Switching to electric isn't enough — skills and technologies need to be rethought. So say the findings of research conducted by PoliMi for Geely Italia.
The occasion for debate was the first edition of the Geely auto talks, a dialogue platform promoted by Geely Italia, the Chinese brand that made its Italian debut last July with two models already available on the Italian market (the electric Geely EX5 and the hybrid Starray EM-i), designed to bring together institutions, businesses, media and the academic world.
The first instalment of what aims to be a permanent platform for dialogue between Italy and China, this initiative was born to take stock of the future of the car, industrial policies and emerging technologies, but also to understand the potential impact of AI — that is, the role of artificial intelligence and advanced driver assistance systems (Adas) in terms of safety and user experience.
A possible answer lies in the data that emerged from the research conducted by the Osservatorio connected vehicle & mobility, carried out by the Politecnico di Milano on a sample of 5,600 residents across 11 countries (Brazil, China, Germany, France, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Poland, Spain, the USA and the United Kingdom), with in-depth interviews with opinion leaders in the automotive sector conducted between late 2024 and early 2025, and presented in November by Geely Italia. Here is a summary of the key findings.
The picture that emerges from the PoliMi report is clear: 56 per cent of automotive companies report a shortage of specific skills, while 48 per cent highlight the need to introduce entirely new ones. This is not simply a matter of strengthening existing capabilities, but of building professional profiles that barely existed a few years ago. We are talking about software engineers, data scientists, battery and energy storage specialists and charging infrastructure experts — already among the most sought-after figures in the automotive industry — alongside specialists in Adas systems and autonomous driving.
What we are living through is "a moment of transformation in which technology is not an end in itself, but a tool for improving quality of life, enhancing safety and supporting the transition towards a sustainable future. An approach that places people and their needs at the heart of development," explained Marco Santucci, CEO of Geely Italia, who added: "We firmly believe in Italy's potential as a strategic hub for innovation and the mobility of the future."
The automotive industry ranks just behind the tech sector in terms of maturity in adopting artificial intelligence applications. Currently, according to the aforementioned Osservatorio connected vehicle & mobility, 30 per cent of companies in the sector already have a dedicated team and a specific budget for AI projects.
The most advanced applications? Those linked to the aforementioned Adas systems and autonomous driving, which are heavily regulated due to the associated risks. But it is in the area of consumer services that artificial intelligence is seeing its highest adoption rate: 29 per cent of applications are already operational, with a particular focus on AI's capacity to make data-driven decisions (43 per cent) and on driver communication (30 per cent).
Consider how the integration of artificial intelligence into voice assistants is transforming the travel experience: today, in many of the latest-generation cars, it is possible to hold natural conversations with on-board systems (sat-navs, radio, smartphones…), receive personalised real-time route suggestions, and get guidance on how to optimise driving based on traffic, road conditions and charging stations — especially in the case of electric vehicles. The car is increasingly at the centre of a connected digital ecosystem, integrated into people's everyday lives.
The figures in the report speak for themselves. In 2024, the adoption of Adas systems such as automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance led to a 12 per cent reduction in accident rates and a 13 per cent reduction in injury severity. The saving in social costs? Estimated at 1.89 billion euros for equipment installed between 2010 and 2024. Devices sold in 2024 alone generated more than 1 billion euros in net savings. But what is Italians' relationship with safety? According to the findings, a positive one: Italian buyers are willing to pay an average of 1,629 euros more for a vehicle equipped with Adas features — a sign of growing awareness of the value of active safety.
But how are companies responding to this revolution? By investing in training: 58 per cent of the organisations surveyed are focusing on upskilling and reskilling programmes, while 20 per cent are investing in structured internal training. In detail, the most widespread initiatives concern digital skills (39.1 per cent) and professional workshops (36.6), though there is little evidence of dedicated pathways covering artificial intelligence applied to the car, autonomous driving and the most advanced technologies. The sector, in short — as we have often highlighted — is reinventing itself. But, according to the Politecnico di Milano's analysis, the pace of this metamorphosis risks being insufficient to bridge the gap between the automotive industry as we know it today and the one that lies ahead.
What does it take? The courage to make choices, targeted investments and a strategic vision capable of looking beyond the immediate horizon. Because, if it is true that the car of tomorrow — hopefully increasingly electrified, efficient and sustainable — is being built today, skills and technologies are evolving at great speed, a speed we still need to learn to manage. What is needed is what at Geely Italia they call a "technological Renaissance": a new cultural and technological path within the automotive industry, towards a mobility that combines quality, safety for people, beauty and innovation, and builds real value over time.