Introducing "Auto Show Passport"

TROY, Mich., Nov. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A new smart phone App designed to bring the excitement and beauty of hot, new cars to smart phones and iPads is now available for free download.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131108/DE13562LOGO )

Created by organizers of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) and sponsored by Michelin North America and Delphi Automotive, "Auto Show Passport" features dozens of galleries and thousands of photos, and transports car lovers with a brush of a finger to auto shows in Paris, Geneva, Detroit, Frankfurt, Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo and beyond.

NAIAS Chairman Bob Shuman says Auto Show Passport will enable car enthusiasts to view new vehicle photos that also capture the energy and ambiance of the world's most important events, adding: the new App will answer a common question: 'What are auto shows like in other parts of the world?'

"That question is inevitable," says Shuman. "Because I've had the opportunity to visit other great shows in Europe and Asia, I'm usually able to answer the question. But, now, Auto Show Passport will provide people with the feel of what it's like to be a part of the excitement from the auto show floor in Paris, or Geneva, or Beijing, and so on."

Shuman adds that Auto Show Passport will also include show descriptions, local color and cultural information about auto show host cities.

"That's partly why we named the App 'Auto Show Passport,' because it'll enable people through their smart devices to travel virtually to different auto shows, and get a feel for other countries while doing so," he says.

To download the free Auto Show Passport App, visit autoshowpassport.com to link to Apple iTunes and Google Play store.

Features and functionality of Auto Show Passport include:

• Powerful visual experience… photo-driven, easy to navigate
• 33 galleries with more than 2,000 individual photos from 16 auto shows and events, including: Beijing; Brussels; Detroit; Frankfurt; Geneva; Guangzhou; Moscow; Paris; Shanghai; Tokyo; Cholmondely Pageant of Power; Goodwood Festival of Speed; Motorexpo; Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance; Salon Prive Concours d'Elegance; SEMA Las Vegas; and Windsor Castle Concours d'Elegance
• Available on the following platforms: iPad, iPhone, Android Phone and Auto Show Passport Website, which positions it to meet global mobile usage and adoption trends
• "World Tour" functionality – allows users to spin the globe to discover new shows
• "Favorites" functionality – allows users to collect and save their favorite cars on their journey through the App.
• "Photo Finder" – allows users to quickly find photos that have been tagged by manufacturer, color, car type, event and year
• "Sharing" functionality – allows users to share and forward favorite photos with friends and family via text or email.
• Photos capture the beauty and spirit of the cars, and the individual vibe of each event
• Photos shot on location by professional photographers capture excitement, energy and ambience of actual sites. No stock photos. No retouched studio shots.

App developers say new features and enhancements are expected to be added in 2014 to provide even more functionality to Auto Show Passport's ecosphere.  Also, visitors to the upcoming NAIAS will be able to submit their own photos, some of which will be selected for the "User-Submitted Gallery" on Auto Show Passport.

Auto Show Passport is being sponsored initially by Michelin North America and Delphi Automotive. Additional sponsors are expected to join in the coming months.

NAIAS has partnered with China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Automotive Industry Committee (CCPIT), which hosts China's three major auto shows in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai to launch the Chinese version of the App in China during the Guangzhou auto show.

SOURCE North American International Auto Show