Hosting XPONENTIAL 2026 in the Motor City underscores the event’s focus on progress, reinvention, and industrial transformation. Detroit is not only the historical epicenter of American manufacturing and mobility, it’s now emerging as a national leader in the development, testing, and deployment of next-generation autonomous technologies. With a robust evolving infrastructure, a collaborative public-private ecosystem, and a workforce steeped in production excellence, Detroit provides a powerful stage for exploring the future of autonomy across air, land, and maritime domains.

This isn’t just about where autonomy is being tested, it’s where it is being scaled and quickly. XPONENTIAL 2026 will showcase the systems, strategies, and stakeholders making that vision real.

That leadership is further reinforced by the Michigan Defense Expo (MDEX), co-located at XPONENTIAL 2026. Hosted by NDIA’s Michigan Chapter, MDEX brings together more than 3,000 defense, government, and industry professionals advancing autonomy, manufacturing innovation, and supply chain readiness.

Together with the AUVSI Defense Theater and the Defense Technologies Zone, MDEX creates expanded opportunities for collaboration across industry and government. This integrated experience strengthens Detroit’s position as a place where autonomous technologies move from development to deployment in support of both commercial and national security missions.