IBM’s Automotive 2025 Global Study has given insight into how the automotive ecosystem will fast become an ‘industry without borders’.
The study forecasts that while the automotive industry will offer a greater personalised driving experience by 2025, fully autonomous vehicles or fully automated driving will not be as commonplace as some think.
"While the automotive industry has seen a resurgence in recent years, a new industry identity is emerging — one that is more open, inclusive, and without borders. Welcoming this transformation can result in benefits the likes of which haven’t been seen since the automated assembly line," said Alexander Scheidt, Global Automotive Industry Leader, IBM Global Business Services.
"By 2025, the industry will not only recreate our highly personalised and digitised lives inside our cars, but also give consumers a bigger role in defining that experience, whether as a driver or passenger."
The survey results were very clear – industry growth will come from delivering additional value rather than just selling more vehicles. And even though one third of those surveyed feel they will be able to adapt to the challenges this presents, only one in five feel they are prepared now.
73% of OEM executives rated mobility services, cost-effective alternatives to vehicle ownership like car/ride-sharing, as a significant area for co-creation with consumers.
The same percentage rated collaboration with other industries as the best opportunity for industry growth, with 75% expecting non-traditional industry partnerships to have a key role in the automotive ecosystem by 2025.
Looking to cognitive vehicles, the survey projects that vehicles will be sophisticated enough to configure itself to a driver and other occupants by 2025. Vehicles will apparently be able to learn, heal, drive and socialise with other vehicles and its surrounding environment.
However, the survey did reflect the considerable scepticism about fully autonomous vehicles. Only 8% of executives saw self-driving cars becoming commonplace by 2025, with just 19% believing a fully automated environment will be routine by 2025.
57% believe vehicle "social networks" would be in place where vehicles would communicate with each other, allowing vehicles to share not only traffic or weather conditions, but information specific to a given automaker.
The IBM Automotive 2025 Global Study is based on interviews with 175 executives from automotive OEMs, suppliers, and other thought leaders in 21 countries. Entitled "Automotive 2025: Industry without borders," the study was developed by the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) as a follow up to "Automotive 2020: Clarity beyond the chaos."
