As part of a digital transformation strategy to identify and test innovative IT solutions, Stuttgart-based sportscar manufacturer, Porsche has opened a Digital Lab in Berlin.
The Lab is to provide a platform for collaboration with technology companies, start-ups and the scientific community. Porsche is partnering with its subsidiary, the Ludwigsburg-based company MHP, described as one of the leading management and IT consultants in the automotive industry.
“We are launching our initiative in the context of profound change in the industry. Digital transformation touches every part of the company – internal processes, customer interaction and our products and services. Vehicles are becoming more and more networked and mobility concepts have changed, sparking a revolution in the automotive industry and bringing new competitors into play. In this environment, Porsche is aiming to become the most innovative brand in the field of exclusive and dynamic mobility”, says Lutz Meschke, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board and Member of the Executive Board, Finance and IT.
The Porsche Digital Lab is located in the Berlin district of Friedrichshain. It employs several teams from Porsche and MHP, each of which is tasked with investigating how Porsche can take innovations from the fields of big data and machine learning, micro services and cloud technologies, and Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things, and turn them into practical solutions. The tasks of these teams range from trend scouting and ideation to building IT prototypes and components. The work demands a creative approach and requires close contact with innovative technology companies. Berlin is home to a flourishing start-up scene, making it the ideal location for the Lab.
“The Porsche Digital Lab gives us the opportunity to experiment with new technologies and to put IT innovations into practice with speed and flexibility”, says Dr. Sven Lorenz, Vice President of Porsche Information Systems.
The Digital Lab follows hot on the heels of Porsche Digital GmbH, which was recently established in Ludwigsburg to focus on products and services for customers. Porsche says that the two entities will work hand-in-hand on future projects.