Automotive and Mobility in Europe

Why it matters

Europe's automotive sector is simultaneously managing electrification, software-defined vehicles, geopolitical trade pressure, dealer-model change and a sharper regulatory curve. Commercial decisions increasingly depend on software, data rights and service monetisation - not only manufacturing scale. 13.8m EUR 85bn direct and indirect jobs in the EU automotive sector R&D; investment by the sector in 2023 11.5m EU car output in 2024

Executive summary

The sector's core risk is no longer only volume or plant economics. It is the speed at which firms can convert installed base, connected-vehicle data, fleet relationships and aftersales touchpoints into defensible recurring revenue while staying compliant. Europe still has industrial depth, but 2025-2026 rewards manufacturers and suppliers that simplify their digital architecture, accelerate software release discipline and rethink commercial models around ownership lifecycle value. EU enterprises are adopting AI faster, but core commercial systems still lag: CRM penetration is materially lower than website presence. In automotive, that gap often shows up as weak owner lifecycle visibility, fragmented dealer data and poor fleet intelligence.

Who should read this

• Automotive, mobility, fleet, and supplier leaders navigating lifecycle revenue and software-defined offers.
• Commercial teams responsible for owner, dealer, fleet, and aftersales conversion.
• Product and data teams shaping connected-service, telemetry, and compliance readiness.

Three next-step questions

1. Where are owner, dealer, and fleet data still fragmented enough to block lifecycle value?
2. What connected-service or aftersales offer could be monetised more clearly over the next year?
3. Which data, cyber, or battery obligations could slow product release discipline if left unresolved?