MONTGOMERY, AL—The Alabama Community College System and Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association are offering a joint scholarship to 50 students to pursue a career at one of the state's many car manufacturing plants. Alabama's automotive sector is the 3rd largest in the country and still growing.

LONDON--Manufacturers in a wide variety of industries are investing in smart manufacturing technologies, such as additive manufacturing, augmented reality and collaborative robots.

COVINGTON, GA—Nisshinbo Automotive Manufacturing Inc., a manufacturer and supplier of environmentally friendly brake pads, will create 100 jobs and invest $72 million in an expansion of its facility here.

Thirty years ago, if you had told me that Bob Dylan would win the Nobel Prize for Literature or that the president of the United States would be able to influence corporate manufacturing decisions through an electronic medium called “Twitter,” I would not have believed you. But, to quote The Bard, “The times, they are a-changin’.”

GOODWOOD, England—A few lucky customers who purchase a Phantom Drophead Coupe will get a special memento: a piece of the Rolls-Royce assembly line.

The recent slew of recalls in the auto industry is disturbing. What happened to all those Sig Sigma and lean manufacturing initiatives that are supposed to error-proof assembly?

DETROIT—The automotive industry ranked third in the United States in patent filings in 2012. Only the telecommunications and computer industries generated more patents last year.