The history of the automotive industry, although brief compared to many other industries, is of exceptional interest because of its impact on twentieth-century history. Although automobile originated in Europe in the late 19th century, the United States completely dominated world industry through the invention of mass production techniques in the first half of the twentieth century. In the second half of the century, the situation changed dramatically as Western European countries and Japan became major producers and exporters.
When it comes to machine shop productivity, continuous improvement depends on efficient employees, equipment and processes.