CHATTANOOGA, TN—Volkswagen has begun the process of hiring 130 engineers and technicians to staff the automaker’s new R&D center here, which will be fully operational by 2017.

PLYMOUTH, MI—Chinese-backed developer Third Wave Group plans to open an automotive research and development center here.

U.S. manufacturers are betting big on advanced batteries for electric vehicles. Will their investments pay off? Share your thoughts!

RÜSSELSHEIM, Germany—GM will invest $301 million to construction new testing facilities at its European Product Development Center here.

LONDON—Automakers are using digital planning, smart manufacturing and other high-tech tools to improve flexibility and reduce time to market.

DETROIT—Autonomous vehicles may be the biggest thing to hit the auto industry in a long time.

In less than a decade, Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) has become a driving force in motor vehicle research and development.