Motor City transforming into the Mobility City

DETROIT (WJBK) - While the North American International Auto Show takes place upstairs, tech will take center stage downstairs as it takes up 150,000 square feet at Cobo.

With a month until the doors open, steel, lights and monitors are being prepped for the auto show. Mobility, not just motors - that's the idea behind what's being set in place downstairs at Cobo away from the cars. 

"What we’re seeing is the transformation of the Motor City into the Mobility City," said Ted Serbinski of Techstars Mobility.

The bold green and blue carpet setting the stage on the lower level won't have tires on these floors but instead technology.

"Self-driving vehicles that are on the streets right now and different shuttle services, you can find new types of technologies that will help cars drive themselves, new types of services that consumers can use that might be like an Uber or a Lyft or a new way to get around," Serbinski said.

It's all part of an exhibition called AutoMobilit-D - 15 of these tech startups will be at Cobo this coming year, which is 40 percent more than last year. Max Muncey with the North American International auto show says the show is changing. It's not about kicking tires alone; it's about kicking Tech into high gear. It's also about education. Universities like MIT and Carnegie melon will be on hand. 

"I think you see a lot of universities are developing a lot of these cool technologies in house with their students. Clemson, MIT, and Stanford as well as the great ones we have in here in the state ... they're the talent pipeline for these companies," Muncey said.

There's also going to be a change for these startups to connect with auto companies and suppliers, kind of like a match.com for tech startups courting companies. Then there are people, untapped talent in the D that will have the chance to look for work. 

"That first public show weekend we will be running FACE. It's the future automotive career exposition. From individuals in high school to college to individuals who already have a position in the automotive industry (they) can interface with these companies directly," Muncey said.

Serbinski says in the next 10 years, everything on that floor of the auto show is going to be upstairs and all of those cars are going to be downstairs.