Automotive industry

The automotive industry includes many companies and organisations that work on creating, building, selling, and fixing motor vehicles. This industry is one of the biggest in the world.

The word automotive comes from the Greek word autos, meaning "self," and the Latin word motivus, meaning "of motion." It refers to any vehicle that can move on its own power. The term was first used to describe cars in 1898 by Elmer Sperry.

History

Main article: History of the automobile

The automotive industry began in the 1860s when inventors started making "horseless carriages". At first, cars were built by hand, with workers putting each part together carefully. Over time, new ways were created, like moving cars on a conveyor belt so different workers could add parts at each step. By the 1960s, robots and machines began helping to build cars, and today most cars are made mostly by machines.

For many years, the United States made more cars than any other country. Three big American companies — General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Chrysler — were the largest car makers in the world for a long time. In recent years, other countries like Japan and China have become major players in car production. Today, China makes the most cars each year, with many other countries also producing large numbers of vehicles.

Safety

Main article: Automobile safety

See also: 2009–2011 Toyota vehicle recalls, General Motors ignition switch recalls, and Firestone and Ford tire controversy

Safety in the automotive industry helps keep people and cars protected. Cars and other motor vehicles must follow rules to be safe to use. There are special standards, like ISO 26262, to help car makers build safe vehicles.

Sometimes, problems can happen when making a car, like a faulty part. When this happens, the car company may ask people to return the cars to fix the problem. This is called a product recall. Even with tests to prevent recalls, they can still happen.

Economy

See also: Automotive industry by country

In 2007, there were about 806 million cars and light trucks on the road. They used a lot of petrol and diesel fuel each year. Cars are a main way people travel in many countries. Experts once thought that by 2014, much of the world's car demand would come from Brazil, Russia, India, and China. But in recent years, even these countries have seen slower growth in car sales.

In 2021, Europe made new rules to help the environment. Starting in 2035, all new cars sold in Europe must not pollute the air — they must be zero-emission vehicles. Some countries and car companies promised to sell only these clean cars by 2040.

Environmental impacts

Making cars uses a lot of water. For each car, it can take more than 180,000 liters (or about 39,000 gallons) of water. This water is used for cleaning, painting, and cooling during production.

In 2022, Tesla’s big factory in Germany had some problems because there wasn’t enough water nearby. As the factory grows, it will need even more water — about enough for a city of 40,000 people each year. Local leaders are looking for ways to get more water if needed.

World motor vehicle production

The automotive industry makes cars and other motor vehicles. Over time, different countries have become leaders in making these vehicles.

After World War II, the United States made most of the world's motor vehicles. In the 1950s, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France began making cars again. Japan started growing its production in the 1960s and became a big maker by the 1980s. By the 1990s, South Korea joined as a major producer, and in 2004, it passed France to become the fifth largest.

In the 2000s, China grew very fast and became the world's largest producer in 2009. In the 2010s, India passed Korea, Canada, and Spain to become the fifth largest maker of cars. By 2018, India had passed Germany to become the fourth largest.

By year

See also: List of countries by motor vehicle production

By country

Over 50 countries make or sell cars. Only 15 of these can design completely new cars from scratch, and 17 make at least one million vehicles each year (as of 2023).

• Algeria
• Argentina
• Australia (main page)
• Austria
• Azerbaijan
• Bangladesh (main page)
• Belarus (main page)
• Belgium
• Brazil (main page)
• Bulgaria (main page)
• Canada (main page)
• China (main page)
• Colombia
• Czech Republic (main page)
• Ecuador
• Egypt (main page)
• Finland
• France (main page)
• Ghana (main page)
• Germany (main page)
• Hungary (main page)
• India (main page)
• Indonesia (main page)
• Iran (main page)
• Italy (main page)
• Japan (main page)
• Jordan
• Kazakhstan
• Kenya (main page)
• Republic of Korea (South Korea) (main page)
• Malaysia (main page)
• Mexico (main page)
• Morocco (main page)
• Netherlands
• Pakistan (main page)
• Philippines (main page)
• Poland (main page)
• Portugal
• Romania (main page)
• Russia (main page)
• Serbia (main page)
• Slovakia (main page)
• Slovenia
• South Africa (main page)
• Spain (main page)
• Sweden (main page)
• Syria
• Thailand (main page)
• Tunisia
• Turkey (main page)
• Ukraine (main page)
• United Kingdom (main page)
• United States (main page)
• Uzbekistan (main page)
• Venezuela
• Vietnam (main page)

By manufacturer

Main article: List of automotive manufacturers by production

See also: List of car brands

Top 10 (2016–2020)

These were the ten largest makers of motor vehicles by how many they made, as of 2017.

Top 20 (2012–2013)

These were the twenty largest makers of motor vehicles in 2012 and 2013.

Inter-company relationships

Stakes

Here are some examples of car companies that share ownership with other car makers:

Mercedes-Benz Group once had a share in the Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance, and that alliance also had a share in Mercedes-Benz Group.

Joint Ventures

China

Until 2022, China required foreign car companies to partner with local companies to sell cars there.

Dissolved