Automotive Research: A Magnet for Innovative Community and Industry Development

It is predicted that global vehicle production will increase fourfold by 2021. This growth brings a variety of opportunities to the related companies, advanced technologies and education of the workforce associated with the automotive companies. It also positions automotive headquarters and their related facilities and campuses to become areas of innovation that stimulate economic growth and enhance the total research cycle. Furthermore, with the proper infrastructure in place, they become magnets for public private collaborations, suppliers and ultimately become innovation hubs. However, each area of automotive innovation must adapt to its own unique appeal. Some may capitalize on a specific concentration of expertise, others on geographic advantages. Building on this individualistic core, the new area of innovation will be one that fosters collaborative economic growth, and sets the stage for the next phase of evolution.\n\nIn this paper, three case studies describe how automotive research is a magnet for innovative communities and industry developments.