The organisers of the Paris Motor Show have announced the cancellation of the main part of the automotive event for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was supposed to take place from 1 to 11 October. For the time being, the Movin'On, Smart City and off-site events are still happening, and they would have a focus on offering business-to-business communication. However, this is still subject to possible changes.

"Nothing will be the same as before, and this crisis must teach us to be agile, creative and more innovative than ever," the organisers said in a translation of the announcement.

The Paris show's cancellation comes shortly after a similar decision regarding the 2020 North American Internation Auto Show in Detroit. In that case, the choice came in part from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's plan to turn Cobo Hall (where the event takes place) into a field hospital for treating COVID-19 cases. The Detroit show will return in June 2021.

The coronavirus outbreak has wreaked havoc on the normal automotive event schedule. For example, the Goodwood Festival of Speed and New York Auto Show have both rescheduled for later in the year. The Geneva Motor Show didn't happen at all.

Automakers have responded to the situation by shutting down factories all over the world. There's also the issue that many people are at home and unable to buy a new car, which compounds the effect on the business. At least in the United States, many plants are closed until well into April, meaning several weeks or more before the situation starts getting back to normal.