Picture courtesy Volkswagen
A Volkswagen exec who – understandably – would prefer to remain anonymous, sent me this turn-around plan for his embattled employer. Submitted without further comment.
- Stop the single-minded focus on headcount alone.
- Dissolve Cariad. Move responsibilities back to the brand groups.
- Source state-of-the-art mobility and connectivity solutions from suppliers.
- Outside of core competency areas, cooperate with suppliers in early phases of development, abandon expensive and non-functioning do-it-yourself.
- Immediately stop in-house development and production of batteries. Volkswagen Group builds cars, not batteries.
- Completely revamp vehicle production (unboxing-concepts.) Dump our old fashioned methods.
- Start-Of-Production (SOP) planning must become reliable again, not a moving target.
- Set drastically higher standards for quality and features of on-board software, especially ADAS.
- R&D engineers must research and develop again, must stop playing coordinator for suppliers (double costing.)
- Shorter development cycles, especially for software. Software does not follow multi-year cycles.
- Reduce involvement of consultants.
- Cancel investment into marginal companies like Northvolt, Rivian, Varta, or Xpeng.
- Lobby governments to end CO2 penalties, stop technological bias, be open to new ideas.
