The Detroit Auto Show has announced the 2025 Media Day and Industry Days Schedule for the show’s return to January (11-20). Charity Preview is on Friday, Jan. 10.
The show floor will feature a lineup of more than 30 brands; details on OEM and dealer brands are available here, ultra-luxury and exotic brands here, and a show floor map here.
Industry Days on Wednesday, Jan. 15 and Thursday, Jan. 16 will provide an expansive lineup of 80-plus industry experts across 30-plus panels and fireside chats that will delve into important and relevant topics driving the mobility industry.
Industry Days (Jan. 15-16)
- Mobility Global Forum with speakers such as John Bozzella, CEO of Alliance for Automotive Innovation; Justine Johnson, Chief Mobility Officer for the State of Michigan; Jeff Makarewicz, Toyota Motor North America Group Vice President of Technical Resources.
- Future Leaders Forum Presented by the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC) and the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification is designed to cultivate the mobility industry’s next generation talent by connecting 300 STEM-field students from 17 universities and hundreds of Detroit-area high schoolers with auto industry experts.
- AutoMobili-D will feature approximately 30 startups highlighting new and emerging technologies.
One session during the Mobility Global Forum will offer a fireside chat on Jan. 16 at 1 p.m. will delve into the transformative impact of digitalization on the automotive industry’s workforce. Titled Welding Data, Not Just Steel: How Digital Transformation is Reshaping Automotive Talent, the panel will provide insights from industry leaders.
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Bill Vlasic, former Detroit Bureau chief for The New York Times, will moderate the discussion. Joining Vlasic on stage are:
Jose Flores – CEO of Ancor Automotive in Troy, a leader in workforce solutions and staffing for the automotive industry. Flores has transformed Ancor into an innovation hub. Under his leadership, the company has received several accolades, including the “Best Places to Work” designation and the 2023 DBusiness “30 in Their Thirties” award. Beyond Ancor, Flores advocates for industry growth and education.
Ted Serbinski – Founder and managing partner at Stanton & Co, a pioneering technologist and investor. Serbinski has invested in more than 100 startups worldwide and played a key role in shaping Detroit’s tech ecosystem. His expertise in engineering, design, and business strategy has driven innovation for global companies like Ford and Verizon while fostering workforce development through initiatives like Techstars Mobility Detroit.
This session will explore critical topics such as:
- The role of data and technology in redefining automotive job functions
- Strategies for bridging the digital skills gap in the workforce
- Innovations in talent recruitment and retention to meet the industry’s future needs
“The automotive industry is undergoing a seismic shift, and the way we think about talent must evolve just as rapidly,” says Flores. “I’m going to discuss these trends with Bill and Ted and also take audience questions.”
Serbinski adds, “The intersection of mobility innovation and workforce transformation is where the future of our industry is being built. This discussion couldn’t be timelier.”
Overall, the Detroit Auto Show will offer the return of The Gallery ultra-luxury and exotic vehicle showcase with 50 prestigious automobiles representing 12 brands from Aston Martin to Rolls-Royce.
Four indoor tracks — the most ever — including Bronco Mountain and Camp Jeep as well as Powering Michigan EV Experience and the Detroit Grand Prix track for attendees to experience firsthand the most exciting ICE, hybrids, and EVs on the market.
A new partnership with Hagerty, which will display a sampling of celebrated TV and movie vehicles.
Vanguard Motors, one of the nation’s premier high-quality classic and muscle car dealers, will also be partnering with the show to bring “Detroit Through the Decades.”
Modded Detroit, one of Michigan’s premier automotive enthusiast groups, will curate a showcase of 150-plus vehicles that push the limits of what’s possible on four wheels.
The first-ever Driven by Service Day to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Sat., Jan. 18 includes a clothing drive to benefit students across Detroit Public Schools.
In turn, Racing Day on Fri., Jan. 17, presented by the Detroit Grand Prix will feature:
Josef Newgarden of Team Penske — Back-to-back and reigning Indianapolis 500 winner, two-time NTT IndyCar Series champion and driver of the No. 2 Chevrolet Indy Car.
David Malukas of AJ Foyt Racing — NTT IndyCar Series podium finisher entering his fourth season in the series and first year racing for the team owned by IndyCar legend AJ Foyt; driver of the No. 41 Chevrolet Indy Car.
Kyffin Simpson of Ganassi Racing — Entering his second NTT IndyCar Series season competing for one of the top teams in the series and driver of the No. 8 Honda IndyCar.
Nolan Allaer of HMD Motorsports — Detroit native who will compete in his second INDY NXT season in 2025 and driver of the No. 11 car.
Callum Hedge of Abel Motorsports — Earned his first career INDY NXT podium finish with a third-place result at the 2024 Detroit Grand Prix and driver of the No. 17 car
For more information, visit detroitautoshow.com/.
Highlights of the 2025 Detroit Auto Show:
- Media Day, Friday, Jan. 10
- Charity Preview, Friday, Jan. 10
- Industry Days and AutoMobili-D, Jan. 15-16 (Exclusive Industry Access 9 a.m.–1 p.m.)
- Mobility Global Forum, Jan. 15-16
- Future Leaders Forum, Jan 15-16
- Racing Day presented by the Detroit Grand Prix, Jan. 17
- Public Show, Jan. 11-20
