Ford Motor Co.'s new president acknowledged Wednesday that improvements in the auto industry have followed government regulations which were not always received gracefully by the industry. Philip E. Benton, who became Ford president and chief operating officer March 1, also said he expects the world auto industry in 10 years to include only about a half dozen dominant companies, down from about a dozen today. ``Critics of the U.S. auto industry viewed us as fighting just about every regulatory initiative that Washington and the state capitals could come up with'' in the 1960s and 1970s, Benton said in a speech. ``We clearly gained a reputation for intransigence.'' He said the industry often sought only to alter timetables or the stringency of particular standards, and did not oppose the principles behind government initiatives. Automakers now have gone through a tough transition from focusing on consumers and competition to ``worrying about regulatory complexity and compliance,'' he said, ``And, in some instances, we didn't make it very gracefully.'' But Benton said Ford is pleased with its progress in installing airbags, manufacturing full-sized cars that get as much as 25 miles per gallon, reducing auto exhaust emissions and beginning to phase out chlorofluorocarbons _ all the result of government regulation. ``We've invested heavily and aggressively in the technology and human resources that have allowed us to come this far toward resolving environmental and safety concerns, and we're prepared to do our part in the future in cooperation with government,'' Benton said. He said changes are creating a new world which will no longer be defined by military strength but by the ``economic strengths and interrelationships'' of North America, Europe and Asia. Benton said he did not believe in ``Japan bashing'' or in ``the habit of some to bash the home team.'' But he said the U.S. auto industry has been shaken up by the entry of Japanese companies. ``As a result, the stability of the North American market (once dominated by Ford, Chrysler Corp. and General Motors Corp.,) for the time being, is gone, and North America is up for grabs,'' he said. Worldwide consolidation will likely occur with more partnerships, purchases and absorptions, he said. He noted that Chrysler bought American Motors in 1987, General Motors bought about half of Saab's car business last year and this year Ford bought Jaguar while Renault and Volvo announced a far-reaching alliance. Ford will be one of the surviving strong half-dozen companies, Benton said, declining to predict who the others might be.
