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Industry Research

Guide to industry research

Automotive

Below are some of the top resources for finding market and industry research:

Note: For general overviews and market research reports search for terms like: 

  • Automobile OR automotive OR motor vehicle
  • Trucks
  • Cars
  • Motorcycles 

Also search for products or other industry terms:

  • Aftermarket
  • Tires OR transmission
  • Electronic systems OR automotive electronics
  • Compact OR luxury SUV

Listed below are links to trade publications and relevant industry news:

Note: A trade publication (often a magazine) is an information source that is intended for a very specific audience and will have content that appeals to that audience. The content may come directly from people within the industry, or it may come from freelance or staff writers that have vast experiences writing for that particular trade.

Professionals often subscribe to trade magazines in order to gather valuable information that will help them achieve something within their industry or field. Trade publications are a Marketer's secret weapon and can be helpful for tracking recent industry developments, identifying competitors or uncovering market opportunities. 

Below are links to key industry associations:

Note: If your industry is not represented here, search Google with your industry name + "association".  Not all content on these websites is free; you may need to be a member to access exclusive reports and data.

In some industries, associations might be referred to as;

  • Guild OR federation OR society
  • Foundation OR council
  • Bureau OR forum

Here are some useful reports and white papers:

Find key government data, including reports and statistics using the following resources:

For lists of company rankings, consult the following:

Books and Reference Sources

For more, search USC Libraries Catalog for additional publications using the following words and phrases:

  • Automobile industry
  • Automobile manufacturing
  • Automobile marketing
  • Automotive computers
  • Hybrid electric cars
  • Electric automobiles
  • Trucks
  • Automobile supplies industry
  • Automobile parts
  • Motorcycles
  • All terrain vehicles
  • Automobile manufacturers (Honda, Volkswagen, Tesla)