Brett Smith

Brett Smith is the Assistant Director of the Manufacturing, Engineering, and Technology Group and Co-Director of the CAR Management Briefing Seminars at the Center for Automotive Research (CAR). He joined CAR in 2000 after 12 years at the University of Michigan’s Office for the Study of Automotive Transportation (OSAT).

During his career, Brett’s research has spanned many critical aspects of the automotive industry.  He has been deeply involved in research on vehicle and component manufacturing; materials forecasting; product development and analysis; supplier–manufacturer relations; technology development; facility location analysis; and human resource and talent issues. Brett was also active as a labor educator for 15 years.

Brett’s research experience in the area of advanced powertrain technology includes numerous reports and technology forecasts on this subject. He was chair of the NextEnergy-CAR Plug-in Electric Vehicle Working Group (2007-2012), and is currently chair of the Advanced Powertrain Thought Leadership Roundtable, an assemblage of leading powertrain suppliers working with CAR to develop a comprehensive understanding of issues driving this critical industry sector.  Brett is an active advisor to the CAR Automotive Communities Partnership (ACP), and leads the Advanced Powertrain Thought Leadership Roundtable at CAR.

Since 2012, Brett has served as Co-Director, CAR Management Briefing Seminars. In that role he has guided tactical planning for the CAR Management Briefing Seminars and other CAR conference activities. He has also chaired the Advanced Powertrain Forum at CAR MBS since 2003, and is also the chair of the Car of Tomorrow session.

Brett received a B.S. in Economics and an M.B.A. from Eastern Michigan University.