Germany is where the automobile was invented – and this equally refers to the passenger car, the truck, and the bus. And it is here that it is being reinvented over and over again, with passion and with the art of engineering. Making mobility even safer, more efficient, more comfortable, and better for the environment – the VDA shares these goals.
The automotive industry plays an important role in the prosperity and competitiveness of our country. We in the VDA unite the strengths of the industry and lend it a powerful voice, so that together we can meet the mobility requirements of tomorrow. We are renowned for our cars at home and abroad, while our manufacturers and suppliers conduct their business all over the globe. Our goal is simply to build the world’s best automobiles. This aim makes our industry especially aware of its responsibility to employees, customers, and partners worldwide, as well as to the environment and to future generations.
Likewise, the VDA shares this awareness of social responsibility. It forms the basis of our actions, in expressing our common viewpoint, and in our discussions with politicians and society.
The VDA combines the strengths of the automotive industry and consolidates the manufacturers of passenger cars, trucks, vans and buses, the suppliers of parts and accessories, as well as the makers of trailers and bodies. This high degree of networking reflects the strength of the German automotive industry – a model that sets the standard for other automotive nations.
Over 600 companies are members of the VDA. In Germany they manufacture cars, trailers, bodies, and buses as well as parts and accessories, and are represented around the globe. And these are not just large corporations: 70% of the added value comes from suppliers, many of whom make up the renowned SMEs of the “German Mittelstand”. The marques behind our cars are among the most valuable worldwide.
