Automotive
A race
towards innovation
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The automotive sector is one of the world’s largest industries and is a highly complex market characterised by constant challenges and technological innovations.
Automotive firms need to spend more on new technologies such as connectivity, driving automation, shared mobility, electrification. Simultaneously they need to continue investing in ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) technologies for efficiency, reducing emissions for a few more years. Also, they need to plan other technology investments as lightweight, hydrogen, more safety, security, and other new features.
Driving towards the future: the automotive industry’s race for innovation and cost optimisation
The profound changes affecting the automotive industry as well as the high competitiveness of the sector, and the need to optimise costs have led manufacturers to accelerate the pace of innovation and minimise product time-to-market.
After the health crisis, governments launched massive investment plans to support the development of electric and hydrogen technologies and the associated services and infrastructure.
Several digital giants (e.g. Apple, Foxconn, Xiaomi) have confirmed the launch of their electric car projects. Today, Tesla’s stock market valuation exceeds that of all other manufacturers combined.
In order to remain competitive, traditional manufacturers and their suppliers are moving to control their value chain: relocation of strategic production (batteries, semi-conductors, etc.) and internalisation of software development related to smart mobility.
ALTEN, a major player in the automotive sector
ALTEN supports its customers in the industry’s priority challenges, including
- Autonomy: secured and connected
- The Customer: intuitiveness and comfort
- Mobility: shared and globalized
- The Economy: a vector of sustainability
- Society: low carbon
Our know-how in automotive engineering, the quality of our project management methodologies (CMMI level 3 since 2013) and the performance of our international R&D structures position us as a technological partner.
ALTEN in the automotive industry
680 M€
2022 turnover
+10,700
consultants en 2022
29
countries
What are the market trends in the Automotive Industry?
Earlier automotive outsourcing drivers were flexibility and time to market. Now there are costs and talents. Engineering service companies, such as ALTEN, provide services to develop faster and in a cost-effective way to take advantage of this with access to the right resources and skills.
In order to meet the challenges of global warming, public health and reducing dependence on fossil energy resources, all mobility stakeholders are committed to hybrid, electric or hydrogen propulsion technologies.
Challenges:
- Reduce the cost of electric power components
- Increase battery life and control battery supply
- Deploy recharging infrastructures and reduce recharging time
Artificial intelligence, the low cost of sensors and the development of new communications technologies have created a boom in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and self-driving vehicles.
AD (Autonomous Driving) systems offer new opportunities in the passenger and goods transport market, which is 5 times more important than the automotive market.
Challenges:
- Allow the autonomous driving algorithm to cover as many situations as possible
- Prepare the individual for use based on a rethought ergonomics
- Prioritise new services related to autonomous transport
The growth in mobility in Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East has reached the 100 million vehicles sold per year mark.
In the last 15 years, car sales in China have multiplied by 25, which is almost 25 million new vehicles in 2017, more than one-third of the global market.
Challenges:
- Harmonise the logistics on the international scale
- Develop and use local industrial and R&D resources
- Anticipate rapid changes in these markets
Collecting data will make it possible to develop new services (insurance, parking, etc.), optimise R&D, and production costs based on actual use by car drivers, or even implement predictive maintenance.
The market for collecting and using vehicle data could reach 33 billion dollars in 2025 compared to 2 billion in 2017.
Challenges:
- Protect personal data and car manufacturer data
- Exploit a large quantity of unstructured data
- Innovate in distribution and services in the automotive sector
ALTEN value proposition
Functional sectors covered by alten
- Design, Architecture
- Body In White
- Chassis, Brakes & Steering
- Automate Vehicle Functions
- Multimedia & Connectivity
- Vehicle Dynamics & Synthesis
- Powertrain System (thermal)
- Hybrid & Electrical Vehicle
- Process Engineering, Smart Factory
- Logistic and Supply Chain
- PMO, Quality, Training
- Infrastructures
- ADAS
- Cockpit
- In Vehicle Infotainement (IVI)
- Engine Control (Thermal / PHEV / EV)
- Interior Equipments
- Exterior Equipments
- Process Engineering, Smart Factory
- PMO, Quality, Training
- Infrastructures
Our Success Stories
More than 1,500 ALTEN powertrain engineers are working on key innovations in the sustainable mobility sector, on behalf of top car manufacturers and automotive suppliers.
A premium British car manufacturer wanted to develop and produce a brand-new family of compact, lightweight, and low-emission petrol and diesel engines internally. To assist this project, ALTEN deployed more than 150 powertrain engineers to the United Kingdom within record time.
To launch its first level-4 autonomous vehicle, a French car manufacturer has to ensure its safety and robustness with regard to everyday traffic situations. ALTEN is assisting our customer in virtual-based safety testing for self-driving vehicles.
Future autonomous vehicles will be based on groundbreaking innovations coming into series during the next years. The world’s leading automotive safety component supplier and ALTEN are working hand in hand to ensure the development of one of the smallest integrated front camera-based advanced driver assistance systems on the market.
Vehicle light-weighting has become one of the biggest challenges faced by the automotive industry, with its impact on fuel economy and emissions, especially considering the new WLTP and RDE tests. ALTEN manages the whole vehicle weight balance process and controls, for two German major automotive manufacturers, over nearly all car lines.
One of the world’s largest manufacturers of heavy-duty trucks invests several dozen of millions of dollars to upgrade its one million-square-foot facilities in Pennsylvania (USA). XDIN USA, a subsidiary of the ALTEN Group, supports the customers to further improve manufacturing quality and efficiency.
Our clients
Automotive Manufacturers
- BMW AG
- Ford
- General Motors
- Honda
- Jaguar Land Rover
- Mercedes-Benz
- Renault-Nissan
- Stellantis
- Toyota
- Volkswagen Group
- Volvo Group
Automotive Suppliers
- Aptiv
- Autoliv
- Bosch
- Continental AG
- Mbition
- Magna
- Magneti Marelli
- Forvia
- Seoyon
- Valeo
- ZF
