Manufacturers also spend millions to influence Congress, assuring smooth sailing around safety legislation.

In the past decade the auto industry has poured more than $12 million into the coiffeurs of federal candidates running for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives and for the Presidency. It is unsurprising that some of their staunchest supporters on Capitol Hill happen to be some of the largest recipients of auto industry money.

Click here to see the Center for Responsive Politics' (CRP's) page on the history of Auto Industry donations.

Click here to see the CRP's list of the top recipients in the House and Senate of Auto funds.