GoKawiilAt Stellantis headquarters, driving a company car gets you the best parking spots — but driving anything else can get you the boot. When the Jeep parent company ordered employees back to the office five days a week at its Auburn Hills, Michigan campus, workers discovered that parking a Tesla or Hyundai in a spot reserved for Stellantis vehicles could earn them a ticket from security.
The tickets don’t carry fines, but if they pile up, violators risk getting their cars booted. That means calling a manager to get the wheel clamp released. The policy has reignited debate over a longstanding Detroit practice: automakers encouraging employees to buy what they build by offering preferential parking as a perk.
The stakes are real. Several thousand employees compete for spots in lots and decks that encircle headquarters, and the walk from outer lots can take 20 to 30 minutes, plus another 15 to 20 minutes to reach your desk.