CAM study shows BMW is the world’s most innovative carmaker

Five of the ten most innovative automotive groups are from China. That share continues down the line. According to the CAM ranking, Chinese car manufacturers account for a record 46 per cent of global innovative strength in the current year. “Based on around 1,000 innovations of the annual analysis period 2023/2024, a radical shift in innovative strength in favour of Chinese of innovation in favour of Chinese car manufacturers,” the CAM says.

On the other hand, German automakers are losing in terms of share of innovation strength. In 2019, they accounted for 45 per cent of innovation – now, their share is only 23 per cent.

The reason is speed. The CAM points out that German OEMs had about 8 per cent more innovations than last year, but that is nothing compared to the Chinese. In that same period, the number of innovations of Chinese manufacturers increased by 32 per cent.

According to CAM, US automakers are also falling behind, especially General Motor and Ford. They fell in the overall ranking from place six and five to place 15 and 16, respectively. Tesla was able to rise from place 15 to 13, but the CAM notes that it has not attained the level of innovation as it did in previous years. The Japanese, on the other hand, are making up for lost time, with Toyota ranking fourth – ahead of Mercedes-Benz and VW Group.

BMW takes the top spot

When looking at individual OEMs, the winner is not from China but from Germany. BMW is the world’s most innovative carmaker, according to this year’s result. “In the latest innovation study, the BMW Group achieved the highest level of innovation among 30 automotive groups on the basis of 70 series innovations (including 27 world firsts) and thus won the AutomotiveINNOVATIONS Award for the most innovative automotive groups for the first time,” CAM says.

Geely and SAIC, so two Chinese companies, take place two and three. And it was a close race. “With an index score of 151 points, the Munich-based group ranks first, just ahead of the Chinese OEMs Geely (149.4 index points) and SAIC (136.8).”

However, the CAM looks at all innovations. We obviously want to focus on electric mobility. In that case, Geely and SAIC are ahead of BMW – and Xpeng and BYD can also score.

“Chinese manufacturers Geely and SAIC, who made it onto the podium, as well as Xiaopeng Motors (Xpeng, 7th place) and BYD (8th place) are showing very strong innovation performance in the technology fields of electric mobility (BEV), advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and interfaces (operating/display concepts), in which they are presenting over 80 world firsts,” says CAM. “In the BEV sector, GAC, Geely, SAIC and Xpeng are generating segment records, particularly in charging power and range, such as the highest charging power in the van segment of the Xpeng X9.”

For its ranking, CAM sampled about 30 automotive groups with more than 100 brands. The current results comprise 709 individually assessed innovations that are already available to customers in key global markets and a further 282 pre-series innovations or studies.

Source: Infos via e-mail, automotiveinnovations.de