Sep 1, 2008
The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) and the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) have engaged in a multi-phased project to create business strategy guideposts for SEMA members. The first report in the program—The Specialty Equipment Company of the Future: Guideposts for Technology Forecasting and Strategic Planning—identifies strategic challenges for SEMA and its member companies in the mid-term (3-7 years). The information presented is based on a series of interviews with thought leaders from vehicle manufacturers (VMs), original equipment (OE) parts suppliers, specialty equipment (SE) suppliers, and other auto industry stakeholders. These interviews were supported by literature reviews and other data gathering techniques.
Aug 1, 2008
This paper provides a overview of Michigan’s unique approach to moving ahead on the vision of technical and relationship integration and on building a connected vehicle system that meetsshared public and private objectives
Jun 1, 2008
Vehicle infrastructure integration (VII) consists of applying both vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication to the tasks of improving safety, enhancing mobility and improving quality of life.
Feb 1, 2008
Michigan’s current automotive labor challenge and opportunity is the subject of this study, the first automotive labor market report produced by CAR’s Program for Automotive Labor and Education (PALE).
Oct 1, 2007
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, Toyota crossed the two million sales threshold for the first time and in 2006 Toyota sold over 2.5 million vehicles in the United States. The process of building motor vehicles necessitates a great many workers assembling those vehicles. In addition to the workers employed in Toyota’s U.S. assembly operations, many more people are needed to supply the goods and services that are directly or indirectly related to the operations of a motor vehicle company. This study will estimate the total number of workers related to Toyota’s U.S. motor vehicle assembly operations.
Jul 1, 2007
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.
Jul 1, 2007
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 policymakers and the public the intricate decision-making process entailed in changing vehicle designs or adjusting product plans to meet new needs.
Aug 1, 2006
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 their product development processes to the changing competitive climate and how they utilize new technologies (e.g., weblogs, internet chat rooms, and other such digital communications) to transform their vision into products. The focus is not on the tools or the specific strategies, but rather on the information channels product design teams use for inspiration and understanding the market and on how the product design teams work together to create “cool” products.
This study was sponsored by Microsoft Corporation.
