Recent announcements of futuristic cars have set the tech and automotive worlds abuzz. Fans of AI and electric cars have been treated to a look at Nissan’s self-driving technology and the Tesla Model 3. In the case of Tesla, everything from the software to the price point was futuristic. But they aren’t the only companies embracing the technologies of the 4th Industrial Revolution–including AI, robotics, and machine learning–to meet shifting consumer demands and market opportunities.
Nearly every major legacy automotive player is investing in autonomous capabilities, electric cars, and the necessary digital ecosystems to get them to a point of mass adoption. In response to these trends, and drawing on a series of interviews at the Tradeshift Sanctuary, we’ve prepared our fourth report on supply chain agility in the age of disruption, focusing on the automotive industry.
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In the report we explore key technologies and partnerships at work in the automotive industry. All signs point to an eventual race to market between legacy automotive manufacturers and tech companies. Who wins will be determined largely on which company has the most agile and strategic procurement and supply chain teams. For example, Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan-Renault, asserts that price point is one of the biggest hurdles to widespread autonomous driving.
The solution? Enable procurement to do what it does best–buy at the right price point from the right supplier. Then bring your entire procure-to-pay process onto a single platform so supply chain and accounts payable experts can influence revenue.
Another disruptive element is the consumer shift to on-demand transit versus ownership, the “Uberization” of the auto industry. Given the status car ownership maintains in the developing world, auto companies may consider reorienting their supply chains from sourcing and often producing in countries like India and China to focusing their sales efforts there. This will require significant supply chain and logistics shifts across the globe.
Autos: Where tech, manufacturing, and disruption meet covers these trends and more. Simply fill out the form below to discover what’s in store for automakers and tech companies.
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