On the Dash:
- For the first time since 2008, all three Detroit automaker CEOs have been summoned to testify before Congress on Jan. 14 to discuss affordability, regulations, and the EV transition.
- Vehicle prices have surged, surpassing $50,000 in September compared with about $32,500 ten years ago, intensifying scrutiny of federal mandates and market pressures.
- The hearing comes as Washington prepares for USMCA renewal talks, giving lawmakers a significant opportunity to question automakers on trade, policy, and industry strategy.
Top executives from the Detroit Three have been invited to publicly testify before Congress on Jan. 14, marking the first joint appearance by the CEOs of Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis in more than 17 years. The hearing, announced by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, will examine the auto industry’s position ahead of the upcoming Surface Transportation Reauthorization.
Cruz, who chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, said the session titled “Pedal to the Policy: The Views of the American Auto Industry on the Upcoming Surface Transportation Reauthorization” will address vehicle affordability, fuel economy regulations, tariff pressures, and the industry’s uneven transition to EVs. Tesla Vice President of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy was also invited to join the panel.
The hearing gives lawmakers a rare opportunity to question leaders of one of the nation’s largest retail sectors at a time when new-vehicle prices have climbed to historic levels. The average price of a new car surpassed $50,000 for the first time in September, according to Cox Automotive, compared with about $32,500 a decade earlier. Cruz said “onerous government-mandated technologies and radical environmental regulations” have contributed to the price surge, adding that consumers are increasingly focused on affordability.
Republicans argue that policy changes enacted earlier this year, including the repeal of the EV mandate and corporate average fuel economy standards under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, represent progress toward lowering costs. However, Cruz said more action is needed to restore competition and expand consumer choice.
The January hearing also comes as the United States, Mexico, and Canada prepare for a mandatory review of the USMCA trade agreement that President Donald Trump signed during his first term. The countries must agree to a renewal by July 1 or negotiate alternative terms. Without a deal, the agreement could lapse. Automakers are urging Trump and congressional leaders to renew the pact, citing three decades of cross-border integration.
The last time the Detroit Three appeared jointly before Congress was in late 2008, during the height of the financial crisis and the auto industry bailout discussions. Despite the long gap since their last combined testimony, automakers have remained active in Washington, meeting with Trump earlier this year and previously visiting the White House during his first term.
The hearing is set to bring together industry leaders and federal lawmakers at a critical moment for vehicle pricing, regulatory direction, and North American trade stability.
