The objective of this project is to analyse the automotive market and the communications channels used for marketing e-communication. This report contains recommendations to strengthen all e-communication marketing tools used to support brand visibility, customer loyalty and sales opportunities for one of the client’s of the direct-marketing agency Wunderman FORD MOTOR COMPANY, s.r.o.

The aim of this thesis is to analyze the benefits and the challenges in implementing the manufacturing technology maturity assessment matrix from the US Department of Defence (US DoD) which is the Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) matrix, in automotive manufacturing industry. MRL matrix is created for maturity assessment in the defence acquisition process of the US DoD. This matrix is considered as an efficient and effective way of maturity assessment of manufacturing technologies and the resource allocation in the portfolio management. The thesis is based on a case study at an automotive manufacturing firm, taking its steps towards the MRL matrix from a stage-gate model in its portfolio management.  A Qualitative method study is carried out in this research and interviews were taken from six different personnel from an automotive manufacturing firm. These interviews gave a better understanding of the expectations and level of details needed in the MRL matrix.  From the data collected from this case study, six findings were found, which are a manufacturing technology should be implemented on the factory floor only when it is completely mature, the MRL framework by US DoD is complicated and the language used is difficult to understand, and four other findings. These findings clearly show the benefits and challenges of implementing the MRL matrix by the US DoD in the automotive manufacturing industry.

The automotive industry has seen revolutionary changes in the past two decades. Vehicles are starting to incorporate within themselves a significant amount of electronic and software based components, due to which the industry has seen rapidly changing customer requirements. The traditional work processes that automotive companies have ever so often employed, with excessive documentation, inefficient work teams and redundant reporting have proven to be insufficient in the newer fast-paced environment. Agile project management methods, as the name suggests, could be a tool that these companies can utilise in order to tackle such concerns. Agile methods, until a few years ago, had constrained themselves to dynamic software development applications, but they are now slowly starting to penetrate the automotive sector. This study, hence, tries to identify the factors that contribute to an automotive organisation’s decision to transform itself into an Agile based organisation, the challenges they encounter during the change process and the subsequent impact they see post transformation.   This thesis takes the form of a case study that has been conducted within the Swedish commercial vehicle company Volvo Trucks, a subsidiary of AB Volvo. Empirics were gathered in the form of interviews and surveys to get a deeper understanding of the internal processes and the transformational journey that helped Volvo Trucks become an agile based organisation. The collected empirical data is then further interpreted through the lens of theories pertaining to change and change management. Our findings suggest that the need for a transformation from traditional methods of management to agile can be driven by forces that are both internal and external, where the forces can present themselves at the same time. The internal factors here being, the inherent dysfunctions of the traditional methods. Significant challenges faced during transformation are of an organisational nature, where a partially agile organisation struggles to coordinate between its agile and non-agile departments. Lastly, a boost in worker morale and operational advantages such as increased planning efficiency and project transparency have been seen as major benefits post transformation.

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The need for sustainability solutions requires a shift towards renewable energy and less dependence on fossil fuels, exemplified by the EU’s Green Deal targeting zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2055. This shift creates uncertainties in the global economy, and it recently sparked the automotive industry’s move from the internal combustion engine (ICE) to the electric vehicle (EV). In turn, the transition then creates new demands and product requirements for powertrain assembly, affecting the industry’s suppliers of industrial tools and assembly solutions. A literature review was conducted to analyse and map out the automotive industry and the EV market. Findings such as driving forces, barriers, and projections about the industry were then used to forecast the development of the EV market until the year 2030. Further, an empirical study of interviews with relevant stakeholders and study visits to production sites was performed to complement the findings from the literature review. The results indicated that the EV market share is expected to grow from about 11% in 2022 to about 47.5% by the year 2030 and that the main driving forces reside on the OEM side while the main barriers reside with the consumers. Further, the results indicated that the production of EVs requires fewer tightening tools along with a need for smaller footprints and lower torque ranges. The results also revealed that automation and flexibility in assembly lines are seen as key for the production of EVs. / Behovet för hållbarhetslösningar kräver nu en övergång till förnybar energi och ett mindre beroende av fossila bränslen, exemplifierat av EU:s Green Deal med målet att eliminera växthusgasutsläpp senast år 2055. Denna övergång skapar osäkerheter i den globala ekonomin, och den har nyligen utlöst en övergång inom fordonsindustrin från förbränningsmotorer till elbilar. Vidare skapar denna övergång nya krav och produktspecifikationer för monteringen av powertrain drivlinor, vilket påverkar leverantörer av industriella verktyg och monteringslösningar. En litteraturstudie genomfördes för att analysera och kartlägga fordonsindustrin och elbilsmarknaden. Resultaten, såsom drivkrafter, barriärer och prognoser om branschen, användes sedan för att prognostisera utvecklingen av elbilsmarknaden fram till år 2030. Vidare genomfördes en empirisk studie av intervjuer med relevanta intressenter samt studiebesök på produktionsanläggningar för att komplettera resultaten från litteraturstudien. Resultaten indikerar att andelen av elbilar förväntas öka från cirka 11% år 2022 till cirka 47,5% år 2030 och att de främsta drivkrafterna finns på tillverkarsidan medan de främsta barriärerna finns hos konsumenterna. Vidare visade resultaten att produktionen av elbilar kräver färre skruvdragare samt att dessa innehar ett mindre fotavtryck och lägre moment. Resultaten avslöjade också att automation och flexibilitet i monteringslinjer ses som nyckeln för produktionen av elbilar.

Due to Industry 4.0 (I4.0) the software ecosystem is constantly changing, and new possibilities and challenges are arising. The purpose of this Master Thesis is to map the software ecosystem in the automotive industry in order to understand the position of Atlas Copco and what gaps an industrial tool supplier can close. In addition, find out what opportunities and challenges that exist in the ecosystem today. Since Industry 4.0 and the software ecosystem are relatively new topics and alters continuously, the study was carried out in an abductive approach and a research design model was created according to that. By combining literature study with empirical study such as interviews, a better understanding was gained which laid the foundation of accumulating a deeper knowledge about the research field and made it feasible to answer the research questions. The current structure in different markets of the software ecosystem are shaped according to an old industry standard for modelling system structures. Differences and similarities between the markets can be found, which explains difficulties in providing software globally. By analysing and combining the current structures for each market, including the answers gained from the conducted interviews, a model was created. A new model for the definition of a software ecosystem in the automotive industry was the result. Additionally, a new way of structuring and visualizing the generic structure of the software ecosystem for Atlas Copco in the Automotive industry was presented as well. The latter model could be used as a tool, that enables a better understanding of the software ecosystem as well as a way to present new solutions to customers. In the ecosystem Atlas Copco takes the role as a premium industrial tool supplier and a provider of software used to configure and monitor quality and errors in the assembly processes. Hence, they broaden their market to become a software supplier. However, thanks to I4.0 technologies, there are potential areas in the production where it is possible for Atlas Copco to extend their establishment further to get more market shares of the software market as well as to provide more value to their customers. Although, the recommendation for Atlas Copco is to shape a reference architecture and focus on software close to the operations of industrial equipment. / Mjukvaruekosystemet är något som ständigt är i förändring där nya möjligheter och utmaningar uppstår i ekosystemet i anknytning till Industri 4.0 (I4.0). Syftet med denna masteruppsats är att kartlägga mjukvaruekosystemet i fordonstillverkningsindustrin för ta reda på vilken position AtlasCopco har och vilka luckor en industriverktygsleverantör kan sluta samt undersöka utmaningar och möjligheter som existerar idag. En forskningsdesignmodell skapades och eftersom projektet omfattar ämnet Industri 4.0 samt mjukvaruekosystemet som är ett relativt nytt ämne som är under kontinuerlig förändring, så utfördes studien baserat på abduktiv strategi. Genom att kombinera litteraturstudier med empiriska studier som intervjuer erhölls en bättre förståelse som lade grunden för att vidare samla på djupare kunskap om forskningsområdet vilket gjorde det möjligt att svara på forskningsfrågorna. Den nuvarande strukturen på olika marknader i mjukvaruekosystemet formas enligt en gammal branschstandard för ett modelleringssystemstrukturer. Skillnader och likheter mellan marknaderna har presenterats som förklarar svårigheterna med att tillhandahålla programvara globalt. I samband med att analysera och kombinera de nuvarande strukturerna för varje marknad, inklusive svaren från de genomförda intervjuerna, har modeller tagits fram. I resultatet presenteras en ny modell för att definiera ett mjukvaruekosystem inom bilindustrin. Dessutom presenterades också ett nytt sätt att strukturera och visualisera den generiska strukturen i mjukvaruekosystemet för Atlas Copco inom fordonsindustrin. Modellen kan användas som ett verktyg för att lättare förstå mjukvaruekosystemet, och till att presentera nya lösningar för kunderna. I ekosystemet tar AtlasCopco rollen som en premiumleverantör av industriella verktyg, inklusive att tillhandahålla programvara som används för att konfigurera, övervaka kvalitet och fel i monteringsprocesserna. Detta breddar Atlas Copcos marknad till att även bli en mjukvaruleverantör. Tack vare I4.0 teknik finns det potentiella produktionsområden där det är möjligt för Atlas Copco att etablera sig ännu mer, för att få fler marknadsandelar på mjukvarumarknaden samt ge mer värde till sina kunder. Rekommendationen är att Atlas Copco skapar en referensarkitektur samt fokusera på mjukvara nära kopplat till operationsnivån och industriverktyg.

During the last few decades, the awareness of environmental and social responsibility has expanded within the society. This consciousness has resulted in an increase of requirements and demands set upon companies to conduct a business that is sustainable. The automotive industry is one of many sectors that has increased its commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR). The purpose of this thesis is to explore how CSR activities have been formed within the automotive industry and who are affected by these activities. This is done through conducting a longitudinal case study on Volvo Cars, by using a qualitative content analysis on the company’s sustainability reports from 2015 to 2019. Three dimensions were examined using a modified framework of Carroll’s CSR pyramid: environmental, ethical and philanthropic responsibility. The findings resulted in eight different themes, which were analysed with the stakeholder theory and Porter’s value chain. This study concludes that Volvo Cars’ CSR activities have been integrated into their business strategies and that environmental responsibility is the most reported theme in their sustainability reports. Furthermore, this study shows that the stakeholder that is affected significantly by the performed CSR activities of Volvo Cars is the society.

3D-teknologin uppmärksammas alltmer inom bilindustrin. Additiv tillverkning har redanimplementerats i stor utsträckning på exempelvis prototypframtagning. Det krävs dock drastiskteknologisk förändring för att möta de krav som ställs från konsumenter och samhället.Syftet med arbetet är att undersöka och uppmärksamma 3D-skrivarens roll inom bilindustrin.Studien fokuserar på resurseffektiv produktion med hjälp av 3D-skrivare. Målet är att utvärderavad införandet av 3D-skrivare innebär för denna industri och samhället. Vidare analyseras fördelaroch nackdelar med hjälp av litteraturstudier och intervjuer. Dessutom utreds det vilken inverkan3D-skrivare kan ha på marknadsstrukturer samt på företagens externa och interna dynamik.Sammanfattningsvis undersöks den additiva tillverkningens potential och utmaningar inombilindustrin.Det finns inga stora mängder forskning inom området eftersom 3D-skrivare inom bilproduktionhar införts ganska nyligen och implementeringen fortfarande befinner sig på forsknings- ochprototypframtagningsnivå. I detta arbete strävas det efter att ge en omfattande bild av 3Dskrivarimplementeringpå alla processer inom produktionssektorn.En slutsats från studien är att tekniken medför ett paradigmskifte för bilbranschen. Det konstaterasdock av resultatet att 3D-skrivateknologin behöver utvecklas och förbättras för att den skaanvändas i större utsträckning. Därtill krävs det mer forskning inom ämnet och en satsning påinförandet av kurser och laborationer inom additiv tillverkning i universitet, som ett nödvändigtsteg mot att främja 3D-teknologins frammarsch inom produktion. / 3D technology gets increasing attention in the automotive industry. Additive manufacturing hasalready been implemented to a significant extent, for example on prototype production. On theother hand, a drastic technological change is needed for the automotive industry to handle thedemands of consumers and society.In this research, the 3D printer's role in the automotive industry is highlighted and investigated. Inthe study, the focus is on resource-efficient manufacturing using 3D printers. The goal is toexamine what the introduction of 3D printers means for this industry and the society. Furthermore,pros and cons are analysed and obtained with the help of literature studies and interviews. Inaddition, the impact of 3D printers on market structures and on the company's external and internaldynamics is investigated. In summary, the potential and the challenges of additive manufacturingin the automotive industry are examined.There is not a substantial amount of research in the field since 3D printers have been introducedquite recently to the car manufacturing and implementation is still at research and prototypeproduction level. Therefore, the aim with this work is to provide a comprehensive image of 3Dprinter implementation on all processes in the production sector.One conclusion from the study is that this technology can lead to a paradigm shift for theautomotive industry. However, 3D printing technology needs to be developed and improved tobecome more widely used. More research on the subject is needed and an effort to introducecourses and laboratory work in additive manufacturing at universities is necessary to promote 3Dtechnology's advancement in production.

In recent years, there has been a notable shift in the conventional strategies employed by luxury automotive brands towards a more digitalized customer journey. This shift reflects the changing landscape of consumer behavior and the growing influence of technology in shaping customer experiences. Customers are increasingly seeking convenience, personalization, and seamless interactions throughout their purchase process, and expect businesses to provide them with engaging and immersive experiences, both online and offline. As a result, luxury automotive brands have recognized the need to establish a strong digital presence and leverage various touchpoints to meet these evolving customer expectations. Consequently, the purpose of this thesis has been to examine and understand how luxury automotive brands create luxury hedonic experiences online, as well as identify the key touchpoints through which hedonic value is created in a digital context. To achieve these objectives, a qualitative multiple-case study was conducted involving seven businesses operating in the luxury automotive sector. The research methodology employed a combination of semi-structured interviews and a structured questionnaire, and the empirical findings were thoroughly analyzed in conjunction with existing literature to discern similarities and disparities among the cases studied. The conclusion of this thesis reveals that luxury brands employ a multi-faceted approach, utilizing high-quality digital content, exclusivity, collaborations, innovation, personalization, customer-centricity, and top-quality customer service to create hedonic experiences. Key digital touchpoints include aesthetically pleasing websites, interactive features, social media platforms for community building, and corporate touchpoints that align digital experiences with offline luxury experiences. Moreover, this thesis can serve as a guide for future endeavors in this field, and researchers can utilize its findings as a foundation to further explore the implications for luxury automotive brands.

Background: The Scaled Agile Framework®(SAFe) has been adopted by many automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) for scaling their agile practices. It is one of the ways to improve and accelerate their in-house software development life cycle. Most OEMs have tailored the agile framework to fit their own needs. However, with the increasing complexity of vehicles, especially in terms of embedded software and hardware development, agile release trains (ARTs) face challenges in managing requirements throughout the vehicle development life cycle. Multiple teams working on requirements, consistency of requirements, collaboration, prioritization of requirements between teams, and changing requirements are some of the challenges faced by the SAFe practicing organizations. Objectives: This thesis examines how the requirements engineering within SAFe has been practiced inone of the automotive OEMs, and the challenges its agile release trains face. It addresses the real problems of practical interest and real-life context by interacting with the teams who have been closely working with the requirements daily. It also accumulates the impacts due to the identified challenges. Methods: This study utilizes a case study methodology, which is flexible in design, exploratory, andqualitative. This choice of research method is influenced by the scope of the study, research questions, and the degree of interaction required between us and the participants to collect the data. By conducting semi-structured interviews, a large quality of data isproduced by having a higher level of interaction with participants. The collected data is then probed for newer and unexpected responses using a thematic approach, which helps to identify patterns and themes using large and complex data. Results: This thesis summarizes the requirement engineering practices and challenges faced by theagile release trains in SAFe practicing automotive industry. We approached the agile teams directly and collected the organizational and stakeholder behavior while working with therequirements and the challenges faced. Using intrinsic data analysis, the gathered interview data is understood, and the implications are listed. This study reemphasizes that agile release trains were facing many challenges, especially in the requirements engineeringarea even though the Scaled Agile Framework is practiced. Knowledge gaps, incompleteand misunderstood customer requirements, ineffective communication, fragmented tooling, inadequate management support, and inconsistent requirement engineering practiceare some of the challenges highlighted by the agile release trains.