Automotive: how the sector works
how automotive works: OEMs and tiered suppliers, platform and scale economics, the dealer and financing model, and the EV/software transition.
This block builds foundational fluency in the automotive sector, from vehicle design and component sourcing through manufacturing, distribution, retail, and aftersales. You will map the value chain across OEMs, tier suppliers, dealers, and mobility providers, and understand where margin actually pools. You will learn the power dynamics between incumbents, EV challengers, and regulators, plus the competitive forces reshaping the industry through electrification and software. You will cover the regulations governing emissions, safety, and type approval in the US and Europe, and the compliance constraints they create. Finally, you will master the key market figures, acronyms, benchmarks, and routine calculations professionals use to size opportunities and run due diligence.
What you'll master
- Map the automotive value chain and pinpoint where margin concentrates across OEMs, suppliers, and dealers
- Analyze competitive dynamics between incumbents and EV challengers and assess each player's bargaining power
- Identify the emissions, safety, and type-approval regulations that constrain operations in the US and Europe
- Size the US and European markets and run standard calculations like content per vehicle and capacity utilization