The Future Car: A Siemens Podcast

Very few industries have experienced more changes than the automotive industry has in the last three decades.The industry has evolved to integrate with new technologies as well as to meet stricter sustainability goals. Without a change in how automakers designed and built their cars, these changes would have put them out of business. One of the factors that have enabled them to remain profitable is the adoption of smart manufacturing.The use of data generated by high-tech equipment on the production line has enabled the creation of very efficient automotive factories. This has allowed the automotive companies that have embraced this approach to remain profitable.In the episode, Conor Peick is joined by a guest from Siemens Digital Industries Software - Nand Kochhar, VP of Automotive and Transportation Industrie. He’ll help us understand how automotive companies are approaching the shift from traditional manufacturing to smart manufacturing. He’ll also share with us the benefits of doing virtual commissioning of a production line before the physical commissioning.What You’ll Learn in this Episode:The impact that changes in the automotive industry have on smart manufacturing (01:27)The shortcomings of the traditional manufacturing approach (03:00)What automakers have to do to meet sustainability goals (06:59)The benefits of starting with virtual commissioning (09:57)Connect with Nand Kochhar:LinkedInConnect with Conor Peick:LinkedIn

Formula One is evolving to remain relevant and interesting in the 21st century.A unique age where if it isn’t green enough, it can get ‘canceled’, and if it doesn’t trend on social media, it doesn’t matter!This evolution involves making decisions affecting how the engine is designed as well as transforming the sport’s interaction with the fans. F1, like any other successful business, is implementing these changes one step at a time and learning as it goes.In this episode, the second part of two, Ed Bernardon interviews Bob Bell, Strategic Advisor to BWT Alpine F1 team. He’s been in Formula One racing for 36 years and has won several championships with different teams. Today, he’ll walk us through the changes that he expects the sport to make in the next decade.What You’ll Learn in this Episode:Changes in the engine that we can expect in the near future (01:51)The differences between Formula One and Formula E (03:27)The impact of increased focus on social media and off-the-track stories (06:30)The importance of a Drag Reduction System (DRS) (07:34)Connect with Bob:WebsiteFormula OneConnect with Ed Bernardon:LinkedInFuture Car: Driving a Lifestyle RevolutionMotorsports is speeding the way to safer urban mobilitySiemens Digital Industries Software

The drive to win and the hunger to compete!This pretty much sums up what the Formula One race regulators have to control.They set the rules to ensure that teams and drivers compete in a safe but thrilling environment. To achieve that, they pretty much have rules governing what you can and cannot do with every part of the complex F1 car. Beyond that, they ensure the fans still get those roaring sounds, screeching tires, high speeds, and nail-biting overtakes.In this episode, the first part of two, Ed Bernardon interviews Bob Bell, Strategic Advisor to BWT Alpine F1 team. He’s been in Formula One racing for 36 years and has won several championships with different teams. Today, he’ll walk us through the Alpine A522 racing car for the 2022 season, from front to back, explaining the changes made and the expected impact. Additionally, he’ll share with us the impact that the new rules are expected to have on the competition this season.Some Questions I Ask:Who are the other members of your Grid4Good charity? (06:02)What is the motivation behind changing the F1 rules in the 2022 season? (06:36)How do the A522 wheels help with aerodynamics? (14:13)How does the front wing help with the flow of the air over the car? (20:56)What has been done to increase safety? (27:33)What You’ll Learn in this Episode:How aerodynamics impacts braking in a race (09:34)Why the F1 regulations have to be clear and airtight (12:29)The importance of standardized components in F1 (18:14)The consequences of too much ground force in a race (25:24)How the amount of energy absorbed in case of a crash was increased (29:37)Connect with Bob:WebsiteFormula OneConnect with Ed Bernardon:LinkedInFuture Car: Driving a Lifestyle RevolutionMotorsports is speeding the way to safer urban mobilitySiemens Digital Industries Software

It is said that “Four wheels move the body and two wheels move the soul.”Riding a motorbike means you always have to be fully engaged, especially when hitting those high speeds. It's not easier or safer than driving a car but it provides a richer experience, and that’s what attracts riders.A motorbike innovation that adds value in aspects such as safety and eco-friendliness without diminishing the rider’s experience is definitely viable.That’s exactly what one company has been seeking to achieve. They’ve built a high-performance electric motorbike with AI-powered safety features without diminishing the riding experience.In this episode, the second part of two, Ed Bernardon interviews Jay Giraud, CEO, and co-founder of Damon Motorcycles – an electric motorcycle startup aiming to make the riding experience cleaner, safer, and more exhilarating. He’ll share with us what sets their motorbike apart when compared to traditional motorbikes.Some Questions I Ask:How does the performance of your bike compare to traditional motorbikes? (00:56)Is the battery in a Damon motorbike heavier than an internal combustion engine and the fuel? (04:57)How does the bike communicate with a rider when they are in a dangerous situation? (13:39)How far away are we from a semi-autonomous motorbike (15:24)What You’ll Learn in this Episode:What was done to make a Damon motorbike lightweight (03:26)The bikes’ performance in terms of top speed and acceleration (07:58)The features and sensors that contribute to the bike’s safety (09:49)How much it costs to buy a Damon motorbike (19:21)Connect with Jay Giraud:LinkedInDamon MotorcyclesConnect with Ed Bernardon:LinkedInFuture Car: Driving a Lifestyle RevolutionMotorsports is speeding the way to safer urban mobilitySiemens Digital Industries Software

Riding a motorcycle is exhilarating!If you are not used to it, you get to experience fear, pleasure, and freedom, all at once. At high speeds; you get to feel the wind hitting you, hear the sound coming from the engine, and on sharp corners, see yourself defying gravity.However, a majority of people riding motorcycles don’t get to use them because they enjoy the experience. They do it because it's the only means of transport that’s available to them.One of the biggest challenges that faces almost all motorbike users is safety. This problem is magnified in cases where they have to share roads with cars and it has necessitated the need for a safer and smarter motorbike.One of the ways to achieve that is to build an electric motorcycle that can scan its surroundings and warn the rider when they are facing danger.In this episode, the first part of two, Ed Bernardon interviews Jay Giraud, CEO and co-founder of Damon Motorcycles. An electric motorcycle startup aiming to make the riding experience cleaner, safer, and more exhilarating. He’ll share with us the progress they’ve made so far with their electric motorcycle.Some Questions I Ask:What are the big problems that motorcyclists face that you're trying to reverse engineer? (02:52)How do you use data from riders to enhance safety? (15:33)How did your career evolve? (20:35)Who helped you in building your first electric car? (24:30)What You’ll Learn in this Episode:Why people push the limits of motorcycle safety (07:35)How Damon makes motorbikes safer (08:55)The time a rider or driver requires to avoid an accident (13:26)The paradigm that Damon Motorcycles is working to change (17:53)Connect with Jay Giraud:LinkedInDamon MotorcyclesConnect with Ed Bernardon:LinkedInFuture Car: Driving a Lifestyle RevolutionMotorsports is speeding the way to safer urban mobilitySiemens Digital Industries Software

In a startup, absolutely nothing happens unless you make it happen.That is what makes managing a startup an uphill task. It requires a strong culture and a leadership team that knows what to prioritize.That’s because as the company grows in size and revenue its priorities also evolve. For instance, to create a superior product and remain competitive, there is a need to hire more specialists to replace the generalist talent.These challenges aren’t specific to companies that are building new innovative products from scratch. Companies that are also working on digitally transforming existing industries also have to overcome them.In this episode, the second part out of two, Ed Bernardon interviews Toby Russell, founder and former CEO of Shift. He’ll share with us what it takes, in terms of structure and culture, to build a successful company. He’ll also share with us his views on the future of buying and selling used cars.Some Questions I Ask:How do you choose the areas to add more resources? (03:04)What inspired you early on in your career? (10:07)What's the most interesting thing that you encountered being a deputy press secretary? (12:52)How did you balance family life and startup life? (20:54)What retail marketplace out there is prime for this kind of revolution? (34:50)What You’ll Learn in this Episode:Talent and staff distribution at Shift (01:28)How a team evolves as the company grows (06:13)The biggest challenge that Toby faced while building Shift (25:55)The impact of Shift’s ‘no interruption’ culture (26:50)How it’s going to be like to buy and sell a car 20 years from now (31:32)Connect with Toby:LinkedInShiftConnect with Ed Bernardon:LinkedInFuture Car: Driving a Lifestyle RevolutionMotorsports is speeding the way to safer urban mobilitySiemens Digital Industries Software

For most people buying a used car is an unpleasant experience that they only go through because they have to.All the haggling and sometimes ‘clever’ misrepresentation of the vehicle’s value add up to create a bad experience. And buying a new car isn’t a great experience either, especially when you consider the drastic depreciation right after driving off the parking lot.None of the two happens because it’s impossible to get value for money when buying a car. It happens because the murky process benefits the salespeople involved by allowing them to take advantage of their customers.In this episode, the first part out of two, Ed Bernardon interviews Toby Russell, founder and former CEO of Shift. He’ll share with us how his company creates a great customer experience in the used car market. He’ll also share with us how the ‘customer forward approach’ helped them in creating a successful business.Some Questions I Ask:Was there a personal experience that made you want to start Shift? (05:10)What are the secrets and pitfalls behind new car buying and selling? (09:45)Have you ever rejected a car because it didn’t meet Shift standards? (20:00)What do you mean by “working back from the customer”? (27:16)What in Shift shows the customer forward approach? (30:34)What You’ll Learn in this Episode:The ideal used car qualities (13:30)Qualities of cars that can be classified under Shift Value and Shift Certified (15:01)The optimal used car that gives the best value for money (17:45)What inspired Shift to introduce car financing (24:35)What it took to create a great car buying experience (32:06)Connect with Toby:LinkedInShiftConnect with Ed Bernardon:LinkedInFuture Car: Driving a Lifestyle RevolutionMotorsports is speeding the way to safer urban mobilitySiemens Digital Industries Software

“Safety isn’t expensive, it's priceless.”In the Autonomous Vehicles field, safety is at the front, back and center. In fact, all the other features that are included only make sense if a vehicle is proven to be safe.That’s why AV companies are investing heavily in proving that their vehicles are safe.The fact that they have to meet higher safety standards has made them rethink their approach to it. Almost all of them have added new safety features as well as upgraded the existing ones to create vehicles that are safer than what’s currently on the streets.In this episode, the second part out of two, Ed Bernardon interviews Mark R. Rosekind, Chief Safety Innovation Officer at Zoox, Inc. He’ll help us understand the safety features that are included in their vehicle. He’ll also share with us how his vast experience in transport has helped him in his current role.Some Questions I Ask:What should you do to regain alertness if you feel sleepy while driving? (06:34)What are the key areas that you consider when you arrive at a crash scene? (10:41)What exactly are you doing to make the stopping distance shorter? (22:51)How do you make the vehicle safe in case a system failure occurs? 24:29)What needs to be done to our current infrastructure to make AVs safer? (29:17)What You’ll Learn in this Episode:What inspired Mark to pursue the field of safety (00:41)The difference between NHTSA and NTSB (08:56)The differences between how regulators and AV companies approach safety (12:14)The most significant safety innovations by Zoox (17:05)How Zoox uses simulation to test their AV (26:21)Connect with Mark R. Rosekind:LinkedInZoox, IncConnect with Ed Bernardon:LinkedInFuture Car: Driving a Lifestyle RevolutionMotorsports is speeding the way to safer urban mobilitySiemens Digital Industries Software

With autonomous vehicles, the goal is to get to a point when they can give us a “boring” or uneventful ride.And you may be thinking, “Well, that’s not exciting at all!”But, it’s safe and trustworthy enough for you as a rider to shift your focus from the fact that there is no driver. After all, it’s only after you feel safe that you can fully relax and enjoy the ride as well as all the amenities that come with the vehicle.AV companies are tackling this challenge head-on by borrowing safety approaches from the aviation industry as well as innovating new strategies.In this episode, the first part out of two, Ed Bernardon interviews Mark R. Rosekind, Chief Safety Innovation Officer at Zoox, Inc. He’ll help understand the challenges of building an autonomous electric vehicle and the progress they’ve made so far. He’ll also share with us the steps that the automotive industry can take to increase people’s safety on the road.Some Questions I Ask:What do you consider while designing your vehicle? (09:48)How do you create “a journey to enjoy”? (10:54)How do you know that you’re safe enough? (19:48)What does “a safe system approach” mean? (22:12)Are you doing anything special to enhance communication with first responders in case of an accident? (29:24)What You’ll Learn in this Episode:The history of Zoox (02:30)The difference between proactive and reactive safety (13:29)The difference between how the aviation and automotive industries approach safety (15:45)How the Zoox vehicle will communicate with people around it (23:26)What it takes to gain people’s trust (33:00)Connect with Mark R. Rosekind:LinkedInZoox, IncConnect with Ed Bernardon:LinkedInFuture Car: Driving a Lifestyle RevolutionMotorsports is speeding the way to safer urban mobilitySiemens Digital Industries Software