From Daimler to a Small Italian Supplier, 3 Enlightened Digital Moves

Looking over IndustryWeek’s June piece about AI in auto manufacturing, it struck me how big of a challenge traditional manufacturers have ahead of them. Take carmakers, for instance – they are struggling with tariffs, escalating materials costs and changing customer expectations. Competition has expanded to include tech companies such as Uber, Google, Sony and Apple, who are rolling out conventional cars, autonomous vehicles, drones and other disruptive innovations. To stay ahead in this competitive market, manufacturers have to transform their operations, as well as how they interact with customers. They have to adopt new technologies and update the systems they already have. They have to drive improvements from front office to back, from administration to the plant floor. They have no choice.