According to a recent survey by accounting firm KPMG, around three quarters of American auto company leaders plan to hire over the next year, based on expectations of higher revenues. The leaders do not expect the economy as a whole to turn around for at least two more years, and see national growth as remaining slow until then.

The annual survey tapped 100 senior executives from both automakers and major suppliers.

The American auto industry has seen a return of profits, partly because of higher sales, and partly because of the ability to cut costs by canceling debt and shedding unwanted facilities. Auto sales started to fall in 2007, and dropped severely in 2008, and as used car prices rose, the age of cars on the road climbed to historic levels. Perhaps for that reason, North America was cited as the primary growth market by 63% of respondents.