As an automotive supplier, Magneti Marelli is known for its innovation and manufacturing excellence. 2019 is a crucial juncture in its growth. In May of that year, Calsonic Kansei and Magneti Marelli announced a formal merger, and the new company, named "Magneti Marelli", brought together the strengths of two global automotive component manufacturers, thus becoming an industry leader.
The combined Magneti Marelli brings together the best of two centuries-old stores, incorporating a long heritage and reinvigorating itself. Dr. Jianqiang Fan, Executive Vice President of Magneti Marelli Worldwide and President of China, said: "Magneti Marelli has passed on the culture of innovation and racing to us, and Calsonic Kansei has passed on the spirit of craftsmanship and quality of excellence, and the two companies have become one to provide new services to Magneti Marelli's customers around the world. ”
Dr. Jianqiang Fan, Global Executive Vice President and President of Magneti Marelli China
To date, Magneti Marelli has established 170 factories and R&D centers in 24 countries around the world, and is firmly committed to working closely with customers and partners to create a safer, greener and more connected world that will impact the future of mobility. Recently, Dr. Fan Jianqiang was interviewed by this reporter, which not only outlined the new growth of Magneti Marelli, but also conducted an in-depth analysis of the development trend of China's automobile industry.
Take technological innovation as the foothold
The automobile industry is experiencing the biggest change in a hundred years, "new four modernizations" has become the only way for industrial development, and the current automobile has evolved from mechanization to electrification, networking, intelligence and sharing. In line with the development trend of the new era, Magneti Marelli has demonstrated its core competitiveness in the automotive industry through technological innovation and service upgrading.
According to Dr. Fan Jianqiang, Magneti Marelli's current business in China covers the fields of lamps and intelligent perception, electronics and intelligent cockpits, new energy electrification, etc., and focuses on continuous innovation in the fields of interconnected systems, automatic driving, driving experience, external induction, electrification, lean propulsion and power.
The lamp segment is one of Magneti Marelli's key businesses, and many global high-end brands use its R&D and manufactured products. Its lamp products integrate intelligent interconnection, personalization and other characteristics, with full LED, matrix LED, laser and digital and other technologies, can bring users and end consumers a new experience.
For example, "intelligence" has become the trend of the times, and the lamps of simple lighting in the past have become controllable "digital" lights, which put forward strict requirements for the supplier's innovative research and development and production technology. At the same time, the rapid development of autonomous driving technology, more and more millimeter wave radar integrated in intelligent lights, to this end, Magneti Marelli through the development of lamps and sensors to cope with this technical test, fully meet the sensing needs of autonomous driving ADAS.
In parallel with automotive electronic architectures are innovations in on-board human-machine interfaces (HMIs), for which Magneti Marelli proposes simple, intelligent, and interconnected digital electronic cockpit solutions, such as an integrated cockpit domain controller, which allows multiple functional areas to be combined into a single system-on-chip. Electronic display is also Magneti Marelli's fist products, the industry's first large electronic display is from its hand, Magneti Marelli's multi-screen display interaction technology can provide a smooth and consistent interface display, through seamless splicing and advanced human-machine interface design for the driver and occupants to provide a personalized experience, the display technology includes integrated black and Local Dimming and other technologies, compared to the traditional solution can save more than 60% of energy consumption.
In addition, Magneti Marelli created a combination of body electronic control, electronic display and mood light, integrating a number of advanced technologies into one, integrating a young and personalized aesthetic style, and repeatedly adjusting with OEM partners in the early stage of design, and finally polishing the intelligent cockpit with a more perfect driving experience.
It can be seen that Magneti Marelli has persistently invested in innovation, stood at the forefront of technological change, and spared no effort to launch innovative products and advanced technologies in the fields of intelligent networking and future travel, so as to achieve continuous innovation in the inheritance.
Practice sustainability
Today, with sustainable development and new energy vehicle production and sales increasing year by year, Magneti Marelli is in line with the megatrend and deeply cultivates the field of "electrification", while also providing a number of product portfolios and solutions for electric vehicles.
Dr. Fan Jianqiang was deeply touched by the development of automobile "electrification" and pointed out that Magneti Marelli has long been strategically laid out in the field of electric drive systems and aspires to become a complete supplier of electric drive systems, including managing, controlling and optimizing the complete energy flow in electric vehicles.
"Magneti Marelli takes advantage of the transfer of technology from racing cars to the road, as well as its long-term accumulation in series production, to increase power density and efficiency for vehicles, such as from 800 V systems to high-speed electric engines and silicon carbide power inverters." Dr. Fan Jianqiang also introduced that Magneti Marelli has long-term experience in the development of motorsport technology, providing technology and services to top teams in almost all important international events, such as F1, Formula E, World Endurance Championship (WRC), MotoGP and other races.
At the same time, under the guidance of the "double carbon" policy, the "green ecosystem" built by Magneti Marelli is practicing the development concept of green environmental protection with practical actions. The "Green Ecosystem" is committed to providing aftertreatment systems for vehicles equipped with diesel, gasoline or hybrid systems, and the environmental protection effect even exceeds the highest requirements of international regulations, helping customers meet emission regulations and achieve energy conservation and emission reduction.
Magneti Marelli's commitment to sustainability is reflected in every aspect. At the end of 2021, Magneti Marelli's Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) purification system won the CES 2022 Innovation Award for sanitize bacteria and viruses in vehicles and indoor environments. Magneti Marelli has developed several versions of IAQ products for different scenarios, including automotive HVAC units integrated into cockpit modules or piping systems. Magneti Marelli will manufacture the product for an electric vehicle manufacturer in Los Angeles, California, by the end of 2022.
Thermal management systems are also a major area of technology for Magneti Marelli, including heat recovery systems and innovative systems for reducing carbon emissions and weight. Magneti Marelli takes sustainability even further by optimizing solutions that enable the entire process of energy generation and dissipation.
Consolidate China's localization strategy
With the acceleration of the development of China's auto industry, China's auto market has become one of the most important markets in the world. As a result, Magneti Marelli accelerated the localization process, strived to seize development opportunities in the Chinese market, and carried out a series of strategic layout and construction work.
Speaking about Magneti Marelli's current development philosophy, Dr. Fan pointed out that Magneti Marelli's further development in the Chinese market is crucial and will also accelerate Magneti Marelli's global growth. A simpler, resilient and flexible planning layout not only reinforces Magneti Marelli's firm grasp of opportunities in the Chinese market, but also strengthens the closeness of contact and cooperation with local customers. Combining Magneti Marelli's innovative culture and racing culture, Calsonic Kansei's craftsman spirit and quality culture, coupled with Chinese speed, it is truly a "trinity" of innovation, craftsmanship and speed.
"The new company proposes a new framework for China's strategy, in order to further meet the rapid iteration and development of the Chinese market, in order to meet the needs of Chinese OEMs customers, Magneti Marelli in 2022 to empower the Chinese team to have more independent decision-making power in the Chinese market, the president of China is directly led by the global CEO to provide a rapid response to customer needs, our strategic planning and vision of China is '1+."" 1>2', one is the innovation quality of our global heritage and the link to the global OEMs; the second is the speed cost and the link to the Chinese OEMs in China, '1+1>2' is the core competitiveness of Magneti Marelli China, and we hope to provide quality services for major OEMs. Dr. Fan Jianqiang said so.
Today, Magneti Marelli China has a presence in 15 cities, including 21 production sites and 8 R&D centers, covering products and services in the fields of automotive lighting and perception, electronic systems, automotive electrification, cockpit experience, green ecosystem and chassis and vibration damping, powertrains, and aftermarket. In December 2021, Magneti Marelli signed a cooperation agreement with Changan Automobile to set up a joint innovation center to once again increase The Innovative Development of Magneti Marelli in China's domestic market.
Speaking of partners, Dr. Fan Jianqiang admitted that Magneti Marelli China's independent brand customers include Geely, Great Wall, BYD, Changan, SAIC, GAC, Chery, FAW, Jacque, Weilai, Ideal, Lantu, etc. Whether it is an established OEM or a "new car-making force", Magneti Marelli China is willing to open its arms, maintain an enterprising spirit and an open mind, and strive to embrace change and achieve win-win cooperation.
epilogue
Magneti Marelli, which set sail at full speed, continues to innovate in the inheritance, not only carrying a century of long history and excellent quality, but also exploring a unique way to stand in the development of the market. More importantly, the development concept of technological innovation, craftsmanship and Chinese speed "trinity" will inevitably make Magneti Marelli China more vigorous in the local market.