Auto Trends Driving 2022

The pandemic changed the face of mobility globally. In 2022, a whole new wave of changes are expected to revolutionise trends in the automotive industry Siddharth Shankar

- Siddharth Shankar

IN THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY, Henry Ford revolutionised the auto industry with the assembly line process of mass production. Today electric mobility brings the world to another revolutionary moment. Electric vehicles (EVs) have seen organic growth throughout the pandemic. Altogether 6,261 electric passenger vehicles (PVs) were sold in the April-September 2021 period, marking a 234 per cent growth year-on-year (y-o-y). Software is becoming critical in mobility with telematics, safety, autonomous driving, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and many other features.

The year 2021 has been a bit of a mixed bag for the Indian automotive industry. While the industry saw very high pent-up demand, almost every car maker around the world was struggling because of the shortage of semiconductors. In addition to the chip shortage, the industry saw a steady rise in raw material costs, compelling original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to increase prices of the vehicles while waiting periods were on an average above 90 days. The lockdowns and shortages that came with the pandemic changed the face of the mobility industry globally. In 2022, a whole lot of other changes are expected to shape trends in the automotive industry.

Digitisation In 2021, with multiple lockdowns, the digitisation of touchpoints increased. Today consumers are used to doorstep delivery of goods. While this became mainstream for e-commerce players, big-ticket purchases like two-wheelers and four-wheelers too are likely to witness the penetration of this trend in the coming years. Mercedes Benz India implemented their Direct-2-Customer initiative in 2021 and the trend has caught on with several other mobility majors.