L.A. auto show loses steam

There's a lot happening this week, such as Honda, Ford and GM announcing plans to put alternative fuel technology vehicles on the road in California. But auto shows are typically judged by the number of world premieres, and this year there are only 14, down from last year's 21. The explanation is that last month's Tokyo Motor Show - and the Frankfurt Motor Show before that - stole lots of L.A.'s thunder. Next year there won't be shows in Tokyo or Frankfurt, but there will be a Paris auto show in October that will probably feature its share of premieres. You might recall that the L.A. show was moved from January to November so that it wouldn't get drowned out by the Detroit show that same month. Even with all the bouncing around, L.A. still gets great attendance by the public and is often making news for green-related tech announcements. (NYT)