Automotive & Mobility

Innovation in the automotive industry and mobility sectors

Mobility is changing. Driven by shifting consumer demands, technological advances, and regulatory developments. This transformation goes far beyond vehicle production and impacts the entire range of mobility services and industries.

Drivers of innovation in automotive and mobility

Electrification and alternative drives Vehicles and aircraft with no local emissions (not emission-free!) are gaining popularity. Electrically powered vehicles (e-mobility), hydrogen, and hybrid drives are becoming increasingly important. Challenges include:

• What products will we offer tomorrow if we have mainly had combustion components so far?
• How will the markets truly evolve; which technologies will persist, and which are short-lived?
• How do we find new industries if switching to e-mobility is not the only path?

Sustainability, environmental awareness, and circular economy

Changing regulatory frameworks like the upcoming PFAS ban, CO2 reporting obligations for scopes one to three, and lower limits with associated traffic restrictions drive developments. Technological advancements, alternative strategies, and industry changes present opportunities for those who actively drive innovation instead of just following trends. Key challenges include:

• How can technologies, materials, components, and systems be made more sustainably innovative and innovatively sustainable?
• What value chains and networks enable future business models that go beyond mere recycling?
• How can market acceptance for sustainable solutions be tested, where sustainability is a major hype, but few are willing to pay for it?

Digitalization, connectivity, and autonomous driving

Semi-autonomous and autonomous driving revolutionize how people move. Technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), Industrial Internet of Things in B2B (IIoT), advanced sensors, and cameras, as well as associated changes in hardware and software components, affect many in the supply chain. Opportunities are available for everyone. Typical challenges include:

• How does a hardware expert venture into software and digital products and services and understand customers and users alike in B2B2C?
• How do we set a clear focus when we can hardly see the forest for the trees and buzzwords in digitalization?
• Is all this even profitable? How do I find a relevant business case behind these future ideas?

Mobility services, sharing, and new business models

The mobility landscape is undergoing radical changes in business models due to car sharing, ride-hailing, multimodal transport solutions, electric charging infrastructure, and charging services. Flexibility and efficiency for passengers mean changed priorities for providers. Environmental footprint, app control, booking and billing platforms, and “data is the new oil” are the buzzwords. Common challenges and questions include:

• How can industrial companies use servitization to generate continuous income streams in addition to product business and build new business models?
• What future products and business models can be developed together with other players in the value chain without falling into the single-source trap?
• How do automotive experts gain market access in other industries like medical technology, industry, HVAC, vertical green, power tools, and aerospace?

How can innovation consulting help in automotive, aerospace, railway, and other mobility industries?

Innovation is always first and unique. And where new ground is being broken, external perspectives, critical questions, sparring, and reflection help. Innovation consulting achieves this on multiple levels.

Shaping innovation strategies in automotive and mobility

Developments in mobility industries are as diverse as in hardly any other industry. Only with the right, concrete visions for the future and clear decisions can everyone pull together and truly stand out in the network of suppliers and OEMs, creating relevant innovations. Innovation consulting helps unify voices, maintain a clear vision, and drive innovations forward with joint strength.

Supporting innovation operationally for more and faster market success in automotive and mobility industries

High efficiency and utilization, tight structures, and little room for experiments have robbed many automotive companies of their ability to innovate. The ability to develop ideas, think outside the box, and shed blinkers can be regained. Innovation consulting helps break out of entrenched patterns and chart new paths through focused innovation workshops.

Organizational development for increased innovation capacity in automotive and mobility

One-time successes are great. But the higher goal is permanently innovative employees and institutionalized innovation capability. Innovation consulting helps transfer individual capabilities to the mobility organization, make them repeatable, and create lasting, recurring innovation successes. Through skill building, change management, innovation coaching, and establishing supportive innovation processes and organizational cultures.