Are there areas in which the European auto industry is even better positioned than the North American industry?
Today, many suppliers have set up branches and development centers globally in Asia, North America, South America and Europe, invariably near OEMs and their target markets. As a result, technological expertise cannot be attached to a location. That’s the reason I see no difference between European and North American suppliers. Certainly it’s an exciting task for us and for all the VW Group’s new suppliers to adjust to one another. What basic qualities do you expect from your suppliers? Today I expect stable, reliable product quality; ongoing product innovation and new ideas; financial stability; and, above all, a sustained competitiveness in the market environment. In recent years there have been numerous joint projects between manufacturers. Do you also expect greater cooperation from your component makers to reduce development costs and achieve economies of scale? Yes, I expect increased cooperation and teamwork among suppliers to reduce development costs and achieve economies of sca
