This is not just a European problem with Volkswagen and Stellantis, as Honda and Nissan merge, and Ford and General Motors struggle. Software-defined vehicles (SDVs), where software manages essential functions like steering, braking, and infotainment, will see rapid growth over the next few years. SDVs are more efficient and safer and can be updated with the latest technologies through software, keeping them up to date in a constantly evolving industry. The big data market in automotive is growing, with a projected market size of USD 5.92 billion in 2024, expanding at a CAGR of 16.78% to reach USD 12.86 billion by 2029. Startups are developing big data solutions to help manufacturers and related industries streamline operations and maximize profits.
Advanced Safety Features
Sustainability has evolved from a competitive advantage to an existential necessity for the automotive industry. Efforts to adopt circular economy practices are intensifying, with manufacturers exploring innovative ways to extend the lifecycle of materials and reduce waste. Michelin’s development of tyres composed of 45% sustainable materials is a noteworthy example of how companies are rethinking material usage to minimise their environmental footprint. Henkel is using digital simulation tools to co-develop EV battery designs with automotive partners. The simulations improve thermal management, safety, and efficiency to meet the demands of future mobility.
- We don’t just regurgitate press releases—we road-trip, wrench, code, and occasionally sleep in dealership parking lots to bring you unfiltered truth.
- Additionally, Europe and the U.S. have sought to bolster their chip and semiconductor production with the ‘European Chips Act’ and the ‘CHIPS and Science Act’, respectively.
- With 2024 now firmly in the rearview mirror, let us dive into how those trends have developed into 2025 and what that means for middle-market organisations for the year ahead.
- However, that number is smaller than it was in 2019 when more than 80% of people commuted by car.
- 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.
- Dealerships need to integrate strategic frameworks to capture potential buyers across different stages in the process with the use of social media marketing, click-to-call conversions, and messaging apps.
- Most consumers today are much more concerned with what the in-cabin experience is going to be, than the size and power of the engine.
Volta Trucks manufactures Electric Trucks
In 2023, the global connected car market was valued at $80.87 billion and projecting remarkable growth. It is expected to expand from $95.14 billion in 2024 to $386.82 billion by 2032, reflecting a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.2% over the forecast period according to some figures. Moving further east, Thailand’s electric car sales quadrupled, aided by subsidies and Chinese carmaker investments, positioning the country as a potential EV manufacturing hub.
Sensor fusion that combines information from various sources improves safety and autonomy by enabling accurate decision-making. Indian startup ThinkSeed develops middleware solutions that enhance smartphone connectivity to vehicles for secure access and infotainment. Its product, THINKey, transforms smartphones into digital keys that allow users to lock, unlock, and start their vehicles.
Download Free Industry Reports
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. For this in-depth research on the Top Automotive Trends & Startups, we analyzed a sample of 6000+ global startups & scaleups. However, automotive executives need help as they focus on new technology that meets consumer and regulatory demands.
Mobility
The evolution of self-driving and connected cars is simplifying driver-vehicle interaction. Human-machine interfaces (HMIs), including voice-based and haptic feedback systems, are expanding control over various car functions. For this in-depth research on the Top Automotive Industry Trends and startups, we analyzed a sample of 4859 innovative automotive startups & scaleups worldwide.
On the bright side, partnerships between automakers and tech companies are fuelling innovation and accelerating development, bringing their vision of safer, smarter transportation closer to reality. Discover trends, forecasts, and global developments shaping the future of mobility. These systems will become increasingly sophisticated, moving toward semi-autonomous driving capabilities and improving the overall driving experience. Companies like Toyota and Hyundai are investing in hydrogen fuel cell technology.
Manufacturing
The two purportedly plan to begin manufacturing an autonomous Apple electric car as of 2024. This kind of adoption should lead to much-improved 5G infrastructure, which could support vehicle connectivity. As 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT) continue their growth, vehicles are becoming more and more connected. And with about two-thirds of people saying they would rather drive than ride in an autonomous car, much of the near-term focus is on trucking. A major barrier to this relentless growth, however, is consumer and regulatory concerns. Large automakers like Tesla, Alphabet, Ford, GM, and Volvo have all entered the autonomous vehicle space.
- This centralization allows faster product cycles, OTA updates, and cross-domain features.
- For our trend reports, we leverage our proprietary StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering 7M+ global startups, 20K technologies & trends, plus 150M+ patents, news articles, and market reports.
- As we look forward to 2025, RSM’s automotive professionals predict a slowdown overall in the growth of the industry as well as a reduction in overall margins and profitability.
- The US-based startup Apex AI enables automotive companies to implement complex AI solutions.
- This enables an all-inclusive model that replaces ownership with monthly flexibility.
- Also, applications extend from adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping, and traffic jam assistance to robotaxis and driverless trucking.
- Battery improvements reduce costs and increase range, making EVs more accessible.
- Almost 40% of all autonomous vehicles sold in 2025 are predicted to have L2 ADAS features.
Consumer Health in Brazil
Further, Chipv creates power control chips equipped with triple RISC-V cores, extensive on-chip memory, and robust hardware security modules. In the US, the CHIPS and Science Act allocates USD 52.7 billion in funding and offers a 25% investment tax credit. It provides grants, loans, and incentives to expand domestic fabs, semiconductor R&D, and the broader supply chain.
The drive towards electric and autonomous vehicles is further bolstered by progress in machine learning and IoT. Volvo has adopted megacasting techniques to simplify EV production, reducing the number of components required and streamlining assembly processes. This both lowers costs and improves vehicle performance, addressing both market demands and sustainability goals.
Apache Automotive develops Hybrid Cars
- The integrated powertrain segment is likely to hold ~60-65% of the total e-powertrain market in 2025.
- This includes upstream supply chains and downstream life cycle phases like recycling.
- As 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT) continue their growth, vehicles are becoming more and more connected.
- For instance, Audi and BMW vehicles exchanged sensor data, including camera feeds, during 5G-V2X Direct demonstrations in Berlin.
- Factories equipped with IoT-enabled devices and machine learning capabilities are emerging as the backbone of next-generation automotive production.
- Its solution, carSECURITY, provides organizations with a complete cybersecurity process landscape.
- Moreover, the technology combines EV chargers, a DC bus, smart inverters, and an energy management platform.
- While the market for cars valued below $80k is expected to remain flat through 2031, the luxury car market is predicted to grow at up to 14% CAGR.
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. The system combines this data with inputs from multiple cameras and sensors to enable AI-driven perception and decision-making in near-real-time driving scenarios. Additionally, the startup offers plug-and-play solutions that simplify deployment in safety-critical applications such as EV fast charging and sensor integration.
Autonomous vehicles are reshaping mobility, from AI‑powered perception to intelligent infrastructure and generative simulation. This report explores how breakthrough technologies are accelerating the shift toward safer, smarter, and more sustainable transportation systems worldwide. Automakers will continue to incorporate these systems into even more affordable models, making safety technologies more accessible to a broader range of consumers. By leveraging tech and sustainable practices, the automotive sector can meet the challenges of tomorrow while delivering exceptional value to consumers.
Sustainable Manufacturing: Michelin Makes Tires with 45% Sustainable Materials
The EU enforces a 2035 zero-emission mandate, and the US Inflation Reduction Act channels subsidies into domestic EV production and attracts international manufacturers. In addition, the startup integrates regional infrastructure knowledge into vehicle design to ensure durability, accessibility, and energy efficiency. Additionally, it uses the Future Trends Index to identify and prioritize relevant design directions across different markets.
Increasing production of digital vehicles
The used car market is also expected to become more important for consumers looking for cheaper EVs, which typically face greater levels of depreciation than internal combustion engine vehicles. However, used electric powertrain vehicles are still few and far between, with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, in the UK, suggesting EVs make up 2.7% of the total used car market. These solutions decrease fleet wait times and cut pollution from petrol or diesel vehicles.
However, the demand for parts is also being diminished by the increasing quality of newly manufactured vehicle parts. In addition, the ecommerce automotive aftermarket market is worth an estimated $85.28 billion. The company already has 50 Level 4 autonomous trucks operating in the Southwestern United States. One of the most promising companies in the autonomous trucking ecosystem is TuSimple. The number of autonomous trucks on the road was expected to increase from roughly 150 in 2020 to over 2000 in 2021. It’s expected that the $800 billion trucking industry could benefit from a significant reduction in the 4900 trucking-related deaths that occur highway ready vehicle history check each year if only Level 3 or 4 autonomy would gain traction.
In 2025, new registrations of electric vehicles – BEVs (battery electric vehicles) and PHEVs (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles) – are anticipated to reach a record 18.1 million – up from 16.3 million in 2024. However, growth EV adoption is predicted to slow, with year-on-year growth falling from 15% in 2024 to 11% in 2025. This continues a trend in the EV industry, which has been challenged by the high cost of vehicles and a lack of charging stations.
- Crucially, the order halts federal funding for EV infrastructure projects, such as charging station programs, until they align with the administration’s policy goals.
- Compared to EVs, they don’t require charging, but at the same time reduce carbon emissions.
- In the next section, we’ll explore these and other automotive sector trends in more detail, and see how they will evolve in 2025.
- Moreover, it enables companies to customize their fleet by choosing preferred brands, models, and service options, ranging from premium to ultra-luxury vehicles.
- It incorporates various AI-powered technologies like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assistance, allowing vehicles to navigate complex road conditions autonomously.
Therefore, websites need to be easily readable and accessible across mobile devices, with clear calls to action. Brands need to provide specific offers by analyzing their customer’s needs, preferences, and behavior. OEMs like Toyota, Hyundai-Kia, Renault-Nissan Mitsubishi, and Stellantis already have a large portfolio of hybrid variants, including mild and full hybrids. At the same time, BYD, Stellantis, and Volkswagen are focused on designing a stronger PHEV portfolio. Hyundai plans to ramp up its hybrid offerings under its ‘Hyundai Way’ strategy from seven to 14 models by 2030.
is set to be a big year for automotive production
These pods use AI and machine learning algorithms for real-time perception and adaptive decision-making. The startup’s technology allows these pods to adapt across industries, enhancing efficiency and safety in transporting people and goods. Singaporean startup EVIE Autonomous designs electric, autonomous shuttles for last-mile delivery, passenger transport, agriculture, and cargo movement. Its product range includes an electric modular chassis, the standard autonomous shuttle pod, and pods for other applications.
Related insights
It does so to preserve their heritage design and deliver zero-emission performance. The startup employs the Perceived Quality Index to eliminate engineering bias by translating customer insights into measurable quality improvements. Cost savings also play a role, as recycled aluminum or bioplastics often return their investment in just over a year.
🚗 Top 15 Car Drifting Games to Master the Art of Slide (
Get in touch to easily and exhaustively scout relevant technologies & startups that matter to you. Operating from Germany and the US, EcoG is a startup offering an IoT-based operating system and platform for EV charging. The startup provides manufacturers with tools that make the development and maintenance of EV charging infrastructure simple, fast, and scalable. It also allows operators to integrate services and microservices in the chargers to make the charging process profitable. In addition, the solution works with any EV charger and enables new features to be shipped throughout the network.
Discover all Auto Trends, Technologies & Startups
It’s estimated that to meet many of these net-zero emission goals, EVs will have to climb to at least half of all new car sales by 2050. Countries and states that have committed to phasing out the sale of internal combustion engines. By the end of that decade, it’s predicted that over 30% of the cars on the road will be EVs. The massive rotation in the global vehicle fleet is predicted to take place in the 2030s. Bloomberg New Energy Finance expects EVs to account for 10% of all new car sales by 2025 and 58% by 2040. After a disappointing 2019 in terms of EV sales, 2020 sales surpassed expectations, growing over 40% year-over-year.
European manufacturers are leading the charge with plans for affordable EV models, such as Citroën and Renault. These budget-friendly models aim to stimulate adoption following a dip in EV sales. Consumers research their preferred car on their mobile phones, looking for the best options, offers, and dealerships.
However, it raises privacy and cybersecurity concerns that OEMs must address to maintain consumer trust. The connected car market is a battleground for tech giants and traditional automakers alike. Sustainability is a major driver reshaping vehicle design, manufacturing, and lifecycle management. Governments worldwide are imposing stricter emissions standards and incentivizing zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs).
Also, EV charging infrastructure requires strong cybersecurity, as attackers target charging stations for data theft or service disruption. The startup also operates PartSmart, a real-time parts ordering platform that connects insurers, workshops, fleet owners, and suppliers. The platform enables visibility across the entire claims cycle and supports both OEM and aftermarket sourcing.