"Quality is the basis of our international competitiveness"

The 18th VDA-QMC Quality Summit of the automotive industry opened today in Berlin. This year's title of the two-day summit: Quality in the age of global change. The focus of the meeting is on solutions as to how the quality of the products, processes and systems of companies in the German automotive industry can be constantly further developed against the background of new and constantly growing challenges.

The annual quality summit is Germany's most important specialist conference for automotive quality management. The organizer is the Quality Management Center (VDA QMC), a department of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA). This year, around 150 representatives of the German and international automotive industry are taking part in the summit.

"The economy and with it the companies in the German automotive industry are facing previously unknown and unforeseen challenges: Russia's ongoing terrible war of aggression against Ukraine, new corona lockdowns in China and the shortages of semiconductors, other preliminary products and raw materials are putting a strain on the supply and transport chains to the extreme. Additionally we see massive increases in energy prices. They are a heavy burden especially for our medium-sized companies, albeit not only for them," said VDA President Hildegard Müller at the opening.

"The companies in the German automotive industry must and want to meet their own high quality standards and those of consumers worldwide, even in times of crises, global upheavals and new competitors, because: The quality of the vehicles in the German automotive industry is the basis of our international competitiveness. Our common goal is to maintain and expand this quality and our global technology leadership," emphasizes Müller.

It is clear that quality is not limited to the product quality of the vehicle or its individual components. "Quality is evident in all company and production processes – from the design of a part to its testing in the vehicle. The 18th VDA-QMC quality summit made that very clear once again," said the VDA President.

In her opening speech, Müller also addressed the transformation of the automotive industry and underlined: "The automotive industry is firmly behind the Paris climate goals and wants to implement climate-neutral mobility as quickly as possible – climate-neutral mobility that is safe, digital, efficient and accessible and affordable for everyone. In the passenger car sector, the focus is clearly on electromobility.

The German automotive industry is resolutely driving forward the transformation to climate-neutral mobility and is making huge investments. In the years 2022 to 2026 alone, our companies will invest 220 billion euros in research and development, especially in electromobility and digitization. In addition, at least 100 billion euros will be spent by 2030 on converting plants. These investments underscore the strength with which we are promoting the climate-neutral mobility of tomorrow. I am firmly convinced that the future belongs to those who unify sustainability, digitization and security."

After the welcome by the VDA President, on the first summit day keynotes will be held by Prof. Dr. Stefan Bratzel (Director Center of Automotive Management), Peter Wolf (Head of Corporate Quality, BMW Group), Michael Neuheisel (Head of Group Quality, CBS & Environment, Continental AG), Oliver Ganser (Head of Industry Platform // Head of Catena-X Automotive Network Industry Consortia // Chairman of the Board - Catena-X e. V.), Thomas Schiml (Senior Director Technology Platform, Intel Deutschland GmbH), Sonja Grunau (Managing Director Training & Consulting, Ford Aus- und Weiterbildung e. V.), Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Bauer (Managing Institute Director, Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO) and Dr. Andree Zahir (Head of Business Unit Cockpit Technologies, Robert Bosch GmbH).