Washington Auto Show's Public Policy Preview Days: Industry in Full Throttle

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- As the "public policy show" on the global auto show circuit, The Washington Auto Show® advances its 10-day consumer event with an exclusive look at the people and policies shaping the U.S. auto industry. This year, the show is shining a spotlight on the industry's fortitude and its vital contribution to U.S. communities and economies.

The exclusive events, geared toward officials in government, industry and media, launch on Wednesday, January 21 with a showcase on Capitol Hill of nearly every American-made vehicle, many of which will be driven to D.C. by manufacturer representatives from across the country. Taking place on Pennsylvania Ave. between 3^rd and 4^th Streets NW, the "Made Across America" (MAA) program will demonstrate that, five years since the "Carpocalypse" seized U.S. automotive giants, the industry is back to near-peak production and healthier-than-ever profits.

The day's program will continue with CARtalks™ on Capitol Hill. A series of short, dynamic 10-minute talks, this unique public policy forum will tackle issues such as connectivity, autonomous driving and alternative energy and feature the thinkers and visionaries leading the industry such as Kristin Kolodge, executive director of Driver Interaction and Human Machine Interface at J.D. Power and Associates, and Peter Sweatman, director of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.

On Thursday, Jan. 22, the events move to the show site, the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, for a daylong schedule of press announcements and a sneak preview of the makes, models and gadgetry powering the industry forward. The day begins with a keynote address by Cadillac President and GM Executive Vice President Johan de Nysschen. Other highlights will include a government keynote address by a member of the U.S. Administration, an expanded suite of Green Car awards announced by the Green Car Journal and the release of a highly anticipated report on the economic impact of the auto industry across America by Center for Automotive Research President Dr. Jay Baron. In addition, SAE International, who co-locates its 2015 Government/Industry Meeting with the show, features an afternoon plenary session on the theme of "Future Vehicles: Integrating Safety, Environment and Technology."

The program culminates in a Sneak Peek reception, providing officials in industry, government and media with a prime setting for networking and collaboration.

The 2015 Washington Auto Show opens to the public from Jan.23-Feb.1 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Produced by Washington Area New Automobile Dealers Association (WANADA), the Washington Auto Show offers a showcase of more than 700 new vehicles from over 42 domestic and import manufacturers.

SOURCE The Washington Auto Show