Big impact for climate change in Automotive
The IPCC reports are pouring in and Russia's invasion of Ukraine brings up the issue of our societies' dependence on fossil fuels from countries we don't want to depend on, among other things. In Sweden, the transport sector is one of the biggest contributors to our emissions. Therefore, transport also naturally comes into focus when it comes to reducing emissions. Both the EU and governments around the world have formulated sharp demands on future transport solutions, and on the various players in the automotive industry. The car manufacturers themselves have responded to this by sometimes setting even more ambitious targets than the demands that politicians have dared to set.
At Ekan Management, we have several experts with extensive experience in the automotive industry. One of them is Dejan Vitorovic, with many assignments as senior project manager, strategic product owner, and the like.
In the assignments you currently have, what is your view of how this work affects the business?
We consider the customers' environmental awareness a lot throughout the development process and it is steadily increasing. Sustainability clauses and policies as well as a circular economy state of mind are a must in all companies' strategy statements. With the developments in Ukraine and the need to break dependence on fossil fuel sources in general and Russian oil specifically, this topic will reach new heights, I think.
How are the products affected?
There is a big focus on new solutions where the software and electrification are a decisive factor for the total customer experience, regardless of which product category it is about, it has taken over. For automotive as an industry, it is also necessary to redefine the products and services completely - from selling cars to offering mobility solutions. Therefore, new business models are now being developed in parallel and with regard to the products that are in the pipeline.
The feeling in the market is that there is a lot going on right now, what is your opinion?
This market can be compared to when the number of meaningful services began to explode on the Internet after a period where it was difficult to understand, order and consume through incomprehensible interfaces and slow websites. It has just begun.