The Automotive Industry Crisis: A Failure of Vision and a Call for Radical Transformation

Executive Summary

The global automotive sector is facing a profound existential crisis that extends beyond technological disruption. While Western automakers have invested billions in electrification and digital innovations, they have critically neglected their most vital asset: human capital. This has resulted in a severe skills gap, delayed projects, compromised quality, and a rapid erosion of market share and profitability. The core of the crisis is not a lack of technology, but a failure of strategic vision and a deep-seated managerial resistance to change.

In stark contrast, China has executed a methodical, decade-long industrial strategy, creating an integrated ecosystem of specialized education, battery production, and government support. This has granted Chinese firms a dominant position, with superior technology, faster development cycles (24-30 months vs. the West's 48-60), and significantly lower production costs.

The primary obstacle to a Western recovery is internal. An over-reliance on obsolete tools like spreadsheets, which consume 30-40% of technical professionals' time, combined with a management culture that protects the status quo, is paralyzing innovation. The solution requires a "360-degree industrial transition"—a radical overhaul of processes, culture, and skills. This involves eliminating outdated workflows, embracing end-to-end digitalization, and aggressively adopting Artificial Intelligence not as a threat, but as a tool to amplify human capability. Survival is contingent on the courage to abandon failed past practices and execute this comprehensive transformation without delay.