The Center for Automotive Research (CAR) is a

nonprofit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

research organization based in

Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County, Michigan, Washtenaw County. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851. It is the principal city of the Ann Arbor ...

that conducts research, forecasts trends, develops new

methodologies In its most common sense, methodology is the study of research methods. However, the term can also refer to the methods themselves or to the philosophical discussion of associated background assumptions. A method is a structured procedure for bri ...

, and advises on

public policy Public policy is an institutionalized proposal or a decided set of elements like laws, regulations, guidelines, and actions to solve or address relevant and real-world problems, guided by a conception and often implemented by programs. Public p ...

History

Office for the Study of Automotive Transportation

Before its current status as an independent nonprofit research organization, CAR was part of the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

, under the name "Office for the Study of Automotive Transportation" which was a unit of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.

Center for Automotive Research

In 2003, the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) was established as an independent non-profit research organization. CAR creates

economic An economy is an area of the Production (economics), production, Distribution (economics), distribution and trade, as well as Consumption (economics), consumption of Goods (economics), goods and Service (economics), services. In general, it is ...

and

systems modeling Systems modeling or system modeling is the interdisciplinary study of the use of models to conceptualize and construct systems in business and IT development.emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

David Cole has in relation to the Tesla Michigan dealership dispute said: "The value of Tesla is all based on hype and not substance".

Research Groups

CAR research is divided into three distinct research groups: Industry, Labor & Economics; Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology; and Transportation Systems Analysis.

Industry, Labor, & Economics

The Industry, Labor, & Economics Group researches the intersection of the

automotive industry The automotive industry comprises a wide range of company, companies and organizations involved in the design, Business development, development, manufacturing, marketing, and selling of motor vehicles. It is one of the world's largest industry ...

technology Technology is the application of knowledge to reach practical goals in a specifiable and reproducible way. The word ''technology'' may also mean the product of such an endeavor. The use of technology is widely prevalent in medicine, science, ...

economy An economy is an area of the production, distribution and trade, as well as consumption of goods and services. In general, it is defined as a social domain that emphasize the practices, discourses, and material expressions associated with the ...

society A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Socie ...

, and

, and is home to CAR's Automotive Communities Partnership. Their research encompasses a wide spectrum of automotive analysis, from employment, talent, skills, and labor issues to automotive trade, global competitiveness, and development in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

and in emerging economies, to quantifying the industry's economic contribution and industry trends. The group's research areas include automotive business, markets, economic contributions, investments, plants, products, people, and communities.

Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology

The Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology Group focuses on evolving technologies and manufacturing engineering systems, primarily in the automotive industry. Technology and product planning are combined with manufacturing to provide a comprehensive and strategic perspective. A significant effort continues to support improving the performance of

vehicle A vehicle (from la, vehiculum) is a machine that transports people or cargo. Vehicles include wagons, bicycles, motor vehicles (motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses, mobility scooters for disabled people), railed vehicles (trains, trams), wa ...

development through research in manufacturing systems, tooling, and new technologies of car and light-truck bodies. Research is directed at reducing new vehicle development costs and lead time while improving product quality. Recent efforts have been aimed at technology assessment to support improved fuel economy through advanced

powertrain A drivetrain (also frequently spelled as drive train or sometimes drive-train) is the group of components that deliver mechanical power from the prime mover to the driven components. In automotive engineering, the drivetrain is the components o ...

s and vehicle mass reduction. This group oversees several industry-led

coalition A coalition is a group formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. The term is most frequently used to denote a formation of power in political or economical spaces. Formation According to ''A Gui ...

s involving the automotive, utility, tooling, and materials industries.

Transportation Systems Analysis

The Transportation Systems Analysis group is concerned with the broad context within which

motor vehicle A motor vehicle, also known as motorized vehicle or automotive vehicle, is a self-propelled land vehicle, commonly wheeled, that does not operate on Track (rail transport), rails (such as trains or trams) and is used for the transportation of pe ...

s are operated. Much of this effort focuses on the planning and operation of

transportation infrastructure Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land ( rail and road), water, cable, pipelin ...

, as well as on interactions between

infrastructure Infrastructure is the set of facilities and systems that serve a country, city, or other area, and encompasses the services and facilities necessary for its economy, households and firms to function. Infrastructure is composed of public and priv ...

s, and vehicle operators. Increasingly, this research includes

communications technology Information and communications technology (ICT) is an extensional term for information technology (IT) that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals) and computers, ...

as a key component of these interactions. In this area, the group is heavily involved in connected vehicle and intelligent transportation systems work. Ultimately, the goals of these efforts are to help both the automotive and

transport Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land (rail and road), water, cable, pipeline, an ...

ation industries deploy technologies that enhance safety, improve mobility, contribute to economic vitality, and reduce the environmental consequences of transportation.

Events

Breakfast Briefing Series

The CAR Breakfast Briefings are an educational series, smaller than the flagshi
Management Briefing Seminars
with the same intent of educating industry participants, media and the general public, on a wide variety of emerging industry topics.

References

External links

* {{authority control Automotive industry in the United States Research organizations in the United States