Even though statistics on electric mobility show only moderate growth in automotive markets, the Center of Automotive Management (CAM) predicts a significant upswing in market dynamics from 2020. For Germany and the EU, this means an exponential increase in electric car sales and a fundamental change in drive technologies.
Mass customization – mass producing customer-specific products – is one of the mega trends impacting industrial production today. Automobile manufacturers became early adopters as well as experts of this practice because they quickly realized that buyers want customizable options. A study by puls market research on the significance of customization found that 28 percent of car buyers feel that it is important or very important that a new car differs from standard vehicles and equipment. Now, sophisticated, online software allows buyers to build a custom, dream model with a few clicks, choosing motor specifications, transmission types, assistance systems and countless interior equipment details. Catering to the desires of car buyers and allowing thousands of combinations of options for each model complicates manufacturing because cars have become unique items. Suppliers must produce certain components and parts in many more variants than they did just a few years ago. Furthermore, the life cycle of parts is ever shorter, because technological development is advancing at such a fast pace.