Abstract

With more than 400.000 employees, the French automobile industry represents a national asset. It includes car-makers, parts manufacturers and subcontractors. These stakeholders have to cope with two major factors: market trends (growth concentrated outside Europe) and product competitiveness. During the 2008-2009 recession, it became evident that an organization similar to what exists in other sectors would help the whole industry cope. The Plateforme de la Filiere Automobile (PFA) seeks to facilitate this organization in a vertical chain, which enables companies in a single branch to better identify common interests and form relations that foster confidence and, therefore, are more constructive. As a lightweight organization, the PFA tries to galvanize all automobile firms and all relevant research centers either directly or through their trade or regional organizations. It has much to do to reach its four objectives — innovation, working out a shared vision, solidarity and internationalization — in an emerging industrial landscape laden with promise.