Leadership, AI and the Future of Automotive

Guest article

Martina Janíková · HR and strategic people leader · Women Automotive Network mentor

Electromobility, artificial intelligence and shifting supply chains are reshaping the product itself. The real question is whether leadership is evolving just as fast.

Today's leaders in the automotive industry need more than expertise. They must think strategically, navigate uncertainty, and build organisations capable of continuously reinventing themselves.

I see this through my own mentoring within the Women Automotive Network Mentorship Program. Even short-term mentoring can move women toward leadership faster than self-study or waiting for the “ideal moment” ever could. And I'm proud that, precisely in this time of transformation, strong women are stepping into leadership positions and directly onto boards.

These are women who want to keep developing themselves, who have ambition, a clear goal and the drive to move things forward. Women who don't just want to lead, but who want to help companies get through this period — to navigate a time full of unexpected challenges and come out of it stronger.

“They have courage. And if they choose an equally strong team around them, they can pull together in the same direction. That, to me, is the most valuable thing automotive needs right now.”

Courage and ambition aren't enough, though, if companies don't give them room to act — and part of that is how the very work of leaders and managers is changing.

AI should give managers back time for people

What I also see in practice is that the work of managers itself has to change. AI is no longer something we can watch from a distance. Managers have to learn to use it.

AI and automation can take over part of the operational work: administration, reporting and routine data tasks. The time this frees up should go back to where it's needed most today — to people and to strategy.

The same goes for processes. Well-designed processes aren't about creating more guidelines. When we actually look at a process from start to finish, that's often when we first see what we're doing unnecessarily, where work is being duplicated, and what could be done more simply, faster, or automated.

It's precisely the connection between people, processes and technology that, in my view, will determine who truly turns this transformation into an opportunity.

HR can't afford to wait for change to arrive

Automotive isn't going back to “calm waters” — and maybe that's a good thing.

HR needs to:

• know what competencies the company will need,
• develop the people it already has,
• work with key employees and succession planning,
• and give opportunities to those who might have been overlooked before — for example through structured mentorship.

At the same time, HR itself has to change — less administration, more work with data and AI, more thinking about future competencies, and above all, more real work with people.

We can buy technology and change processes. But the success of transformation ultimately depends on the people who have to make it happen. And that brings us back to leadership. The companies that succeed will be those whose leaders can connect people, technology and strategy — and give their teams the confidence and space to move forward. Organisations can build that capability across whole teams through Corporate Membership with the Women Automotive Network.

About the author

Martina Janíková

Martina has spent more than 20 years working in HR and strategic people leadership. She is an active member of the Women Automotive Network, where she mentors women on their path to leadership. In her work, she helps people and organisations develop their potential, strengthen leadership, and turn change into concrete next steps.