The automotive and mobility industry is witnessing emerging trends in the global automotive sector. The future of mobility is all geared up by three technology-driven disruptive trends – connected and autonomous vehicles, electrification of vehicles and Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS).

Where is the mobility industry headed?

Ravi Pandit, Co-founder and Chairman, KPIT Technologies, delivered his speech at The BQ Prime Future Today Summit 2022.

Ravi Pandit’s vision steered KPIT from inception to a leadership position globally in the automotive engineering sector; Mr. Pandit was a member of co-group an Automotive Research Program Committee (a GOI Initiative) and Technology Development Board by the Dept of Science & Technology, India.

Ravi Pandit shared his thoughts on the ‘Future of Mobility’ and how it is going to shape the automotive industry in the next decade.

There are changes in healthcare, education, retail, finance, entertainment, manufacturing, etc. have leap-frogged, and the world of mobility is pole-vaulting.

The World of Mobility is Pole-Vaulting

The mobility industry has always seen a transformative change and evolved according to needs and technology.

Addressing to the transformative change in mobility, Mr. Pandit talked on changes in automotive industry and said – “There are changes in a way the vehicles are made, the changes about what will constitute the vehicle, changes about how the vehicle will communicate with each other, how people will move and what it all means to the people of industry as a whole”. The mobility industry is seeing a global pole-vaulting and transformative change. These changes in the mobility industry can be seen repeatedly with the advancement of technology enhancing consumer requirements and comfort.

Ravi Pandit takes us 100 years back and mentioned the example of Henry Ford. In the early 19th century, it was difficult to buy a car and could be afforded by rich people with a waiting period of around 1.5 years. Henry Ford thought of introducing a car that can be afforded by everyone.

Ford’s idea revolutionized the automobile industry with the launch of a car named Model-T, introduced to the world in 1908. Henry Ford wanted the Model-T to be simple, affordable, and durable.

The introduction of Model-T was the transformative change brought by Ford in the automotive industry globally.

Today in the 21st century, there is a cusp of transformative change in the automotive industry and can be seen with Autonomous cars, Electric Vehicles (EV), Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) and more.

Factors driving the future of mobility

Mr. Pandit listed a few interesting factors that will drive mobility in the future:

• Gen Z and beyond – Young generation prefer experiences over ownership, Gen Z prefers more technology in vehicles for better travel experience.
• Societal and regulatory changes – Response to climate change; globally 16-18% of emissions are caused by the mobility sector and this sector needs to address environmental concerns. Consumers are looking for alternative mobility like electric vehicles to reduce dependency on fossil fuels.
• Increased Urbanization – With the increase in urbanization, there is less space for vehicle driving and parking in cities around the world.
• AR/VR/Metaverse – Experience without being physically present; this will have an impact on mobility sector and automotive industry need to think differently and work on this area.

The factors impacting and translating the world of mobility

• • The developed world would see a dramatic shift in vehicle demand and product mix Reduction in demand of vehicles; More commercial usage than personal; High –intensity use; Shorter launch cycles and faster replacement

• Center of gravity will shift – Brand vs Cost considerations; Emerging disruptors
• Radical changes in the mobility industry – structure and value chain Horizontal versus vertical integration; Valuations of tech companies versus auto companies; Centralized vs. decentralized manufacturing; Consolidation; expansion of scope into semiconductors; Energy storage and generation
• New materials – light, recyclable, energy efficient, and cost-effective – The new frontier for development is triggered by developments in biology, carbon, and carbon composites
• Platforms will dominate the five layers in the automotive technology stack (component-level, system-level, middleware, vehicle-wide, city-wide mobility)
• The automotive software business will change radically – software embedded in chips; newer software development technologies; platforms; AI; quantum computing

Software is the force behind this change

Ravi Pandit essays on software driving the new age mobility – till recently the vehicle was surrounded by software and electronics. The future of mobility will be software as a core and the vehicle is built around it, this would be a fundamental shift for all the major OEMs globally.

Mr. Pandit says Software Defined Vehicles (SDVs) are the future of mobility. Most of the global OEMs are working on advanced technologies like Embedded systems, Telemetry, Focus on UX, Middleware, Vehicle S/W architecture, Neuromorphic chips.

All the OEMs are working on centralized-architecture and centralized software to be on par with modern technology and trends; and as time advances more transformative change will be witnessed.

Where are investments being made in the mobility industry?

Mr. Pandit feels the automotive industry will have massive impact and quotes the report from Roland Berger – ‘OEM automotive software spending expected to rise by 70% – from USD 26 billion in 2021 to USD 43 billion in 2030.’

More sectors will see investments and current sectors will reshape

• Cybersecurity & Quantum computing
• Clean-Tech
• Blockchain and IoT (Internet of Things)
• Automotive specific SOCs (Semicon) and Hyperscalers
• Nanotechnology

The criticality of software integration and competencies

• Traverse the journey between prototype to production
• Demand for specialized talent + migration from other industries
• Reduction in workflow complexity for vehicle makers and enhanced productivity
• Challenges in security and testing will be minimized
• Seamless integration between cars and cloud

Mr. Pandit says 10 years from now, we will ask ourselves the following questions –

• • Why did we drive our vehicles when it could drive itself?
  • Why did we even own a personal vehicle when we could use one on demand?
  • Why did we burn so much carbon to run our vehicles when we could use green tech?

Ravi Pandit ended his speech with a note – “KPIT works with auto industry globally, and we believe that we are in a position where we can contribute to make the world a cleaner, safer and better for all of us”.

Mr. Pandit also answered a few questions asked by industry experts at The BQ Prime Future Today Summit 2022 – Please watch the full video here:

KPIT Technologies Ltd is one of the globally leading software partners for global Automotive and Mobility Companies.

KPIT has 10+ million vehicles with its software, 25+ OEM/Tier-1 as strategic partners, 500+ production programs, 75+ platforms, tools and accelerators With engineering centers in Europe, the USA, Japan, China, Thailand, and India, we at KPIT believe in automobiles and have 10000+ automobelievers across the globe specializing in embedded software, AI, and digital solutions, KPIT accelerates its clients’ implementation of next-generation technologies for the future mobility roadmap.