Given the growing pressures on fuel efficiency, it’s no surprise that the vast majority consider electromobility to be the most pressing trend in the automotive industry, either driven via batteries, ranked as most important, or fuel cells, which come a close second.
Urban-oriented vehicle design, is considered the third most important trend for the future of the automotive industry.
Even if car design is adapted to urban habits, not everybody wants to have his own car anymore. In this regard, intelligent mobility services, e.g. car sharing approaches, are considered as a major trend for the coming 10-15 years.
Other areas of growing importance are financing and leasing options, especially for electrified vehicles, and connected car concepts , as more and more vehicles continuously interact with the real and virtual world around them.
“75 percent of respondents believe emerging markets will face the same opportunities and challenges as developed countries by 2025.”
The concept of a two-tier global industry is rapidly becoming redundant. The vast majority of respondents believe that by 2025, the emerging and mature markets will converge in terms of customer requirements for quality, safety, and reliability, as well as for vehicle segment shares between low-cost and premium.
Such convergence has big implications for OEMs from developed countries. On the one hand an expanding range of market opportunities will open up, including electric vehicles and mobility services; however, they can also expect fiercer competition from the BRICs over traditional and new technologies in their domestic markets.