“Innovations driven by megatrends are breaking the traditional automotive ecosystem. OEMs need to evolve their partnership webs to succeed,” said Kevin See, Lux Research Analyst and the lead author of the report titled, “Under the Hood: Mapping Automotive Innovations to Megatrends.” “However, we find different OEMs have dramatically different approaches – their strategies today will change the shape of the auto industry in decades to come.”   

Lux Research analysts examined the growing web of cross-cutting industry relationships to separate the leading innovators from the lone wolves. Among their findings:

• General Motors leads the partnership race. GM boasts the highest activity in both materials and sustainability megatrends, while Toyota leads in urbanization. Each resides in an expansive ecosystem, forming a large number of partnerships across diverse technologies.
  

• Some automakers keep it local, some span the globe. Volkswagen, Toyota and Daimler look outside their continents for 77% of their partnerships, but BMW – like GM and Ford – keeps over half of its partnerships within Europe.

• Emerging markets pose challenges. Entrepreneurs from emerging-market countries are challenging established automakers for the mass market. Indian conglomerate Tata bought legendary British brands Range Rover and Jaguar, while Chinese carmaker Geely bought Sweden's storied Volvo Cars.

The report, titled “Under the Hood: Mapping Automotive Innovations to Megatrends,” is part of the Lux Research Electric Vehicles, Alternative Fuels, and Advanced Materials Intelligence services.