A New Era of Manufacturing in the Fourth Industrial Revolution: $7 Billion of Possibilities Uncovered in Michigan

Recent years have seen Michigan’s economy grow consistently, with its manufacturing industry a main driver of this economic prosperity. The automotive sector has long been a cornerstone of Michigan’s economy, and to date remains the largest sector in its manufacturing industry. However, the automotive industry is experiencing rapid transformation: How can the state adapt to the Fourth Industrial Revolution and adopt the most relevant technologies at speed and scale to lead the transformation of the car industry, increase the state’s regional and global competitiveness and achieve sustainable growth?

This White Paper identifies the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies with the greatest potential to affect Michigan’s production systems while delivering an annual opportunity worth $7 billion to the state by driving competitiveness and creating sustainable growth in its automotive sector. The study’s findings are intended to inspire multi-stakeholder collaborations that seize the opportunity presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution for the automotive industry, and drive on‑the‑ground action in accelerating the shift to more competitive and sustainable production systems across all the state’s manufacturing industries.