Automotive

Cars of the future are expected to be smart and efficient, which poses numerous challenges for the automotive industry: Customers want their cars to drive autonomously, which is already being tested intensively, but further innovations are required for serial production. Within the next ten years, more than 50% of the world’s population will be digital natives. This forces the automotive industry to rethink the way it is currently incorporating connectivity in its vehicles. 

Going along with this, there is a shift in the perception of cars from considering them as a status symbol to enjoying the freedom of not owning one and merely using it as a method of getting from A to B. This view offers various new possibilities for car sharing models.

Furthermore, customers are increasingly interested in electric mobility solutions, which lead to a decrease in traditional combustion engines. It also demonstrates the automotive industry's need for additional innovations in this particular area. 

To help the automotive industry master these challenges, we at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany have developed our Shape the Future initiative that includes four fields of action: 

• Design the future: Solutions that initiate a new level of design freedom
• Connect the future: Solutions to enable modern user experience
• Light the future: Solutions to stay ahead of the game
• Protect the future: Solutions for reliable driving

Together let’s create the future of design, connectivity, lighting and protection.