New York Auto Show delayed until August over coronavirus concerns
Organizers of the 2020 New York International Auto Show have postponed the event until August due to concerns about the COVID-19 outbreak.
The New York Auto Show, which is organized by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, was scheduled to begin April 10 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.
The event will now be held August 28 to September 6, according to a statement from Chris Sams, the show's spokesman. Press days are August 26 and 27.
"We are taking this extraordinary step to help protect our attendees, exhibitors and all participants from the coronavirus," Mark Schienberg, president of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, said in an emailed statement. "For 120 years, 'the show must go on' has been heavily embedded in our DNA, and while the decision to move the show dates didn't come easy, our top priority remains with the health and well-being of all those involved in this historic event. We have already been in communication with many of our exhibitors and partners and are confident that the new dates for the 2020 Show will make for another successful event," Schienberg added.
A number of automakers had planned to debut their vehicles at the show, including electric vehicle startup Lucid Motors, as well as large OEMs like Ford and GM.
The New York Auto Show joins a growing list of events that have been cancelled or delayed due to concerns about COVID-19, a disease caused by a new virus that is a member of the coronavirus family. COVID-19, which is a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses that have caused outbreaks in the past, has caused governments and companies to cancel tech, business and automotive events around the world.
Just yesterday, Cadillac announced plans to cancel the unveiling of its new electric vehicle at a special event next month in Los Angeles. The Geneva International Motor Show was cancelled, as well as MWC in Barcelona and the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas.