Top 7 Automotive Industry Trends Shaping 2026

Automotive Topics and Trends

Additionally, interest rates for used vehicle loans are higher than those for new cars. It is anticipated that used-vehicle sales will not return to pre-pandemic levels of around 40 million units per year until 2025, similar to new-vehicle sales. A recent survey reveals automotive companies have product development and launch cycles shorter than 18 months. As per market and industry experts, these four trends represent the future of the automotive industry. It won’t take too long for the CASE to accelerate the transition of the automotive industry from the way it has been working for hundreds of years.

b. Regulatory and Legal Challenges

Self-driving taxis are already available in parts of China and several US cities. More driverless journeys will occur as technology continues to be enhanced and refined. Global passenger EV sales grew 60% from 6.5 million units in 2021 to 10.5 million in 2022. EV sales are going to increase aggressively in 2025, providing a bright spot in the automotive industry. Governments are implementing innovative policies to encourage sales without increasing costs or benefiting high-income households.

Luxury Car Brands See Growth

The software integrates a one-shot multitask network capable of performing 2D detection, semantic segmentation, and monocular depth estimation. It processes these tasks in real time at over 120 frames per second on consumer-grade graphics processing units (GPUs). Indian startup General Intelligence creates self-driving intelligence software that supports software-defined vehicles in adapting to diverse driving environments.

Transportation

We expect to see the concept of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) develop through 2025. Initial deployments focus on simpler, grid-like cities such as Phoenix in the USA, Milton Keynes in the UK, and Singapore. Soon, this will expand to more complex urban environments as vehicle access becomes increasingly prioritised over ownership among the driving masses. In addition, it adapts to applications across fleets, workplaces, airports, and multi-housing units.

Automotive Topics and Trends

What are the latest automotive industry trends in 2024?

The strong focus on technological advancements in the automotive sphere has also meant that cyber security is becoming a larger concern in a historically unconcerned industry. Threats like supply chain attacks, data breaches, ransomware, and state-sponsored intrusions are on the rise. Of course, the danger does not stop with vehicles as smart infrastructure is also at risk, potentially jeopardising safety and operational reliability. Figures from the last few years show that the EV adoption rate is still slow at a global level. However, the share of cars that are electric (hybrid and full electric) continues to rise. Also, despite the slowing adoption rate, data has shown that the number of electric and hybrid vehicles actually on the road has dramatically increased (from 26 million in 2022 to 40 million in 2023).

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Solid-state batteries increase energy density, shorten charging times, and give EVs longer ranges and greater convenience. For example, Toyota plans a commercial rollout by 2027 to bring solid-state battery EVs into mass production. Moreover, automakers reduce tailpipe emissions, cities improve air quality, and governments reduce fossil fuel dependence.

Conclusion: The Automotive Industry in 2025

Automotive Topics and Trends

Waymo highlights this in its robotaxi fleet, which processes multimodal data to complete over 250K paid rides weekly with high reliability. Tesla’s Full Self-Driving Computer processes high-rate image input, handling camera streams of up to approximately 2.5 billion pixels per second through its camera serial interface. Its image-signal processor manages approximately 1 billion pixels per second from high dynamic range (HDR) sensor inputs.

Software-defined Vehicles (SDV): Market Set to Reach USD 3.3T by 2034

Automakers like Toyota and QuantumScape are heavily investing in this technology, and we can expect breakthroughs in battery chemistry and design in the coming years. The integration of Industry 4.0 technologies is revolutionizing automotive manufacturing. IoT, AI, and digital twins are becoming essential tools for improving efficiency, reducing downtime, and optimizing production processes. The push toward article on VIN decoding and buyer safety electrification is reshaping the automotive manufacturing landscape. By 2025, we will see increased investments in EV production as automakers cater to evolving consumer demands and regulatory pressures.

  • FlxTran’s approach improves connectivity and access to opportunities beyond major cities.
  • With the introduction of 5G networks, advanced telematics features like real-time diagnostics, autonomous driving, and improved safety systems are becoming even more feasible.
  • This design ensures durability, compact packaging, and flexible vehicle integration.
  • The automotive manufacturing industry is evolving rapidly as manufacturers respond to technological advancements, consumer preferences, and regulatory changes.
  • This number is expected to have risen in 2020 as dealers everywhere turned to digital channels.
  • Demand is rising, especially for power electronics, battery management systems, and more energy-efficient chips.
  • These advancements are critical as manufacturers aim to balance efficiency, durability, and safety.
  • The goal is to enable cars to make decisions and navigate without human intervention.

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This growth is driven by the increasing adoption of electronic control units (ECUs) in modern vehicles and the rising implementation of advanced safety systems. Semiconductors are, in essence, at the heart of modern car manufacturing, reshaping our understanding of mobility. Developing high-performance, long-lasting, and cost-effective batteries is a key area of focus for automakers in 2025. Batteries are the heart of any electric vehicle, and improvements in battery technology will continue to shape the future of EVs.

  • On the other hand, personal vehicles are on the rise due to improving urban road infrastructure, and the popularity of pre-owned cars among young people is also driving the market growth.
  • Automakers integrate these systems to offer more reliable vehicles across global markets.
  • Our new generation which is called millennials or Genz researches everything online before the actual purchase.
  • This technological evolution is reshaping the automotive landscape, driving innovation and efficiency.
  • ADAS adoption enables lane-keeping, adaptive cruise control, and emergency braking to rely on AI-powered processors and sensor fusion chips.

EcoG builds an Electric Vehicle Charging Platform

The truck’s design removes the internal combustion engine, advancing commercial vehicle safety standards, and protecting pedestrians and other road users. Volta Trucks also offers leasing or purchasing options, and integrates services like maintenance, charging infrastructure, and training through its truck-as-a-service model. This simplifies the transition to electric vehicles for fleets, reducing environmental impact and promoting safer urban transport. US-based startup FlxTran develops a new transportation system using self-driving vehicles on abandoned railroad tracks to provide fast regional transport to connect smaller communities.

While fully autonomous vehicles have the potential to revolutionise how society moves from A to B, the industry is taking a more measured approach to implementation. Safety concerns remain in the spotlight – this is leading to greater acceptance of incremental developments in advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) rather than pushing for immediate full autonomy. Major automotive manufacturers are responding by rethinking their revenue models and investing heavily in on-demand vehicle access services. Meanwhile, tech companies such as Uber and Lyft continue to expand their digital-first transportation solutions, creating a more competitive and diverse mobility landscape. The startup strengthens autonomous driving by providing reliable and production-ready Level 4 vehicles that expand commercial mobility solutions. Semiconductors enhance safety by enabling faster decisions and reducing accident risks.

The chip shortage is one-factor holding cars back from getting to the dealership lots. But, there are other various supply chain issues and factory closures that have led to low inventory, too. After demand started coming back, there simply wasn’t an adequate supply of chips, and the auto industry has been feeling the effects ever since. The parts industry is benefiting from the ever-increasing average age of vehicles on the road. The two purportedly plan to begin manufacturing an autonomous Apple electric car as of 2024.

  • It also supports over-the-air (OTA) updates with larger data payloads and faster speeds, improving software reliability and feature rollout.
  • In the United States, the newly appointed administration has issued several executive orders that will likely have drastic impacts on both global and national automotive markets.
  • Even six months into 2022, vehicle manufacturers haven’t been able to correct the issue of low inventory.
  • ApexAutonomy offers modules to build 3D perception, localization, and control to enable autonomous vehicles.
  • Further, their drivers use out-of-the-box or white-labeled apps to manage reservations or remotely access vehicles.
  • Moi uses continuous fiber manufacturing (CFM) technology, robotic intelligence, and digital fabrication to deposit fibers.
  • Global passenger EV sales grew 60% from 6.5 million units in 2021 to 10.5 million in 2022.

Optimizing mobile experiences & personalization

Automotive Manufacturing Solutions (AMS) is the essential resource for automotive manufacturing professionals and suppliers globally. We invite you to revisit these top stories, share your perspectives, and stay tuned for more in-depth coverage of the trends shaping the automotive world. As net-zero targets become the norm, the reliance on renewable energy is only set to grow. Exciting developments in energy storage and green hydrogen technologies promise to redefine production processes further. The answer lies in education, infrastructure, and trust-building—slow but steady wins the race.

Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) will Witness High Demand

While fully autonomous vehicles (AVs) are not yet standard on the roads, significant advancements are being made in 2025 toward realizing the vision of driverless cars. Companies like Tesla, Waymo, and others are working tirelessly to refine the technology, which includes machine learning, computer vision, and lidar (light detection and ranging) systems. The US-based startup Apex AI enables automotive companies to implement complex AI solutions. Apex.OS runs on automotive electronic control units (ECUs) and offers robust, reliable, and secure APIs to develop autonomous mobility solutions. ApexAutonomy offers modules to build 3D perception, localization, and control to enable autonomous vehicles.

Sustainable Manufacturing

By 2035, approximately 16% of all new LV (light vehicle) sales in the US are predicted to consist of advanced automated vehicles (L3, L4, and L5). New vehicle inventory levels till December 2022 were 52% below December 2019 but 56% above January 2022. On the other hand, personal vehicles are on the rise due to improving urban road infrastructure, and the popularity of pre-owned cars among young people is also driving the market growth. North American and European automakers offer consumers the option to buy vehicles online without visiting dealerships. With a computer or smartphone, buyers can choose desired features, secure financing, and even take virtual walk-around and test drives. In 2025, more dealerships are expected to offer online sales, vehicle inspection, and home delivery.

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These tools equip dealerships to handle inquiries efficiently, thus freeing time for other important tasks. They further assist with management, maintenance, and repair appointments, as well as streamlining operations. Voice search assistants help optimize interfaces for advertisements and voice search queries.