The global automobile industry is facing three megatrends. Car sharing, autonomous driving and electric vehicles are the main challenges for the future. Arthur D. Little conducted a study of 6,500 global customers to find out what they thought of these new trends. Local customers are extraordinarily sceptical of all three trends, even though producers have already invested billions of euros into the new technologies. Currently only 22% of German customers say they would use a completely autonomous car, whereas 42% refuse completely. The difference of opinions is particularly large compared to those of customers in China and Korea, where the new technologies are most popular.

Wolf-Dieter Hoppe, Arthur D. Little car expert, points out that the main challenge for OEMs is to gain customers’ trust in their technologies because most people are concerned about safety. In a worldwide comparison, customers have more faith in Google and Apple than in the big OEMs, which are trusted only locally. Furthermore, the study points out that customers do not consider electronic cars a serious alternative to current car options. Arthur D. Little experts assure that car sharing will not threaten OEMs’ revenues in the long run. The niche develops constantly, but private cars will not lose their current status. The authors of the study recognize that German companies are in a leading position in the global car-sharing industry.