Between Industrial Success and Economic Fragility: The Auto Parts Sector and the Limits of Regional Development in Querétaro

Abstract: This article analyzes the current situation of the automotive sector, with particular emphasis on the auto parts industry, in the State of Querétaro during 2025. It evaluates both its contribution to regional economic growth and the structural risks associated with a high level of sectoral dependence. The central objective is to critically examine the role this sector has played in employment generation, the increase in state gross domestic product, and Querétaro’s integration into global value chains, while also identifying the vulnerabilities derived from this development model in an increasingly uncertain international context. Using an analytical approach grounded in the literature on regional development, productive specialization, and global value chains, the study integrates recent statistical evidence, public policy analysis, and specialized academic contributions. The findings show that the auto parts sector has consolidated itself as one of the main economic engines of the state; however, this specialization has generated high exposure to external factors, such as restrictive trade policies in the United States, increasing competition from the Chinese automotive sector, and the limited integration of local suppliers into high value-added segments. The conclusions indicate that, although the automotive sector has driven economic growth in Querétaro, its predominance poses significant risks to long-term economic resilience. In this regard, the article underscores the need to diversify the state’s productive structure by strengthening other strategic sectors, in order to reduce vulnerability to external shocks and promote more balanced and sustainable regional development.