"It's not predicated on one party or the other being in charge," said Don Stewart, the association's executive vice president of public affairs. "It's just a common set of really important opportunities that are good for our work force and our consumers and the environment, frankly."
Tax policy is also expected to change under Biden's economic agenda, such as an increase in corporate taxes and an imposition of "commonsense tax reforms" on America's wealthiest.
Regulation through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, too, could be strengthened, likely providing more transparency in rates and fine-print disclosures and "making sure people are well-informed consumers when they sign on the line" for vehicle purchases, Dziczek said.
With the congressional makeup set until the 2022 midterm elections, the Biden administration will have a "fairly narrow window" to get agenda items through Congress—meaning several actions could be front-loaded over the next two years, she said.
"What the auto industry really wants is certainty in everything," Dziczek said. "When you make investments in the denominations of billions, when your timeline is years—not months—and will last well beyond this presidency, they want things that they can put into planning and know how it's going to work. I think that this is a return to more predictable policymaking in Washington."
Call for unity
The Georgia Democrats' Senate sweep was overshadowed by the violent actions of a mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, which delayed the certification of Biden's victory.
The invasion was incited by President Donald Trump's repeated claims that the election was "rigged," despite the U.S. Justice Department stating no evidence of widespread voter fraud has been found that would alter the outcome.
Among law makers opposing Biden's certification was Republican Rep. Roger Williams, a Texas dealer. Following a heated confrontation between Democratic and GOP members on the House floor during the debate over Pennsylvania's votes, according to a report by The Washington Post, Williams said: "I'm not ashamed, and neither are my colleagues. We're actually proud of what we're doing over here."
But a growing number of law makers last week called for Trump to be removed from office through the 25th Amendment or be impeached.
A day after the chaotic incident, U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao resigned, effective Jan. 11, citing the "traumatic and entirely avoidable" actions of Trump supporters at the Capitol.
"It has deeply troubled me in a way that I simply cannot set aside," Chao said in a statement.
In remarks last week, Biden called it "one of the darkest days in the history of our nation" and "an unprecedented assault on our democracy."
While the country remains politically divided, auto executives and leading industry groups called for unity.
General Motors CEO Mary Barra via Twitter urged the nation to "come together as a country and reinforce the values and ideals that unite us."
Ford CEO Jim Farley, in a tweet, also condemned the "violent and antidemocratic actions."
In a message to employees, Farley and Executive Chairman Bill Ford said they watched the images coming from the Capitol "in complete disbelief."
"There are no easy lessons to learn from this moment," they said.
The National Independent Automobile Dealers Association and the National Association of Manufacturers also spoke out against the Capitol siege, each in strongly worded statements.
UAW President Rory Gamble referred to the incident as a "very sad day for our nation and our democracy" and condemned the violence at the Capitol that left at least five people dead.
"This is a day none of us should or will ever forget," he said. "But please let us remember that there is much work to be done—and we must take the personal responsibility to do it together."