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.
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GM Opening New Data Center
General Motors Co. will hire about 1,000 high-tech workers starting this year to staff a new center it plans to open in a suburb near Atlanta as the auto maker intensifies its push to take back the work it once gave away to help save money.
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Future Ford Vehicles May Improve Your Social Life
Ford is experimenting with new technology that may improve your love life, the automaker said at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show.
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GM To Announce Up To 1,500 Employee Atlanta IT Center Thursday
General Motors will formally announce Thursday its plans to open a technology development center in metro Atlanta.
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Auto Execs See More Growth, Say More Capacity Will Be Needed
Auto executives see a North American industry on the rise, with domestic carmakers stabilizing their market share, and rising car sales meaning a need for new auto plants. That’s the takeaway from the consulting firm KPMG’s annual study of auto executives.
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Automakers Add Electronics To Entice Buyers
Automakers are racing to add more in-vehicle electronics, convinced the next generation of new-car buyers will demand to remain connected to friends, their music and real-time information.