What does the future of mobility look like?
A new 120,000 square foot exposition at the 2017 North American International Auto Show aims to answer that question.
NAIAS Chairman Sam Slaughter, NAIAS Executive Director Rod Alberts and TechStars Mobility Managing Director Ted Serbinski held a press conference Thursday morning to talk about the space.
The exposition, called AutoMobili-D, will showcase a number of tech startups, automakers, and tier one suppliers that are focused on the future of industry innovations.
AutoMobili-D will also include an outdoor test track that will allow media and Industry Day attendees to experience autonomous vehicle technology. The track will run in a 1.5 mile closed loop along the Detroit River.
Serbinski said at the Thursday news conference that he is planning to bring 50 startups from all around the world to Detroit for AutoMobili-D. A number of speakers and events will also be taking place within the exhibition.
"Innovation is part of the industry, it's not separate," said Serbinski about the integration of the startups at the Auto Show.
Some of the automakers expected to display their technologies in the exhibition include General Motors and Toyota. Suppliers, including IBM and Magna, will also be participating.
The space, which will flood into the atrium of Cobo, will have a number of communities focusing on key mobility areas: autonomous driving, connected car technologies, e-mobility, mobility services and urban mobility.
"We got a lot to be proud of, and if we don't put it out front on this global stage, we're missing our moment," said Alberts.
The exhibition will launch on January 8 and run through the NAIAS Industry Days, which ends on January 12.
120k sq ft to utilize after @cobocenter renovation, allowed space for AutoMobili-D. pic.twitter.com/TaERYWZe09
— Detroit Auto Show (@NAIASDetroit) June 23, 2016
