Automotive industry
hideThe automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells the world's motor vehicles. In 2008, more than 70 million motor vehicles, including cars and commercial vehicles were produced worldwide.
In 2007, a total of 71.9 million new automobiles were sold worldwide: 22.9 million in Europe, 21.4 million in Asia-Pacific, 19.4 million in USA and Canada, 4.4 million in Latin America, 2.4 million in the Middle East and 1.4 million in Africa. The markets in North America and Japan were stagnant, while those in South America and Asia grew strongly. Of the major markets, Russia, Brazil, India and China saw the most rapid growth.
About 250 million vehicles are in use in the United States. Around the world, there were about 806 million cars and light trucks on the road in 2007; they burn over 260 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel yearly. The numbers are increasing rapidly, especially in China and India. In the opinion of some, urban transport systems based around the car have proved unsustainable, consuming excessive energy, affecting the health of populations, and delivering a declining level of service despite increasing investments. Many of these negative impacts fall disproportionately on those social groups who are also least likely to own and drive cars. The sustainable transport movement focuses on solutions to these problems.
In 2008, with rapidly rising oil prices, industries such as the automotive industry, are experiencing a combination of pricing pressures from raw material costs and changes in consumer buying habits. The industry is also facing increasing external competition from the public transport sector, as consumers re-evaluate their private vehicle usage. Roughly half of the US's fifty one light vehicle plants are projected to permanently close in the coming years with the loss of another 200,000 jobs in the sector, on top of the 560,000 jobs lost this decade. As a result, in 2009, China became the largest automobile market in the world.
For more information about Automotive industry, read the full article at
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News tagged with automakers
Switching Gears to Greener Transportation
Nov 10, 2009 |
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Automakers around the world continue to slowly infuse their cars and trucks with greener, more efficient technology, but researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute contend that technology alone will not ...
Ford to put air bags into back seat belts of SUV (w/ Video)
Nov 05, 2009 |
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(AP) -- Air bags have long been mounted in the steering wheel, dashboard and sides of vehicles. Now, they're in the seat belts. Ford Motor Co. plans to introduce seat belt-mounted air bags in the back seat ...
GM's trial program selling cars on eBay set to end
Sep 29, 2009 |
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(AP) -- General Motors Co. said Tuesday that it is concluding its partnership with eBay Inc. in which the automaker used the auction site to sell new cars through California dealerships, as it shifts focus to broader, national ...
BMW, Mazda lead the way as auto emissions fall: survey
Sep 14, 2009 |
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BMW and Mazda lead the way in cutting auto emissions, well ahead of their rivals in the hunt for cleaner cars as new European Union targets begin to bear green fruit, a report showed Tuesday.
Dual simulation improves crash performance
Sep 14, 2009 |
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Crash tests often produce startling results. A new simulation process which factors in deformation during production as well as preliminary damage can predict the results of a crash test more accurately than ...
Japan electric car makers, utility plan battery-charge stations
Aug 05, 2009 |
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Three Japanese electric car makers teamed up with the country's largest power company Wednesday to study ways to building a grid of battery charging stations for zero-emission vehicles.
Ford's last-minute cold feet put emissions deal at risk
May 20, 2009 |
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It had taken weeks of hardball negotiations, but by Sunday afternoon White House officials thought everything was falling into place. In less than 48 hours they would unveil a landmark deal with U.S. automakers to impose ...
Toyota rolls out new Prius to fend off rivals
May 18, 2009 |
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Toyota Motor on Monday rolled out a cheaper, revamped Prius, seeking to boost its flagging sales and maintain its lead in fuel-sipping hybrids in the face of growing competition from rival Honda.
EarthTalk: Why doesn't U.S. have high-mileage diesel cars, like Europe?
Apr 27, 2009 |
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Dear EarthTalk: I don't understand why there are many European diesel cars with very high mileage ratings that are not available in the U.S. Can you enlighten? (John Healy, Fairfield, Conn.)
Agreement reached on common 'plug' for electric cars: firm
Apr 19, 2009 |
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Leading automotive and energy companies have reached agreement on a common "plug" to recharge electric cars, a spokeswoman for German energy company RWE said Sunday.
Can PUMA Really Transform Urban Transportation?
Apr 07, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- With a June 1 deadline for settling its differences with creditors and unions looming for GM, the American automaker unveiled a joint project with Segway.
Tesla to unveil electric 5-seat sedan next week
Mar 19, 2009 |
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US electric automaker Tesla Motors, which launched a breakthrough gas-free sports car last year, announced Thursday it will unveil in coming days a five-seat sedan, to roll off assembly lines by 2011.
Researchers define challenging carbon-emissions targets for U.S. auto industry
Jan 28, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- U.S. automakers must achieve an eightfold reduction in automobile-related carbon emissions to help stabilize the amount of heat-trapping carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere by 2050, according ...
