Strategic customer foresight: From research to strategic decision-making using the example of highly automated vehicles

Understanding changing consumer needs is crucial for a company's survival. Particularly in the context of vehicle autonomy, customer insights lay a significant foundation for strategic decision-making of organizations in the automotive industry. This paper outlines how a German car manufacturer explored customer needs in the context of highly automated vehicles (AVs).(1) by implementing corporate foresight research with visionary customers and how the findings supported the strategic decision-making process of the firm. A qualitative pilot study with 29 visionary, trend-receiving customers from Germany, the USA and China identified three innovative use cases for premium highly AVs. A subsequent quantitative online survey with 733 participants from the same three markets confirms the relevance of the use cases for mainstream and innovative consumers. The findings underline that highly AVs are a game changer, transforming future cars into extended living and office spaces, with several implications for practitioners. The findings helped to adapt the organization's business model and branding strategy, provided valuable insights for follow-up studies and shaped corporate communication. The contribution of the paper is threefold: It introduces the concept of strategic customer foresight, outlines specifically how organizations can implement customer foresight research as well as how such research benefits the decision-making process of companies. Further, the paper discloses future customer needs in the context of premium highly AVs.