EHS Trends In The Vehicle Manufacturing Sector You Should Know About

In the regional and industry-specific breakdown of the 2025 Verdantix global corporate survey on EHS budgets, priorities and tech preferences, respondents in the vehicle manufacturing sector report a significant increase in EHS spending, with 60% of firms stating that their EHS budgets will rise by at least 10% in the next year. EHS teams in vehicle manufacturing are facing new and more complex challenges driven by major shifts in the sector’s inputs, outputs and production processes, all of which demand significant investment to manage effectively.

Commercial teams looking to sell EHS software to firms in the vehicle manufacturing industry should be aware of several sector-specific factors, such as:

• Challenges associated with the shift to EVs.

  Electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing is set to account for a growing share of global vehicle production, with data from the IEA showing EV sales have surged into the tens of millions over the past five years. This shift is reshaping EHS risk profiles across the sector. Manufacturers are facing heightened compliance pressures related to the sourcing and handling of critical minerals used in batteries, as the EU Battery Regulation is set to come into force in 2027. Furthermore, electrocution risk in vehicle manufacturing is increasing: EVs contain batteries of up to 650 volts direct current, compared with the 12‑ or 24‑volt circuits found in traditional vehicles. This shift significantly elevates SIF risk and demands tighter controls and more specialized worker training.

• Growing importance of best practices for managing ergonomic risks.

  Across the vehicle manufacturing sector, there is a high risk of musculoskeletal disorders because the work often requires employees to carry out repetitive tasks, maintain awkward postures, and operate tools and machinery that generate significant vibration. Recognizing this, some of the most prominent vehicle manufacturers have made significant improvements in their ergonomic injury risk management programmes – and Verdantix expects other firms in the sector to follow suit. Ford has invested significantly to redesign production processes to reduce ergonomic stressors, while Toyota has implemented VelocityEHS’s ergonomics software to streamline and enhance the thousands of ergonomic assessments the organization undertakes.

• Increased human-machine interaction safety.
  In 2023, the automotive sector became the leading adopter of industrial robots, accounting for 33% of all US robot installations, according to the International Federation of Robotics. This trend will increase the prevalence of safety risks associated with human-machine interaction, as seen in a multi‑million‑dollar lawsuit filed against Tesla after a worker was seriously injured by a factory robot in 2023. As a result, the industry is expected to accelerate its adoption of advanced safety technologies designed to mitigate these risks. These include wearable sensors and video analytics systems capable of detecting when workers are in close proximity to robots and automatically triggering alerts or equipment slowdowns. Manufacturers are also likely to expand their use of Control of Work software to more reliably enforce lock-out/tag-out procedures. At the same time, vehicle manufacturers’ safety training programmes will evolve to address the unique hazards associated with autonomous and semi‑autonomous machinery. Decision-makers will expect risk management tools in EHS software platforms to be preconfigured to address work involving autonomous equipment.

For more industry insights on EHS practitioners’ top priorities and the relative strengths of technology vendors serving each market, set up an analyst inquiry call.