Auto Leaders Work To Tackle New Challenges
NOTE: WWJ AutoBeat Reporter Jeff Gilbert is covering the Management Briefing Seminars. You can follow his Twitter feed here.
TRAVERSE CITY (WWJ) Top auto executives head north to Traverse City this week to discuss the auto industry's fragile recovery.
"We still have the economic uncertainty about the recovery of the auto industry, who's going to survive and thrive. That hasn't been established yet," says Jay Baron, CEO of the Center for Auto Research, which puts on the Management Briefing Seminars every year.
The biggest news from the sessions will likely come on Wednesday, when we hear from Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne and Thursday, when GM North America President Mark Reuss speaks. That's also the day that General Motors releases its second quarter earnings.
We'll also hear from Ford Marketing Chief Jim Farley and top leaders from Import companies, as well as UAW President Bob King, who just last week began negotiations with the domestic three auto companies.
In the past, auto executives have often painted rosy scenarios for their own companies. Baron says they sometimes don't all add up.
"If you add up everybody's claim for market share, for where they are going in the next three or four years, it's probably 200 per cent," he said. "So, something's not going to happen there, that is in the planning."
The first two days of the conference—Monday and Tuesday—generally feature more "nuts and bolts" sessions on things like manufacturing and technology.
They also plan to look at how cars are becoming more connected to each other and the infrastructure, as well as the impact of coming fuel economy rules.
It won't just be experts from the industry, Center for Auto Research Chief Economist Sean McAlinden says they will bring in environmentalists to discuss fuel economy, and challenge some conventional industry thinking.
"When you have these kind of large differences in play, it's best to get them in the open if public policy's involved. And we're going to do it."
