Zebra Technologies Corp. today released the findings of its Automotive Ecosystem Vision Study, which confirmed that automotive manufacturers are under pressure to accommodate growing consumer demands for sustainability and transparency throughout the manufacturing process and fleet managers’ need for the digitization of operations and supply chain. Despite an uncertain economy, automotive manufacturers are ready to invest in technology innovation as seven-in-10 expect to increase their tech spending, and six-in-10 plan to increase their manufacturing infrastructure spending in 2023.

Zebra serves customers with a portfolio of solutions that digitize and automate workflows. The company recently expanded its industrial automation portfolio with its Fetch Robotics acquisition and increased its machine vision and AI software capabilities with the acquisitions of Adaptive Vision, Antuit.ai, and Matrox Imaging.

According to the study, consumers are the driving force behind automotive manufacturers’ acceleration of technology innovation as eight-in-10 say sustainability and eco-friendliness are key priorities in their vehicle purchase and lease decisions. The numbers back this up, as 87% of Millennials prioritize sustainability in their vehicles followed closely by 78% of Gen Xers and 76% of Baby Boomers.

Consumers are also driving the growing emphasis on customizing vehicles. Nearly four-in-five consumers say personalization options factor into their decision to purchase a vehicle, and eight-in-10 fleet managers share these same requirements for sustainability and personalization. While nearly 80% of automotive industry decision-makers recognize consumers expect more sustainable and personalized vehicle options today, seven-in-10 concede it’s difficult to keep up with increasing customization demands. As a result, three-fourths of automotive manufacturers say a top priority is to build strategic partnerships with tech companies for their next generation of production.

“There’s no doubt the automotive manufacturing ecosystem is undergoing a seismic shift with huge hurdles to cross,” said Stephan Pottel, Automotive Industry Lead, Zebra Technologies. “This includes essentially running two distinct manufacturing processes—one for traditional gasoline/diesel vehicles and the other for next-generation electric, hybrid, and autonomous self-driving vehicles. The pressure to meet regulations, demands for sustainability, and do more faster and provide real-time visibility throughout the supply chain is daunting. With the right strategic investments in technology, the automotive industry can meet and even surpass these expectations and better serve their customers.”

The survey results also reveal a stronger preference to purchase EVs (electric vehicles) in the future, with more than half of consumers indicating their future preference is for hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs). However, navigating this increasing demand for EVs comes with challenges as 68% of automotive industry decision-makers say they are under high pressure to produce next-generation (i.e., electric) vehicles, and 75% of them are under high pressure to deliver products that are more eco-friendly, sustainable, and safer for the environment.

Data and information transparency are highly important to consumers and fleet managers, and they’re seeking more visibility into the automotive ecosystem. When considering a vehicle for purchase or lease, 81% of consumers and 86% of fleet managers indicate they want to understand the origin and source of materials and parts on their vehicle. Millennials lead the way for more transparency in automotive manufacturing, with eight-in-10 saying it’s important to have access to the origin of materials and parts, know if source materials and parts are sustainable, and understand how the vehicle is manufactured from end to end.

Once they have their vehicles, 88% of consumers and 86% of fleet managers want to understand how the data from their vehicles will be used by the automotive ecosystem. After a vehicle purchase, 83% of consumers and 84% of fleet managers expect ownership and control of the data their vehicle generates. However, only about one-third of automotive industry decision-makers say they will prioritize connecting real-time data systems to enable a holistic view of operations and increase visibility across production and throughout the supply chain over the next five years.

Closer to home for Zebra’s core focus, about one-third of original equipment manufacturers said autonomous mobile robots, RFID, rugged handheld mobile computers and scanners, and industrial machine vision will improve supply chain management. And about one-third of suppliers cite mobile barcode label/thermal printers, wearable computers, and location technology as the technologies to do so.

Overall, seven-in-10 automotive industry decision-makers agree digital transformation is a strategic priority for their organization. In the next five years, they anticipate expanding their use of technology across the board, with 47% focused on additive manufacturing/3D printing and 45% on supply chain planning solutions.

The study surveyed a global audience of 1336 automotive industry decision-makers (including OEMs and suppliers), fleet managers, and consumers. All data was collected and tabulated by third-party research firm Azure Knowledge Corp.