There is, perhaps, no other state in the country more intrinsically linked to the automobile than Michigan. Michigan, and Detroit in particular, is the birthplace the automobile, an engine for change unlike almost anything the world has seen since. Henry Ford's invention, ingenuity and vision resulted in something that has literally driven us to a place we could have never dreamed of. Michigan in turn became ground zero for a massive shift in private life for the United States and, eventually, the world.
As you can expect, there are an absolutely massive amount of auto industry jobs found throughout Michigan. 1.18 million, to be exact. That number shouldn't be surprising considering that The Big Three (that's Chevrolet, Ford and Chrysler for those not in the know) have their base of operations still running out of Detroit. There are 3,920 dealerships with cars for sale throughout the state, many of which help to generate nearly $13 billion in new car sales. That, of course, leads to some 9 million registered vehicles on the road in Michigan as drivers log an average of 13,775 miles annually.
It's not just the creation of automobiles that Michigan is famous for, though, it's also the site of some auto innovation as well. For instance, Detroit was where the Packard Motor Company manufactured the world's first air-conditioned car in 1939. Additionally, the first auto traffic tunnel built between two nations was the mile-long Detroit-Windsor tunnel under the Detroit River. Oh and the Mackinac Bridge spans five miles, making it one of the longest suspension bridges in the world.
Just be sure that you don't make love in your vehicle anywhere in Michigan except for on your own property. That's against the law.
