Dynamic Center of Automotive Innovation

Virginia ranks in the Top 10 in the nation and third in the Southeast in research spending in areas relevant to automotive manufacturing. In 2021, Virginia’s public universities invested more than $400 million in automotive research. Major automotive research centers include a Federal Highway Administration Highway Research Center; the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Vehicle Research Center; the Racing College of Virginia; and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute — a renowned center for transportation research, analysis, and development. Motorsports is a major contributor to automotive innovation, which has historical and cultural roots in Virginia. VIRginia International Raceway and other facilities throughout the state serve as test sites for the automotive industry.