Rumors about the Detroit Auto Show being moved from January to June have been going around for quite some time. And it finally happened. The organizers just announced that the car show will take place in June starting 2020.

The Detroit Auto Dealers Association quoted a few reasons for changing the date. First up is that Detroit wants to embrace the changes that the auto industry is going through. Vehicle unveilings have become more dynamic in recent years, and the fact that the show was organized in January restricted Detroit to indoor events due to the cold weather.

By moving it to June, automakers can design more dynamic debuts, offer rides, and even showcase autonomous driving systems around the Cobo Center. Truck manufacturers can also host off-road challenges, and Detroit organizers are also thinking about including some of the city's highlights, like Hart Plaza, the RiverWalk, and Woodward Avenue in the event.

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Cutting Costs

Besides being able to unveil vehicles in a more dynamic fashion, automakers can also reduce the increasingly higher costs associated with auto shows. Detroit was particularly expensive due to its January dates, which meant that carmakers had to cope with overtime labor during the holidays. The June show will also see the move-in time reduced from eight to only three weeks by simplifying exhibits. This will also reduce costs for the carmakers, which will have to pay less for extra workers and overtime labor.

A More Relaxing Venue

The Detroit Auto Show tends to get pretty crowded. Not only is it the first major event of the year, but it's also the place where lots of important cars are shown. The event attracts close to a million people, and things get pretty crowded during both the media and public days. Seeing the cars up close becomes a struggle, especially during the first days of the show.

With ideal summer weather in June, Detroit will expand around Cobo Center, and this could help reduce the hustle. And with events spread throughout the city, visitors may find it easier and more relaxing to attend all booths. What's more, an auto show with events and products in various areas of Detroit will finally enable Motor City to live up to its potential as the heart of America's automobile industry.

A More Exciting Calendar

While it's a cool thing to start the year with a big event, a January-set Detroit Auto Show means that the summer is pretty much boring when it comes to new cars. Sure, we do have various car events like Pebble Beach and the Goodwood Festival of Speed and carmakers unveil new products over the summer, but there's no major auto show between April and September. A June-set Detroit will definitely make things more interesting during the hot season.

Moving the event is also a good idea with the Consumer Electronics Show now larger than ever and far more appealing to automakers. We've seen several companies skip Detroit to showcase new cars and technologies at CES and in 2018 it felt like the two events overlapped, forcing some carmakers to skip one to attend the other. This will also enable CES to grow even bigger on the automobile side and automakers to be able to focus more on the event and on showcasing new technology more.

2020 Calendar

Here's how the auto show calendar will look from 2020, assuming that all the other events will keep their respective dates.

Further reading

Read more Detroit Auto Show news.