Automotive>Legacy
Detroit has long been known as the Motor City, from the time that Henry Ford revolutionized the automobile industry to the preeminence of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). Today, three of the largest automakers in the world call Detroit their home, making it the Automobile Capitol of the World – a fact that is evident whether you are driving down I-75 or cruising Woodward Avenue. No one cares more about cars than metro Detroiters.
AUTOMOTIVE links and info
Want to experience Detroit's auto heritage and legacy?
Check out our "Experience It" feature on Detroit's auto-centric attractions to learn about Detroit's role as the world's hub of automotive innovation.
FIRSTS and facts
- In 1913, Henry Ford installed the world's first moving assembly line in his Highland Park factory on Woodward Avenue , an innovation that not only transformed manufacturing, but also helped unleash an explosion of industrial productivity that made the United States the undisputed economic engine of the world.
- In 1914, Ford Motor became the first employer to pay a $5-per-day wage, resulting in a flood of immigrants to Detroit. The increased wage scale, which caught on with employers around the country, dramatically expanded the middle class and helped to make possible the global consumer economy we know today.
- The first mile of concrete highway was built in Detroit in 1909, and the first expressway in the country was the Davison Freeway in Detroit.
- Detroit is home to the world’s first auto traffic tunnel between two nations—the Detroit/Windsor Tunnel.
- The country’s first traffic light was installed in downtown Detroit in 1915.
- The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) is among the most prestigious auto shows in the world, drawing more than 800,000 visitors annually.
- The Woodward Dream Cruise, which takes place along a 16-mile strip on Woodward Avenue, has grown into the world's largest one-day automotive event. It attracts more than 1.5 million people and 40,000 muscle cars, street rods, custom, collector and special interest vehicles.
- The Rouge complex, 1,100 acres, has been tagged the largest manufacturing project in the Western World.
Early Assembly Line
The North American International Auto Show
The Woodward Dream Cruise