Fuel For Thought

With average monthly car payments pushing toward $800 and nearly 20% of US consumers making $1,000 payments, buyers are weighing brand attachment against purchasing reality.  

Recent automotive market analysis shows that affordability pressures are fundamentally changing car buyer behavior, creating new risks for retention but also new opportunities for conquest. 

The result is a market in motion: Households that once returned reliably to brands and models are now open to change. Sellers that understand this dynamic will be best positioned to capture the moment. 

In this episode of Fuel for Thought, our host Guido Vildozo speaks with loyalty expert Tom Libby on key conquest and retention opportunities available for OEMs in this environment. 
Participants: 
Guido Vildozo, Associate Director, Consulting, S&P Global Mobility (Host)
Tom Libby, Director, Loyalty Solutions and Industry Analysis, S&P Global Mobility

For North American automakers, the familiar megatrends of electrification, regionalization, the rise of Chinese competitors, technological transformation, and supply chain resilience are evolving amid global supply risks and shifting regulatory pressures.
Our latest whitepaper, The next phase of automotive megatrends, explores how regulatory uncertainty, affordability pressures, shifting consumer expectations, and global supply risks are reshaping strategy for OEMs across the region.

From upcoming USMCA negotiations to new semiconductor shortages, our host Guido Vildozo sits down with the whitepaper authors to discuss what's truly different in this next phase—and what leaders should be doing now to prepare. 
Participants:
Guido Vildozo, Associate Director, Consulting, S&P Global Mobility (Host)
Henner Lehne, VP, Research and Analysis, S&P Global Mobility
Peter Nagle, Research and Analysis Associate Director, S&P Global Mobility

Over the past year, automotive suppliers have navigated shifting tariff regimes, geopolitical uncertainty, uneven EV demand, and rising expectations around software, sustainability, and resilience.
So why are many suppliers still optimistic?
To find out, S&P Global Mobility expert Matthew Beecham spoke with 59 senior executives across the global automotive supply chain to understand how they're adapting to this new normal.
With disruption now a constant rather than an exception, suppliers are prioritizing resilience through ecosystem partnerships, long-term technology investments, and proactive growth strategies. Instead of waiting for conditions to stabilize, they're rethinking how and where to compete.
In this episode of Fuel for Thought, Matthew joins our host Guido Vildozo to unpack the key takeaways from these conversations—and what supplier sentiment signals for OEMs, investors, and policymakers right now.
Speakers: 
Matthew Beecham, AutoTechInsight Research Manager, S&P Global Mobility
Guido Vildozo, Associate Director, Consulting, S&P Global Mobility (Host)

As we approach 2026, the automotive industry is bracing for yet another potential crisis: a shortage of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips.
This anticipated shortage will not be quite as dramatic as the 2021 crisis—which prevented more than 10 million cars from being built that year—but could potentially be more disruptive and long-lasting than the 2025 Nexperia incident.
DRAM is found in the compute-heavy systems in cars, namely in cockpit and in ADAS/Autonomy systems. However, major DRAM manufacturers are increasingly reallocating their wafer capacity toward high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for AI data centers.
The profitability and demand for HBM far exceed those of traditional automotive applications, leaving automakers increasingly vulnerable to an automotive supply chain crunch that could rival the previous shortages.
In this episode of Fuel for Thought, we dive deeper into the shortage and explain what automakers need to do in order to adapt. 
Speakers: 
Jeremie Bouchaud, Executive Director, Supply Chain and Technology, S&P Global Mobility
Guido Vildozo, Associate Director, Consulting, S&P Global Mobility (Host)

Chinese automakers are not only reshaping their domestic market but are also becoming formidable players on the international stage. Their aggressive expansion into overseas markets, driven by a combination of competitive pricing, innovative technology, and strategic partnerships, poses both challenges and opportunities for established automakers.
Moreover, as trade barriers and regulatory changes emerge in various regions, understanding how Chinese manufacturers adapt can provide valuable insights into the future of global automotive supply chains.
In this episode of Fuel for Thought, we discuss how Chinese automakers are navigating global markets, the impact of tariffs and trade barriers, and the strategies these automakers are employing to expand their footprint.
Speakers: 
 Abby Tu, Principal Research Analyst, S&P Global Mobility
Guido Vildozo, Associate Director, Consulting, S&P Global Mobility (host)
·