Integration And Efficiency Showcased At Detroit's Auto Show

The North American International Auto Show, which kicked off Monday in Detroit, will give investors an idea of where the world's largest automakers are headed in the coming year.

Integration

Technology will likely take top bill at this year's show, as major car makers rush to automate and integrate faster and more seamlessly than their competitors. Daimler AG is set to debut its Mercedes Benz F 015, which boasts touch screen electronics as well as moving passenger seats.

While driver-less cars are still a distant possibility, Daimler AG, General Motors GM and Audi AG all revealed their vision to create vehicles that drive themselves by 2016 at last week's Consumer Electronics Show. Google Inc. GOOG has been on the frontline of that technology; its autonomous vehicle project is expected to make an announcement about its progress toward partnering with major automakers some time during this week's show.

Efficiency

While most automakers have seen SUV sales skyrocket over the past six months due to falling oil prices, energy efficient cars look to be a trend that is going to stick, as the show will feature some of the major players in this market.

Toyota Motor Corp 's TM Mirai, a hydrogen-powered car, will make an appearance at the show. The vehicle went on sale in Japan in December and is slated to hit US markets later in 2015. The Japanese car manufacturer made news earlier this month when it announced that it was opening its fuel-cell technology up for competitors to use. The decision gave Toyota's edge on the competition up, but allowed for forward momentum in hydrogen fuel-cell development.

Battle Royale

General Motors and Tesla Motors Inc TSLA will throw down at this year's show, with GM set to unveil its own version of an electric car.

GM's Chevy Bolt is set to be revealed on Monday and will be in direct competition with Tesla's Model 3. Both cars will carry similar price tags and are said to be capable of driving 200 miles on one charge.