The automotive industry generates an ever increasing share of the value added of the economies of Southeast Europe. In 2017 a total of 629,014 vehicles were manufactured in the region, according to the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA). In 2017, annual growth rates of 9.7% in the region significantly exceeded the European average of 3.1% and the global average of 2.4%. This can be explained with the constantly increasing demand for new cars in line with the overall sound economic growth in SEE, paired with consumers’ preference for local brands, especially in Romania, the region’s largest market. Passenger car assembly in SEE is concentrated in three countries – Romania, Slovenia and Serbia.