Ford, GM and Chrysler are America's largest source of corporate R&D.

Earlier this year, one presidential contender stated that he "didn't want to destroy the auto industry;" he just wanted to "bring it into the 21st Century." At Level Field, we believe he is either talking about the wrong industry—or the wrong century.

With $17 billion in U.S. R&D just last year alone, they invest more than pharmaceuticals, software and aerospace industries. And we benefit from that investment every day. Our roads are four times safer than they were in 1960. Auto emissions are 99% cleaner than they were in 1970. It takes automakers 9 fewer hours to assemble a car than it did just 10 years ago. And their cars are 50% more fuel efficient than they were in 1985, on average – despite the fact that Americans buy 2.5 times more trucks and SUVs on our roads.

How do you put $17 billion in perspective? You can compare it to what Congress has pledged to invest in R&D for more fuel efficient cars. Congress’s "Apollo" energy legislation includes about $100 million/year in R&D – less than 1% of what Detroit already invests on its own.

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