Electrification, connected mobility and autonomous driving are the top drivers of innovation in the automobile industry.
 
The intelligent, seamless networking of all three megatrends is the actual source of disruption and is frequently also described by using the very broad-ranging term of “digitization.”

Some of the key requirements can be very well described by the “Success Factors of Digitization” model.  I developed this together with my former executive assitant at Audi, Mr. Andre Hainzlmaier, and presented it for the first time to the public in June of 2016 at the 20th international expert congress of “Advances in automotive electronics.”

The keynote address showed great national and international appeal and was assessed as the best contribution at the congress.

Digitalization means developing a perfect core product as well as building a corresponding product system around the core product.

Apple and Samsung are good examples in this case: Extremely high quality hard- and software were skillfully linked to an ecosystem (AppStore and ITunes are well known to you).

An additional, decisive factor is that the internal configuration of any company also be made suitable for digitalization: business model, network, structures, technology and, above all, competence in all company areas and hierarchies must be further developed for the digital age.

In this case, UBER is a good example of the development of a new business model and Samsung is a good example showing how key technologies can be sustainably tapped into.

Every now and then, however, it is most important to transfer the customer experience into the age of digitization. 

In the digital age, service, sales channels, brands, and customer loyalty merge into one experience for the customer, the user experience. 

As a simple example here we mention Amazon, which has managed it so that you can find their shopping cart on every device and can continue movies and books on different devices and thus enjoy a consistent customer experience. 

The goal is a unified consideration that goes beyond the core product. Digitization affects not only the core product, but rather also the internal configuration and, above all, the customer experience.

The key technological factor for this unified approach is a continuous, end-2-end architecture.