Fiat case: Open source in the automotive industry
Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2024 4:00 am
Microsoft's acquisition of GitHub has changed the way many people view open source software. Once seen as an alternative to paid software, open source is now, in many cases, preferred over paid software.
What if it were possible to leverage the open source concept for industry? Especially an industry as complex as the automotive industry? The answer would certainly cause a lot of hassle and contradiction.
That’s exactly what Local Motors did: open-source car development using micro-factories. At the core of Local Motors is co-creation, open innovation and digital manufacturing.
After joining their community, you help develop a car created by anguilla email list 7582 contact leads the network's designers, or, if you have the necessary skills, you create a new car. The entire network votes to choose which car will be co-created and can choose the parts of the car, from the interior to the vehicle's engine.
When the car is ready, you build it yourself. Local Motors opens a micro factory in your region and provides all the necessary tools and knowledge.
Forbes chose Fiat as one of the most innovative companies in Brazil, highlighting the autonomous innovation area created by the company, called Future Insights.
It all started with MIO
Inspired by the book " What Would Google Do? " by Jeff Jarvis, Peter Fassbender, Fiat LATAM's design director, came up with the idea of creating a new concept car to be presented at the São Paulo Auto Show.
The development of the car would be based on collaboration and would focus on meeting the desires and needs of customers.
Together with its advertising agency, Fiat developed the entire crowdsourcing process based on three stages: scenario mapping, ideation and design.
Scenario mapping began with research into the car of the future and the future of cars through interviews with specialists, with the aim of identifying trends.
Fiat then launched a collaborative platform where customers could discuss the following question: in the future we are creating, what must a car have for me to call it my own, while still being useful to other people?
The aim of the platform was to gauge people's participation by answering questions and guiding the discussion through ideas and examples. Social media was used to stimulate participation and provide reference content for people to draw inspiration from.
What if it were possible to leverage the open source concept for industry? Especially an industry as complex as the automotive industry? The answer would certainly cause a lot of hassle and contradiction.
That’s exactly what Local Motors did: open-source car development using micro-factories. At the core of Local Motors is co-creation, open innovation and digital manufacturing.
After joining their community, you help develop a car created by anguilla email list 7582 contact leads the network's designers, or, if you have the necessary skills, you create a new car. The entire network votes to choose which car will be co-created and can choose the parts of the car, from the interior to the vehicle's engine.
When the car is ready, you build it yourself. Local Motors opens a micro factory in your region and provides all the necessary tools and knowledge.
Forbes chose Fiat as one of the most innovative companies in Brazil, highlighting the autonomous innovation area created by the company, called Future Insights.
It all started with MIO
Inspired by the book " What Would Google Do? " by Jeff Jarvis, Peter Fassbender, Fiat LATAM's design director, came up with the idea of creating a new concept car to be presented at the São Paulo Auto Show.
The development of the car would be based on collaboration and would focus on meeting the desires and needs of customers.
Together with its advertising agency, Fiat developed the entire crowdsourcing process based on three stages: scenario mapping, ideation and design.
Scenario mapping began with research into the car of the future and the future of cars through interviews with specialists, with the aim of identifying trends.
Fiat then launched a collaborative platform where customers could discuss the following question: in the future we are creating, what must a car have for me to call it my own, while still being useful to other people?
The aim of the platform was to gauge people's participation by answering questions and guiding the discussion through ideas and examples. Social media was used to stimulate participation and provide reference content for people to draw inspiration from.