The mission of the Office of Automotive Affairs (OAA) is to facilitate and expand global business opportunities for U.S. automotive vehicle and parts manufacturers. OAA achieves its objective through a variety of programs, ranging from market access and other trade policy initiatives, market analysis, and business counseling, to selected export promotion initiatives. The Office is organized into a Motor Vehicle Division, an Automotive Parts and Suppliers Division, and a front office staff which includes the export promotion function. Current headcount is 16 full time and one part time employees.

OAA's client companies range from some of the world's largest corporations, such as automakers Ford and General Motors, to large, medium and small automotive parts and accessory suppliers. The Office maintains close relationships with a wide variety of individual U.S. and foreign-based companies and their representative trade associations. The Office also works closely with industry advisory committees, particularly the Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Automotive Equipment and Capital Goods (ITAC 2).

Office personnel actively participate in a number of priority trade policy initiatives. OAA coleads (with USTR) automotive trade negotiations under the auspicies of the U.S.-Japan Automotive Consultative Group established in October of 2001. OAA is the lead USG organization in the ongoing APEC Automotive Dialogue. OAA also provides principal staff support for the trade negotiations with Korea, and for automotive issues in the U.S.-China Joint Committee on Commerce and Trade (JCCT).

The Office also places a high priority on economic analysis. OAA personnel periodically prepare analyses of the current status of, and future outlook for, the U.S. domestic auto industry. Over the past two years, a number of economic reports have been prepared on the corporate consolidations (Daimler/Chrysler, Nissan/Renault, GM/Fiat, etc.) taking place in the global auto industry. Significant resources are also devoted to compiling U.S. motor vehicle and parts internationai trade data.