Detroit Auto Show: DENSO’s big bright green diversionary machine

DENSO booth, NAIAS 2009, Detroit Mich. (Photo: MarkinDetroit via Flickr.com)

DETROIT — A news conference by the president and CEO of automotive part maker DENSO International America was relegated to the basement of Cobo at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), right next to the fragrant flora of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s EcoXperience.

But the news down below, just as it was above, was not exactly rosy.

DENSO warned of its first operating loss since 1950. The main company it supplies, Toyota, says it will see its first losing quarter in 71 years.

So, what else could DENSO Veep Hiromi Tokuda do at the auto show except talk about algae?

Yes, algae.

Tokuda focused on what DENSO is calling, “Cultivating the Green Machine.” And by “green,” of course, he was not talking about money. Like the American automakers upstairs, there is no good financial news to report.

“If I can make anything clear to you this morning, it would be this: DENSO’s green efforts are not just for show,” Tokuda said.

DENSO, whose North American headquarters is in Southfield, really does have some interesting environmental research going on. One of them involves algae absorbing greenhouse gases emitting from DENSO’s own factories.

So, yes, Tokuda is right. DENSO’s environmental initiative is not just marketing. But it is, just like those of the upstairs neighbors, a bit diversionary.

And that, for better or for worse, is the story of Detroit’s NAIAS 2009.

NAIAS 2009 is open to the public and runs through Jan. 25 at Cobo Hall in Detroit, Mich.

Howard Lovy has covered science, technology and business for The Detroit News and ClickOnDetroit.com and helped found Small Times, an Ann Arbor magazine focusing on nanotechnology and microsystems. His freelance work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Wired News and Salon.com.