From Detroit to Dubai: Key trends reshaping the global automotive landscape

The global automotive market is experiencing shifts. Emerging markets, particularly in Asia, are driving new demand, and with that, supply chains are on the move too.

In October last year, we achieved a new ro-ro milestone by reaching 805,000 CEUs for the year to date, with over 25 per cent coming from China, making it the top trade partner for vehicles.

When you look at other cities that have dominated the automotive industry for decades, like Detroit, Turin, Tokyo, and Stuttgart, their history of manufacturing excellence and technological advancements stands out.

Dubai is taking it one step further with investment in infrastructure like the new automotive market that we are building in Dubai.

Spread across 20 million square feet, it will connect to 77 ports worldwide – bridging the east-west divide.

That is a huge opportunity for markets in Asia and Europe – and its ripple effects on Dubai’s economy are significant.

The rising popularity of electric vehicles (EVs)

But just as traditional trade routes are changing, there are deeper shifts automakers are being pushed to adapt to, particularly as EV adoption accelerates.

Legacy manufacturers from traditional hubs like the US, Japan, and Germany, have all faced enormous challenges recently, having spent large sums on research, development and engineering to develop battery electric tech.

This is further complicated by rapidly changing government regulations which are putting more pressure on traditional manufacturers to keep up.

From a supply chain perspective, these shifts present opportunities for regions like Dubai to emerge as critical enablers of this transition.

With its strategic location, robust infrastructure, and thriving automotive hub in Jafza, the city is uniquely positioned to support global automakers as they reconfigure their operations.

EVs are projected to surpass internal combustion engine vehicles by 2036, and with China home to more than half of the EVs on the road today, the global supply chain is transforming to support this new wave of mobility.

The UAE is at the forefront of this transition, strengthening trade ties with China and investing in state-of-the-art, tailored infrastructure to facilitate its goal of increasing the share of EVs to 50 per cent of the total vehicles on the country’s roads by 2050.

However, EVs present unique logistical challenges. Their high value, regulatory complexities around battery handling as “dangerous goods”, and the tight capacity of roro vessels make them harder to transport efficiently.

In this environment, an end-to-end service with a wide geographic reach and a robust regulatory framework becomes essential.

Given the local connections and expertise we have in each of our hubs and Dubai’s comprehensive regulatory framework for EVs, we are well-positioned to make automotive supply chains more efficient.

Investment in innovative solutions like Cars in Containers (CiC) which uses intermodal containers with reusable racking systems also helps alleviate the capacity constraints of RoRo vessels, offering more flexibility to the automotive industry.

The opportunity for innovation in the auto supply chain

Alongside these infrastructure improvements, technological innovation plays a critical role in optimising the automotive supply chain.

In the last year, many ports have struggled with the inconsistency in volumes that the chip shortage caused along with high volumes of unfinished vehicles at some facilities.

Technology can play an important role in managing these disruptions. Take CARGOES TOS+ as an example, which is available on 70 per cent of our ports. It deploys AI to digitally track every element, from container movements to equipment and vehicles, enhancing visibility across the supply chain.

Investing in tangible solutions that address specific challenges is what drives innovation – and – resilience forward.

Dubai’s automotive market will connect to 77 ports managed by us globally and is expected to double the emirate’s current automotive sales from Dhs6.8bn to Dhs13.6bn. That is a huge opportunity for Dubai, as well as the global automotive trade to prosper.

The ripple effect

The automotive trade sector is a powerful driver of economic growth – creating jobs, fostering foreign investment, and stimulating local economies.

More jobs translate into increased spending power, which drives economic activity, while more foreign investment helps catalyse growth in related industries like manufacturing, services, sales, and logistics.

But the impact extends far beyond local markets. A robust automotive hub enhances global connectivity and facilitates cross-border trade.

The recent agreement between Dubai Chambers and Tianjin Port Group, which aims to strengthen automotive transportation and logistics between Tianjin Port and Jebel Ali Port, is a case in point. It improves connectivity between Asia and the Middle East and opens up opportunities for businesses worldwide.

Dubai is continuing to develop the infrastructure needed to support this growth. State-of-the-art logistics centres, like those at Jebel Ali Port, free trade zones like Jafza — home to more than 629 businesses from the automotive and spare parts industry, and digital tools offered by Dubai Trade are all part of a broader effort to respond to the shift in global automotive supply chains.

Looking to the future

The 2024 Global City Index recently ranked Dubai the top city in the region, driven by its strong and stable economy, strategic role as a hub for international trade, and world-class logistics infrastructure.

Historically, the automotive industry has shown a strong correlation with real GDP growth, indicating a robust connection to economic health. Looking ahead, the ripple effects of automotive supply chain changes are likely to play a key role in strengthening Dubai’s economy.

As the world adapts to new technologies and supply chain models, stakeholders across the automotive industry — manufacturers, distributors, innovators, and investors must seize the opportunity and actively engage in shaping the future of mobility and trade.

The writer is the CEO and MD, DP World GCC.