Suzuki aims to halve new-car development time
Suzuki wants to cut the time needed to develop new vehicle models from around four years today to just two. To achieve this, the Japanese manufacturer will make greater use of simulations, virtual development and artificial intelligence, while reducing the number of physical prototypes.
The company’s aim is not simply to bring new models to market faster. Suzuki wants to make the entire development process cheaper in order to respond more quickly to a market changing under pressure from electric vehicles, software and Chinese manufacturers.
Four years to become two
According to Japan’s Nikkei, Suzuki currently takes around four years from designing a new model to the start of production. The company wants to shorten that period by roughly half by 2030.
One of the main tools will be expanding digital development. Computer simulations make it possible to assess aerodynamics, crash safety, structural strength and driving characteristics, for example, before the manufacturer builds its first physical prototype.
Suzuki also plans to make greater use of artificial intelligence, including to accelerate design and software development.
Chinese carmakers have stepped up the pace
For the traditional automotive industry, a four- or five-year development cycle is becoming increasingly problematic. Chinese manufacturers can in some cases bring a new model to market much faster, and update electronics and software at even shorter intervals.
The issue is particularly important for Suzuki in India, the company’s largest market. Competition there is intensifying from both local and Chinese electric-vehicle manufacturers.
Faster development would allow Suzuki to respond to changes while they are still relevant. With a four-year cycle, a car’s technology may already be one generation behind its rivals by the time it reaches the market.
Fewer prototypes also mean a lower bill
Reducing development time gives Suzuki another advantage. Physical prototypes and their testing are expensive, and every development stage resolved virtually reduces the need to build new test vehicles.
Vehicle development will not become entirely virtual, however. Crash tests, durability testing, road testing in real traffic and homologation still require physical cars. The aim is to reach these stages with a better-prepared design, avoiding repeated prototypes and reworking.
For European buyers, Suzuki’s faster development could mean a model range that is updated more frequently. This is important for the manufacturer because, alongside Toyota, Hyundai and Kia models, Suzuki is increasingly competing with Chinese brands in Europe whose product-development pace is far faster than Europe’s traditional model cycle.
