MORE INFORMATION

Austin's Automotive Industry For more information about our capabilities or to confidentially request information or a site search in our region, contact Tony Schum, Director, Economic Development, at 512.322.5681 or tschum@austinchamber.com. Tony will be at several industry conferences around the country during 2008. See our Calendars page for more information.

Cars are becoming more advanced, ensuring greater safety, efficiency and innovation in the next breed of automotive products. And Austin is playing a major role in the development of these new technologies.

Austin has been a major tech center for over 30 years. Freescale Semiconductor, the world’s leading provider of automotive integrated circuits, is headquartered in Austin and provides the chips that make our cars safer, smarter and more fuel efficient.

More than 3,400 tech companies employ over 100,000 workers. The tech industry accounts for 18% of the workforce and 34% of payrolls in the private sector in Austin.

“As cars become smarter and require more software and hardware, Austin and Silicon Valley are the two regions in the U.S. that will emerge as the leaders.”
—Lindsay Chappell, Bureau Chief, Automotive News

Austin’s attractiveness as a place to live and work is a huge advantage for technology companies working in the automotive industry. Our technological infrastructure, business climate and talent pool make Austin home to diverse companies like National Instruments, IBM, Spansion and Venkel, to name a few. Home grown success stories include Fortune 500 giants Dell and Whole Foods Market.

Recognized around the world for our great quality of life and dynamic high-tech economy, our region is defined by stunning growth, lower business and living costs than most major metro areas and a young, well-educated population. Austin has quietly positioned itself as a new center for innovation in the automotive industry.

• TASUS Texas is an ISO-certified automotive manufacturer located in the Austin metro (Georgetown) that supplies the new Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas plant in San Antonio.
• Silicon Laboratories mixed-signal ICs, including MCUs and satellite radio tuners, are used in a variety of automotive applications, including XM Radio.
• SMSC’s Automotive Infotainment Systems group currently supplies major European automakers, including Audi, BMW, Land Rover, Daimler, Porsche, Saab and Volvo with MOST-based infotainment semiconductor solutions. SMSC’s MOST (Media Oriented Systems Transport) is now used in over 30 different vehicle models, with tens of millions of systems on the road.

Some of the most influential members of our automotive community include:

Young. Educated. Driven.
Our talent pool may be the most energetic, innovative and educated in the world. Over 38% have attained a college degree or higher, compared to the national average of under 28%. It’s smart to do business in Austin because Austin is so smart. Here, the best and brightest lead many diverse companies. And you’ll find like minds coming every day to join them – whether it’s from outside our area or through one of the largest talent pipelines in the country – The University of Texas at Austin.

Employment in High Tech Industries, 2007

Respected worldwide, the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) heads the list of area universities and colleges with a combined enrollment of more than 122,000 students. Within 100 miles of Austin, 39 colleges and universities enroll over 330,000 students, and at 200 miles the student population approaches 900,000, adding to one of the world’s strongest talent pools.

In addition, highly rated elementary and secondary schools contribute to both quality of life and the beginnings of exceptional labor pools to come. Austin area households enjoy diverse options in education, including 29 public school districts, 16 charter schools and 69 private schools

Driven to Know.
As a world-class research institution, UT Austin has annual research expenditures of more than $497 million. The University consistently ranks in the top 10 nationally for the number of science and engineering doctoral degrees and is the fourth most patent-earning university in the country. The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department has ranked as one of the top 10 in the country. UT Austin is home to more than 100 organized research units including:

• Advanced Computational Engineering Lab (ACE)
• Advanced Manufacturing Center — Coordinates research and education in manufacturing and materials processing including design, control, materials, measurements, mechanics, modeling and thermal-fluid dynamics.
• Center for Electrochemistry — A multi-disciplinary group of researchers spanning the chemistry, materials, and engineering aspects of electrochemical science fostering collaborative research programs coupling fundamental electrochemistry and materials science.
• Center for Electromechanics — Research in high specific power electromechanical devices, energy storage systems, electric vehicle suspensions and vehicle power management systems. The center has joined with Texas Energy Conservation Office and other agencies to organize the Texas Electric Vehicle Program.
• Center for Energy & Environmental Resources — Focuses on efficient and economical use of energy and on ensuring a cleaner environment by developing, in cooperation with industry, processes and technologies that minimize waste and conserve natural resources.
• Center for Transportation Research — Nationally recognized research institution within the Cockrell School of Engineering focusing on transportation research, education, and public service
• Combustion & Engines Research
• Microelectronics Research Center — A NSF/NNIN-funded research laboratory contributing to advancements in microelectronic devices, integrated circuits,
  and optoelectronic components.
• Institute for Computational Engineering & Sciences — An interdisciplinary research center for computational sciences and engineering, mathematical modeling, applied mathematics, and software engineering.
• Computer Engineering Research Center — One of the leading research centers in the country for design and testing of VLSI, fault-tolerant systems, sequential synthesis, binary decision diagrams, timed/stochastic systems, distributed systems, computer architecture, and software engineering.
• Society of Automotive Engineers — UT's chapter of SAE participates in the annual Challenge X: Crossover to Sustainable Mobility Competition, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and General Motors.
• General Motors Foundation Combustion Sciences & Automotive Research Labs — Conducts research in alternative fuels, emissions control, engine modeling, and IC engines.

In 2007, more than 2,100 patents were assigned to inventors in Austin. Central Texas patent activity consistently outpaces the national rate and clearly shows Austin’s competitiveness as a location for research and innovation. In 2006, the Wall Street Journal named Austin the third Most Inventive City in the country due to patent activity. In fact, the IBM Austin facility consistently ranks first of all IBM locations worldwide in number of patents generated.

The region is one of the top targets for venture capital investment in the country, with a demonstrated capacity for generating new ideas and innovation. Austin is home to an active and sophisticated venture capital and angel investor community which includes the Central Texas Angel Network. These groups have extensive experience with high-tech startups and seed and early stage companies.

The Texas Emerging Technology Fund (ETF), along with other incentive programs such as the Texas Enterprise Fund, provide financial benefits to businesses creating new high-quality jobs in Texas. The ETF is actively used to seed fund early stage technology companies in the state in order to bridge them into traditional venture capital rounds. A variety of state and local tax exemption and tax credit programs are also available.

Austin is strategically located between the east and west coasts and centrally located relative to the major Texas metros of San Antonio, Dallas and Houston. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is a modern international airport served by 12 major airlines with 300 daily arrivals and departures including direct flights to more than 80 domestic destinations and 3 foreign cities.

Non-stop Jet Destinations 2008

A dynamic business destination. A dynamic business asset.
From a low cost of doing business to affordable home prices, to a lower overall cost of living compared with most of the country, the Austin region makes financial sense.

Our tax structure is fair, user friendly, competitive and designed to make companies feel welcome.

Compared to other major tech centers, Austin is well known for affordable living. Coldwell Banker’s home price comparison index shows Austin’s middle management housing is 40% below the national average for 2008 ($241,325 vs. $403,738).

The highest quality of life. As so many “best of” lists will attest.
The Best Place for Business and Careers. The Best City for Singles. The Best City for Relocating Families. The Live Music Capital of the World. We have it all – highly rated p ublic school districts and entertainment venues tailor made for the outdoor type or the art lover. Home to rock climbers, Tour de France Champions, rock and rollers, movie stars, theater lovers and the top of the creative class. No matter where you come from, we’re sure once you’ve experienced Austin, you’ll want to call it home.