KPMG: Self-Driving Cars Part Of Revolutionary Change

By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com

In a new report, Self-Driving Car: The Next Revolution, KPMG and The Center for Automotive Research ( CAR) present the hypotheses on how self-driving vehicle technology could unfold and its potential impacts – with an emphasis on the convergence of sensor-based and communication-based vehicle technologies. Gary Silberg, national automotive industry leader for KPMG LLP and co-author of the report comments:

“For the past 100 years, the automotive industry has been a force for innovation and economic growth,” he says.  “Now the pace of innovation is speeding up and the industry is on the brink of a new technological revolution with “self-driving” vehicles. If they become a mainstream reality, it would be profoundly disruptive to the automotive ecosystem and may have far-reaching implications for the traditional automotive value chain and beyond.”

According to the KPMG/CAR report, the convergence of sensor-based and connected vehicle technologies will happen and will have a positive effect on the adoption of both systems. They think drivers will take the leap. Convergence will bring enhanced mobility and safety and reduced environmental impacts. It may also have far-reaching implications for the traditional automotive value chain and beyond.

The study examines the forces of change, the current and emerging technologies, the path to bring these innovations to market, the likelihood that they will achieve wide adoption from consumers, and their potential impact on the automotive ecosystem.