The Auto Industry of the Future
My recap from the Geneva International Motor Show and what automakers can do to meet the future head on.
Turning an eye to the future of the auto industry, I attended the immersive Geneva International Motor Show (#GIMSwiss). Thanks to the advent of green energy, our cities becoming bigger and bigger, the internet of things and autonomous (and also soon to be flying) vehicles, the auto industry is on the verge of a critical shift. Yet all the different exhibitors are offering solutions that are still commercially intangible and only implemented in concept cars.
Things are going to change soon and the impact of those new means of transport will reshape the way we are all experiencing our lives. I broke down the challenges the auto industry will need to tackle in the future:
Chasing the Green Energy Dream
The auto industry is clearly and willingly working toward greener ways to travel, but it’s still lacking an indisputable system that will be implemented across the world. Refill devices are just one big barrier automakers are facing because they require a substantial investment to cover such a wide field. The sporty Quant 48V of nanoFlowcel fueled by its safe bi-ION electrolyte engine and the Toyota Mirai that only consumes hydrogen and has no emissions apart from water appear to be 2 of the most intriguing contenders to rising to this challenge.
Sneaking in Busy Streets
By 2050, 70% of the world’s population will be urban (FastCo) and many automakers took the bet by introducing large, public tiny cars designed to ease the commute in cities. My favorite executions were probably the low cost Microlino, the zero EM2 Space or the Toyota i-TRIL, but I question this path as I think the sharing economy and public transportation are wiser solutions.
Next stop: The Internet of Things
Once the IoT boomed and found its way into consumers’ homes, I knew the auto industry would be next to adopt it. Surprisingly though, automakers have not yet integrated a lot of new features into their cars — and a lot of them appear to be content simply implementing smartphone holders or developing in-car applications that barely let you control the environment or send texts while driving.
That being said, Volkswagen stood out from the crowd. A big interactive screen and a dedicated area were on their stand to exhibit some of the possibilities offered by its ecosystem of apps (Developed and not always by VW): You can for instance demisting your car when you wake up and see that it has frozen during past night so you avoid losing time once arrived at your car. But also synchronize your car with Doorbids in order to let go, check who is in front of your door or receive notifications when your car is moving and that it’s not supposed to or that your phone is not at proximity.
The Adventure Ahead
Millennials’ desire to adventure is nothing new, but considering it in the frame of going further, faster (and without impeding the entertainment factor) a new and interesting space unfolds. A few concepts touched on this idea: Volvo’s research on the future of driving, the Oasis concept by Harman (which works for you when you don’t use it so you get some money back), the well received Instinct concept by Peugeot and the leading edge Pop.up modular vehicle from Airbus & Italdesign which can either ride on the road or fly (and that you can order from anywhere as you would nowadays like Uber). While not being unveiled at the event, VW brought to light its vision for the future of cars with its brand new Cedric concept, a self-driving auto that focuses on the pleasure of traveling rather than the driving experience itself.
My visit to the auto show got me really excited for the future and left me with several questions: Is electricity the eco-friendly solution the auto industry is after? How close will the automakers dare bring the entertainment world to the autonomous cars of tomorrow? Should our car be considered as an extension of our living room or our new office? Will consumers still invest in cars or will the sharing economy completely take over this sector? Who is going to win the battle of the autonomous/flying car: will it be an automaker, a player from the aviation sector or a pure technology contender? I’m really excited to watch the future of the auto industry unfold and answer these questions.
Maxime Couturier is a Trends Analyst and Senior Project Leader at LPK and obsessed with all things fashion and future. Chat with him at maxime.couturier@lpk.com or keep up with his passion for fashion at @MaximeCouturier.
Copywriter: Cori Sherman
