Motor On

While today's automotive industry might not be recognizable to Henry Ford, there is one essential trait linking the past to the present to the future – INNOVATION.

In Michigan, we never get tired of making the boast of being home to the Motor City. After all, our legacy and promising economic future are intertwined with the fortunes of the automotive industry.

We’re extremely proud of that.

For the thousands of visitors attending the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the display of upcoming models and leading technologies inspires confidence about the growth and success of an industry that’s at the heart of the Michigan economy.

And our way of life.

Of course, there’s plenty of proof behind the boast that Michigan is the global automotive capital.

By 2020, experts agree the automotive industry will be transformed. Frankly, there could be more changes in the next few decades than in the past hundred years.

In an era of vast changes in manufacturing, Michigan is providing the resources, support and bringing together vital partnerships to assist auto-related companies in the heated competition defined by fuel efficiency, wireless communications (connectivity), and autonomous-vehicle technology. These are among the changes fundamentally revolutionizing engineering processes, types of materials in vehicles, and ultimately, the driving experience.

Today’s automotive industry is as competitive as ever, and changing at breakneck speed.

In Michigan, there’s an unparalleled coalescence of experience, knowledge and talent.

The state is home to 23 assembly plants, 63 of the top 100 North American auto suppliers and the leading edge of research with 370 R&D facilities, which is about three-quarters of all auto industry research centers. (Note: Additional auto industry facts are available on the AUTO department page.) 

And there are many signs of the industry relationships defining the road ahead.

For instance, the recently established collaboration between Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow (LIFT) and Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) research centers in Detroit will lead to unprecedented breakthroughs in the use of metals and composite materials.

Further, the emerging resources and autonomous testing facilities in southeast Michigan will likely define the parameters of the next emerging chapter of the industry’s role in transforming transportation.

While the automotive industry might not be recognizable to Henry Ford, there is one essential trait linking the past to the present to the future – INNOVATION.

Click here to download “Michigan is Automotive,” highlighting Michigan’s automotive assets. 

There’s a piece of Michigan in every car. Not only is Michigan home to 63 of the top 100 North American auto suppliers but our 370 research-and-development centers represent more than 76 percent of U.S. automotive R&D spending, but even if there isn’t a single screw from the mitten, from engine block to ingenuity, there’s still a piece of the Michigan automotive spirit inside, whether inspired by it or pushed forward from it.

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