas-powered one.
Whitmer uplifted CEV manufacturing with the announcement of an executive directive to help Michigan explore geologic hydrogen as a new energy. If found to be a reliable source, it could place the state at the forefront of renewable energy discoveries, offering yet another alternative to foreign fuel.
With its clever curation of vehicles from around the globe, speeches from industry leaders and clever user experiences, this year’s auto show enamored many.
“Interchangeable ports, lightweight plastic, and polymers” as design solutions, as commented on by Gov. Whitmer, exemplify how Michigan strives to buffer its industry amid competition and supply chain challenges—drawing from the strengths of natural reserves and local genius.
