It was a shock for the mobility industry: The TU Graz study in 2023 with the topic “Transformation of the value chains in the automotive industry and its effects on job profiles and employment figures in Styria” anticipated much of what the industry is struggling with today (we reported). Mario Hirz, Alexander Kreis (Institute for Vehicle Technology TU Graz) and Christian Zweiger (AC Styria Mobility Cluster) had summarized on 15 pages how the industry would develop – with opportunities and risks due to the mandatory change from combustion engine to e-mobility. “The transformation process has a significant impact on the value chain in the automotive industry. This affects both the production of vehicles, systems and components as well as the areas of retail and workshops. The various development and service companies as well as, in the medium term, the petrol station network are also influenced,” the study said.
There will be thousands of fewer jobs and a loss of up to a billion euros in added value. The change towards e-mobility is sorting and rearranging an industry that has to completely rethink: a combustion engine drive consists of 1200 to 1500 components, an electric drive consists of 300 to 500. New job profiles will emerge.
The crisis in the mobility industry has worsened
A year and a half later, the crisis has worsened further. A wildfire broke out. The German auto industry is weakening, VW wants to close plants, lay off employees and reduce capacities. However, 61 percent of Austrian suppliers deliver directly to German vehicle manufacturers. But if their usual delivery volume drops, the Austrian suppliers’ capital lies idle in their warehouses and sales collapse. Added to this are the current customs conflicts, with China as well as with the USA.
In Styria there are a total of 300 companies and institutions, the former car cluster has long since developed into a high-tech triumvirate (automotive, aerospace, rail systems), it is now called AC Styria and has 70,000 employees (17 billion Euro turnover, 25 percent of Styrian added value) plays a crucial role in the Styrian economic landscape.
Strategy paper for the automotive and mobility sectors
AC Styria has responded to the precarious situation with a strategy paper – focusing on the strengths of the Styrian mobility industry. The industry will certainly not be able to continue without changes, as State Economics Councilor Barbara Eibinger Miedl, who commissioned this study from AC boss Christa Zengerer, also knows. The team around Zengerer tries primarily to focus on research or the high demand for innovative drive and vehicle concepts or cross-industry developments in the automotive, aviation and rail industries. It’s about identifying new supply chains, business models, market opportunities, products and services in order to turn the crisis into an opportunity.
Future fields for the mobility industry
The strategy paper (we reported) has defined new focal points in the future areas of the industry: The aim is to rebuild digital business models (digital production, blockchain, mobility as a service, etc.), to set up automated systems with a technologically fresh approach (automated driving and flying, traffic planning/logistics ), increasingly develop drive and vehicle technologies and production (electric drive, automation including robotics, battery technology, etc.), further expand materials and circular economy into an important AC-Styria mosaic piece (lightweight construction, nanotechnology, bio-based materials), as well as electronics and software development (data analysis and AI, simulation and development, software defined vehicle).
Examples of change in the mobility industry
Hydrogen Valley, which deals with hydrogen drives and hydrogen technology (AVL, Hycenta), or the development of autonomous vehicles (AlpLab) serve as examples of change. And also to encourage people with completely new products with which Styria shows other competencies and redefines industries: For example, like the Wood Vision Lab in Weiz, which has developed side impact beams for cars or wooden side paneling parts for Siemens trains.
