Open Innovation In The Auto Sector

Progress and success depends on ideas. And when it is about ideas and “out of the box” thinking, the “closed room” approach has ceased to work. Forward thinking companies have realized this truth and hence are resorting to open innovation techniques.

Recently, the automobile industry has been using innovative products and solutions for new product development and enhancing existing services and products. Previously, this industry majorly banked on market research and trends offered by an external agency for new product development. In addition, with the success of social web certain auto brands also have been using social media platforms as a means of idea capture.

Leading French automobile manufacturer Citroen joined hands with Facebook recently on an app and encouraged the audience to share their views on ‘C1 Connexion’, the UK’s first ever crowdsourced car. The app got launched in April 2012 whereby the company encouraged Facebook users to participate in the open innovation contest. The participants were asked to determine the way the car model should look, the devices needed and their details with multiple possibilities. This comprised of the number of doors, exterior and interior color combination, communication systems such as Sat Nav System. This open innovation contest was open for a month and finally the car details given by the audience was revealed in May 2012 before it went into production.

This apart, auto majors like BMW, Germany has been making use of open innovation to gather ideas on how to expand the product pipeline and incorporate creative ideas to the ideation process. It came up with a Co-Creation Lab, a platform where interested participants and car enthusiasts are free to share their views and ideas about next-generation cars. Since its inception the lab has hosted innovation contests. A notable one is the BMW Group Interior Design Contest that encouraged the crowd to share creative inputs for customizing car interiors. There was no restriction on the participants and the winners were chosen by an expert panel. As a result of this mass idea sharing the idea that won was the ‘Color Matching Camera’ that is placed inside the car and spots the clothes and colors of an individual.

Thus when companies are thinking and going all global it is crucial to reach and connect to the audience at large. Idea management techniques, crowdsourcing and open innovation, automatically help individuals to establish a deeper connection with a company. This apart, idea management is also about growing together professionally and propagating an atmosphere of knowledge sharing.

Read More About: innovative management solutions