Mercedes has acknowledged the pace of development and technology offered by Chinese carmakers as it looks to speed up its own vehicle development process using artificial intelligence.
The German automaker regularly benchmarks rival models, including those from Chinese brands such as Zeekr and Denza. Speaking to Australian media, Mercedes chief technology officer Jörg Burzer highlighted their quick development cycles, close attention to customer needs and advanced driver assistance systems.
Burzer said the competition was good for customers, adding that Mercedes was confident it could take on Chinese rivals in both China and Europe.
The company is now introducing a new system called PLM.AI, which connects different stages of a vehicle’s lifecycle, from development and production to sales and after-sales service. Mercedes claims it could cut development time by up to 30 percent and deliver efficiency gains of up to 50 percent.
One example is crash-test simulation, where AI can complete data connections in hours instead of the two to four weeks previously required by engineers.
Source: Drive