(WXYZ) — It's been more than three years since the last North American International Auto Show, and while it's back this week, it will be different both inside and out.
The Detroit Auto Show has re-imagined itself and is offering a ton of new experiences for families and people throughout metro Detroit, with a focus on the future.
Detroit Auto Show Co-Chair Karl Zimmermann said the show is more than a feast for the eyes, it's a treat for all of your senses.
"I think that is a big part of the direction of the shift in the auto show industry. No longer is it cars and carpets, people want to be engaged with the vehicle," Zimmermann said.
The show will have four active tracks inside Huntington Place.
"We are making full use of the 30-foot-high ceilings. There will be ramps and climbing experiences. There's tracks within the building," he said.
The re-imagined show will have even more for families. Those high ceilings will also house a new dinosaur exhibit so you can see a depiction of the past.
The big difference will be the Detroit Auto Show spilling out of Huntington Place and into public spaces around downtown.
Just outside you'll also find Electronic Vertical Takeoff and Landing vehicles. Think of a hovercraft crossed with a motorcycle. There will also be drone demonstrations and not the little ones. Think big. While you're gazing skyward, there's even more.
"We've got flying vehicles that look like hoverboards. We've got, you know, thrusters on the rest. We've got vehicles that can drive flying," Zimmermann said.
The show will also utilize Detroit's riverfront. At Hart Plaza, there will be electric Monster Trucks demonstrations. There will also be events and exhibits in Campus Martius, Cadillac Square and Beacon Park. All of those are free to the public.
You can also do a ride-and-rive along Jefferson
The goal here is to re-engage the public.
Zimmermann says after years of isolation and COVID-19, the public is looking for in-person experiences, to see and touch cars, to put their hands on the new technology and to come together to celebrate each other, the city and the mobility industry.
