What the PC and Smartphone Revolutions Can Teach Us about Autonomous Vehicles

Experts and auto industry insiders argue that autonomous vehicle (AV) technology will soon not only become a key and differentiating feature in automobiles, but also potentially transform the industry’s basic dynamics by augmenting the rise of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) providers and thereby reducing the demand for personal car ownership.

That has set the stage for an increasingly competitive race to market. Automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), MaaS providers, and Tier 1 suppliers are working intensively to develop systems that deliver AV capability to cars. It’s too early to predict who will win that race, but we can look to previous technical revolutions for insight into the likely competitive dynamics.