The Detroit Auto Dealers Association has decided to move the Detroit Auto Show away from the frigid cold of January to the warmer and more welcoming month of June. The decision was made for a number of reasons, but in the end, the organizer has confirmed that beginning in 2020, the Detroit Auto Show, or the North American International Auto Show as it’s formally known, will take place in June.

This was a long time coming, and it’s good that it finally happened. That’s not to say that January has become an untenable month for the Detroit Auto Show because this year’s event was still successful with regards to the number of people that attended the show. According to the show, 5,978 certified journalists made the trip to cover 69 total cars that were introduced. All in all, over 800,000 people attended the show’s public days, an impressive number even if it represented a minor decrease from the previous year.

But there are a number of reasons why the shift to a June schedule was necessary. The biggest issue that’s not related to the mass exodus of auto shows is the rise of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. That event takes place days before the Detroit Auto Show, and in recent years, CES has become a more appealing show for automakers to showcase their latest technologies. It’s not a surprise anymore when you see an automaker attend CES and skip the Detroit Auto Show. Toyota, Kia, Hyundai, Ford, and Mercedes-Benz were all attendees at the event. That goes to show that CES is gaining traction as a must-attend gathering among these companies.

Another important factor is the weather. It might not seem like a big deal considering a lot of people still attended the event this year, but it would still be better if the show happened away from the frigid cold of winter in January. Having it in June solves that problem. Not only is it happening in a warmer season, but it’s also happening at the start of the summer season where the sun is much more inviting to all the people attending the show. On the side of organizers, a June event means that there are now options to have more outdoor activities.

On the side of automakers, the flip in the schedule should save costs and time among its employees. Holding the event in January meant that companies usually start preparing for it a few months prior. That means that preparations for the Detroit Auto Show begin sometime in November, stretching all the way through the holiday season. Having the show in June means that there’s less overtime work for employees and, more importantly, more time for them to enjoy the holiday season.

Organizers are also planning to make the show more appealing to automakers in response to the mass exodus of companies that have ditched the auto show format in favor of organizing their own events. It’s still unclear if some of these companies will come back with the show now going to be held in June, but it is something to think about.

The 2019 event will still be held in January, but beginning in 2020, the show will now move to June where it probably should’ve been a long time ago.

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