Antitrust Law Daily Wrap Up, ANTITRUST NEWS: FTC to host U.S. auto distribution system workshop, (Dec 15, 2015)

By Michael Menzhuber, J.D., LL.M.

A one-day workshop, to explore competition and related issues in the U.S. auto distribution system, will be hosted by the FTC on January 19, 2016. The event will take place in Washington, D.C. at the FTC’s Constitution Center Auditorium, starting at 9 a.m., the agency announced.

The auto industry, which is undergoing substantial technology-driven change, is currently subject to regulation at both the state and federal level. However, the primary focus of the January workshop will be on exploring the competition issues arising from state level regulation of auto distribution. The workshop will explore emerging trends in the auto industry, such as car-sharing, connected cars, and autonomous vehicles, with a focus on how those trends will affect the current regulatory system that governs the auto industry.

The staff of the FTC is accepting public comment on a number of questions related to the workshop. Further information on the workshop and the public comment process, including a list of suggested questions open for comment, are available in the workshop’s detailed public notice.

The workshop will be webcast live on the FTC’s website. Registration information, an agenda, directions to the FTC’s Constitution Center building, and a list of speakers will be available in the near future on the event webpage. While advance registration is not required, it is strongly encouraged.

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