Guide To The 2022 Detroit Auto Show: How to Attend, What’s Being Revealed, and More!

When the “Great Pause” began in 2020 and continued into 2021, renowned international auto exhibitions appeared to be a thing of the past. New, more personal multimedia premieres were attempted out by manufacturers, who started to live stream the unveilings of new cars like the then-new Ford Bronco. You can bet that many of those automakers relished their uninterrupted time in the spotlight, but auto shows are making a comeback. North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), also known as the Detroit Auto Show, returns to life to kick off this season.

The huge show returns after a pandemic-related two-year delay. In the auto industry, two years is a very long period. We have witnessed the American EV market expand in just that short period from, well, pretty much only Tesla to a plethora of electrics from mass-market OEMs. Not just the Bronco but also the Hummer has experienced a comeback, and there have been numerous changes to how automakers reveal their latest models, including instances when software development has surpassed that of drivetrains. Nevertheless, many important events are taking place in Motor City this year.

The NAIAS had undergone a number of changes, the most notable of which is its move from January, when it had previously been hosted in Michigan, to September. Naturally, when the switch from winter to late summer was first announced in 2019, it was well-received. This update is currently taking effect after some delay.

On September 14, there will be a media preview of the Detroit Auto Show, and MotorTrend will bring you the announcements and news from Huntington Place. President Joe Biden will pay a visit on that day, as he announced at an earlier event in September, adding, “I’ll be there. You might have guessed that I like cars.”

On September 16, there will be a massive charity preview show at Huntington Place and Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit. Black tie is mandatory, as it always is for the show’s charity preview night. Nile Rodgers & Chic, winners of a Grammy, and Your Generation in Concert will perform for the audience that evening. The celebration gets underway at 5:00 p.m. and lasts until 11:00 p.m. After the kickoff activities, the public show days are from September 17 to September 25, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST, except for the final day, when the show closes at 7:00 pm. In addition to covering the entirety of Huntington Place, the performance has been expanded to include the nearby Hart Plaza and other sites throughout the city of Detroit, thanks to the new, warmer timing on the calendar.

The show’s page lists a variety of activities, including options for indoor and outdoor ride-and-drives, air mobility demonstrations, family-friendly activities, music, automobile clubs, street cuisine, and more. Adult admission tickets are $20 per person, except for seniors and children. Children between the ages of 3 and 12 only pay $10, and those 65 and over only pay $12. Any youngster under the age of two may enter without charge with a parent or legal guardian. The family pass, however, is only $50 and admits everyone if you are a family of five with two adults and three kids; this is like bringing two kids for free.