The past five years have been good to the auto industry. Following a cyclical downturn and a series of bankruptcies and harsh restructurings in the wake of the 2008–09 financial crisis, U.S. vehicle sales have been strong, especially for highly profitable trucks and SUVs.
Globally, automobiles have grown more attractive than ever, with all kinds of exciting new technologies — impressive powertrain systems, mobile connectivity, advanced driver-assistance systems, maintenance monitoring, and the like — further exciting car buyers.
