Lucy Pilgrim is an in-house writer for Manufacturing Outlook Magazine, where she is responsible for interviewing corporate executives and crafting original features for the magazine, corporate...
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Rockwell Automation has collaborated with the Center for Automotive Research to release a new whitepaper titled ‘Smart Manufacturing in Automotive: Deployment and Impact’. The report outlines how artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation are shaping manufacturing across the automotive, tire, and battery sectors.
Rockwell Automation has partnered with the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) to publish a new white paper examining the growing impact of smart manufacturing across the automotive, tire, and battery industries.
Titled ‘Smart Manufacturing in Automotive: Deployment and Impact’, the report was authored by CAR using extensive data supplied by Rockwell Automation. It explores how artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and automation technologies are transforming manufacturing operations and influencing future competitiveness.
According to the findings, the industry has reached a turning point. Rather than debating whether to invest in smart manufacturing technologies, manufacturers are increasingly focused on determining where and how quickly they can deploy them.
EXPANDING AUTOMATION CAPABILITIES
While advanced automation has long been established in areas such as body production, painting, and welding, manufacturers are now extending these capabilities into more complex functions.
Electronics assembly, validation processes, production coordination, and logistics are among the areas seeing increased automation adoption. At the same time, AI and ML technologies are helping manufacturers enhance predictive maintenance programs, improve inspection accuracy, and optimize overall system performance.
“The industry has built a strong automation foundation. What is changing now is how manufacturers are using AI and data to manage growing complexity, improve decision-making, and create competitive advantage,” said Edgar Faler, Principal Mobility Analyst and Strategy Lead at CAR.
“Those that move faster are starting to see measurable advantages.”
DRIVERS OF INDUSTRY TRANSFORMATION
The white paper combines CAR’s analysis with proprietary findings from Rockwell Automation’s 11th annual State of Smart Manufacturing report.
The research identifies several factors fueling adoption, including increasingly complex production environments, persistent warranty challenges, rising operational costs, and intensifying global competition. Smart manufacturing technologies are also supporting onshoring initiatives by helping manufacturers maintain cost-competitive operations despite ongoing labor constraints.
Manufacturers implementing these technologies are already reporting tangible benefits. In select applications, organizations have achieved reductions in unplanned downtime of up to 50 percent, alongside approximately five percent improvements in overall equipment effectiveness and throughput gains of between five percent and seven percent through the use of real-time production analytics.
James Glasson, VP Global Industry – Automotive, Tire & Advanced Mobility, Rockwell Automation
“Manufacturers are being asked to do more with less while managing greater complexity,” said James Glasson, VP Global Industry – Automotive, Tire & Advanced Mobility at Rockwell Automation.
“The combination of automation and AI is helping teams identify issues earlier, reduce downtime, and improve performance across plants. The difference now is how effectively companies scale these capabilities.”
James Glasson, VP Global Industry – Automotive, Tire & Advanced Mobility, Rockwell Automation
A GROWING COMPETITIVE DIVIDE
The report also highlights an emerging divide across the automotive manufacturing landscape.
As adoption rates vary between organizations, differences in quality, productivity, and operational uptime are becoming increasingly pronounced. The findings suggest that these gaps could have significant implications for supplier performance and long-term competitiveness as smart manufacturing technologies continue to mature and scale across the industry.
This article was produced by the editorial team at Manufacturing Outlook and published as part of the Outlook Publishing global network of B2B industry magazines.
Outlook Publishing delivers industry insights, company stories, and sector coverage across manufacturing, mining, construction, healthcare, supply chains, food production, and sustainability.
Manufacturing Outlook provides ongoing coverage of organisations and developments shaping the global manufacturing industry.
Lucy Pilgrim is an in-house writer for Manufacturing Outlook Magazine, where she is responsible for interviewing corporate executives and crafting original features for the magazine, corporate brochures, and the digital platform.
