Global auto major Groupe Renault and technology major Google Cloud have announced a new industrial and technology partnership to accelerate the digitisation of Groupe Renault’s industrial system and of Industry 4.0 transformation.

Renault Group says it has been developing its own digital platform since 2016 to connect and aggregate industrial data from 22 Group sites worldwide (representing 76% of vehicle production) and more than 2,500 machines. This new partnership with Google Cloud aims, among other things, to optimise Groupe Renault's wholly-owned and independently operated industrial data management platform. Google Cloud’s solutions and experience in smart analytics, machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) will enable the OEM to improve its supply chain and manufacturing efficiency, its production quality, and the reduction in environmental impact through energy savings.

These improvements will ultimately foster the development of new vertical solutions for the automotive industry. Developing digital skills, employee training is also an essential part of this new partnership. The partners plan to build a unique and scalable program to enhance Renault process engineering, manufacturing and IT teams’ skills via coworking, training and enablement sessions with the Google team. This program’s objective is to enhance a data-driven culture that is an essential part of Renault employees’ daily professional lives, in operational as much as in decision-making processes.

Jose Vicente de los Mozos, director of Manufacturing and Logistics, member of Groupe Renault’s Executive Committee said: “This collaboration is a perfect illustration of Groupe Renault’ digital strategy, applied here to the industrial field. This agreement and the commitment of our IT, manufacturing and supply chain management teams will allow us to accelerate the deployment of our Industry 4.0 plan designed to transform and connect our production sites and logistics processes around the world to improve our standards of excellence and performance. This partnership is also an asset for Groupe Renault employees who will benefit from high-level training in digital data management.”

Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud said: “The automotive industry has innovation in its DNA, and there is immense potential for digital technology to have a significant impact on production. We are proud to be partnering with Groupe Renault to help revolutionize the future of automotive manufacturing and power the next generation of supply chain excellence.”