‘Collaboration for a better future’
‘Collaboration for a better future’ was the motto of this year’s summit at Prague Castle on 4 May 2023. International decision-makers from chip and wafer manufacturers, brokers, distributors, first tier suppliers and developers joined the meeting for in-depth discussions and new impetus. The importance of the event was underlined by the participation of Procurement Board Members of the Group brands Škoda, Volkswagen, Porsche and Audi and Group Components. Among the topics discussed were the Chip Act, the realignment of supply chains and the future role of the automotive industry.
“The last three years, and especially the past twelve months, have shown that holistic thinking is a must and that the major challenges of our time need to be addressed collaboratively. This is the only way to ensure a successful and sustainable future. A resilient economy is a decisive factor – and this relies on semiconductors as a driver of innovation. Our summit offers decision-makers along the entire value chain a unique platform to interact closely and engage in important networking.”
Karsten Schnake, Škoda Auto Board Member for Procurement and Head of the COMPASS task force
Small component – big importance
Semiconductors are crucial to the automotive industry; they are not only fundamental to series production but they are also innovation drivers and vital for launching new products.
The Covid-19 pandemic led to a shortage of semiconductors, a situation that was exacerbated by lockdowns and the associated pressures on the transport network. To resolve these difficulties, the Volkswagen Group set up an inter-brand and cross-functional task force called COMPASS (Cross Operational Management Parts & Supply Security) at the beginning of 2022.
Industry-wide and interregional approach
Summit participants heard a keynote by Karsten Schnake, in which he explained the role of cross-industry collaboration in improving planning. Another keynote by Thomas Reibe, Senior Expert from the department DG Connect at the European Commission, outlined the importance of interregional cooperation to increase resilience under the title ‘Challenges and Successes of the European Chips Act’. Also on the summit’s agenda was ‘Start-up cooperation for imaging a new reality’ by Nils Wollny, CEO and Co-Founder of the start-up holoride; guests had the opportunity to try out holoride on a test drive in the Škoda Enyaq iV. The virtual reality headset incorporates the vehicle’s real-time movements into a gaming experience.