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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Car That Takes Your Pulse
Could a car that knows when you are stressed or ill save you from having an accident? Auto makers are stepping up efforts to find out.
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Ford Aims to Show There's A Replacement For Displacement
The tiny, 1.0 liter, three cylinder engine Ford Motor Co. will offer in the U.S. for the first time next year will challenge the auto industry cliche that there’s no “replacement for displacement,” but only for drivers who know how to work a clutch.
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GM is bringing Apple iPhone's 'Siri' to the car
Tech-savvy drivers who miss conversing with "Siri," the chatty electronic assistant built into newer Apple iPhones, are about to get a big assist from General Motors.
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Luxury, Small Cars Take Charge at L.A. Auto Show
California is king when it comes to small cars, and this year's Los Angeles Auto Show will reinforce that title.
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GM Says Chevy Spark to Start at Less Than $25,000
General Motors Co. (GM), which has failed to meet sales goals for the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid, plans to begin selling an all-electric version of the Chevrolet Spark initially in California and Oregon in 2013’s third quarter.