Value-driven Multidisciplinary Simulation Model Development Process

To develop competitive vehicles, automotive engineers continuously improve their ability to explore and to analyze the most relevant system architecture by taking into consideration the vehicle level attributes (i.e. drivability and fuel economy) and innovation (i.e. hybrid or full electric vehicle). In the endeavour to reduce time to market, automotive OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) need to create credible simulation models under uncertainty while aiming to detect any model inconsistencies before building expensive simulation models. The pursuit for shorter lead-times and higher product quality call for increasing amount of concurrent activities and effective cross-functional collaboration. In this connection, Systems Engineering (SE) methods help to structure the necessary activities however, they fail to address ‘value’ in much detail. This work addresses the application of value thinking in multidisciplinary simulation model development environment that structured within a SE context by considering three interrelated perspectives: organization, process, and product. Based on these perspectives, we then identify some suitable characteristics of multidisciplinary simulation model development processes, and explain these characteristics in terms of value maximization. An important conclusion of the work is that maximizing its value, an OEM should therefore not only invest in the creation of new systems, but also into advancing its systems engineering capabilities.