In a new report, Deutsche Bank analyst Rod Lache discussed the impact that driverless cars will have on the U.S. auto industry. According to Deutsche Bank, 8.2 percent of all Americans and up to 61 percent of those living in urban settings will find autonomous vehicles cheaper and more convenient than privately-owned vehicles.
On the surface, this transition may seem like a negative for established U.S. automakers Ford Motor Company F and General Motors Company GM, but Deutsche Bank believes that the availability of these autonomous vehicles will actually lead to an overall increase in total miles driven. Fleet purchases by operators such as Uber and Lyft could up demand for vehicles, but Lache cautioned that large orders will probably mean pricing leverage for buyers.
Competitive Advantages
In addition to margin pressures, Lache believes that non-traditional auto players like Alphabet Inc GOOGL GOOG and Apple Inc. AAPL could also have major competitive advantages over Ford and GM when it comes to technology and integration.
“These players may be able to use mobility services as the link between consumers’ digital and physical worlds, and they should have certain advantages in leveraging both,” Lache explained.
In terms of driverless services, he noted that Uber, Lyft and Didi have already established large networks and brand awareness and have a big advantage over future entrants.
Disclosure: The author holds no position in the stocks mentioned.
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