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2023 Clark Hill Legal Outlook for Navigating the Automotive and Manufacturing Industries
The automotive and manufacturing industries continued to push for growth and toward a new normal in 2022 despite continued challenges throughout the supply chain and in the overall global economy. Generally, the outlook for 2023 has these industries focused on continued growth, albeit at a soft pace, with hope that a recession will be avoided. While many vulnerabilities continue to exist for suppliers, opportunities are abundant in 2023. Clark Hill’s 2023 Automotive & Manufacturing Industry Outlook outlines many of the trends that will form the future of the automotive industry, provides insights into the questions we continually hear from our clients, and sets the stage for what our clients may consider as challenges and opportunities throughout the coming months.
Our Automotive & Manufacturing team will continue to provide updates throughout the year. If you would like to subscribe to our mailing list to receive these updates, please click here.
Clark Hill Attorneys Featured in Auto Worker Strike Media Coverage
Labor & Employment
By Anne-Marie V. Welch. Federal Agencies and lawmakers will continue to be very active throughout 2023. Here are our top 5 tips for companies as we enter the second half of 2023.
Electric Vehicles
By James English. The federal government, state governments, and private enterprises are tackling the electric vehicle charging infrastructure challenge. 2023 will be a year of immense growth for the EV transportation infrastructure sector.
Immigration
By Karen Kett and Rebecca Mancini. Automotive and manufacturing employers continue to experience difficulty hiring for key professional and technical positions with in-demand skill sets. If employers cannot find qualified US workers to fill these roles, employers may need to consider hiring foreign nationals.
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) & Sustainability
By Maram Salaheldin. In the second half of 2023, the “ESG” headlines show no sign of stopping, as the attention of various stakeholders continues to linger on these “Environmental, Social, and Governance” (ESG) and sustainability issues.
Mexico
By Alex Perez and Armando Sanudo. The automotive industry is fundamental to Mexico’s development and key to its economic growth. A primer on the importance of the automotive industry in Mexico.
Energy & Environment
By Joe Brendel, Mark Steger, and Chris Clare. New regulatory developments and other actions from the first half of 2023 regarding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”), Waters of the United States (“WOTUS”), and chlorinated solvent use.
Cybersecurity, Data Protection & Privacy
By Melissa Ventrone and Myriah Jaworski. The California Privacy Protection Agency announced its intent to probe how automotive companies are complying with the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended by the California Consumer Privacy Rights Act (“CCPA”).
Supply Chain
By Linda Watson. All signs indicate the automotive and manufacturing industry will continue to face supply chain challenges in 2023 and beyond. Fortunately, there are measures suppliers can take to ensure greater resiliency in their own supply chain.
International Trade
A five-member arbitral panel issued its Final Report on the dispute over the interpretation of the automotive rules of origin under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, marking a win for Canada and Mexico against the United States. The report found that the United States’ interpretation of the rules was “inconsistent” with the USMCA.
Intellectual Property
By James Murphy. Historically, issues with Standard-Essential Patents involved the information technology industries and did not heavily impact the automotive industry. That is changing. Everything from electrical charging connections to how the EVs must read and understand road signs, to connecting and interacting with other EVs and passenger devices, etc., will likely become standardized.
Restructuring & Bankruptcy
By Kevin Morse. Nearly three years since the start of the pandemic, we may see the long-term effects of the shutdown catching up to the economy and, more specifically, the automotive industry.