The car industry is in a state of upheaval. How do you assess the situation at the end of 2019?
The industry has had a difficult year and there will be difficult years to come. There are two important reasons for this: The first is the customs war between the USA and China, which is placing an even greater burden on suppliers than on manufacturers. In many cases, it is already leading to losses and job cuts. The second important reason is the paradigm shift towards electromobility. New concepts and models come onto the market – at the same time however, work that was previously associated with the combustion engine is no longer necessary. The industry is undergoing the greatest change since the invention of the car. This transformation will keep us busy for some time to come. I assume that have we only experienced the beginning of the first wave in 2019.
How well or poorly does the industry deal with the challenges?
It is true that many companies are cutting costs, adjusting factory capacity and employment. Anything else would be wrong, because the combustion engine is gradually being phased out. For this reason, it is right to bundle investments in e-mobility. Those who fail to do so today will be missing their customers tomorrow.