The automobile is on the precipice of change. Electrified vehicles are beginning to challenge internal combustion engines. New mobility trends such as ride-hailing and ride-sharing are changing business models. In the Software-Defined-Vehicle era, users can upgrade their vehicle to the next autonomous driving level with a click via over-the-air updates. And connectivity and autonomous driving are creating a whole new world of possibilities for the vehicle travel experience. The car of the future will significantly change the industry and how people interact with vehicles and vehicle ownership.

These changes will have ripple effects, particularly in cities where shared mobility and autonomous vehicles may negate the need for city parking and personally owned cars. The charging of vehicles overnight at homes may reduce the need for gas stations while increasing the need for EV infrastructure at in parking lots at workplaces, malls, and entertainment venues. Autonomous vehicles will likely evolve innovative use cases like a sleeper cab so users can wake at their destinations or mobile office spaces. The car of tomorrow and its big brother, the truck of tomorrow, will fundamentally change how goods and people move.

These changes will also disrupt a century old automotive industry with new players from the tech world and EV start-ups challenging traditional OEMs. These new players are nimbler to implement new electronic architectures needed to support autonomous driving and software-defined vehicles.

S&P Global Mobility experts are closely following and forecasting this new paradigm. We deliver a 12-year autonomous driving forecast, examine connectivity players and the latest technologies, and supply insight into EV infrastructure and electric vehicle production and sales.