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.
Contribution of Toyota Motor North America to the Economies of Sixteen State and the United States in 2006
In 1957, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., Inc. set up a small dealership in Hollywood, California. By 1975, Toyota became the bestselling import brand in the United States. In 1986, Toyota began manufacturing operations in the United States with General Motors at a joint-venture manufacturing facility in Fremont, California. In 2003,…
The Strategic Value of Information in the RFQ Response Process
The gestation of a new component made by an automotive supplier typically begins with a Request For Quotation (RFQ) being issued by the supplier’s customer, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). The supplier typically has about two weeks to submit its response.
How Automakers Plan Their Products: A Primer for Policymakers on Automotive Industry Business Planning
A great deal of public discussion has focused on petroleum use and greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles. An inevitable response has been to call upon automakers to produce higher-mileage vehicles. Many policymakers have suggested regulations to spur more fuel efficient designs. But little effort has been made to explain to…
Contribution of the Motor Vehicle Supplier Sector to the Economies of the United States and Its 50 States
This report, undertaken at the request of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), will provide an estimation and analysis of the employment and economic contribution of the supplier-related jobs in all of the fifty states and the District of Columbia.
Innovate or Die
The new business forces acting on the industry are challenging traditional beliefs, and only those capable of adaption will survive.
Vehicle Technology Trends in Electronics for the North American Market; Opportunities for the Taiwanese Automotive Industry
The purpose of this study is to conduct a preliminary investigation into the future business potential for automotive electronics, particularly for general Taiwanese companies. Although many Taiwanese companies are targeting China as a growth opportunity, our preliminary investigation was based on North America with the understanding that a more targeted…
Copper in End-of-Life Vehicle Recycling
The following report describes the current state of the art in vehicle recycling by focusing on operations that affect the recycling of copper. For this purpose, selected dismantlers and shredding companies were visited and representatives from industry organizations were interviewed. Selected OEMs have also been interviewed to better understand the…
Key Factors that Enable Product Development: An Investigation of Creating “Cool” Products
The Center for Automotive Research has undertaken the CAR-Microsoft Program on Automotive Industry Practices. The program is a four-year research effort consisting of indepth, focused interviews with industry participants on subjects of importance to all industry stakeholders. The intent of this paper is to investigate how different companies have adapted…
The World Class Tool Shops and Its Prospects in Michigan
Automotive companies are trying to buy their tools, dies, and molds (TDM) at the lowest possible price. With the recent emergence of tooling capacity in “low-cost countries” (LCCs), that low price is getting even lower. Domestic TDM sources are being pressed to meet the “world price” for tools or risk…
Low-Volume Vehicle Production
Many auto companies are targeting low-volume vehicles as a means to increase market share and, in some cases, to establish a “halo effect” with niche products. Engineering and production resource availability, and manufacturing cost are two critical constraints present in low-volume products. Sponsored by: American Plastics Council; ASC, Inc.; Dana…