How automotive organizations can maximize the smart factory potential
汽车企业如何最大化挖掘智能工厂潜力
Introduction
With the Fourth Industrial Revolution accelerating, manufacturing is focused on the factory of the future. Our 2019 research on smart factories in the sector found that nearly 70% of manufacturers as a whole have ongoing smart factory initiatives, up from 43% in 2017.1 And, our 2018 research into the automotive sector in particular also found significant appetite.2 Today, auto OEMs and suppliers are commiting significant investment. Audi’s Mexican factory was constructed with an investment of USD1.3 billion, while Great Wall Motor’s smart facility in China cost USD629 million.3
While these are notable examples, we wanted to understand how auto firms are turning appetite for smart factories into reality. To understand whether they have been able to scale their smart factory intiatives, we surveyed a hundred auto firms, 98 of which have smart factory initiatives underway. We also spoke to executives overseeing smart factory initiatives across the world.
Based on our analysis, this report looks at the following areas:
1. The industry’s appetite for smart factories and the progress made over the last 18 to 24 months
2. How smart factories benefit the auto industry
3. What OEMs and suppliers can do to scale their smart factory initiatives and achieve the full potential of this new industrial revolution.