Our focus in Q3 2025
- SBD Automotive
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 5 hours ago
With Q3 2025 drawing to a close, it is possible to step back and see which developments from the last three months will shape the automotive industry over the year ahead. A busy events calendar, a string of new research releases, increased cross industry collaboration, and targeted analysis all help to separate signal from noise.
Events
The SBD events team returned from IAA Mobility and ITS World Congress with field reports that capture where OEMs and suppliers are focusing their efforts this year and how those choices will influence product roadmaps and partnerships going into 2026.
SBD expert perspectives from IAA Mobility 2025
Held every two years at the Munich Exhibition Center and across several city venues, IAA Mobility gathers vehicle manufacturers, component suppliers, technology and software companies, and a wide range of mobility service providers. The event was split between a business focused exhibition area and a consumer oriented Open Space. To help clients and partners make sense of what was discussed, SBD has published a report that captures the key announcements, programme highlights and data points from the week (available to paid subscribers only).
What happened at ITS World Congress 2025?
SBD Automotive research experts have now returned from Atlanta for ITS World Congress 2025. The show brought together leaders from governments, transit authorities, automakers, suppliers and academia to debate technology, policy and deployment at scale. Topics ranged from AI and connected transport to data management, digital infrastructure and accessibility, and the event featured a large programme of conference sessions, technical papers and exhibitors.
New research In Q3, we also published 25 report titles and customer playbooks such as the Automotive Sustainability Guide & EV Battery Technologies Guide to our research portal. This included new vehicle updates to our industry-leading In-Car HMI UX Evaluation & Benchmarking series - highlighting how user experience remains central to successful technology deployment. And to get a jump on next year, our 2026 Report Catalog is now available for customer review and planning.
In-Car HMI UX Evaluation & Benchmarking
Recognizing the ways in which HMI features can positively or negatively contribute to the in-vehicle user experience is our 635 - In-Car HMI UX Evaluation & Benchmarking report series. Representing one of our best-selling, longest running, reports, it provides a comprehensive, analytical assessment of the latest HMI systems launched globally. Across 2025, our UX experts are reviewing and benchmarking the systems provided in nine recently released vehicles to understand who is leading the space, and who is falling behind.
Jumpstart your 2026 research planning today
The automotive industry is in the midst of a once-in-a-generation transformation. Technology, trade, tariff and incentive uncertainties have put consumer appetite, portfolio planning and changes to competitive landscapes into overdrive.
SBD Automotive’s 2026 Report Catalog responds directly to this need. With nearly three decades of independent expertise, SBD provides one of the industry’s most comprehensive and insight-driven research libraries.
Collaboration
SBD Automotive collaborated with HERE Technologies for the third straight year on the HERE-SBD EV Index 2025 giving fresh evidence on charging infrastructure maturity across multiple markets. The 4S Mobility movement also gained positive traction as a framework for outcome-driven mobility decisions across industry stakeholders.
US drivers most EV resistant, finds HERE-SBD EV Index Consumer Survey 2025
A survey of European and United States drivers revealed sentiment towards EVs varies greatly, while charging availability and range persist as key barriers. Drivers in the United States and France are the least likely to consider an EV (electric vehicle) as their next car, while those in the UK and Germany are most likely to make the switch.
Mobility at a Crossroads: Driving Mobility Transformation Through the 4S Framework
The study, sponsored by Amazon Web Services, HERE Technologies, Magna and SBD Automotive, delivers a bold new vision for how the industry can shift from technology-first decisions to outcome-driven strategies, prioritizing what truly matters to people and communities. With input from more than 30 companies and organizations across the mobility ecosystem, the free report captures the urgent pressures reshaping the industry, from software-defined vehicles and urban evolution to shifting consumer expectations and tightening regulations.
Analysis
Our analysts continued to examine regulatory changes and emerging commercial models. Read how Europe's R171 and EU data rules and new business models must strike a balance for successful product definitions and timelines for deployment.
R171 and EU data rules are driving up the need for true localization
Europe has tightened the rules that control driver assistance and vehicle data, with UN Regulation Number 171 setting clear expectations for Driver Control Assistance Systems and how they interact with drivers. At the same time, European data rules are changing what telemetry can leave the region and how it must be handled. For any company planning to offer L2+ features in Europe, these regulatory changes are not a late-stage detail. They must shape product design and development planning from day one.
Disruptions to Vehicle Ownership
While OEMs focus on scaling EV sales into new markets and customer groups, they must also plan, over the longer term, for risks to their conventional business models. Most already have ownership improvement strategies on their horizon, such as prioritisation of digital channels, personalisation, and direct to consumer delivery. Beyond these measures, a broader set of frictions from alternative travel modes will lead different customer segments to view vehicle ownership in different ways.
Why streamlining subscription services is key to unlocking the potential of connected services
As automotive companies look to make their connected services offerings profitable, North American and European markets are seeing some automakers push toward simplified and consolidated bundled offerings.
The current market approach of fully customized packages and a-la-carte configurable options is too often convoluted to customers and can lead to feelings of being 'nickel-dimed' after the purchase of their vehicle.
Staying up-to-date
This Insight highlights the work SBD has published across these topics during Q3. Each piece is intended to make the quarter easier to navigate and to give decision makers clear, usable context for planning the rest of 2025 and preparing for 2026.
Stay up-to-date with all of our releases by subscribing to the SBD Automotive News Spotlight
