The U.S. Auto Industry is a Leader in Research & Development

Automakers and their suppliers are the world’s third biggest investor in R&D. 

Designing and producing autos is a massive engineering challenge, which is why automakers and their suppliers invest approximately $130 billion in R&D each year – behind only pharmaceuticals and technology hardware.

 

 

American Automakers are Leaders in Research & Development and Innovation

In the U.S., automakers and their suppliers invested approximately $23 billion in 2018, representing approximately $1,333 of R&D for each car sold here that year, on average.

Over the past decade, automaker R&D has driven braking technology from anti-lock brakes (which help a driver brake faster) to electronic stability control (which keeps a vehicle moving safely when the driver has lost control), to automated emergency steering systems (which control braking, steering, and throttle functions)

Meanwhile, research into the use of new materials, better joining (welding, fasteners, adhesives), and fabrication could reduce a vehicle’s body weight by 10% to 20% from 2014 through 2020.

FCA, Ford, and General Motors each spend more per year than General Electric, Boeing, AT&T, and Tesla.

 

 

 

  • GM Foundation Donates $200,000 to Safe Kids Worldwide

    DETROIT – As summer temperatures continue to climb, so does the risk of child injuries and deaths due to heatstroke. To help raise awareness of this issue, the General Motors Foundation is providing $200,000 to Safe Kids Worldwide to support the organization’s Never Leave Your Child Alone in a Car campaign.

    Since 1998, an average of 37 children per year have lost their lives due to heatstroke, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Even on a 75-degree day, the interior of a vehicle can reach more than 100 degrees in approximately 20 minutes. On an 80 degree day the interior of a vehicle can reach 100 degrees or more in just 10 minutes.

  • Happy B-Day Henry Ford: Top 10 Cars to be Proud Of

    In honor of the 150th anniversary of Henry Ford’s birth, we’ve compiled a list of the Top 10 Fords he would be proud of. Although he wasn’t alive to witness this diverse collection of cars, Ford helped revolutionize the automotive industry by making automobiles affordable for the masses. Keep reading to discover 10 Ford-company vehicles he’d be proud to have his name on — be sure to suggest your favorites in the comments below.

    1964 Ford Mustang convertible 300x199 image1964½ Mustang: Henry would be proud knowing the original Mustang created the pony car class, which ultimately fueled an all-out war with competitors such as the original Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger. With the entry-level model powered by a 2.8-liter six-cylinder engine coupled to a three-speed manual transmission, more than 417,000 Mustangs were sold in the first year. While there’s nothing quite like the original, we do have high expectations about the redesigned 2015 Mustang that will also mark 50 years of the Mustang nameplate.


     

  • Ford Confirms Participation in 2014 Dakar

    PRETORIA, South Africa, 29 July, 2013 - Team Ford Racing has confirmed it will enter two South African-built Ford Rangers in the gruelling 2014 Dakar, taking place from 05 – 18 January 2014 in South America.

    The design team responsible for bringing Ford’s Dakar contender to fruition includes a mix of South African and global minds. The purpose-built Ford Rangers are being prepared by Pietermaritzburg-based Neil Woolridge Motorsport while logistics will be handled by German-based South Racing. Similarly the driver line-up is made up of both international and local contenders including South American native Lucio Alvarez and South African Chris Visser.

  • Dr. Aziz Inan, Professor of Electrical Engineering, Uses Numeric Sequences to Celebrate Henry Ford’s Birthday

    DEARBORN, Mich., July 30, 2013 – The life and achievements of Henry Ford continue to inspire people 150 years after his birth. Dr. Aziz Inan, professor of electrical engineering at the University of Portland, assembled several numeric oddities and coincidences based on the life of the founder of Ford Motor Company.

    Dr. Inan consecutively assigned every letter of the alphabet a number, beginning with A equaling one, to show that the numbers corresponding to the letters of Ford Motor Company add up to 211; 43 (Ford) plus 81 (Motor) plus 87 (Company) equals 211. Henry Ford was born on July 30th which was the 211th day of 1863. What a coincidence!

  • Potential for Open-Source Car Customization Showcased on Ford Mustang Using OpenXC Platform

    DEARBORN, Mich., July 26, 2013 – An important part of the total gaming experience for hardcore video gamers is getting physical feedback through the controller as they keep their eyes on the screen. It’s called haptic feedback. For drivers of performance cars like Ford Mustang, feedback is just as important to understanding how the car is behaving.

    Rookie Ford engineer Zach Nelson has harnessed the power of open-source hardware and software, 3D printing, wireless connectivity and Microsoft™ Xbox 360® to bring haptic feedback to a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 through a manual shift knob that vibrates at the optimal time to change gears.