Because today, the American auto industry is back.

Chevrolet is touting its Bolt EV at the auto show. (Last year, the concept was revealed in Detroit.) Volkswagen showed off the BUDD-e, its electric micro-van concept, taking the opportunity to apologize again for having flouted emissions regulations.

The dominant idea of this Detroit show was automakers trying to show they'll be the ones to solve the future. General Motors and Lyft, the app-based taxi service, trumpeted a similar plan.

Sometimes, you'll see automotive engineers attending the industry preview days with cameras and rulers, looking under hoods and comparing parts.

FILE - In this Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, file photo, Nissan Motors Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn talks about the new Infiniti Q60 sports coupe behind him on stage at the North American International Auto Show, in Detroit. Over the past ten years, organizers say it's raised $45 million. Bentley, Jaguar, Land Rover, Maserati, and Rolls-Royce have all said they will not show officially during the event, which opens to the public on January 16.

"With over 40 model debuts, 90% of which are worldwide, and more than 30 CEOs on the floor, it's a couple of big days".

US consumers increasingly are purchasing new vehicles that offer more space and utility than standard sedans, along with comparable fuel efficiency, a trend that was evident throughout 2015 and appears headed for continuation, as reflected by new models from Buick, Chrysler and Volkswagen.

On the other hand, Mercedes-Benz launched its next-generation E Class vehicle Sunday night and besides illustrating how truly smart the latest auto is, the presentation featured a lecture on artificial intelligence by an MIT professor who assured those in the audience, including NASCAR and IndyCar team owner Roger Penske, that despite all the advances, technology is nowhere close to outsmarting humans. Inside, the driver can control the infotainment system with smartphone-like swipes of a finger. But in Silicon Valley, where you realize that a auto has millions of lines of code, they have the expertise in the code.

"Normally, emerging technologies are hyped well ahead of their prime time", DeSouza said.

GM's market research showed that people wanted a smaller, more efficient and maneuverable SUV, yet they still wanted three rows of seats, said Rick Spina, executive chief engineer for GM crossover vehicles.

"Technology components that support AVs have already been deployed and tested on our roads, so we did not have to wait to roll out the solutions all at once".

GLINTON: Well, it'll come from both because here in Detroit they have more than 100 years of expertise in building, you know, automobiles, and they understand the regulations and the difficulty. The arrival of the Chinese-built Buick Envision, the first of its kind to enter the North American arena, is noteworthy but not an earth-shattering event.

SHAPIRO: And will those self-driving cars of the future, do you think, come from Silicon Valley or from Detroit? USA automakers had a record year, especially, Ford and General Motors. For the competitive gamblers out there, it's important to consider that the national average gasoline price, which on Friday dipped below $2 per gallon for the first time since 2009, has been low for a while. But, my oh my, did the afternoon of day one pick up.