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- Global Automotive Supplier Study (pdf, 2 MB)
Authors: bcg Rolf Kilian, Albert Waas, Alexander Brenner, Christopher Dehnel, Benedikt Fäßler, Aakash Arora and Alex Xie
Higher interest rates, persistent cost pressures, labor shortages, and geopolitical tensions have become long-term realities. At the same time, electrification, software-defined vehicles, and automation are fundamentally reshaping industry value pools.
While overall demand is expected to grow moderately, value creation is shifting strongly toward areas such as batteries, software, and electronics, while traditional components are losing importance. This results in a widening gap between forward-looking, high-growth suppliers and those focused on legacy business models.
Suppliers face increasing challenges from demand volatility, high investment requirements, and competitive pressure. Leading companies are responding by structurally reducing costs, strengthening supply chain resilience, investing in future technologies, and leveraging artificial intelligence.
The study outlines five key strategic imperatives: sustainably resetting the earnings base, building resilient and multilocal supply systems, focusing on future growth areas, embedding AI across operations, and transforming workforce capabilities and organizational structures.
Conclusion: The industry is no longer in crisis mode but in a phase of profound transformation - creating significant opportunities for suppliers that actively shape this transition.
