Auto show is worth the drive to L.A.

November brings two of my favorite events: Thanksgiving and the Los Angeles Auto show.

For a car lover like me, this show is 800,000 square feet of automotive heaven.

To give you some background, the L.A. Auto show was founded in 1907 and is the first major North American auto show of the season.

I attend the press days before the show opens, which is always exciting, and this year was no exception.

Wednesday I was among press from around the world getting a glimpse of the latest in what automakers have to offer for 2017-18 and beyond with futuristic concepts.

The 2016 show at the L.A. Convention Center runs from Nov. 18 through 27. And technology is certainly at the forefront of this show, as new words like “autonomous cars” (self-driving) and “embedded connectivity,” enter our vocabulary.

This year the press and trade days merged with the Connected Car Expo to become AutoMobility, the industry’s first trade show “converging the technology and automotive industries to launch new products and technologies and to discuss the most pressing issues surrounding the future of transportation and mobility,” according to a press release.

I stopped into the SBD seminar on Wednesday in the Technology Pavilion. It was fascinating.

SBD, or Secured By Design, estimates that in 2020, some 30 million cars are expected to be sold with embedded connectivity, and it estimates cyber-attacks by 2020 will expose the auto industry to $70 billion in losses. A lot of the discussion at the seminar was about how the industry was developing technology protecting against this possibility.

As I toured the Technology Pavilion, Hyundai was demonstrating “Bluelink” technology, which links to Amazon Alexa. Tell Alexa to start your car, set the temperature and more before you leave the house.

The car show is massive, but there were some highlights for me:

• Alfa Romeo’s all-new SUV and its 2018 Stelvio models.
• The 2017 Nissan Rogue: Rogue One Star Wars Limited Edition. The show floor display here was awesome.
• If you’re a Porsche enthusiast, as I am, you’ll be impressed with what’s in store for 2018. I especially liked the changes made to the Panamera executive model.
• The new Mazda prototype race car, the RT24-P, is on display. The car will compete under Daytona Prototype international rules in the Prototype class, and is slated to make its racing debut at the 2017 Rolex 24 at Daytona in late January.
• Since I’m a Mini Cooper fan, the newly upgraded Mini Countryman was interesting and nicely done.
• To celebrate the launch of the 2017 Lexus IS sports sedan, Lexus created a customized Sriracha IS, and supposedly used Sriracha sauce in the paint. The car has some cool “foodie finishes” that caught my eye.
• I also liked the new convertible Range Rover and Volvo’s take on the station wagon.
• In Concourse Hall visit Galpin’s Hall of Customs. There are some really fun custom cars.
• New this year to the show is the “Go” exhibit featuring the latest technology devices in personal mobility: electric scooters, bikes, mobility apps in the South Hall Atrium.

There is so much to see, but there are things you should know before you go.

General admission is $5 to $15, depending on day of the week.

VIP tours are $35 to $85 and already sold out online.

The show is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. Adult tickets are only $12. It’s smart to get tickets ahead of time online.

Take advantage of “Early Entry Fridays,” 7 a.m. Nov. 18 and Nov. 25, and enjoy complimentary coffee and two hours of extra car time before the show opens for the general public, but purchase of tickets is online only.

Convention Center parking is limited and runs $20 to $25. I recommend visiting the parking and directions site page to reserve a space with SpotHero.

If you don’t want to hassle with driving, Uber is the show’s official ride-share partner. Download the Uber app and use promo code LAAUTO16 to receive up to $15 off your ride to the show.

The show has a new bag policy for 2016. All bags, purses, backpacks, camera bags and diaper bags larger than 12 inches by 15 inches by 6 inches will not be allowed inside the show.

For all medical needs, baby bottles or factory-sealed plastic bottles (one per person) of 1 liter in size or less containing water are permitted. Service dogs are permitted.

Outside the L.A. Convention Center, test drive nearly 100 of the latest models. Weekends, especially this one, are crowded. Weekdays are better.

Whether you’re in the market for a new car, or just an auto enthusiast, this year’s L.A. Auto show won’t disappoint!

BARBARA VENEZIA lives in Newport Beach. She can be reached at bvontv1@gmail.com.