As a car lover I have visited many auto events from cars shows to races and special vehicle unveilings but my first-time visit to the North American International Auto Show was unmatched. What was more surprising was the amount of texts and calls from the dads in my life wondering why I didn’t invite and take them with me?!
While I had heard about the NAIAS, I had no idea what to really expect. Of course the men told me all about it comparing it to the top shows in Europe and ‘the place to see all the auto trends in one place.” They were right.
I had the pleasure of traveling to NAIAS with Ford so there were many opportunities to not only experience the latest models but really get to the know the research and history that is fundamental to engineering new features found in 2016 models and beyond.
Ford is all about implementing the latest trends in their vehicle line. The latest F-150 has a parking-assist system that allows you to tow and actually park major loads including boats while the Explorer boasts a design built for major family storage for long road trips- even across Canada and the USA!
Check out our highlights video from the 2016 NAIAS in Detroit:
The trend that I thought was the most interesting to understand was all about autonomous vehicles- cars that drive themselves. To attend an auto show and see trends about driving but not driving was so unique.
Ford really blew away the reports surrounding autonomous vehicles as the company’s testing on the trendy Fusion was actually performed in winter conditions including ice. The thought of a car driving itself even in a cold climate is the stuff of futuristic movies and so exciting to see.
The men really were hovering all around the Ford F-150 Raptor model- what a crowd favorite. There was more testosterone surrounding the 2016 Raptor than perhaps in a locker room but I’m sure plenty of women and families would love to drive one as well!
I love classic cars so seeing my all-time favorite Mustang from the 60’s as well as the 2016 jaw dropper was fun. In case you didn’t know, I actually drove my 2000 Mustang until I was nearly 8 months pregnant with twins! The model doesn’t really matter, it is one of my all-time favorite cars.
The experience of attending the NAIAS will stay with me and I will be even better prepared for the next one – I’m sure I’ll have to bring a Dad date or two. You can check out all the latest trends at Ford dealers nationwide.
As a mother of twin tweens in 2011 and an active Girl Scout Troop leader, Cristy realized there was a need to develop bilingual digital content and foster a community facing the challenges of raising kids after first grade. That year she founded and remains co-Publisher of Los Tweens & Teens, to support multicultural parents and mentors with content related to raising Gen Z- tweens & teens ages 7-18. Through the Los Tweens & Teens LIVE events such as Teens & Me – the growing team aims to provide our community with essential resources from chats with therapists to battle anxiety and bullying, to understanding social media and technology.