Germany’s auto industry loses over 42,000 jobs in six months

Germany’s auto industry is facing further pressure as employment in the sector continues to decline. According to Germany’s Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the number of people employed at automotive manufacturing companies fell by 42,300, or 5.8%, in the first six months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. Following this decline, employment in Germany’s automotive industry dropped to 691,500, the lowest level recorded since 2005. Despite the decline, the automotive industry remains Germany’s second-largest industrial sector after mechanical engineering, which employs around 905,900 people. The sharpest employment decline within the automotive sector was recorded in the production of vehicle parts and accessories, which fell by 7.6% to 219,500. Employment in the production of vehicles and engines declined by 6.1% over the same period. Across Germany’s manufacturing sector as a whole, employment fell by 2.7% year-on-year to 5.29 million during the reporting period, highlighting broader challenges for the country’s industrial economy.