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.
Review of NHTSA Proposal to Mandate V2V Communication for Safety
In December of 2016, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding an addition to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards(FMVSS) that would require new light vehicles to include direct short-range communication (DSRC) technology for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V)…
Material Qualification in the Automotive Industry
This whitepaper explains the material qualification process in the automotive industry and explores opportunities for process improvements.
The Economic Implications of Potential NHTSA and EPA Regulatory Revisions on U.S. Light Truck Sales and Manufacturing
This report estimates the economic and financial contributions of U.S. light truck sales and production, and discusses the regulatory challenges facing the 11 manufacturers who produce light trucks in the United States.
Assessing the Fleet-wide Material Technology and Costs to Lightweight Vehicles
This study provides insight to the technology and cost to reduce vehicle weight for the U.S. fleet of light-duty vehicles
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.
An Assessment of Powertrain Technology Costs Associated with Meeting CAFE and GHG Standards
This report aggregates powertrain technology cost and efficiency data from nine global vehicle manufacturers. The goal was to assess the cost and effectiveness of powertrain technologies that may be used to meet greenhouse gas (GHG) and fuel economy standards.
The Impact of New Mobility Services on the Automotive Industry
The rise of new mobility services (NMS) is part of a bigger and long-term gradual evolution of transportation preferences toward on-demand shared mobility in a multimodal system. CAR researchers have conducted an investigation with a focus on how these services are likely to impact the automotive industry. The report describes…
Mixed Materials Solutions: Alternative Materials for Door Assemblies
Collaboration demonstrates up to 65% weight savings compared to baseline design. The Coalition for Automotive Lightweighting Materials (CALM) reports on a co-development demonstration project focused on mixed-material lightweighting solutions. Collaborative contributions of more than twenty supplier companies offer a dozen integrated solutions deploying a mix of materials and technologies allowing…
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…
Performance Based Planning and Programming for Pavement Management
Emerging technologies, such as connected and automated vehicle technology, offer new sources of data pertaining to the condition of infrastructure. In this report, CAR researchers examine the potential for using novel data sources for pavement condition assessment. The data sources considered include: smartphone apps and crowdsourcing, automated vehicle systems data,…