The car of the future

Last week the European Union decided the future of the automobile market. The white smoke came, after lengthy negotiations, when the Environment Ministers of the member states agreed on the maxi measure dedicated to climate, the so-called Fit for 55. The package includes, among other things, stopping the sale of gasoline and diesel cars in 2035, with the goal of reducing Co2 emissions by 100 percent (Politician). As the market prepares for a momentous transition, experts are already wondering what impact this agreement will have on the world of work (
Courier
).

Supply chain crisis

The driving of electric vehicles, wrote for example the
Financial Times
, will put something like 22,000 jobs in the UK at risk. In fact, about 15 percent of production jobs in the automotive industry are in specialized areas such as engines, exhaust systems or fuel tanks. For these market segments, dedicated to traditional components, the transition to electrification presents great challenges and could leave behind thousands of workers with non-transferable skills. That is why the British government is trying to attract battery manufacturers to prepare for electric-only production. At the same time, however, electrification promises to create many jobs, as is already happening at several companies, including Ford, which has announced more than 6,000 hires in the United States to increase production of electric vehicles (
Cnbc
).

Governing the transition

Hiring in the electricity sector has increased by nearly 30 percent in two years (
Cnbc
). Companies are making large investments and employing workforce for different roles. Resources with skills in mechanics are primarily sought, from which workers can be employed for data analysis, development, design, monitoring, and chip simulation.

As for Italy, according to the industry association Anfia, electric could lead to the loss of 70,000 jobs. Indeed, even in our country, the ecological and energy transition is profoundly changing the automotive industry grappling with electrification. A process, writes the
Courier
, which if governed well could bring growth and jobs, but also poses enormous risks from a social perspective.

• Apple and Google cars are coming (
  Vox
  ).
• China wants to dominate the electric car industry (
  Wired
  ).