Auto executives identify electric vehicles as the top industry trend

Automated driving will be the next technology to change the auto industry

TORONTO, Feb. 14, 2017 /CNW/ - Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have overtaken connectivity and digitization as the top trend in the industry until 2025, according to half of the automotive executives surveyed in KPMG's 2017 Global Automotive Executive Survey.

However, the key issue with pure battery electric vehicles seems to be setting up a user-friendly charging infrastructure, leading the majority (62 percent) of executives to believe that BEVS will ultimately fail. In contrast, 78 percent of executives believe that BEVs will be overshadowed by fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) in the future, with FCEVs solving the recharging and infrastructure issues BEVs face today.

In addition, the survey shows that autonomous driving will revolutionize the way we use cars and make the purchasing criteria of the past irrelevant. Indeed, 68 percent of executives already feel that the purchasing criteria of the past like performance and speed, safety innovation, environmental friendliness or comfort will not determine the purchase of a car anymore.

Other key findings from KPMG's 2017 Global Automotive Executive Survey include:

• Diesel is set for rapid decline – from a regulatory perspective, the most discussed topic over the last year has been diesel technology. In fact, 50 percent of executives surveyed believe diesel will be the first traditional powertrain technology to vanish from the manufacturers' portfolio.
  
  
• Investing and winning – over the next five years, 53 percent of executives are planning to invest in plug-in hybrids, and 52 percent in internal combustion engines (ICE) and full hybrids. KPMG also surveyed 240 consumers on their vehicle purchasing opinions and found the full hybrid vehicles are their first choice for their next car (36 percent), while 21 percent would still buy a car with an ICE.
  
  
• Taking the temperature on the digital ecosystem – in the future, 85 percent of executives believe that the digital ecosystem will generate higher revenues than the hardware of the car itself.

KPMG in Canada's National Automotive Sector Leader, Peter Hatges, will be at the Canadian International AutoShow's Media Day on Thursday, February 16, 2017. Peter is pleased to speak about the survey's results as well as other trends and issues in the automotive industry.

QUOTE
"Connectivity and digitization are making our driving experience similar to what we expect in all other aspects of our lives. It's a lot more convenient for consumers, significantly improving our time in the car.  It has also been a catalyst in the financial success being enjoyed by the auto industry. New cars are making older models almost obsolete."

- Peter Hatges, National Sector Leader, Automotive, KPMG in Canada

LEARN MORE
2017 Global Automotive Executive Survey
KPMG Website
@KPMG_Canada – #CIAS2017
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About KPMG's 2017 Global Automotive Executive Survey
The Global Automotive Executive Survey is KPMG International's annual assessment of the current state and future prospects of the worldwide automotive industry. In this year's survey, almost 1,000 senior executives from the world's leading automotive companies were interviewed, including automakers, suppliers, dealers, financial services providers, rental companies, mobility services providers, and companies from the information and communication technology (ICT) sector. Additionally, more than 2,400 consumers from around the world have been surveyed to provide valuable perspective and compare their opinion against the opinion of the world's leading auto executives.

About KPMG
KPMG LLP, an Audit, Tax and Advisory firm (kpmg.ca) and a Canadian limited liability partnership established under the laws of Ontario, is the Canadian member firm of KPMG International Cooperative ("KPMG International"). KPMG member firms around the world have 189,000 professionals, in 152 countries.

The independent member firms of the KPMG network are affiliated with KPMG International, a Swiss entity. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity, and describes itself as such.

SOURCE KPMG LLP

For further information: Andrée Gage, National Manager, Communications, KPMG in Canada, 416-777-3448, [e-mail]

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