The Mobility – Transport – Automotive Ecosystem is a crucial component of Europe’s economy, encompassing industries that manage the movement of people and goods, such as automotive manufacturing, rail, waterborne transport, and logistics services. With over 1.8 million firms, mostly SMEs, this ecosystem plays a vital role in both daily transportation needs and employment.
However, the ecosystem faces significant challenges and opportunities, especially in reducing carbon emissions, complying with environmental regulations, and integrating technologies like electric and autonomous vehicles. The European Green Deal is driving the decarbonization of the sector, pushing for the adoption of Connected, Autonomous, Shared, and Electric (CASE) vehicles. Resilience in this ecosystem depends on digitalization and improved supply chain management to adapt to these shifts.
Technological innovation—particularly the rise of autonomous vehicles and connected systems—plays a key role in overcoming these challenges by improving operational efficiency and reducing risks. Yet, financial constraints limit many firms, particularly SMEs, from fully embracing these changes. Additionally, the inability to reorganize production remotely, a challenge highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, further hinders resilience.
To maintain competitiveness in the face of global competition, digital infrastructure and advanced technologies like big data and AI are essential for better forecasting and flexible production models. The future of the mobility ecosystem relies on scaling up sustainable solutions like electric vehicles (EVs) and charging infrastructure, while adopting circular economy principles. Collaboration through public-private partnerships and data-sharing platforms will also be crucial for the sector’s evolution.
A key aspect of this transformation is ensuring a strategic supply chain fit, as explored in the RISE-SME project. This strategic fit involves variables such as resilience capabilities, supply chain strategies, and design. By aligning operational strategies with market demands and technological advancements, supply chains in the mobility sector can better withstand disruptions from economic, environmental, and technological changes. This framework assesses how different actors in the ecosystem, from automotive manufacturers to logistics operators, can adjust their practices to enhance resilience, responsiveness, and recovery in the face of disruptions. This approach is critical for ensuring that mobility companies remain competitive and adaptable in a rapidly evolving landscape .
Combining innovation and regulation is essential to achieving a sustainable and resilient future for Europe’s mobility ecosystem.
AUTHOR
Alicia Martínez de Yuso
ZLC
Alicia Martínez de Yuso is a Project Manager at ZLC (Zaragoza Logistics Center) and holds a degree in Chemical Engineering, as well as a Master's and PhD in Environmental Studies. With extensive experience in sustainability, circular economy, and environmental topics, she has worked as a researcher and consultant at various universities and research centers across Europe, focusing on developing materials for environmental and energy applications. At ZLC, she has contributed to innovative projects at a national and European level in the circular economy, industrial symbiosis, supply chains, urban mobility, and AI, providing strategic, sustainable, and resilient solutions. She has more than 40 publications, including papers in academic journals and conference proceedings.