The challenge
The internal engineering structures of a U.S.-based, global automotive manufacturer were widely isolated from each other in the business units of mechanics, electronics and software. During daily work, individual departments used over 400 different tools and filing systems in total. This situation created the following problems:
- Low efficiency of engineering units.
- Slow progress in projects.
- Difficulties in implementing new software platforms.
- Difficulties in implementing new product lines.
- Insufficient safety measures and control mechanisms.
Project duration
About 3 years
Our approach
- Definition of standard development processes.
- Implementation and integration of the process management tool Stages in a new tool chain.
UL Solutions supported the definition of the automotive manufacturer’s standard development processes for all product levels:
- Automotive programs
- Reusable subsystems (e.g., powertrain, battery)
- Electrical control elements and software
These development processes synchronize with each other, via milestones and common work results, but can also progress at different speeds and cycles. To define processes, the automotive manufacturer applied Stages, our process management system, with a customer-specific process metamodel.
Additionally, the customer condensed its tool landscape into consistent, standards-based architecture and integrated the tools into an IBM platform. We integrated Stages into this tool chain with a new-developed plugin, allowing the manufacturer to instantiate automotive and subsystem processes directly in the tool, adjust them with tailoring specific to programs and projects and monitor process execution in different tools.
Furthermore, the company now directly implements quick progressing software development processes in Stages and IBM Rational Team Concert (RTC). All engineers involved have instant access to process descriptions for each step they perform in IBM RTC.
Customer Benefits
- Fast reaction time to process changes.
- High process acceptance.
- 70% reduction of tool variety and filing systems
- Easy implementation of safety measures and controls consistent with ISO 26262
- Means of fulfilling requirements of ISO 26262 and similar standards
The standardization of all development processes and the introduction of Stages as a company-wide process management system enabled the customer to significantly reduce the reaction time to process changes. The manufacturer can now implement new tool chains faster and easier than before and apply safety measures and controls consistent with ISO 26262. The automotive supplier reduced its tool landscape and filing systems. Together, these benefits generate higher process acceptance among engineers and other employees involved in processes.
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