Auto Innovation at Work
It is auto show season, actually … when is it not, but that is beside the point. First it was the 2012 Detroit Auto Show and now it is the 2012 DC Auto show. What makes this auto show so interesting is that on the heels of the State of the Union address, the show is a platform for industry and policymakers to come together. Under one roof you find U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, representatives from the EPA, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, automakers and White House staff; a difficult feat for any other city.
With this diverse audience comes a twofold focus
- the resurgence of American car companies like GM, Ford and Chrysler equals a recovering manufacturing industry
- a narrowed scope on green technologies
Currently American car companies are turning a profit for the first time since 2004, with Chrysler and GM having repaid almost all of the money that they took via the stimulus. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has called the comeback a “great American story.” Not only is the story a success for the automakers, but also for the thousands of Americans who are returning to work in manufacturing, parts suppliers, R&D as well as many other jobs related to the auto industry.
The DC Auto Show – innovation in the face of the policy makers
Also contributing to the refreshed manufacturing landscape is the need for automakers to meet new fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards laid out by the EPA and DOT. So while the automakers are investing to meet these new benchmarks, they will need to work harder to be more innovative. This innovation was evident in new talents like a talented group of students from Boise State University that developed a truck that ran solely on vegetable oil. The aptly titled Greenspeed Truck is reported to be the world’s fastest truck fueled by vegetable oil.
Talks of a new transportation bill with bipartisan support circulated while awards and accolades went to the Ford C-MAX Energi, named Green Car Journal’s 2012 Green Car Vision Award winner. The DC Auto show is like no other as it brings the Capitol Hill and the transportation industry face-to-face. So whether it’s political speeches, public policy debate or the unveiling of new automotive technologies or auto transport rules and regulations, the DC Auto show is sure to be an interesting forum for all attendees.
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