What the vehicle itself looks like in 20 years’ time depends entirely on consumer preferences, and they are demanding very specific things. The car will definitely be different from what we have now, mainly driven by what younger consumers want. Consumers are demanding more based on their lifestyles, and that will change the way the vehicle is going to look. Notably, vehicles will have to incorporate considerably more technological content, connectivity and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) than they currently do.

The car will definitely be different from what we have now, mainly driven by what younger consumers want. Consumers are demanding more based on their lifestyles, and that will change the way the vehicle is going to look

At the heart of the development is a change in value proposition, away from the car as an object and towards transport as a service. Just a decade ago, obtaining a driving licence and that first car meant freedom. Now, younger consumers are happy to swap the driving experience and the driving freedom for infotainment addiction. They would rather have infotainment within the vehicle and absorb that entertainment, than the driving pleasure, or just the freedom of moving from A to B. That will drive the development of the vehicle itself.

What will propel the vehicle will also change, with a move not just away from gasoline and diesel but also electricity. We expect to see a broader lifecycle outlook with better informed consumers and greater transparency. Everything will be very transparent. Consumers will base their decisions on information, not just on marketing. When consumers start taking into account the complete lifecycle, opinions are going to change very dramatically. Lifecycle outlook will turn opinion on electric vehicles (EVs), currently presented as an eco-friendly solution. The consumer has to be informed where the energy comes from. On that data, we are not sure if EVs have the same bright future that they have now. Much depends on battery technology and that will develop, but long term there has to be a better solution. Power cells or hydrogen could fit the bill, though these also have their drawbacks. It all depends on the energy and product lifecycle and what energy has the best benefits.