24. FEBRUARY 2023 Exchange Platform for the Automotive Industry
Stabilize Disrupted Supply Chains with the Help of AI
Passau, February 24, 2023 – Supply chain disruptions have become emblematic of our time, halting the global flow of goods and production processes. Many industries, automotive manufacturing for example, are being severely disrupted by the aftermath of the pandemic, geopolitical crises, and trade restrictions. One Data, the German AI specialist, has developed a solution to show companies they are not powerless in the face of these problems.
Their platform “Wavetrade” enables the purchase, sale, and exchange of critical components, such as semiconductors and chips. The solution has been adopted by leading companies like HARMAN Automotive, and the first weeks since the platform’s December 2022 launch have demonstrated that its approach to supply chain resiliency is gaining traction, with successful matches and trades already being made. The platform employs data analytics and AI with an emphasis on sustainability.
Automotive supply chains have long been regarded as stable, with a vast network of hundreds of supplier companies working in tandem to bring the final product to retailers. The pandemic and the resulting “chip crisis” have led to significant issues: specific semiconductors were either not produced in adequate quantities or disrupted shipping created transportation bottleneck. This made it difficult for the automotive industry to acquire the necessary chips. While this chip crisis has been partially resolved, supply chains remain inherently fragile. Potential trade restrictions in this sector suggest that new problems could arise at any moment.
Many companies feel powerless in the face of supply chain disruptions. However, Dr. Stefan Roskos, Managing Director at Passau-based AI specialist One Data, suggests otherwise, stating that supply disruptions often stem from a lack of information. Companies are often uncertain whether the required chips are still available. Additionally, parts shortages are not just due to production capacity, but also arise from uneven chip distribution, with some companies holding too many in stock while others have too few. However, Roskos explains that data and artificial intelligence can address this situation. One Data has developed a highly effective virtual trading and exchange platform to facilitate this.
HARMAN Automotive, a leading supplier for networked infotainment systems in cars, is among the first to successfully adopt the One Data platform. HARMAN’s extensive experience in this high-tech sector involving large quantities of chips that meet the highest quality standards, requiring timely and reliable delivery, makes it an ideal partner for the platform. HARMAN recognizes the value of collaboration in these difficult times and has established task forces to engage with semiconductor manufacturers to increase supply, and to call on CEOs to initiate bilateral component swaps. Thomas Frei, the Vice President of Sales, Inventory and Operations Planning at HARMAN Automotive, acknowledges that these efforts involve significant manual effort, prompting HARMAN to seek out One Data’s data-based platform community as a more efficient, comprehensive, and secure solution for such exchanges.
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