Anuário Brasileiro do Setor de Locação de Veículos | 2020

133 2020 Anuário Brasileiro do Setor de Locação de Veículos Brazilian Vehicle Rental Sector Yearbook Automotive industry heads for clearer horizon T he automotive industry began 2020 with good prospects. While the forecasts cannot give rise to extreme optimism, there are signs of confidence in the air and Brazil has just risen from eighth to sixth in global ranking, overtaking France and the United Kingdom. The National Association of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (Anfavea) forecasts a 9.4% increase in vehicle sales in the current financial year, up on 2.57 million units last year. Production is expected to increase by 7.3%. Luiz Carlos Moraes, president of Anfavea, toasts the domestic market as the driver of the increase in production, mitigating poor exports. He says the ideal scenario would be to have about 40% of production exported, but manufacturers are far from that, with 15% of output being sold abroad. Automakers have supported their 2020 strategy on more favorable economic indicators. The sector forecasts growth in GDP at 2.5%, with controlled inflation and unemployment slightly falling, lower interest rates and greater consumer confidence. The last two items improving recovery in business, in the opinion of Moraes. Moraes recognizes how varied consumer profiles are but identifies a preference for SUVs that, in the last year, accounted for 25% of sales - a record for the segment, second only to compact hatches. In addition, 1-liter engines accounted for almost 40% of total cars sold. which proves the strength of the entrance level in retail and also among rental companies. Moraes notes that sales to rental companies, companies and governments increasingly help consolidate business. Despite each automaker having its own strategy in relation to this niche, Moraes recognizes the participation of institutional buyers for each manufacturer, including growing demand from app drivers and sharing companies. Another reliable signal is that the automotive industry has not stopped investing. With an agenda to be met in relation to improvements in safety items and emission reductions, defined by legislation and organized by the Rota 2030 program, manufacturers are consolidating projects and remains aligned with the demands for connectivity in vehicles and increasing automation.  Sector enjoys three consecutive years of recovery in sales and production figures perfil do consumidor do automóvel no país, mas identifi- ca a predileção pelas SUVs que, no último ano, respon- deram por 25% das vendas, “um recorde desse seg- mento, que só perde para os hatches compactos”. Além disso, os carros com motor 1.0 representaram quase 40% do total dos emplacamentos, ”o que comprova a força do segmento de entrada junto ao varejo e também entre as locadoras”. Moraes observa que “as vendas para locadoras, empresas e governos ajudam cada vez mais a conso- lidar os negócios”. A despeito de cada montadora ter estratégia própria em relação a esse nicho, o dirigente reconhece a participação do comprador institucional no cardápio comercial de cada fabricante, atendendo in- clusive “à crescente demanda de motoristas de aplicati- vos e empresas de compartilhamento”. Outro sinalizador de confiança é de que a indús- tria automotiva não deixou de investir. Com agenda a cumprir em relação a melhorias em itens de seguran- ça e redução das emissões, definida pela legislação e organizada pelo programa Rota 2030, o conjunto dos fabricantes nacionais consolida projetos e se mantém alinhado às demandas por conectividade nos veículos e automação crescente.   Luiz Carlos Moraes Presidente da ANFAVEA / President of ANFAVEA © João Luiz Oliveira - Technifoto | ANFAVEA