The
automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells
motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important
economic sectors by
revenue.
The term automotive industry usually does not include industries dedicated to automobiles after delivery to the customer, such as repair shops and motor fuel filling stations.
Worldwide production
In 2007, worldwide production reached a peak of 73.3 million new motor vehicles.
In 2009, production dropped 13.5 percent to 61 million. Sales in the U.S. dropped 21.2 percent to 10.4 million units, sales in the European Union (supported by scrapping incentives in many markets) dropped 1.3 percent to 14.1 million units. China became the world's largest motor-vehicle market, by both sales and production. Sales in China rose 45 percent in 2009 to 13.6 million units.
In 2010, world markets mostly recovered. With 18,061,900 vehicles sold in 2010, China established a new world record, previously held by the U.S.A. with sales of 17.4 million units in 2000.
Consumption trends
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, consuming over 260 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel yearly. 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.
The Detroit branch of Boston Consulting Group predicts that, by 2014, one-third of world demand will be in the four BRIC markets (Brazil, Russia, India and China). Other potentially powerful automotive markets are Iran and Indonesia.
History
The first practical automobile with a
petrol engine was built by
Karl Benz in 1885 in
Mannheim, Germany. Benz was granted a patent for his automobile on 29 January 1886, and began the first production of automobiles in 1888, after
Bertha Benz, his wife, had proved with the first long-distance trip in August 1888 - from
Mannheim to
Pforzheim and back - that the horseless coach was absolutely suitable for daily use. Since 2008 a
Bertha Benz Memorial Route commemorates this event.
Soon after, Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in Stuttgart in 1889 designed a vehicle from scratch to be an automobile, rather than a horse-drawn carriage fitted with an engine. They also are usually credited as inventors of the first motorcycle in 1886, but Italy's Enrico Bernardi, of the University of Padua, in 1882, patented a one-cylinder petrol motor, fitting it into his son's tricycle, making it at least a candidate for the first automobile, and first motorcycle;. Bernardi enlarged the tricycle in 1892 to carry two adults. and an 8.3% share in Aston Martin.
Geely Automobile holds a 23% stake in Manganese Bronze Holdings.
General Motors and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) have two joint ventures in Shanghai General Motors and SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile.
Hyundai Kia Automotive Group holds a 38.67% stake in Kia Motors, down from the 51% that it acquired in 1998.
Renault Pars is a joint venture, 51 percent of which belongs to
Renault of France. Forty-nine percent of Renault Pars' shares is jointly held by
Iran's Industrial Development and Renovation Organization,
IKCO and
Saipa. The company was established in 2003.
MAN SE holds a 17.01% voting stake in Scania.
Porsche Automobil Holding SE has a 50.74% stake in Volkswagen Group. Due to liquidity problems, Volkswagen Group is now in the process of acquiring Porsche.
Renault-Nissan Motors have an alliance involving two global companies linked by cross-shareholding, with Renault holding 44.3% of Nissan shares, and Nissan holding 15% of (non-voting) Renault shares. The alliance holds a 3.1% share in Daimler AG.
Renault holds a 25% stake in AvtoVAZ and 20.5% of the voting stakes in Volvo Group.
Toyota holds a 51% stake in Daihatsu, and 16.5% in Fuji Heavy Industries, parent company of Subaru.
Volkswagen Group and FAW have a joint venture.
Volkswagen Group and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) have a joint venture in Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive.
Volkswagen Group holds a 37.73% stake in Scania (68.6% voting rights), and a 29% stake in MAN SE.
Volkswagen Group has a 49.9% stake in Porsche AG. Volkswagen is in the process of acquiring Porsche, which will be completed in mid-2011.
Volkswagen Group has a 19.9% stake in Suzuki, and Suzuki has a 5% stake in Volkswagen.
Top vehicle manufacturing groups (by volume)
The table below shows the world's largest motor vehicle manufacturing groups, along with the
marques produced by each one. The table is ranked by 2009
end of year production figures from the
International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA) for the parent group, and then alphabetically by marque. Joint ventures are not reflected in this table. Production figures of joint ventures are typically included in OICA rankings, which can become a source of controversy.
Notes
* Porsche Automobil Holding SE has a 50.7 percent share in the
Volkswagen Group. However, Volkswagen Group will acquire
Porsche AG, the automotive manufacturer under a new "Integrated Automotive Group". This merger/acquisition is expected to be fully completed in mid-2011.
** Ford Motor Company has announced that the production of Mercury Automobiles will cease in 2010.
*** Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation is in the process of selling SsangYong Motor Company to Mahindra & Mahindra.
Minor automotive manufacturers
There are many automobile manufacturers other than the major global companies. They are mostly regional or operating in niche markets.
See also
Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
Automotive industry by country
Automotive industry crisis of 2008–2009
Automotive market
Big Three automobile manufacturers
Effects of the 2008-2009 automotive industry crisis on the United States
List of countries by motor vehicle production
WheelsTV
References
External links
Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
Automotive engineering learning website
All vehicle manufacturers in the world (in Dutch with English etc. translation)
Car makes of the world, 1894—present
Automotive history and photos
Automaker Rankings 2007: The Environmental Performance of Car Companies
List of car trims (car sub models) 1989–present
