According to a report in Automotive News based on the AlixPartners’ 2026 Disruption Index, automotive leaders are more anxious about their jobs than peers in any other sector—an unease that mirrors the industry’s status as the most disrupted for a second straight year, according to new findings and recent events.
AlixPartners’ 2026 Disruption Index shows disruption remains pervasive across global boardrooms, driven by inflation, energy prices, geopolitics and cybersecurity, even as supply-chain and labour pressures ease. Nearly half of executives report their businesses were highly disrupted, with AI now the “great divider”: 80% are optimistic about its impact, yet pressure on leaders is rising. In parallel, AlixPartners reports 45% of CEOs fear losing their jobs and 85% say they need more personal and professional support, underscoring the leadership strain behind today’s strategy shifts.
For carmakers, those macro shocks collide with a unique product cycle and capital intensity. Executives cite protectionism and tariffs as top threats, unsurprising after a year in which US tariff policy upended cost structures and trade routes, with retaliatory measures from key partners creating a patchwork of barriers. Analysts estimate the tariff fight has already imposed billions in costs while forcing automakers to reconsider production footprints, inventory strategies and model launches.
The knock-on effects are visible in planning and sentiment. Industry watchers note that, despite resilience in sales, the sector faces persistent headwinds from consumer softness and policy volatility, even as some tariff burdens ebb. Europe’s position is further complicated by the accelerating EV contest with China and the US, where industrial policy and trade barriers are reshaping competitiveness and supply chains.
Yet there is a silver lining if firms can deliver. Executives see revenue opportunity in autonomous features, software-defined vehicles and AI. AlixPartners’ latest report likewise finds growth leaders leaning into AI, business-model change and geopolitical repositioning to convert disruption into advantage. The catch? Automotive’s long development timelines make rapid monetisation harder; for now, many deploy AI primarily to take out cost rather than drive top-line growth.
In short, car bosses are navigating the sharpest edge of the global economy: tariffs that raise the floor, technologies that raise the bar, and strategy horizons measured in years while disruption moves in quarters. The winners will be those who use software, supply-chain rewiring and disciplined capital allocation to turn volatility into momentum.
