Can data ecosystems revamp auto supply chain sustainability?

As connected and electric mobility continue to gather momentum, some automakers and suppliers are reconfiguring supply chains to match a sustainability-focused vision for the future. Innovations focused on alternative materials and circularity have emerged to reinforce this mission. However, broader economic trends could be compromising its delivery and expansion.

Alexandre Audoin, Group Industry Lead for Automotive at Capgemini, tells Automotive World that successive supply chain shocks during the COVID-19 pandemic have shifted mindsets to nearshoring and stockpiling. Subsequently, the emphasis has become one of short-term supply chain resiliency, not necessarily on the carbon emissions or long-term environmental risk of procurement.

In a September 2023 report, the consultancy suggested that this had effectively diverted funds and time away from sustainability goals, relegating them to a lesser consideration. But what effect is this having and how can automotive stakeholders be encouraged to engage with the issue in a rapidly evolving market?