Chronicle 2020

A year full of events

In 2020, ŠKODA AUTO continued its tradition of the past 125 years and, despite the pandemic, made significant progress in its efforts to become a Simply Clever company for the best mobility solutions by 2025

Changes in the Board of Directors

In August, Thomas Schäfer (pictured) replaced Bernhard Maier as the carmaker’s CEO. The new Board Chairman sees growth potential in new markets and the reasonably priced car segment. Karsten Schnake became Board Member for Purchasing on 1 July. Dr. Johannes Neft takes over responsibility for Technical Development from Christian Strube in 2021.

Attractive employer

ŠKODA AUTO earned the Randstad Award 2020 and defended its title atop the rankings of the most attractive employers in the Czech Republic

were sold by After Sales through the new parts and accessories e-shop during the first four months of its operation.

Omnipresent AI

Through the planned digital transformation, the carmaker has strengthened solutions based on artificial intelligence (AI). It is also used by the Sound Analyzer application, which reveals the need for maintenance from the serviced car’s sound, or by the FabLab, where it is used for predictive maintenance. AI also played a significant role in other innovations across the carmaker.

Electrifying premiere

On 1 September, the ŠKODA ENYAQ iV model – the first purely electric SUV brand on the MEB platform – was presented in Prague. Viewers from all over the world were literally in the middle of the action thanks to the live transmission of 360° cameras. The next day, a specially modified car drove Tour de France Director Christian Prudhomme on the fifth stage of the race.

were reached on the Satisfaction Index of the Stimmungsbarometer survey. The good mood of our employees increased by 0.7 points year on year.

ENYAQ iV, OCTAVIA and KAROQ from one line

In February, the fourth-generation OCTAVIA liftback was successfully launched in the main plant. Gradually, its iV, SCOUT and RS variants have also been added. The brand’s bestseller boasts the widest range of drives in history: from its petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid iV and mild hybrid e-TEC to its G-TEC version powered by natural gas. In November, the purely electric SUV ENYAQ iV began to roll off the same production line in the M13 Hall, which is the first line in the VW Group to enable the parallel production of models on electric car platforms (MEB) and conventional engine cars (MQB).

Building in Mladá Boleslav

During the year, the Central pilot hall was being built in the main plant. In 2021, it will become the foundation for the pre-serial production centre during new model launches. Next year, the Central employee meal kitchen will open as well.

SPRING SHUTDOWN  

Owing to the coronavirus pandemic, production stopped for 30 working days in Kvasiny and for 26 working days in Mladá Boleslav. It was the first time this had happened since the Second World War.

Carbon-neutral Vrchlabí

The plant in Krkonoše was the first to meet the carmaker’s commitment to using only CO2-neutral energy for production in the Czech Republic. By 2050, ŠKODA AUTO will become a carbon-neutral company.

Simply Clever Industry 4.0

The robotisation, automation and digitisation of production processes continued at a rapid pace. The Vrchlabí plant expanded its production line through its robotic station where its digital twin helped to shorten the reconfiguration time. In Kvasiny, robots took over all the welding operations in the Welding Shop, including internal body spraying at the Paint Shop. In this plant, the machine also picks up starter batteries from their supplied pallets and delivers them just-in-sequence to the line.

were saved during the first six months of the OPTIKON application, which was created in cooperation with the Brand Logistics, ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab and ŠKODA IT, which tested it. The application calculates the best way of placing and the number of different types of pallets, thus maximising the container loading capacity.

The jubilee 3 millionth ŠKODA car made in China since the start of production in 2007 rolled off the line at the Ningbo plant. In March, ŠKODA AUTO presented its significantly redesigned RAPID and RAPID SPACEBACK cars there, its modernised KAROQ at the Auto China show in September, and its innovated SUPERB, KODIAQ and KODIAQ GT in Guangzhou.

Custom-developed for India

In February, in New Delhi, the public first saw the VISION IN concept, an SUV model developed specifically to meet our Indian customers’ needs. In August, it was followed by the pre-serial model production in Pune. The SAVWIPL company opened its Quality Centre at the local plant, which combined all the analytical and test works in one site. The fourth branch of the ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab India innovation centre also opened in Pune. It will focus on developing digital and mobile solutions for the Indian market.

Trusted engine experts

ŠKODA’s Technical Development department has taken over responsibility for the development of small petrol engines for lower-class cars within the VW Group.

Offensive abroad

In May, ŠKODA AUTO launched its modernised RAPID model in the Russian region. The model is produced at the Kaluga plant. In September, ŠKODA AUTO started producing its fourth-generation OCTAVIA in Nizhny Novgorod. In November, the production of the successful KAROQ model started in Bratislava as well.

are provided by the new parking house in Ptácká Street that the carmaker commissioned at the beginning of the year.

is the length of the impact test hall at the Úhelnice Polygon, which will be used for electric car crash tests as well.

are required for an electric car test in the new solar chamber, which is one of the most modern in the world.

Česana’s development

The test car construction building offers its workers modern and safe premises and enables the increased quality and capacity during the production of samples. Work also continued on the extension of the Technology Centre, which will offer its new offices for developers, as well as modern technological premises for the development and testing of cars, their components, electronics and software.

were sold by ŠKODA Motorsport to its customers, who also received top-level support and technical assistance from them during their races.

on the attractive two-spoke steering wheel are used by drivers to control the fourth-generation OCTAVIA model’s assistants and useful functions.

Fast SLAVIA

The seventh Azubi Car was built by SOUs students on the SCALA model chassis. The sports car with its spider body refers to the historic ŠKODA 1100 OHC roadster from 1957.

Combatting coronavirus

All 42,000 ŠKODA employees have demonstrated their great courage, responsibility and good heart in connection with the pandemic. Their health was protected at work by 80 measures against the spread of coronavirus. These measures were implemented in cooperation with the KOVO Trade Union. In addition, the carmaker donated more than CZK 100 million to support the fight against COVID-19 as part of its #ŠKODAAUTOpomáhá initiative.

eTC

Since May, the new Technology Centre in Mladá Boleslav has been training employees in their electromobility skills. The centre also analyses battery systems and tests the quality of newly produced batteries and cars.

Navigation through the carmaker

Over the summer, the S – Human Resources Management area introduced its KOMPAS personnel system, which replaces selected printed forms and converts the recruitment process into an electronic format.

The carmaker commemorated the anniversary of its founding with interesting activities. These included its From Heritage to Future exhibition at the ŠKODA Museum and the ŠKODA Classic Tour. However, many other important anniversaries also came together, including the Tool Shop, Brand Logistics, the ŠKODA Parts Centre, ŠKO-ENERGO and other important parts of the carmaker.