Tech Talks: Technology or process?
Oliver Hoffmann
General Representative Audi F1 project / designated Chairman of the Boards of Directors of Sauber Group
What is more interesting to engineers or customers the technology or the development process??
Most of you would probably choose the technical features of our Audi products.?
And to be honest: I’m particularly proud of our products like the Audi A6 Avant e-tron concept that debuted at our Annual Media Conference in March.
With our technological roadmap that is clearly focused on e-mobility and digitalization there are a lot more attractive Audi models to come in the next few years.?
As you know, as of 2026 we will only be launching all-electric models on the global market.?From 2022 to 2026 alone, we will invest some 18 billion euros in electric and hybrid drive systems.
But let’s get back to my initial question. What about the process?
Not only our products are changing; so is our entire environment: the legal framework, our technologies, our customers and their needs. And therefore, our processes.
To get to the heart of it: This transformation encompasses our entire organization.?
In past decades, our business model was simple: We developed, built and sold vehicles. This has changed and today we need to think about mobility at an entirely new level: including charging infrastructure, digital ecosystems and seamless software integration in our vehicles.?
All this has implications for the Technical Development division.?
On the one hand, we need new connectivity technologies to enable new business models. On the other hand, we have to manage the growing complexity in development and production.?
In the past, our thinking in the automotive industry was strictly in terms of points in time: The start of production, the market launch, the model update.?
Now our?development?activities need to be?continuous.
Customers expect their cars to receive updates, both software and hardware. Our processes, our qualifications and our mindsets need to be aligned with this.?
Therefore, we are using synergies within the Volkswagen Group and have founded CARIAD in 2020. The Group’s software arm will develop a scalable software platform – called E3 2.0 – with a standardized operating system and cloud connectivity for all brands by 2025.?
CARIAD is responsible for the development of?software-based solutions. And we will take care of the seamless integration into our vehicles.
Furthermore, we are starting at ground level – namely our core product development process – and changing our methodology.?
At the center of it all is?systems engineering. This will involve entirely?new processes and work methods.?
We no longer think sequentially from procurement to development to production to sales. We will keep working on a car even after it is on the market.
In addition, we’ll be working with?new technologies?and?technological advances, whether it’s?battery technology?or new?autonomous driving features.
These tasks are too complex for us to continue working in functional silos. That’s why we are linking up within a matrix organization and collaborating across all functional areas.
As you can see, many complex decisions have to be made in this transformation.?
This process is particularly meaningful.?
For two reasons: Firstly, it’s the great team at Audi with their progressive mindset. Secondly, it’s the result we are creating together, because it makes our transformation visible to our customers: Fully electric Audi models that demonstrate “Vorsprung durch Technik”. Today and in the future.
#FutureIsAnAttitude?#eMobility #EV?#innovation?#sustainability #technology #tech
Fahrzeugingenieur bei AUDI AG
2 年Vorsprung durch Technik entwickeln, was gibt es Sch?neres ???!?
Vorsprung is an attitude
2 年Thank you for the exciting opportunity to participate on this topic. In my opinion, processes create the basis for developing visions. For me, it forms the foundation on which we have the opportunity to develope flexible technological innovations. The process can be identified with the AUDI DNA and can personally add the finishing touches from their own Vision. Therefore it is essential to design the process in a modern and innovative way. This is the best way to combine future technology with modern processes. It's the mix that counts. A new modern development created which can be unconventionally expanded as desired according to Technology. The process culture does not lose too much reference to technology. The use of these modern processes in the operational core areas ensures long-term success, where the customer at the end of the chain will be very satisfied. Not only the technology is based on system engineering, the processes also have to be developed and has to be adjust to the last effective chain. Changes should be flexibly in technology, but also in the processes. It is a very exciting topic that I will follow with great excitement. I totally agree that it is the new complex discovery of today. Best regards.
Project Manager at AVL List GmbH
2 年In my oppinion there should be a working (optimized, and really funktional) process behind all technical features, for the all "lifetime", I mean for the development, but for the production and then for the customer too. You can have a lot of exciting and pioneer ideas, which can be then not integrated into a car, or which makes it so expensive, that it will be cancelled at the end. We all know that balancing between costs and customer satisfaction (not to mention the lot of other aspects) is hard. For me personally the process is more exciting, because that makes possible to do the right decisions in the right time. ??
Automotive Tech & Cybersecurity Expert | 2xSTEM | Published Inventor | PMI & TüV-Certified Project Manager, Cybersecurity Professional | Experienced in Product & Program Management, Engineering, Sales | Based in Germany.
2 年''#At the center of it, it's all about #systemsengineering''. I can't agree more on this quote from you Oliver Hoffmann. For a systematic development of modern automotive, #tech, #tooling, #processes and #framework all are equally important. In practice, often a tradeoff is made and one is picked as favourite against others (for example tech vs. processes) which might yield quick project wins but in a larger picture does more harm than good for the organization. Trick is to find the right balance without over-complicating things. ??
DARE MIGHTY THINGS
2 年Interesting for Achtzig20