Lightstone Auto made a profound impact at the 2024 South African Auto Week hosted by naamsa, held from October 15-18 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). This annual event brought industry leaders together to unpack the policies, technologies, and trends shaping the future of the automotive sector. Marking a century of automotive excellence, SA Auto Week 2024 set the stage for the next wave of innovation and sustainability. The event highlighted the critical role of data in navigating global technological shifts, making Lightstone’s insights more relevant than ever.
Spotlight on technology and trends
Jaco van Staden, Lightstone’s Head of Sales, emphasised how data is essential in understanding and adapting to evolving customer behaviour, particularly in response to technological changes. As a trusted data partner, Lightstone highlighted the growing influence of Chinese brands in the South African market. These brands are reshaping the automotive landscape, catering to the country’s affordability needs – a trend that is expected to continue. Lightstone’s detailed market analysis, which segmented vehicle sales by regions like China, Europe, and Japan, provided invaluable insights for stakeholders.
Lightstone's presence at this leading event also resonated with broader industry themes, including electric vehicle adoption and alternative energy mobility, aligning with government support for innovation in manufacturing. Lightstone also emphasised the growing importance of data in enhancing customer retention and optimising vehicle valuations.
Leading the industry conversation
Paul-Roux de Kock, Lightstone’s Chief Analytics Officer, contributed to discussions on shifting consumer preferences, including the rising demand for Chinese brands which meet the affordability needs of South African consumers. He underscored the importance of breaking down data barriers to foster greater transparency and competitiveness within the automotive sector.
Lightstone's Chief Analytics Officer, Paul-Roux de Kock, was part of the SA Auto Week panel discussion, entitled Emerging Trends and Disruptions of Imported Brands in SA, sharing key insights.
Driving a future-fit South Africa
A key highlight of the event was President Ramaphosa’s reaffirmed commitment to advancing alternative energy mobility manufacturing in South Africa. Discussions also centered around the SA Automotive Masterplan (SAAM 2035), which aims to increase the country’s vehicle production to 1% of global output by 2035.
Partnering to recognise industry excellence
SA Auto Week culminated in the prestigious Accelerator Awards. Lightstone Auto was a proud research partner for the awards and provided independently audited datasets to recognise the top-performing automotive brands across multiple segments and the entire value chain. The South African automotive industry continues to be a driving force in our economy, and the Accelerator Awards are a testament to the passion, innovation and excellence of the people and brands contributing to this vital sector’s success. Congratulations to all the finalists and winners (Click here for the results).
The glittering Accelerator Awards event where Lightstone Auto proudly partnered as the research provider for these prestigious awards, offering independently audited data to recognise top-performing automotive brands across multiple segments during SA Auto Week.
The Lightstone Auto team members at the Accelerator Awards. From left: Paul Marshall, Lightstone Auto MD, Everton Bowers, Head of Software Development/Data/BI, Corney Jansen van Vuuren, Product Manager, Melissa van Rensburg, Head: Industry Insights, Paul-Roux de Kock, Chief Analytics Officer, Jaco van Staden, Head of Sales.
Special mention goes to Andrew Hibbert, Auto Data Analyst & Team Lead (not featured in any photos) who worked tirelessly on extracting, collating and accurately analysing the data to support all Lightstone’s activities at SA Auto Week.
Re-imagining the future of South African motoring
Lightstone's participation at SA Auto Week 2024 drove home the vital role data analytics will play in shaping the future of automotive retail and financing, while reaffirming its position as a vital player in the future of South Africa’s automotive industry.
