DEARBORN, Mich. — The 2022 Automotive Hall of Fame’s Induction & Awards Ceremony on July 21, 2022, will recognize a truly diverse collection of mobility pioneers from around the globe. This group includes trailblazers and icons who defied personal, professional, and cultural odds to bring their immeasurable contributions to the automotive industry.
“This year’s class of inductees continues to recognize the diversity of contributions to this industry,” said Sarah Cook, president of the Automotive Hall of Fame. “From manufacturing to racing, road travel to the rarest of luxury performance vehicles, this group tells some of the most interesting and important stories of the industry, and we couldn’t be more pleased to recognize their achievements and welcome them into the Hall of Fame.”
2022 Automotive Hall of Fame Inductees
Widely considered the single greatest honor an individual can receive in the automotive industry, induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame is reserved for noteworthy individuals whose efforts have helped shape the automotive and mobility market.
The inductees of this year’s class include:
- Alma and Victor Green, authors and publishers of The Green Book, a travel guide for Blacks traveling America. Published from 1936-1966, featuring more than 10,000 businesses over its publishing history, the book was distributed by mail order, word of mouth, and by purchase at Esso gas stations across the country. Alma and her predominantly female staff continued publishing The Green Book after Victor’s death in 1960. The last edition of The Green Book was published in 1966, helping Black Americans travel the country safely.
- Lu Guanqiu, a Chinese entrepreneur and trailblazer who used his creativity and wits to evolve Wanxiang from a local bicycle repair shop in the 1960s to a global supplier. Wanxiang was the first Chinese company to sell automobile parts to American OEMs and now has operations in 22 states in the U.S. Lu’s leadership brought a greater understanding of global climate issues to China. He spearheaded the drive for clean energy, including starting several battery and electric vehicle initiatives in the late 1990s. He then acquired and revived clean energy related companies A123 Systems, and Fisker Automotive Holdings, Inc., which transformed into Karma Automotive.
- Ferruccio Lamborghini, an Italian entrepreneur who created the iconic Lamborghini line of luxury performance sports cars. Lamborghini first found success following WWII, manufacturing tractors in Northern Italy for local small farms. His proclivity for mechanical quality allowed him to expand his product lines, and his success enabled him to purchase a variety of sports cars, including a Ferrari. A quibble with the vehicle’s transmission inspired his own tinkering and the determination that he could create a better vehicle. Thus, Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini S.p.A. came to life. His attention to detail led his team’s delivery of cutting-edge, mid-engine supercars like the Miura and later the astonishing Countach.
- Taiichi Ohno, a Japanese engineer and former Toyota executive who helped establish the fabled Toyota Production System (TPS). TPS is a way of making high-quality goods in the quickest and most efficient way possible. TPS revolutionized not only the Japanese automotive industry, but global vehicle manufacturing as well. Ohno spent much of his career training and consulting suppliers and employees on his revolutionary manufacturing process. Ohno left us with three books outlining his revolutionary philosophies: Toyota Production System (1978), Workplace Management (1984), and Just-in-Time for Today and Tomorrow (1988).
- Lyn St. James, a true pioneer in advancing women’s participation in the automotive and racing worlds. She was the first woman to win the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year award in 1992 and competed in a total of 15 IndyCar races over nine years. In 1994, she established the Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation and created the Complete Driver Development Program, which trained female racers from around the world. She also organized the Women’s Sports Foundation, Women in the Winner’s Circle Project Podium Scholarship. She mentors young women in motorsports, is a motivational speaker, the author of two memoirs, serves on the board of the United States Automobile Competition Committee, and represents the United States on the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile Women in Motorsports Commission.
Event Details
The Automotive Hall of Fame Induction & Awards Ceremony will be held on Thursday, July 21, 2022, at The Icon (200 Walker St. Detroit, MI). Event sponsorships are available and can be purchased online.
Source: Automotive Hall of Fame