如今，随着智能化技术在汽车行业的不断深入，整个汽车行业正进行着前所未有的深刻改革。在未来，汽车将不仅仅是一种交通工具，或将成为人们在家、办公室之外的重要“第三空间”,而这将给汽车本身带来颠覆性的变化。
“新技术将给汽车设计带来不小的影响。”日前，德国独立汽车设计公司爱达克（EDAG）新任首席执行官Cosimo De Carlo先生在接受盖世汽车记者采访时如是说。“就以自动驾驶技术来说，目前，我们在车内需要一直掌控方向盘，但是未来我们可以在车内工作、娱乐等等。相较于以前，消费者对于汽车内饰的要求就会完全不同。基于在汽车研发、生产解决方案、汽车信息技术以及电子电器领域的竞争力，目前我们已经能够设计和研发未来汽车。”
独立不依附 深耕汽车行业50年
内饰设计仅是爱达克众多业务中的一部分。作为全球最大的独立设计服务公司之一，爱达克的主要业务有三大块，即车辆工程、生产解决方案和电子电器。
具体来说，爱达克可设计车辆造型、整车概念车和研发以及生产工厂。此外，爱达克还能够研发及整合重要电子电器功能，如电池、互联服务和用户体验、自动驾驶以及移动出行服务。
爱达克公司成立于1969年，在汽车工程行业有着近50年的经验历程。目前，爱达克在全球20个国家设有分支，员工超8,400人。作为全球汽车行业一大独立设计服务公司，爱达克通过旗下60多处汽车中心向国内及全球性汽车制造商和先进汽车零部件供应商提供服务。2017年，爱达克销售额达7.17亿欧元。
爱达克不依附于任何汽车制造商，其高质量服务使其在市场上受到了高度认可，创新型解决方案和对汽车行业的热情使其在行业里成为了不知不扣的领袖。De Carlo先生指出，与其它业务广泛的竞争对手相比，爱达克关注于汽车领域，“我们想要成为未来汽车生态系统中的佼佼者。”
创新领袖引领公司战略转型
为了进行战略转型、更好地应对汽车行业带来的变化，爱达克于2018年4月任命Cosimo De Carlo先生为集团首席执行官。De Carlo先生于1998年加入戴姆勒，后来又在一家技术咨询公司担任汽车业务领导。爱达克董事会主席Thomas Eichelmann称，作为汽车行业的专家，De Carlo先生是一名成功创新型领导，其专业经验和过去的成就使其成为领导爱达克转型的不二人选。
在上任后，De Carlo先生将循序渐进地对爱达克进行战略性调整，以保证爱达克在汽车行业大变革的背景下依然维持业务上的成就。De Carlo先生在接受采访时表示，其工作重心主要集中在各个部分。首先，扩大电子电气业务。其次，De Carlo先生还将加快公司的全球化进程。De Carlo先生强调到，得益于被行业公认的技术，爱达克将为其全球客户创造越来越多的价值。因此，本土化将扮演着举足轻重的作用，以满足不同市场消费者的需求。
与在华车企结缘 望在华销售额增一倍
在爱达克的全球化进程中，中国将会扮演着重要角色。中国汽车市场未来将发生巨大的变化，高端产品不仅在中国国内出售，中国产品也将走出国门，走向全球。此外，在电动化领域，中国的战略路线也比较清晰。“如果想要在电动出行领域有所作为，就必须与中国合作。”
De Carlo先生对于中国市场有着很高的期待，并且认为华业务很快就会有着较大的改善。在他看来，未来几年中国汽车行业将以质量为导向，建立高行业标准。
中国近几年出现的造车新势力十分看重爱达克在汽车和生产研发的高度竞争力，将爱达克视为理想的合作伙伴。就在2018年北京车展期间，爱达克从奇点汽车240家供应商中脱颖而出，获得奇点汽车 “优秀供应商”奖项。在奇点旗下智能电动SUV车型iS6的研发过程中，爱达克主要参与了车身、内外饰和电子电气系统的研发。De Carlo先生指出，“我们在整车研发以及在电动出行、自动驾驶以及数字化等领域的技术，将有助于奇点等初创企业进行量产，我们将一如既往地扩大、强化我们在中国等新兴市场的份额。”
Via cooperation with local automakers, EDAG is committed to further developing the Chinese market
With the continuous application of intelligent technologies, the automotive industry has recently been undergoing dramatic changes. In the future, vehicles will not only function as means of transportation, but also be a “third space” apart from the home and office. This will have a disruptive effect on the vehicle development.
“New technologies will have a big impact on vehicle design,” Cosimo De Carlo, CEO of EDAG Group, said in an interview. “Take autonomous driving for example. Today we are still busy in driving the vehicle. Tomorrow we will work or enjoy the vehicle space, the same way like we do it today at home or at work. This will imply different requirements compared to the past. Based on our strong competences in vehicle development and in production solutions, in combination with our skills in car IT and electrics/electronics, we are already today able to design and to develop the vehicle of the future”.
As an independent company, EDAG has been in the automotive industry for nearly 50 years.
Interior design is just a small part of EDAG’s business. As one of the biggest independent engineering service companies in the automotive sector, EDAG is organised in three segments, namely vehicle engineering, production solutions and electrics/electronics.
More specifically, EDAG can do the styling, the concept and the development of a complete car and production plant. It can also develop and integrate the most important electric and electronic features, like battery, connectivity services and UX, autonomous driving or mobility services.
Founded in 1969, EDAG has nearly 50 years experience in vehicle and production engineering. Currently, the company has branches in almost 20 countries and has over 8,400 employees. As an independent engineering service provider to the global automotive industry, the company serves leading domestic and international vehicle OEMs and sophisticated automotive suppliers through a global network of about 60 sites in all major automotive centres of the world. Last year, the company achieved revenues of 717 million Euros.
EDAG is not affiliated to any other OEM and is highly recognized on the market for the quality of its services. Its innovative solutions and its passion make it an undisputed leader in the automotive industry. The CEO pointed out that, unlike many other engineering companies whose business covers many industries, EDAG is specialized in the automotive sector: “We want to be the best in the automotive ecosystem of the future”.
A well-recognized innovative leader will steer the company’s transformation.
To lead the strategic reorientation and better embrace the changes in the automotive industry, EDAG named Cosimo De Carlo as its Group CEO in April 2018. Mr. De Carlo started his career with Daimler in 1998 and became later on the automotive leader of a big worldwide technology consulting firm. “As an expert in the automotive industry, Mr. De Carlo is a successful innovation leader, and his expertise and track record make him the ideal person for EDAG’s transformation”, Thomas Eichelmann, EDAG´s chairman of the board, said in a statement.
As the company’s CEO, Mr. De Carlo will systematically implement strategic adjustments to maintain the company’s performance throughout the changes in the automotive industry.
Mr. De Carlo said that his focus will be on various aspects. First of all, to expand the electrics/electronics business.
The second priority for the new CEO is the internationalization of the company. Mr. De Carlo emphasized that EDAG can generate more and more value for its global customers thanks to its undisputed know-how. In this regard localization plays a crucial role to better respond to the specific requirements and to the local customers needs.
Thanks to partnerships with Chinese OEMs and with global OEMs in China, EDAG expects sales in China to increase significantly.
China will play a significant role in EDAG’s internationalization. The Chinese market will change dramatically in the future. Chinese premium cars will be sold not only in China, but also in the international market. Furthermore, China has a clear route for the development of e-mobility. “If you want to work in e-mobility, you have to work with China.”
Mr. De Carlo has very high expectations for the Chinese market. From his point of view, the Chinese automotive industry will drastically increase its level and quality standards in the upcoming years.
Also Chinese auto start-ups, which have sprung up in the past several years, see in EDAG an ideal partner thanks to its huge competences in vehicle and production development. Recently at the Auto China 2018, EDAG was awarded as “Excellent Partner” by Singulato Motors out of a total of over 240 suppliers. The EDAG team was involved in the development of the start-up’s intelligent electric SUV iS6, working especially on the vehicle body, interior/exterior and electric/electronic systems. "Our expertise in complete vehicle development coupled with our know-how in the fields of e-mobility, autonomous driving and digitalization make us an ideal partner to help start-ups like Singulato on their way to series production. We will be focussing on expanding and strengthening our presence in the emerging international markets as we have done here in China," Mr. De Carlo said.
