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32 October 2018 | AutoData PERSPECTIVES 2019 » OVERVIEW tion of a higher GDP growth this year was enough to motivate transporters to return to purchases. To recover, as least, the value of the assets. They are favorable conditions in both cases, that may or may not return next year, depending on who will be elected andwhat will be the economic policy. But it is certain that, sooner or later, perhaps in 2020 or in 2021, these customers will be back on the market. And when that happens as Golfarb, from Ford, emphasizes, thosewho decline to invest nowwill run the risk of not being able to start with the others, which would represent a loss of a considerable market share that can hardly be recovered. It should also be considered that part of the investments planned is specifically destined to the so-called Industry 4.0 and the resulting increase in productivity, con- sidered now indispensable because of the difficulty that the automakers find in passing on increases in production costs due to idleness and global price increases regardingmetallurgical and petrochemical commodities. In this context, the unexpected exchan- ge variation of around 30% that sharply raised the dollar to more than R$ 4 contri- buted to increase even more the produc- tion costs, in this case due to the imported components. The theoretical next step of this ballet, indicate several of the executives of the sector, is to bring rate back to the previous level in the not too distant future, because today it is not on the rhythm. It would not be justified, therefore, passing on the prices by the exchange rate increases, not even with regard to the imported cars. There are, in this matter, several and very diverse choreographies available on the stage. The steps of each one deserve to be closelymonitored for possible reflec- tions that may be caused in the automotive sector’s life. Cortes, from VWCO, for example, as-