2022 look ahead: The suppliers' view

From ambitious climate pledges to a supply chain gridlock, 2021 gave the automotive industry plenty of priorities to juggle. And unfortunately, 2022 looks as if it is going to be equally as hectic.

With demand for electric vehicles increasing and growing pressure on automakers to be first movers in autonomous vehicles, 2022 is shaping up to be another watershed year for the industry. However, despite the outward optimism that is on display by the industry about its ability to meet next-gen challenges, there is quiet concern about how it will actually go about tackling them. That is why many are beginning to rely more heavily on the supplier market to help them ideate and build the vehicles of the future.

With that in mind, here are some of the biggest focal areas where the supplier community will play a key role this year.

It is truly exciting to see the EV revolution finally taking off. However, while investment in development and production continues to soar, one hurdle continues to derail widespread adoption before the industry has a chance to take off: range.

Many EVs today — even in the luxury market — offer approximate maximum range of just 250 miles. This obviously pales in comparison with internal-combustion vehicles that likely offer twice that, and take just a few minutes to completely refuel — instead of 30 to 45 minutes. And given that it is unlikely that we will see a huge jump in battery performance in the short term, automakers are relying on the innovation of suppliers to help them conserve more battery power and deliver greater range.

This includes everything from embracing new lightweight frames to introducing glass that can reduce internal temperature and decrease the amount of power needed to cool a vehicle.

AVs may still be in a state of relative infancy, but automakers are hard at work trying to make them not just reliable, but also appealing to the public. From the fact that vehicles will no longer need a driver, to the internal design, AVs arguably possess more disruptive force than any other innovation in the history of automotive.

With that, automakers are now keeping one eye specifically on building the autonomous automotive experience. This includes everything from new age lay-flat seating to transforming windows into screens for entertainment and work. The auto industry can draw important lessons from the aircraft and train industries (which, unless you are a pilot or the driver of a train, are essentially autonomous vehicles from the perspective of the vast majority of people on the airplane or train).

Aircraft and train manufacturers have relentlessly focused on improving the passenger experience, with innovations such as dynamic glass windows to allow passengers to be more comfortable, save energy, view their devices to watch a movie or check email better in changing lighting conditions or simply have a more meaningful connection with the scenery outside the vehicle.

Automakers are no strangers to poring over a vehicle in search of ways to improve performance even incrementally.

But as we move into the next phase of the automotive industry, we are quickly approaching a time when not only are tweaks needed to staple materials such as LEDs or aluminum, but we need to make entirely all-new materials.

For example, without dynamic glass nanotechnology, it is impossible to turn traditional windows — tinted or otherwise — into a monitor that can be used to show vehicle occupants information and entertainment.

If we can expect only marginal improvements in the performance of lithium ion batteries, we need to come up with alternatives that offer greater range benefits.

The days are gone when minor tweaks to existing technology will be enough to deliver results. Instead, automakers and suppliers need to continue to work together to tackle next-horizon innovations in earnest, or they risk being left behind.

This is especially true when the number of new potential car companies with a focus on innovation are entering the market and competing with traditional automakers.

The industry continues to play a major role in how people move and interact. If automakers and their suppliers continue to work in concert to innovate and bring the customer what it needs and wants, there is no reason we cannot drive short-, medium- and long-term industry success.