Project Could Save Auto Industry A Billion Dollars Annually
The Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) has successfully tested new technology that allows automakers and suppliers to share previously incompatible product data files used to design auto components. The AIAG says the technology plays a big part in a push for online collaborative engineering and has the potential to reduce costs in the industry's vehicle engineering system by at least $1.4 billion annually.
During the test, which took place in August, engineering data was shared among eight companies in North America and Europe, including Ford Motor Co., Renault, Siemens VDO Automotive Corp., Johnson Controls Inc., TRW Automotive, EDS, PTC and MatrixOne Inc. Files that were generated on individual company's highly customized and configured systems were shared throughout AIAG's pilot supply chain without the loss of data or operability.