The U.S. government bailout of the auto industry lasted from January 2009 to December 2013.  The Intel Inside” phenomenon seen with computers—in which the supplier’s brand identity is critical for the sale of the final product—has not yet taken over the automotive industry, although Hemi Inside” could be an emerging example. Thus, a lot of big auto OEMs protested against EVs at the inception of this industry in the fear of losing out to money-backed companies like Tesla. Maintaining high customer repurchase rates is critical to long-term profitability in the industry.

In any event, the automotive industry should expect to remain under regulatory scrutiny, and future emissions standards will probably require OEMs to adopt some form of electrified vehicle. Because the American Federation of Labor (AFL) was not concerned with the needs of unskilled workers, a group of radical labor leaders emerged to advocate for their rights.

While the country has the capacity and resources to accommodate three major carmakers – Škoda Auto (Volkswagen Group), TPCA (Toyota/PSA joint venture) and Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Czech – and holds excellent business opportunities for suppliers, the Czech Republic is poised to consolidate its position as one of the leading European centres for automotive-related design and R&D activity.

One of these is the Bavaria-wide Automotive cluster , whose aims include increasing transparency in the existing competences in business and science with relevance for the automotive industry, increasing value creation, a cross-sector exchange of information and experience, and interdisciplinary networking. With an open investment policy, a large consumer market, a highly skilled workforce, available infrastructure, and government incentives, the United States is the premier place for the future of the auto industry.

Many of the new features going into cars require the expertise of software engineers, who by and large prefer the ostensibly more dynamic work environments of Silicon Valley startups to those of the automotive industry. Our automotive experts are also always ready to assist you in terms of process planning, customer training or after-sales service. In Global Strategies and Local Realities: The Auto Industry in Emerging Markets, eds.