ABSTRACT
Following the invention of the internal combustion engine, the car industry saw rapid expansion and innovative development with over 300 car companies operating in the United States alone in 1910. That same year, the introduction of the moving assembly line ushered in the age of mass production of automobiles, when some of the great car companies developed and flourished, producing cars more efficiently and making them cheaper for the end consumer. Over the past 50 years, the industry has matured and seen rationalisation through a series of mergers and acquisitions so that today, the industry is dominated by far fewer global companies. Today, the industry faces the major challenge of having to innovate again to adapt its core products to meet the changing attitudes to transport, and the need for cars to run on fuels which are less damaging to the environment. This is likely to usher in a new growth phase in which the industry could make a major contribution to a number of the SDGs, but particularly those relating to climate change, energy consumption and the environment. However, new innovations and radical change will be necessary if the car industry is to significantly advance the SDGs and avoid decline in the industry itself.
