Lance Zhou says the news that luxury electric vehicle creator Karma has joined the Alliance for Automotive Innovation “significantly amplifies Karma’s voice supporting policies that encourage the technical excellence needed to build future personal transportation solutions.”

“Karma is a high-tech incubator; an open platform, a test bed for emerging innovation, and a supplier to others who need our engineering, design, customization and manufacturing resources to speed their product development or access to technology,” said Zhou, who is Karma chief executive officer, in a news release.

Formed this year, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation focuses on creating “a safe and transformative path for sustainable industry growth.” The alliance says it represents the manufacturers producing nearly 99% of cars and light trucks sold in the United States.

The alliance, headquartered in Washington with offices in Detroit and Sacramento, is a combination of global automakers and Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and will be involved in U.S. regulatory and policy matters impacting the light-duty vehicle market.

Motor vehicle manufacturers, original equipment suppliers, technology and other automotive-related companies and trade associations are among the alliance’s members.

Karma, which describes itself as a Southern California-based “high-tech mobility incubator” and creator of luxury electric vehicles, said that its addition to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation supports the alliance’s effort to “build a path to cleaner, safer and smarter personal mobility solutions.”

The membership announcement comes two weeks after the association’s introduction at the Consumer Electronics Show. Karma and the alliance describe that as “a fitting backdrop” with the impact that technologies and ecosystems are making on the automotive industry.

The alliance says it works to ensure that regulatory and legislative level decision makers understand the industry’s need for freedom to technically innovate and bring positive outcomes to its customers and their constituents.

The new organization says it is recruiting new personal mobility and technology companies — including new entrants, such as Karma — to the auto sector focused on self-driving, electrified and connected vehicles. 

“Karma was drawn to the newly formed Alliance for Automotive Innovation because we both recognize and embrace a future automotive landscape driven by innovation and technology; one in which partnerships with startups, academia, service providers and developers help speed the kind of product development required to solve the personal mobility challenges we face today,” Zhou said.

Zhou continued, “We look forward to adding an important technology-focused start-up voice to the Alliance's united front and collaborating with its forward-thinking member partners.”

Alliance for Automotive Innovation chief executive officer John Bozzella said the alliance focuses on guiding the U.S. auto industry through “the most significant policy and technology shifts in its existence.”

“The addition of Karma to our membership supports our effort to champion new sensing, imaging, connectivity, electrification, and other technologies that will transform our personal transportation solutions,” Bozzella said.