Connected Mobility: The Relevance of Automotive Suppliers

As titled in an article by ABC, over 16 million cars will be "smartphones on wheels" in Europe this year. It's estimated that nearly that many vehicles will have an internet connection, which they will use to optimize their journeys and reduce fuel consumption, according to calculations by Berg Insight, as highlighted in the article.

Connected mobility will be one of the major challenges for automotive component suppliers this year. However, it's not just for them, as new players enter the automotive industry in the face of connected mobility, including technology companies, telecommunications, startups, and more.

But that's not all; the industry's path is leading towards connected, secure, sustainable, and automated mobility. This is asserted by the study "Context of the Automotive Components Industry 2020 - Business Measures Plan," developed by SERNAUTO, Roland Berger, and Alantra Spain. It outlines four key megatrends that will shape the future, forming the MADE model:

• Mobility: New forms of transportation marketing and usage, with a proliferation of mobility options and the emergence of new business models and services.
• Autonomous: Advancements in autonomous vehicles, necessitating both technological and regulatory progress.
• Digitalization: The widespread adoption of big data analytics, connectivity, artificial intelligence, and applications of the Internet of Things (IoT), both in general applications and, specifically, in vehicles.
• Electrification: Aimed at achieving decarbonization objectives and air quality regulations in urban areas, leading to a transition in the sector towards greater fuel efficiency and an increased share of alternative energy-propelled vehicles.

Connected mobility will be a major battleground in the coming year, according to specialized companies like Geotab. They believe that 2022 will pose the challenge of making journeys smarter, more efficient, and environmentally friendly. The surge in digitalization towards connected mobility presents a significant challenge to the sector, which will need to address user needs and adapt to the changes it brings.

According to SERNAUTO, the association leading our platform Autoparts from Spain, "Industry 5.0 is the next step." As highlighted by the European Commission a few months ago, Industry 5.0 complements the current Industry 4.0 paradigm by emphasizing new technologies while respecting the ecosystem and prioritizing worker well-being in production processes.

For SERNAUTO, the transformation of mobility is a reality, with new technologies, actors, and habits having solidified, both nationally and internationally. In this scenario, public-private collaboration emerges as a key factor.

At Autoparts from Spain, we share SERNAUTO's vision regarding the changing mobility paradigm, which is becoming less about the future and more about the present. It's a vision of connected, secure, sustainable, and automated mobility towards which Autoparts manufacturers are investing significant efforts in R&D and innovation.