From Madrid, Spain, to Venice, Italy, an increasing number of European cities are embracing "car-free" initiatives within their city centers.

Similarly, various regions, from Berlin, Germany, to Bogota, Spain, are experimenting with designated "car-free days."

Over 30 cities worldwide have pledged to ban diesel and gasoline vehicles, signifying a global commitment to sustainable urban mobility. Amidst these shifts, one might ponder the fate of the automobile. The succinct answer: a resounding yes.

The countryside remains relatively unaffected by the urban "car overload," preserving the automobile's relevance in rural areas. Additionally, the automotive market continues to burgeon alongside the growth of economies worldwide. Notably, annual car sales have surged, surpassing the average of the 2000-2015 period by nearly 20 million units. However, the automobile of tomorrow is poised to undergo significant transformations, ushering in a new era characterized by innovative technologies and business models. Four key trends are delineating this transformative trajectory.

Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche once proclaimed, "You cannot predict when the electric age will dawn, but once it does, its momentum is unstoppable." Recent years have witnessed a remarkable surge in the global electric vehicle (EV) market, with exponential growth projected in the coming decade. Notably, the market more than doubled in size between 2016 and 2018, with the International Energy Agency forecasting a tenfold expansion by 2030. Volkswagen, the world's largest automaker, has committed to producing one million electric vehicles annually from 2025 onwards. Moreover, China emerges as a frontrunner in the EV realm, hosting three of the world's top-selling electric car manufacturers.

This transition towards electrification presents profound implications for automotive suppliers. Key among these is the imperative to furnish safe, efficient, and cost-effective power battery systems. Evonik, a prominent player in this domain, offers additive products tailored to meet this burgeoning demand, alongside lightweight materials and composites that enhance battery range. As the phasing out of internal combustion engines looms, the demand for high-performance polymers in the engine compartment is expected to dwindle. Nonetheless, the advent of electric vehicles underscores a continued need for these polymers in battery cooling systems.

As Axel Zajonz, who oversees Evonik's automotive industry team, asserts, the transition phase will necessitate a strategic focus on hybrid vehicles bridging both electric and combustion engine technologies. Digitalization has permeated every facet of contemporary life, including the automotive sector. Modern vehicles are evolving into "data centers on wheels," generating a deluge of information. Siemens projects that the next generation of semi-autonomous vehicles could churn out up to 19 terabytes of data per hour.

To manage this influx, manufacturers and suppliers are devising novel transmission and server concepts. Concurrently, digitalization heralds a new era of service models, facilitating data-based remote services such as predictive maintenance and updates. Moreover, it enables third-party developers to innovate with their apps and services, promising features like individualized turn signal light cadences and intelligent parking space locators.

As the automotive industry navigates these transformative pathways, collaboration and innovation emerge as the linchpins of progress. By embracing electric mobility, harnessing the power of digitalization, and fostering partnerships across sectors, the automobile of tomorrow is poised to redefine mobility in ways both profound and promising.