Jobs in the automotive industry: project manager for AI, cloud & virtualization
Amir Namazi helped shape his own job profile: He is investigating how new technologies can be used profitably at Continental.
(Image: Continental)
- Clemens Gleich
The automotive industry and its suppliers are in the midst of a disruptive change. The switch from combustion engines to electric motors alone will fundamentally change one of the key industries, especially in the world of work. Numerous jobs will be lost, while new ones will be created and many will change. In a thematic focus, we want to shed light on jobs in the automotive industry and its suppliers that did not exist in this form a few years ago, but will become increasingly important over the next ten years. Companies will be on the lookout for suitably trained employees even more than at present. Their chances on the labor market are likely to be excellent.
In an interview with the FAZ (here, paywall) a few months ago, Continental CEO Nikolai Setzer addressed the problems that the supplier had and still has to overcome as a result of the structural change in the automotive industry and the disruptions caused by the pandemic, such as supply chain problems and the chip supply drought. Setzer also highlighted the opportunities presented by the transformation. Continental wants to "actively shape change", including in vehicle technology. One key element is high-performance computers in vehicles, where new opportunities for improvement are constantly emerging. Amir Namazi works in this area at Continental. He is actively shaping the future of Conti, the automotive industry and his job, and he takes great pleasure in what he does.
In a simple sentence, as if you were telling grandma: What is the core of the job?
I research how we can integrate new technologies profitably. It's like a puzzle, only with technologies as building blocks. Let me give you an example: We now use a "digital twin" to develop control units, i.e. a data representation of the control unit that we work with in development. This digital twin has all the advantages of consistency: if I want to have a suit tailored, a twin of mine could have it measured for me in another city. As the digital twin is made up of data, it can be accessed from anywhere.
However, the advantages of data instead of prototypes go far beyond this. For example, the digital representation can be tested in parallel on a massive scale in a very short space of time. We also use an AI for testing, whose optimization function consists of maximizing crashes. It significantly shortens the testing process. And so these two pieces of the puzzle fit together to significantly improve our work: where we used to need five years to develop a product, we now need one and a half years. That's a very short cycle for the automotive industry, which has to comply with so many standards, safety regulations and laws.
What are the typical tasks involved?
I look for new ideas from IT, consider them, and think about how we could use them to improve our processes and products. I've already given you an example.
What is special about the job?
The biggest special feature is probably the partnerships with other companies. Sometimes we talk several times a week or even every day. These other companies include cloud providers, technology companies, other suppliers and chip manufacturers. We work particularly closely with vehicle manufacturers, whose requirements we want to meet. It's a large, networked system in which there is a lot of inspiration.
(Image: Continental)
What does the position in the Group mean?
Our work ensures greater efficiency, and we can - indeed, must - work efficiently ourselves. Efficiency also comes from flexibility, which is significant at Continental. In the department, we decide for ourselves how we can achieve our goals most effectively. I believe that everyone will have to work highly flexibly and efficiently at some point because technology is changing so quickly. If you want to remain competitive, you have to move at a fast pace.
The share of software in value creation in the automotive sector has increased noticeably, making our department more important. We are talking about the "software-defined vehicle", a vehicle whose functions are increasingly defined by software from the user's perspective. The market used to ask about engine capacity or number of cylinders. Do you know what the most requested function is today? Smartphone connectivity. People want to know how they can integrate the vehicle into their everyday smartphone life in a meaningful way. And ultimately, our work simply leads to innovative and sought-after products that every company needs.
How did you get into this job?
I've already come a long way at Continental because I started as a working student in software development. Most recently, I worked as a software architect in high-performance computing. The software architect, like the equivalent in-house construction, takes care of the plan for the overall product. For my current job, I would say that the previous job was a prerequisite. You should have worked as a software architect to get to know the framework conditions in high-performance computing. However, my current job did not exist before. My superiors and I developed it together because we realized that there was important work to be done. It was also an example of organizational flexibility, which shows that not everything has to come from the top.
What training do people who are interested in the job need?
Computer science and possibly mechanical engineering courses are ideal preparation for the job. However, the end of a computer science degree only means a new beginning. So much changes so quickly in technology that you can only really apply the basics and simply have to relearn large parts. The automotive sector is also very specialized. So you should always be willing to learn because our work is a complex field that changes very dynamically.
What interests should you have to be motivated to do the job?
This job is great for people who always want something new. I am someone like that: I don't like repetition, I always need something new. At the same time, safety and standards are significant in the automotive sector. We have high-quality standards, so the work has to be carried out with corresponding precision.
Complete the sentence for people interested in this job: "To find a place here, you need ..."
... Enjoy this work! I want us to have fun every day. Some people don't really like going to work, but I just love doing this job. I also often hear in the team that my colleagues enjoy what they do. That's how it should be.
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