Artificial Intelligence How Audi is Increasing Efficiency in Production With AI

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Efficiency, quality improvement, inspiration: Audi uses artificial intelligence (AI) in many areas of the company. The aim is to fully exploit the potential of AI and data—both in company processes and in the customer experience with services and products.

Audi currently has more than 100 AI approaches in various degrees of maturity in production, which the company is gradually integrating and scaling into series production. The current focus is primarily on AI-supported quality monitoring and generative AI.

Production Has the Highest Data Volume in the Company

In addition to the introduction of new AI tools, Audi is pressing ahead with the systematic expansion of its data organization. The amount of data in production is higher than anywhere else in the company: Several hundred petabytes of data already exist, and thousands of gigabytes of new data are created every day. Gerd Walker explains the potential of this data density: "Artificial intelligence enables us to make more comprehensive use of our enormous wealth of data in production and accelerates the path of our 360factory towards a data-driven factory." The 360factory is Audi's production strategy for fully networked, innovative and sustainable manufacturing.

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Saving Time With Generative AI: the "Tender Toucan" Project

Audi has recently started using artificial intelligence to analyze tenders. The AI tool called "Tender Toucan" creates a list of requirements based on a submitted specification, searches for the appropriate sections from the tenders and evaluates the degree of fulfillment. Employees check and complete the tool's work, saving up to 30 percent of their time. "Tender Toucan" went into series production in production planning for drives and high-voltage batteries in the summer, and a further roll-out at Audi and in the Volkswagen Group is planned. The development of "Tender Toucan" also forms the basis for many other AI applications at Audi.

Quality Improvement Through AI-Supported Quality Monitoring

An image-processing AI application has recently been used in assembly at the Ingolstadt (Germany) and Neckarsulm plants. The tool, called "IRIS", uses cameras to check whether labels with technical data are correctly attached to the vehicle. This involves attaching them to the correct component, position, content and language. In this way, it ensures the conformity of the vehicles. Employees continue to carry out spot checks. The label check by IRIS saves around one minute of production time per vehicle.

Audi recently joined forces with Siemens to bring another AI-supported quality check into series production in the body shop in Neckarsulm. Previously, employees manually checked the underbody for weld splatter and then removed it. Now, so-called "Weld Splatter Detection" (WSD) uses AI to detect possible weld splatter on the underbody of the car bodies. These metal deposits could lead to cable breaks, among other things. In a further expansion stage from summer 2025, a robot arm will then automatically remove the weld splatter. In this case, the WSD AI application will not only save time in production, but will also increase occupational safety for employees and improve ergonomics.

Audi With A Strong AI Network: the IPAI in Heilbronn, Germany

In order to make the best possible use of artificial intelligence, Audi has built up a strong network of experts in the field of artificial intelligence over the past few years. Audi cooperates closely with the IPAI (Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence) in Heilbronn, among others. The IPAI is set to become Europe's largest network for AI and is starting construction of a 23-hectare campus this year. Audi will have its own office there, as it does on the current IPAI site, and is part of the AI think tank in Heilbronn. The Audi Böllinger Höfe are also located in the immediate vicinity. This Audi site for small series production serves as a real-world laboratory for digital production technologies as part of AI25 (Automotive Initiative 2025), an innovation network for digital transformation in the automotive industry.

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