The recent DVN Shanghai event included three panel discussions for participants to have direct interaction with Chinese setmaker VIPs, regulation officers, and automaker designers. The main goal was to understand better what is happening in China’s vehicle lighting business, what are the challenges and the next steps.
Competition is hard in China, and development speed is so important that a new way of working has been developed between automakers and their setmakers, including the complete supply chain. Less-stringent regulations, Chinese consumer demand for showy lighting, and a large population of new automakers make for more fun in lamp design, more creativity in design and in commercializing innovation, more risk in project management, and more reactivity to solve the problems.
Close relationships are needed among designers and R&D teams at automakers and lamp makers. Regulators need to increase their speed to keep up with evolving technology and consumer desires.
This is really what I like about DVN events: to have a direct exchange with high level people, to create bridges and connections among designers and engineers; automakers, tier-1 and -2 suppliers, and regulators. A DVN event is the only place where a tier-2 toolmaker can talk directly with Dongfeng’s head of design, for example.
In this week’s DVNewsletter, you’ll also find my interview with Mobis Executive Vice President Axel Maschka about his perspective on the automotive industry; particularly vehicle lighting and ADAS business considerations. An interesting discussion to enlarge the scope after our business week in China, and in preparation for the CES event beginning of January in Las Vegas!
