Spanish car factories have become an important bright spot for the struggling Spanish economy and workforce. Lower labor costs have made Spain's auto industry 40% cheaper than Germany and France, attracting new investments from automakers like Ford and Renault. Car production in Spain is expected to rise 11% next year to 2.2 million vehicles as the country's competitiveness continues to improve. The auto industry employs 280,000 people in Spain and accounts for 10% of the country's economic output. While foreign owned, the industry has helped develop a large domestic supply network and export focus that has offset some of Spain's economic struggles in recent years.