The Role of the Automotive Industry in the Context of Sustainable Transitions

The global automotive industry is undergoing one of the most profound transformations in its history as it shifts from internal combustion engine (ICE) technologies towards more sustainable forms of mobility. This transition is not purely technological but deeply socio-technical, encompassing interdependent changes across policy, infrastructure, user behaviour, industrial organisations, and cultural paradigms. Against this backdrop, this thesis examines the automotive industry's role in facilitating sustainability transitions, with a particular emphasis on the contribution of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and their impact on these transitions. The study adopts a systems-engineering perspective, integrating insights from transition research and sustainability science to develop the Comprehensive Automotive Sustainability Evaluation (CASE) Framework. The CASE Framework synthesises five prominent transition theories – Transition Management (TM), Socio-Technical Governance (STTG), Multi-Level Perspective (MLP), Strategic Niche Management (SNM), and Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) – into a unified analytical and diagnostic tool. It introduces a dual-stream approach that differentiates between system-level (industry) and actor-level (OEM) analyses. By incorporating system thinking, phased transition assessment, and sustainability performance indicators, the framework enables the evaluation of transition progress, adaptability, and capability across environmental, economic, and social dimensions. The framework’s applicability was tested through a comprehensive case study of the German automotive industry and a baseline assessment of the South African automotive sector. Results reveal that while the German automotive industry demonstrates advanced transition capability – driven by innovation ecosystems, policy alignment, and stakeholder coordination – it remains constrained by path dependency and supply-chain sustainability gaps. Conversely, South Africa’s transition is hindered by infrastructural limitations, policy uncertainty, and energy dependency, yet it presents significant potential for leapfrogging through targeted industrial policies and capability development. The CASE Framework was subsequently verified through expert interviews, confirming its theoretical soundness, systemic relevance, and practical applicability for assessing and guiding automotive sustainability transitions. This research contributes both a novel integrative methodology and actionable insights for policymakers and industry practitioners seeking to navigate and accelerate the complex socio-technical transformation of the global automotive industry.

Grantor dc:publisher

Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University

Year dc:date.issued

2026

Author dc:creator

• Greding, Philip Horst Wolfgang

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• De Kock, Imke H.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Repository record dc:identifier.uri

https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136042

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136042