Skip to main content

Auto industry on cusp of revolutionary change

The automotive industry appears to be on the cusp of revolutionary change, which will be engendered by the advent of autonomous or ‘self-driving’ vehicles - and the timing may be sooner than you think, according to a new report unveiled by KPMG and the Centre for Automotive Research (CAR).
August 7, 2012 Read time: 3 mins
The automotive industry appears to be on the cusp of revolutionary change, which will be engendered by the advent of autonomous or ‘self-driving’ vehicles - and the timing may be sooner than you think, according to a new report unveiled by 1981 KPMG and the 6317 Centre for Automotive Research (CAR).

The report, titled Self-Driving Car: The Next Revolution, is based on interviews with leading technologists, automotive industry leaders, academicians, and regulators - as well as research and analysis of industry trends. The study examines the forces of change, the current and emerging technologies, the path to bring these innovations to market, the likelihood that they will achieve wide adoption from consumers, and their potential impact on the automotive ecosystem.

The findings are outlined in four sections. Market dynamics: examines the market dynamics and the social, economic, and environmental forces that are making change inevitable. Convergence: discusses the ongoing convergence of the key enabling technologies. Adoption: focuses on the path to widespread adoption of advanced automated driving solutions, which we believe will take place in stages, leading over time, to reliance on increasingly autonomous or ‘self-driving’ vehicles.

Implications for investment: addresses the social, political, and economic implications of self-driven automobiles and their impact on the entire automotive ecosystem.
“For the past 100 years, the automotive industry has been a force for innovation and economic growth,” said Gary Silberg, national automotive industry leader for KPMG and co-author of the report.  “Now the pace of innovation is speeding up and the industry is on the brink of a new technological revolution with ‘self-driving’ vehicles. If they become a mainstream reality, it would be profoundly disruptive to the automotive ecosystem and may have far-reaching implications for the traditional automotive value chain and beyond.”

In the report, KPMG and CAR present the hypotheses on how self-driving vehicle technology could unfold and its potential impacts - with an emphasis on the convergence of sensor-based and communication-based vehicle technologies. The report points out that the new technology could provide solutions to some of our most intractable social problems — the high cost of traffic crashes and transportation infrastructure, the millions of hours wasted in traffic jams, and the wasted urban space given over to parking lots, just to name a few.

“For those who embrace innovation and opt to lead rather than follow, a new frontier is opening in the realm of mobility services,” said Richard Wallace, director, transportation systems analysis at CAR and co-author of the report. “Some may ask if it is still just science fiction or if the market will accept them and pay for them. We think the answer is a resounding yes - the marketplace will not merely accept self-driving vehicles, it will be the engine pulling the auto industry forward.”

To download the 36-page report “Self-Driving Car: The Next Revolution” visit this link: %$Linker: External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 oLinkExternal https://www.kpmg.com/US/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/Documents/self-driving-cars-next-revolution.pdf kpmg false http://www.kpmg.com/US/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/Documents/self-driving-cars-next-revolution.pdf%20 false false%>

Related Content

  • ITS associations highlight road safety, video analysis, new regulations
    December 19, 2016
    ITS Australia has welcomed the country's National Transport Commission's roadmap of regulatory reform for automated vehicles, Ertico-ITS Europe has been appointed as the work-package leader for dissemination, exploitation and standardisation for the EU’s Cloud LSVA, French opportunities in the Italian ITS market formed the theme of ITS France’s first international breakfast meeting, TTS Italia vice president Diego Galletta highlighted the role of new technology solutions, Chris Philip, ITS Canada’s new boar
  • SwRI sponsors ITS America with $1,000 student essay competition
    February 14, 2018
    Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) is inviting U.S. students to take part in an essay competition to share their visions for the future of transportation with a $1,000 (£720) prize and a trip to ITS America 2018, in Detroit, from the 4-7 June. It is aimed at providing students an opportunity to apply their knowledge in a thought-provoking manner. The topic, ‘How do you envision disruptive consumer technology will affect transportation systems over the next 10 years?’ is open to transportation, engineering
  • Polis: the role of cities and regions on road vehicle automation
    January 31, 2018
    Local and regional authorities and public transport providers need to play a more prominent role in the development of policy around autonomous vehicles (AVs), according to a new paper from Brussels-based Polis. Called Road Vehicle Automation and Cities and Regions, the study aims to raise awareness of AV developments and their potential mobility impact among city and regional administrations and to assist them in setting transport policies. In addition, Polis intends to increase awareness of transport
  • Viajeo Plus sustainable urban mobility showcase
    October 31, 2014
    Viajeo Plus, an EC funded FP7 international cooperation project for implementation of innovative and efficient urban mobility solutions, has organised a City Showcase in Chengdu Heritage Park, China, on 11 November. The event aims at facilitating knowledge exchange and experience sharing between China and Europe on sustainable urban mobility. It will gather technical experts, policy makers and researchers to present their achievements on sustainable urban mobility solutions, to discuss their needs and to