“It’s possible the best days in this cycle are behind us, but there are still some legs to it,” said Hilfinger. He explained that, although the amount of deals in the automotive industry from 2015 to 2016 declined by 1.6 percent, automotive companies’ focus on autonomous vehicles might prevent that amount from falling further in 2017. He added that the quickest way to develop technology to manufacture autonomous vehicles is to acquire it.
Hilfinger also warned that it could be catastrophic for companies if they invest in the wrong technology: “It’s not clear yet what ultimately will emerge as the most successful tech play. People are trying to figure that out. Any kind of acquisition may not pay the dividends you expect.”
