This article will give you overview of development of complete vehicle. This will gives you answer of timeline spend of complete development of car from concept phase to SOP (start of production).
Whether you are developing a component or a complete vehicle, we can divide the whole process in Sub-process.
Different OEM’s follow different naming of process in the development but gist of developing the vehicle will remain same in all OEM’s. First we will see the overview of development and later we will take few practical examples of OEM’s.
1.Concept, Styling and Package:
The starting point of every new development is the Concept. The concept phase defines the outline and framework conditions for the Vehicle segments, markets, technology, deadlines, costs and pricing. From technical point of view, drafting of a vehicle concept involves creating a package and safety concept ,conducting a potential analysis ,developing a body in white structure concept and aerodynamics values and defining the production Technology.
To ensure the success of product, Technology comparisons with competitors are conducted and benchmarking defined. we take one example to understand the benchmarking .Suppose you are playing in luxury segment and during the benchmarking you find that every other OEM’s has given the Massager function in seat of the car so it becomes very obvious that you need to give this function with some additional features.
2.Construction Design: CAD
In construction design phase, concept comes into reality. Common CAD systems (CATIA/NX/Solid Works) are used to create detailed designs which are used for production of initial prototypes and models.
Product cost optimization also plays a crucial role in construction design phase as budget of product is already finalized.
3.Integration and Testing
In the development process, every component ,be it body, electricals/electronics, chassis ,engine or complete vehicle is tested and optimized under realistic conditions. Individual components and entire vehicle is tested for durability and must withstand to the defined standard.
4.Industrialization: SOP
In the Final phase of product development process, transferring developments into series production . All the lesson learns to be considered in series production which we find during whole development process and you are all set to go.
Practical example of Vehicle development in OEM:
I have explained above a brief summary of development but we have many sub process when it comes to actual development of Vehicle.
I will try explained in detail each and every step of development in my upcoming articles but here I will give you an overview of development by below snip.
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Different phases in development:
Concept Phase
Definition phase
Target Setting phase
Technical design & development Phase
Tooling Phase
Production Validation Phase
Pre series build
Job1
Launch
THE BASIC MODEL OF A NEW CAR DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
A vehicle project is built on a V-model, where the product definition and validation are in a vertical layer and the project milestones are in a horizontal line. The method of defining requirements and specifications is explained on the left side of the V. The functional and technical specifications of the entire vehicle, including its systems and components, are developed based on the requirements provided by the customer.
The validation and test process is indicated on the right side of the V. Before the car is ultimately certified, the verified components are integrated, initially into the systems and then into the entire vehicle. To put it simply, an automotive concept is first disassembled into systems and parts, and then it is reassembled into a whole car during the vehicle development process.
The upper left portion of the V-model is included in the concept phase. Verifying the project’s general timeline, essential technical and financial objectives, and other details are the aim of the idea phase.
The Customer Market Profile (CMP) is the first document created during this phase. The first set of quantifiable measures can be used to establish the first set of complete vehicle targets once the CMP has been created, the target market, and benchmark vehicles have been identified.1.
The vehicle targets are then divided into system-level targets once they are fully understood. Strong collaboration between interdisciplinary teams characterizes this approach since features cross over into many systems and adjustments made in one area frequently have an impact on numerous other areas.2.
Both documents will be continuously detailed and updated throughout this development phase as the vehicle concept becomes more sophisticated.
With the requirements, specifications and the rough BOM at hand, the vehicle targets can be agreed upon in the target agreement (TA). Once the TA has been reached, the set requirements and metrics are definitive and serve as the basis for the upcoming development phase.
In addition, the business case is updated based on the technical input with focus on the investments (tooling, plant, supplier development cost, …).
HOW DO YOU ENSURE A SMOOTH PROJECT PROCESS?
Several challenging situations can occur during the concept phase. The following five strategies will help in navigating the concept phase.
1. Assume That Your BOM Needs Re-Adjustments
The bill of materials is one of the most common pitfalls for new entrants. The initial BOM is devised during the concept phase, and thus based on estimations. Therefore, it will be incomplete in some segments. As the project progresses, the BOM will thus require adjustments to the initial estimates or the addition of parts missing in the original draft. Even minor alterations to the project can change the calculated cost for the business plan. Therefore, new entrants should monitor changes during the concept phase constantly and ensure a clear decision-making process.
2. Keep Design and Engineering in Balance
The main point of interaction in vehicle development usually forms between the technical features of a vehicle and its design and styling concept. Technical requirements sometimes limit the creative freedom, whereas design choices demand compromises from the technical architecture. Close cooperation and mutual understanding between the technical teams and stylists helps to find the best balance.3
3. Use Simulation and Virtual Testing
It is important to already start the validation of the vehicle concept in a very early stage of project development to assess whether the vehicle targets can be accomplished. This is achieved with virtual technologies in the testing and validation processes.
By using virtual development methods, the time-to-market and development cost can be optimized. Thanks to virtual tools and simulation methods, the prediction quality of digital prototypes is very advanced. As such, a high level of design maturity can be achieved, even in this early project phase.
For example, with vehicle safety there are numerous requirements and standards – from legal requirements and consumer ratings such as NCAP and IIHS – to market and technology trends such as new electric platforms and automated driving. This may lead to new challenges in passive safety and crash worthiness. Body construction meets those demands with various material combinations and hybrid joining technologies. For this, high prediction quality and efficiency of simulation methods are very important. However, achieving both factors require constant comparison between simulation and measurements.
Virtual tools can facilitate this process considerably. Small joining elements are first tested physically before the results of these tests are implemented into a complete vehicle simulation. This way, results can be obtained more easily and quickly and with higher accuracy. Correct interpretation of the results is most important for successful simulation, perhaps more than the right software tools.
4. Inform Yourself About Relevant Regulations
There are a plethora of diverse laws within the automobile sector that apply to both the vehicles and the production sites. Not only do quality and security certificates vary by area, but so does the method used to oversee them.
For instance, in Europe, the validation procedure necessitates that OEMs submit documentation for inspection and approval by the inspection authority, however in the United States, OEMs are primarily responsible for maintaining quality standards and will periodically have it verified by officials. Selecting a specific area may also be influenced by the local rules and restrictions. Regardless of the ultimate choice, it is best to think about the automotive industry’s regulatory framework as soon as possible to prevent last-minute alterations.
5. Make Sure That Your Schedule is Both Consistent and Flexible
Establishing a vehicle project plan is one thing; integrating it into a scheduling system is quite another. To establish how the various jobs should be arranged in the most effective manner, a thorough understanding of the complete vehicle development and production process is necessary before creating a plan.
Large-scale projects like the creation of vehicles will inevitably face several delays along the way because of a variety of uncontrollable reasons. Therefore, a schedule’s ability to adjust to delays without suffering significant setbacks is more crucial than its ability to foresee specific delays. Such adjustments also call for prompt decision-making and careful observation.
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