The automotive industry is moving money toward the development of Mobility, EVs and AVs. That money has to come from somewhere, and so lighting investments are decreasing even as innovations are coming along faster and faster with the arrival of new functions, extension of ADB into lower-priced cars, new system architecture, electronics and software, integration of sensors and other components in the headlamps, and otherwise like that. Meanwhile, styling differentiation is exerting a greater and greater influence. All while disruptive value chain changes are coming, welcome or not, to just about every company seeking to extend their activity.
How are we to react? While we continue innovating, we must communicate more to automakers—to management and project directors all the way through to the dealers—on how best to persuade buyers to go for high-specification lighting. We must reach the buyers themselves via the media. And we must work together on the coming new functions, to avoid waste in the investment stream.
For these efforts to succeed (indeed, for them to happen at all) requires coordination and planning. And that’s why technical congresses and workshops are irreplaceably important. They bring opportunities to talk and listen with others, facilitate buyer-supplier match-ups, and facilitate strategic cooperation of exactly the kind we need to proactively do in these challenging times.
Two such events are on the horizon: the DVN Workshop in Japan on 26–27 May, and the VISION congress in Paris on 7–8 October during the Mondial auto show. You’ll surely want to attend; save the date and don’t miss them!
See you there,