German car industry sheds jobs at record paceJob losses in Germany's automotive industry are currently accelerating faster than in any other industrial sector, with employment falling to its lowest level since 2005, Germany's Federal Statistical Office said on Friday.
At the end of the first half of 2026, 691,500 people were employed in Germany's leading industry, representing a drop of 42,300 workers, or 5.8%, within a single year.
Job losses were recorded in other industrial sectors too, but at a slower pace. Across the manufacturing sector as a whole, the number of employees fell by 2.7% to 5.29 million.
The automotive industry remains Germany's second-largest industrial sector after mechanical engineering, which employs 905,900 people.
Job cuts were particularly steep among suppliers of parts and accessories for motor vehicles, where employment fell by 7.6%. Manufacturers themselves shed 6.1% of jobs.
In the smaller supplier segment covering the production of bodywork, superstructures and trailers, the number of employees rose by 10% to 42,800.
The decline in employment in the sector has been apparent for some time. The German Association of the Automotive Industry warned in May that up to 225,000 jobs could be lost by 2035. Several manufacturers and suppliers have also recently announced cost-cutting programmes and job cuts.
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