We are a company of automotive professionals with decades of real-world program application experience. Most of our core team members have previously been employed at automotive OEM's in a variety of design and development engineering, strategic planning, and program management positions. In addition, we have a large network of resources in various disciplines that are applied as needed to deliver client jobs.

PRINCIPALS

Mike Thomas

Mike founded Automotive Insight in 2004 to bring new automotive consulting services to clients. Previously, he led SAIC’s start-up Automotive practice after serving 30 years with Ford in product and strategic planning, product development, and new powertrain and vehicle program management. Mike led Ford's Powertrain globalization and complexity reduction initiatives to improve cost, quality, timing, and overall competitiveness. As Executive Director to USCAR, he led Big Three research collaboration efforts with the government to develop fuel efficiency improvement technologies.

Tom Smart

Tom has 30 years of experience at Ford Motor Co. in Design & Development Engineering, Product Strategy, and Program Management positions. He led the Chassis Engineering and Vehicle Integration teams that developed Ford's first HEV, the Escape Hybrid, including required technologies such as Electric Power Steering and Electro-Hydraulic Brakes. He led development of CAFE compliance strategies utilizing cost-effective fuel economy technologies. He also led cost reduction and quality improvement teams at Ford with outstanding results. Tom has served on the Engrg. Advisory Board at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Bob Carr

Bob has 26 years of experience at Ford Motor Co. in Finance, Product Strategy and Process Engineering. He led cost reduction and business planning for Electronics Engineering. He developed and implemented the PD metrics-based business planning process (in place 10 years), and processes for multimedia systems integration, advanced engineering, and resource modeling and budgeting. He led efforts that successfully turned around product profitability, relocated assembly from Mexico to Detroit, added manufacturing capacity and developed a new product concept-to-approval in six weeks. Bob also has worked with a start-up company in the Smart Grid space. 

Holly Johnson

Holly’s 15 years of automotive industry experience include promoting and managing motorsports events and collegiate design competitions for Ford, GM, Chrysler, and USCAR, in partnership with SAE and the U.S. DOE. She has managed an acquisition project as well as several operational site startups. Within Ford, she worked on a complexity reduction task force, and has also worked in technology sales for SAIC. Within T-systems, a Deutsche Telekom subsidiary, she assessed customer requirements in support of network solution development teams.