Publications
The Center for Automotive Research is involved in the research of significant issues that relate to the future direction of the global automotive industry. As a nonprofit research organization, and in cooperation with study funders, most CAR research is released publicly through this website.
Building Capacity and Capability in the Bio-based Materials Manufacturing Sector
This research, part of the Make it in America Challenge, explores pathways toward building capacity and capability in automotive use of manufactured biomaterials.
The Potential Effects of the 2017-2025 EPA/NHTSA GHG/Fuel Economy Mandates on the U.S. Economy
This study constitutes an economic cost benefit analysis of the national standards for light duty vehicle fuel economy (FE) and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) set by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the years 2017-2025.
The Growing Role of Mexico in the North American Automotive Industry – Trends, Drivers and Forecasts
Mexican auto assembly capacity is projected to more than double between 2010 and 2020. This rapid growth is fuel by the investment infusion of $13.3 billion to move 3.3 million units of vehicle capacity from Japan, Germany, and South Korea to Mexico. This report highlights North American vehicle production trends,…
Potential Cost Savings and Additional Benefits of Convergence of Safety Regulations between the United States and the European Union
This report examines the costs of divergent safety regulations in the United States and the European Union and highlights the economic impacts of having two different regulatory regimes. With the shift to a to a global-vehicle strategy by most automotive manufacturers, differences in safety regulations in the United States and…
Contribution of New-Car Dealerships to the Economies of All 50 States and the United States
New-car dealerships are found in nearly every community across the country, and are well-known for supporting their local areas through funding for children’s sporting events, local charities, and even assisting with the sale of Girl Scout cookies. Though some may overlook the largeness and importance of this industry, auto dealerships…
Contribution of General Motors’ Manufacturing Plants to the Economies of Ten States and the United States in 2013 and 2014
General Motors’ U.S. manufacturing plants employed an estimated 51,600 direct hourly and salaried employees in 2014, which directly contributed to the creation of another 431,300 private sector jobs, $36.2 billion in annual compensation, and over $5.3 billion in personal tax revenues. In this report, the authors examine the economic contribution…
Assessment of Tax Revenue Generated by the Automotive Sector for the Year 2013
This CAR study demonstrates that the U.S. automotive sector has a large impact throughout the nation and provides support to state and federal governments in the form of taxes and fees collected from sales, employees, drivers, and the auto companies themselves. In 2013, the manufacture, sale, and use of motor…
Contribution of the Automotive Industry to the Economies of All Fifty States and the United States
Six years after the worst recession since the 1930s, the American economy is demonstrating many signs of strengthening, and the auto industry is helping drive that recovery. Despite recent economic hardships, auto manufacturers, suppliers, and dealers employ over 1.5 million people and directly contribute to the creation of another 5.7…
Accelerating the Growth of the U.S. Automotive Manufacturing Industry at Home, Rather than Abroad
This CAR research initiative examines the critical success factors necessary for continued global automotive investment growth within the southern U.S. automotive manufacturing region. The states funding the effort include Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee, which are referred to in this study as the Southern Automotive Research Alliance…
CAR Research Memorandum: The Effect on the U.S. Economy of the Successful Restructuring of General Motors – An Update
CAR has released an update to the initial “CAR Research Memorandum: The Effect on the U.S. Economy of the Successful Restructuring of General Motors.” The first version of the study was released in December 2013 and estimates the effect on the U.S. economy of the successful restructuring of General Motors….