Stevens: The Industry Is Looking Forward
August 11, 2020“Over the next four years, the automotive industry faces a critical transformation with an explosion in the number of electric nameplates available, continued investment in automated vehicles and the impact the shift could have on jobs.
Foremost, however, will be addressing the issues from economic uncertainty resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic: whether government will coalesce around financial support for struggling suppliers; how the retail market will be impacted by high unemployment and retrenchment; whether business will be exposed to liability claims over COVID-19 claims; who — if anyone — will fund infrastructure improvements to support alternative propulsion systems; how trade policy will affect costs and investments.
‘The industry is looking forward as they design vehicles, as they decide where to build vehicles,’ said Glenn Stevens, executive director of the Detroit Regional Chamber’s MICHauto group. “What is the climate for increasing manufacturing jobs? Is there an opportunity for reshoring jobs?’
Amidst the uncertainty, automakers will be looking for uniform regulation at a national level and stability in policy when it comes to trade that affects their supply chains, carbon emission and fuel economy standards, and the deployment of automated technology.”