Will the current automotive industry survive to the emerging mobility ecosystem?

Abstract

With a new ecosystem of sustainable mobility emerging, a broad discussion has been taking place globally in the automotive industry on the evolution of transport and mobility. This debate is driven by the convergence of many forces and megatrends that can alter the structures of this industry. New social behaviors in relation to vehicle ownership and use as well as innovative technologies are changing the way companies develop and build their vehicles. Embedded digital technologies that can reduce human interference in the direction of the vehicle. New materials that reduce the weight of vehicles without impacting the safety of passengers. Electric and fuel cell propulsion systems deliver better energy efficiency and lower emissions when compared to current propulsion systems. The big question is whether the automotive industry will be a protagonist or supporting agent in the emergence and formation of this new ecosystem. It will evolve incrementally or if the change will occur at a more radical pace and be led by car manufacturers. No one knows the full scope or magnitude of the changes that are to come, but it is up to the present industry to react, and the first step in this direction is to understand the possible scenarios that these changes may bring. This work is descriptive and exploratory and is devoted to evaluating the main reports issued by consulting firms and even entities related to the automotive industry to shed light on what may happen with this industry within the emerging ecosystem to which it belongs. The great objective is that this material will be of value to researchers and decision makers within the automotive sector helping them to build their strategic plans and especially their innovation plans.