The automotive major intends to connect nearly 30 passenger car plants globally via its new MO360 data platform to the Microsoft Cloud with an aim to boost transparency and predictability across its digital production and supply chain
Mercedes-Benz collaborates with Microsoft to enhance resiliency, efficiency and sustainability in car production. (Credit: Microsoft)
Mercedes-Benz and Microsoft have entered into a partnership to enhance resiliency, efficiency, and sustainability in car production with the help of a new data platform.
The automotive major intends to connect its nearly 30 passenger car plants globally via the new MO360 data platform to the Microsoft Cloud. With this, Mercedes-Benz aims to improve transparency as well as predictability across its digital production and supply chain.
According to Microsoft, the MO360 data platform helps in identifying the possible supply chain constraints faster and facilitates a dynamic prioritisation of production resources for electric and top-end vehicles.
The unified data platform, which is standardised on Microsoft Azure, is expected to give Mercedes-Benz the adaptability and cloud computing power to run artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics at a global scale.
It will also allow the automotive major to meet cybersecurity and compliance standards across regions, said Microsoft.
Mercedes-Benz Group production and supply chain management board of management member Joerg Burzer said: This new partnership between Microsoft and Mercedes-Benz will make our global production network more intelligent, sustainable and resilient in an era of increased geopolitical and macroeconomic challenges.
“The ability to predict and prevent problems in production and logistics will become a key competitive advantage as we go all electric.”
The MO360 data platform is expected to ease the production of both electric and combustion-engine vehicles on a single production line.
The new centralised data platform is said to help to analyse and visualise production data instantly, thereby enabling faster streamlining of production processes.
By using the MO360 Data Platform, the German car manufacturer can create a virtual replica of its manufacturing process by combining insights from assembly, production planning, logistics at the shop floor, supply chain, and quality management.
Microsoft executive vice president and chief commercial officer Judson Althoff said: “Mercedes-Benz’ partnership with Microsoft is a testament to the power of the industrial metaverse. Together, we are merging the physical and digital worlds to accelerate value creation.
“Mercedes-Benz can simulate and refine manufacturing processes infinitely in the Microsoft Cloud before bringing them to the shop floor to enhance efficiency and minimise its environmental impact amid constant change and uncertainty.”