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From an anonymous submitter:

Surprise, surprise, the biggest R&D spender in recent years is Volkswagen. Multiple sources, here's one from Fortune - http://fortune.com/2014/11/17/top-10-research-development/:

Volkswagen

• R&D spending in 2013: $13.5 billion
• As a percentage of revenue: 5.2%

For the third year in a row, the German carmaker tops the Strategy& list of research and development spenders. Volkswagen says its spending results from being a “highly competitive and innovative car manufacturer which must fulfill a whole host of environmental and safety standards.” Much of that spending has gone into hybrid vehicles and adding new technology, including semi-autonomous features to some of its 12 brands. It also is looking to reduce CO2 emissions across its fleet and invest in ways to electrify vehicles.

The rest of the list from 2013: Samsung, Intel, Microsoft, Roche, Novartis, Toyota, Johnson & Johnson, Google, Merck

A projected list for 2015 from the WSJ, http://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2014/06/11/boosting-rd-spending-u-s-companies-lead-but-volkswagen-is-king/

• Volkswagen (Germany): $17.4 billion
• Intel (U.S.) $13.6 billion
• Roche (Switzerland): $11.9 billion
• Microsoft (U.S.): $11.9 billion
• Google (U.S.): $10.9 billion
• Johnson & Johnson (U.S.): $10.3 billion
• Novartis (Switzerland): $10 billion

Maybe this is why I can't stand the "driving nanny" features in recent Volkswagen cars (the ones available in USA)? They seem to think they know what I want...but they are wrong enough of the time that it ticks me off.