The 70th annual Washington Auto Show kicked off Saturday morning at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, following three days of press and policymaker preview events, which gave those who write legislation about the industry a chance to talk to experts in the field. This year, organizers reworked the show's 767,600-square-foot layout by bringing luxury car lines onto one level and aligning mid-priced brands such as Ford, Toyota, Chrysler, and General Motors on the second floor of the venue. “We’re always looking to reinvent the show, and reengineering the floor plan allows for it to continue to grow and become more interactive,” said show director Bob Yoffe.
Here's a look at the most engaging displays and interactive activities at the show.
Washington Auto Show
The reworked show layout included reducing the Advanced Technology Superhighway, which showcases the new technology features used to improve car safety, from 65,000 to 9,000 square feet. The move came after the exhibiting auto companies expressed difficulty with coordinating the logistics and staffing of the two spaces where cars were located—the highway and the brand’s main space—rather than just one exhibit area.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Fiat
Fiat's indoor drive track allowed attendees to ride in the cars as company reps drove them around a closed course designed to test the car's different features including agility, handling, maneuverability, and ride quality. Multiple Fiat models were on the track at a single time, with company reps directing traffic as each car moved from one section of the course to the next.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Ford
Ford took over the entire back section of the second floor of the convention center with a 31,000-square-foot exhibition space that included 59 cars, three Smithsonian-sponsored Spark Lab activations, and multiple interactive simulators.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Ford
Ford also set up a strength-focused activation to allow consumers to test the power of their own torque, or strength, in comparison to the manufacturer's eco-boost engine system.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Ford
Ford's ST Simulator provided a racing-skills test complete with a vibrating seat that moved as the driver took each turn of the video course.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Smithsonian Spark Lab
The Smithsonian sponsored a Spark Lab at the Ford space where children and their parents used different shapes of pasta, glue, and tape to create the Car of the Future. A nearby ramp allowed them to then test the strength of their creations.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Starbucks
Organizers added—appropriately for an auto show—a Starbucks coffee truck. The space had a café-style setup where monitors showed promotional videos about technology advances from various automotive brands.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Cadillac
Cadillac reps provided in-seat demos of the CUE simulator, named for its ability to showcase the "Cadillac User Experience" consisting of a walk-through of the dashboard's computerized control system.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Lincoln
Lincoln created its own indoor showroom in the luxury car space with temporary grated walls, a suspended ceiling treatment, and small seating areas lining the perimeter. Temporary wood panels also served to display the available wood and finishing options for the vehicles as well as exterior colors.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Chevrolet Camaro
Chevy showcased its limited-edition Hot Wheels model Camaro on a rotating platform; the car was designed to match the details of the toy version of the car.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Toyota Tundra
Toyota showcased the power of the Tundra's haul with a cutout of the space shuttle Endeavor underneath a video of the truck hauling the actual shuttle in October 2012.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Toyota
A half-car model in the Toyota space showed videos of the company's future safety technology for its cars, including the new detection systems for elements outside the car.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Toyota
Toyota moved its 50,500-square-foot exhibit space to the second floor of the convention center this year to be in the same area as the other mid-priced lines.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Scion
Scion's exhibit space utilized clear glass panels with embedded TVs to showcase the product details of each of its cars without closing off the space with opaque walls.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Washington Auto Show
For the first year, the organizers rearranged the layout of the show floor by grouping the luxury brands such as Lexus, Audi, Mercedes, and Volvo in the same area on the lower level of the convention center.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
