The speed of the automotive industry’s structural transformation, declining market performance, rising costs and uncertainty over Romania’s investment environment are among the key challenges facing the sector, Alin Ioanes, CEO of Rombat, said at Automotive Forum 2026, organised by Automotive Today and The Diplomat-Bucharest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking at the event, Ioanes highlighted the rapid changes reshaping the automotive industry, driven by intensifying competition, geopolitical crises and the growing need for technological adaptation. He said the main challenge for Romania is whether its economy can keep pace with the speed of this transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I believe 2026 has gone by very quickly because there have been so many challenges this year. We can see how rapidly this industry is changing. We have discussed many issues here, including competitiveness, competition and geopolitical crises. It is clear that the automotive industry is undergoing a structural transformation,” Ioanes said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I believe the biggest problem is the speed at which this structural transformation is taking place, and whether we, as an economy, can catch up with this pace and keep up with the transformation of the automotive industry,” he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Rombat CEO also pointed to existing gaps and a significant decline in the sector’s performance during the first ten months of the year, describing the current period as a crucial moment for the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“There are certain gaps, and there has been a significant decline in the first ten months of the year, which shows that we are at a crucial moment. We still have a few months left in the year, but there is not much we can do within this timeframe,” Ioanes said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Against this backdrop, he stressed the importance of genuine cooperation between automotive companies and government authorities, calling for the identification and implementation of practical solutions without delay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“This partnership between companies, automotive industry players and government authorities is important. We need a genuine partnership focused on identifying rapid solutions. It is essential to identify these solutions and determine how we can turn them into something tangible and concrete,” he stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ioanes identified several interconnected factors that will determine the competitiveness of Romania’s automotive industry, including operating costs, labour expenses, wage developments, productivity, digitalisation and automation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“There are many aspects to consider, starting with our competitiveness and cost structure, particularly labour costs. Wage increases need to be correlated with productivity,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also emphasised the need to accelerate digitalisation and automation while ensuring that companies can adopt new technologies and receive the support required to make the transition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Digitalisation, automation and everything that has an impact on our ability to remain competitive with new technologies are essential. There is a major discussion about how we can adopt these new technologies and what kind of support we can receive in this direction,” Ioanes explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Attracting new investment to Romania is another major challenge, particularly amid questions surrounding the predictability of the business environment, future taxation and operating costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He noted that investors and companies need greater visibility over the coming period in order to make informed decisions and plan their budgets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“How can we attract investors to Romania when there are still question marks regarding predictability and visibility over the coming period, particularly in terms of taxation and costs? We need to know what will happen and how we can incorporate these important elements into our budgets,” Ioanes concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n