The U.S. motor vehicle industry is a critical enabling industry for American economic and national power, but its competitive position has eroded. America’s share of global automobile production has fallen from 46 percent in 1965 to 15 percent today, while the Big Three automakers’ share of the U.S. auto market has fallen from 92 percent to 38 percent. At the same time, China has used an aggressive industrial strategy to strengthen its own auto industry and rapidly gain market share across Asia, Europe, and the Global South.

The question for policymakers is no longer whether U.S. auto competitiveness matters. It is whether the United States can act quickly enough to strengthen a sector that supports manufacturing scale, R&D, engineering talent, specialized suppliers, and the broader industrial commons. As ITIF laid out in a recent series of reports, the United States needs a comprehensive competitiveness strategy focused on cost reduction, product development, stronger external economies, increased market scale, and roadway infrastructure.

Please join ITIF on Capitol Hill for a discussion with industry experts and congressional staff on how to revitalize U.S. motor vehicle competitiveness, respond to the rise of China’s auto industry, and ensure America remains a leader in the technologies, supply chains, and production systems that will define the future of mobility.

Questions for the speakers? Ask on Slido.

Agenda

Presentation

• Stephen Ezell, Global Innovation Policy, and Director, Center for Life Sciences Innovation, ITIF

Panel 1: Discussion of U.S. Auto Industry Competitiveness

• Hilary Cain, Senior Vice President, Policy, Alliance for Automotive Innovation
• Elizabeth Krear, President/CEO, Council of Automotive Research

Panel 2: Discussion of Policy to Support U.S. Auto Industry Competitiveness

• Austin Girelli, Senior Policy Advisor, Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI)
• Rob Van Kirk, Senior Policy Advisor, Senator Bernie Moreno (R-OH)