Hey there!
In the early 21st century period, bank loans started to significantly slow. This lead to a worldwide stock market crash. The reason it was worldwide was that the US is and was a big part, if not the center, of global financial affairs. When we had the crash, it spread all over the world.
The auto industry was greatly affected by this, arguably more than a lot of other things. The two main companies that needed the money most were Chrysler and General Motors, both of whom were given loans by the US government and survived.
Hope this helps!