02/2022

ŠKODA Mobil<br>February 2022

• TITLE

• A flight through the ŠKODA world

  A flight through the ŠKODA world

  Happening at ŠKODA Auto

  Deliveries affected 

  by a semiconductor shortage 

  Although ŠKODA AUTO had a very strong first half of 2021, it ended up experiencing a decline in deliveries of cars to its customers compared with the previous year because of the global shortage of semiconductors. This year, however, it expects a gradual improvement in the supply situation for these components, as well as positive momentum from the launch of its ENYAQ COUPÉ iV and upgraded KAROQ SUV. Last year’s successes included the launch of the all-electric ENYAQ iV in the second quarter. Since then, it has headed to nearly 45,000 customers. ŠKODA improved its position by more than 100% in India, where the launch of its KUSHAQ also helped the brand deliver 22,800 cars to its customers. Overall, the OCTAVIA retains its position as the brand’s best-selling model, followed by the KAMIQ and KAROQ SUVs.
  

  Cars were delivered by ŠKODA AUTO to the world in 2021.
  

  Meredith Kelly 

  takes over at VM – Marketing

  Meredith Kelly, who has been with the VW Group since 2015 and was most recently responsible for Volkswagen’s marketing activities in South Africa, is now in charge of ŠKODA AUTO’s global marketing activities. Kelly took over the leadership of the VM – Marketing department in January. “Her rich experiences from international marketing and consumer goods, as well as from the VW Group, make her the ideal candidate for this position,” highlighted Martin Jahn, Board Member for Sales and Marketing.

  Piyush Arora 

  will lead SAVWIPL 

  Piyush Arora, a top executive with experiences from Tata Motors and Mercedes-Benz India, will become the new Managing Director of ŠKODA AUTO Volkswagen India Private Limited (SAVWIPL) on 1 March, thus replacing Gurpratap Boparai. He will be tasked with further expanding the VW Group’s activities in India, especially the INDIA 2.0 project. This also includes the export of Indian ŠKODA and Volkswagen models to other markets this year.

  Models
  

  Modernised KODIAQ presented in China

  In early January, three dozen journalists attended a special workshop at the SAIC Volkswagen development centre in Shanghai, at which the updated KODIAQ and KODIAQ GT models for the Chinese market were presented. The event placed special emphasis on design innovations, which were introduced by the brand’s designers Chen Zhixiong, Karl Neuhold, and Miroslav Jaskmanicki . Especially the new interior and 20-inch wheels offered for the first time in the KODIAQ GT version were particularly well received by the media.

  New FABIA heads to driving schools

  In December, driving school representatives received 24 new-generation FABIAs at the LAURETA AUTO dealership in Mladá Boleslav. On this occasion, the Association of Driving Schools of the Czech Republic also received video materials from ŠKODA AUTO’s Traffic Safety Research for its teaching and training programmes. The carmaker has long supported the education of Czech drivers and has been offering ŠKODA’s programme to driving schools for the past several years. This gives them more favourable conditions for car purchases, and they obtain support in the training of their new and existing drivers.

  ŠKODA AUTO Helps

  
  

  Rewards for hospital staff

  At the end of last year, ŠKODA AUTO’s Endowment Fund recognised the commitment and dedication shown by healthcare workers and other hospital staff to all the patients during the coronavirus pandemic. It made a monetary donation to Klaudian’s Hospital in Mladá Boleslav, as well as the hospitals in Rychnov nad Kněžnou and Vrchlabí. These funds will be used to improve their facilities and make their workplaces more comfortable. Every employee of Klaudian’s Hospital also received a personal wish on “growing paper”, from which flowers will grow after planting.

  Was provided by ŠKODA AUTO’s Endowment Fund to the hospitals in Mladá Boleslav, Rychnov nad Kněžnou and Vrchlabí.

  How they see us

  Motorzeitung.de (6 January 2022)
  

  FABIA 1.0 TSI 81 kW
  

  Space inside the car is really generous thanks to the increase in size, and even the rear seat passengers have plenty of room.
  

  Plenty of space

  Plenty of assistance systems

  Comfortably tuned chassis

  Mature appearance  

  Relatively high price for a car of this size

  Hybrid powertrain not available

  The Western Australia Police Force has ordered 55 SUPERB COMBI cars. The powerful petrol models will patrol the local highways.

  
  

• COLUMN OF A MEMBER OF THE BOARD

  Column of a member of the Board

  ON THE ROAD TO TRANSFORMING

  Engineering spirit and a ‘can-do’ attitude have been key elements of ŠKODA’s DNA for more than 125 years.

  KODA – clever cars that you can rely on. They are attractive, innovative, understandable and easy to use and have been developed and produced with passion. Now the automotive industry, including ŠKODA, is facing two major challenges: technology and climate change. The car of the future will be electric and fully connected. At the same time, climate change is threatening people’s everyday lives. ŠKODA AUTO is engaging intensively with both of these topics.In each issue from now on, we’ll be inviting a Board member to discuss how they’re addressing the transformation in their area. We want to understand what motivates them and what they think about the transformation. We’ll be starting off with CEO Thomas Schäfer.

  Dear readers, 

  “Paths are made by walking.” This quote by the writer Franz Kafka sums up what transformation in the automotive industry is all about. In reality, the correlations are much more complex and multidimensional, as is often the case. 

  The world is changing, and here at ŠKODA AUTO, we are changing with it so that we can remain relevant and successful in the years to come. We are making the company fit for the future with our NEXT LEVEL – ŠKODA STRATEGY 2030.

  For example, we are becoming more electrified. By 2030, we will have launched at least three electric cars more affordable then the ENYAQ iV product family. We are becoming more international; we are developing ŠKODA into the leading European brand in India, Russia and North Africa and expanding our global sales potential to up to 1.5 million vehicles a year. And we are also becoming more sustainable: From 2026, all our Czech plants will be operating at net-zero CO2 emissions. 

  As CEO of ŠKODA AUTO, one of my tasks is to define the right framework conditions and create an atmosphere to facilitate this transformation. Specifically, that means encouraging and supporting the team, making room to develop and strengthening the collaboration between departments. The purpose of a progressive corporation is not only to maximise profits for its shareholders but also to focus on doing the right things, such as promoting sustainability and diversity.

  One thing is clear: ŠKODA already has a great corporate culture; I feel and enjoy this every day. We are now taking this promising basis to the next level as a team. And the best way to do that is to forge ahead – and in so doing, the path will emerge, just as Kafka said.

  
  

  Thomas Schäfer 

  ŠKODA AUTO CEO

• eMobility / ENYAQ COUPÉ iV

  eMobility

  Sporty, Elegant and Electric

  The new electric ENYAQ COUPÉ iV, which also has a SPORTLINE variant and the top-of-the-range RS model, joins the ŠKODA car model range

  Even more emotional look

  With this innovation, the coupé body variant returns to the ŠKODA car portfolio. The car has a gently sloping roofline that proceeds into the fifth door with a sharply curved edge. The entire roof is covered by a tinted panoramic window, the largest ever in a ŠKODA car. It is thinner than a conventional full roof, thus giving the passengers more headroom. It also includes a special coating that helps ensure a consistently pleasant interior climate. The other distinctive features include a distinctive sports front bumper and side sills painted in the body colour. The chromium-plated trim around the windows is a distinctive contour element. An optional Crystal Face front grille with 131 LEDs illuminating the vertical slats is available as well.

  The ENYAQ COUPé iV brings even more emotion, sportiness and elegance to the ŠKODA iV family.
  

  Thomas Schäfer 

  ŠKODA AUTO CEO

  
  

  Great aerodynamics, greater range

  The previously mentioned ENYAQ iV features excellent aerodynamics. For the coupé, the developers improved it even further. Thanks to the body shape and numerous aerodynamic features, including the Air Curtain and roof spoiler, among others, an excellent air drag coefficient cx of 0.234 was achieved. Thanks to its excellent aerodynamics, the ENYAQ COUPÉ iV 80 has a range of up to 545 km in the WLTP mode, according to preliminary figures.  

  The occupants are safe

  Up to nine airbags ensure a high level of occupant safety. An optional augmented reality head-up display is available as well and provides information in two display fields. The longitudinal display in the driver’s field of vision shows information, such as speed and recognised traffic signs on the windshield. The augmented reality display field virtually projects information onto the road in front of the car. The larger symbols use arrows to show navigation instructions, activated adaptive lane guidance and adaptive cruise control, as well as traffic signs and warning messages. The ENYAQ COUPÉ iV also offers all of ŠKODA’s driver assistance systems. The optional features include automatic parking, where the car can park itself completely in both transverse and longitudinal parking spaces and can drive out of them too. The new assistant can also brake automatically and prevent potential collisions with pedestrians or other objects. ED
  

  Podívejte se na srovnání vozu ENYAQ COUPÉ iV s původní verzí.

  Natural materials and great connectivity

  The ENYAQ COUPÉ iV model also offers its customers a choice of interior designs. Its Lodge interior uses sustainable materials (you can read more here). The car’s standard features include a 5.3” virtual cockpit and 13” central infotainment touchscreen. It controls the latest version of the VW Group’s ME 3 modular MEB platform software, which offers new features and improvements, like high-voltage battery management. Despite its sporty cut, the coupé has not lost its generous boot space, which can hold 570 litres.

  Three power levels

  The ENYAQ COUPÉ iV offers rear-wheel drive with an electric motor on the rear axle or all-wheel drive with two electric motors in the 80x and RS versions. Unlike the ENYAQ iV, however, there is only one battery option, which has the greater 82 kWh capacity. The battery permits quick charging: from 10% to 80% in 29 minutes.

  ENYAQ COUPÉ iV 80

  Drive 

  Rear-wheel drive

  Maximum power

  150 kW

  Maximum torque

  310 Nm

  Maximum speed

  160 km/h

  ENYAQ COUPÉ iV 80x

  Drive

  4 × 4

  Maximum power

  195 kW

  Maximum torque

  425 Nm

  Maximum speed

  160 km/h

  ENYAQ COUPÉ RS iV

  Drive

  4 × 4

  Maximum power

  220 kW

  Maximum torque

  460 Nm

  Maximum speed

  180 km/h

• eMobility / ENYAQ COUPÉ RS iV

  eMobility

  Green mamba with the RS sign

  This coupé is also the first purely electric ŠKODA car available in the top RS (Rally Sport) variant

  t reaches a top speed of 180 km/h and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds. The maximum power of its drivetrain is 220 kW, with peak torque of 460 Nm. The car is also available in the exclusive Mamba Green colour, and customers can choose from two specific interior designs. Both interiors include decorative trim strips on the dashboard and door panels in Carbon, stainless steel pedal covers and sports seats with integrated headrest and RS logo. The interior of the RS Lounge is symbolised by its black Suedia microfibre upholstery and contrasting lime-coloured stitching. The RS Suite variant comes with seats upholstered in black perforated leather, with contrast stitching in the interior in grey. The ENYAQ COUPÉ SPORTLINE iV, which, like the RS version, features a 10 mm lowered front axle and a 15 mm lowered rear axle, brings a sporty look as well. The sporty accents of both cars are enhanced by the traditional black design elements. ED
  

  The ENYAQ COUPÉ iV resulted from the transformation of the VISION iV study, which received a lot of attention two years ago, into a production car. The elegant design with sculptural shapes and crystalline elements ensures a dynamic appearance.

  Oliver Stefani 

  Head of ED – ŠKODA Design

  The wheels feature their aerodynamic plastic covers.

  The heated steering wheel with grey stitching is decorated with the RS plaque.

• eMobilita / World premiere

  eMobility

  A premiere full of passion

  On Monday, the ENYAQ COUPÉ iV was revealed to the world in a unique cinematic presentation that even featured movie stars

  he deep forests of Brdy, the flooded quarry at Velká Amerika and the Lucerna cinema in Prague were the settings for the world premiere of the ENYAQ COUPÉ iV electric car on 31 January 2022. The movie produced for this special event was watched online by the brand’s fans from all around the world. In selected countries, journalists and other guests watched the movie in the cinema and physically saw the car. The Czech premiere took place at the Lucerna cinema. Two prominent actors shone in the film. Actress Aňa Geislerová underlined the passion radiating from the metallic orange Phoenix coupé, and British actress Sheila Duncan took the wheel of the ENYAQ COUPÉ RS iV sports variant. The filming featured stringent security measures, which took a whole week to prepare in cooperation with ŠKODA AUTO’s SO – Security department. For example, during the filming at Hradčany Airport, thermal imaging cameras guarded the area to ensure that no one approached unobserved to photograph the innovation. ED
  

  Watch the video for the launch of the ENYAQ COUPÉ iV on ŠKODA Space.

  25 

  -minute video presentation introduced the model.

  13

  days were needed to shoot it.

  

• eMobilita / Car Safety

  eMobility

  Superior Passenger Protection

  The ENYAQ iV and FABIA models are the safest cars tested in their class in 2021, according to Euro NCAP

   KODA AUTO is the only carmaker in the European New Car Assessment Programme’s (Euro NCAP) safety assessment to have two cars named best in class for 2021. The ENYAQ iV is also the safest SUV in the benchmark test so far, scoring 86% of the total available points. With 78%, the new FABIA achieved the best score among the compact cars that were tested last year. As the requirements in the Euro NCAP tests are generally tightened after two years, a comparison of the best cars is only possible for calendar years 2020 and 2021. This ensures that the cars are subject to the same test conditions. (You can read exactly how the testing is carried out in the June 2021 issue of ŠKODA Mobil.) 

  14

  All 14 ŠKODA models launched since 2008 have received the highest five-star rating.

  
  

  Both models excel in adult passenger protection in particular: The ENYAQ iV scored 94% of the maximum points in this respect, and the FABIA scored 85%. The cars from Mladá Boleslav earned similarly high ratings in the area of child safety. When it comes to safety, the electric SUV features up to nine airbags and comprehensive Proactive Occupant Protection, among others. Numerous advanced assistance systems warn of a potential collision in many situations and actively help prevent or minimise its consequences. In the test, the new ŠKODA FABIA achieved another increase in safety thanks to the MQB-A0 modular platform. “By switching to this platform, the FABIA can, for the first time, offer many of the safety and assistance systems previously featured by higher-class cars, which also enhances the safety of this popular model,” notes Johannes Neft, Board Member for Technical Development. In addition, the MQB-A0 platform features a high torsional rigidity of the body because it consists of almost 80% high-strength steel components. ED
  

  Five stars also for the ENYAQ COUPÉ iV

  The ENYAQ iV’s top safety rating also applies to the coupé version, which is based on it. The Euro NCAP rules allow an equivalent rating for variants of the base version under clearly defined criteria. In the case of the ENYAQ COUPÉ iV, this meant carrying out specific tests due to the different design of the front bumper. Owing to the more gradual roofline, which affects the interior space for the passengers, it was necessary to test, for example, the positioning and fitting of selected child safety seats in the rear seats. The ENYAQ COUPÉ iV only received its rating after independent testing and the provision of all the required documentation. However, it is not just about the Euro NCAP rating but also about the safety of the passengers and other road users. ŠKODA AUTO has, therefore, implemented a test programme for the ENYAQ COUPÉ iV to ensure the same level of safety as in the case of its ENYAQ iV base model.

  From the Euro NCAP evaluation

  ENYAQ iV

  The car features its standard central airbag between the front seats, which provides protection in the event of a side impact. The test showed that the airbag works properly and protects the head well.

  The automatic emergency braking system performed well in its tests of reactions to other cars and avoided or mitigated a collision in almost all the scenarios.

  In both the frontal and side impact tests, the ENYAQ iV provided good protection to all the critical areas of the body of both the 6- and 10-year-old dummies and scored the maximum number of points in this part of the evaluation.

  FABIA

  In both the side barrier test and more severe side impact test with a column, the protection of all the critical body areas was good, and the car scored the maximum number of points in this part of the evaluation.

  The Lane Assist system gently corrects the car’s path when it swerves out of its lane and also intervenes in some more critical situations to prevent, for example, the car from drifting off the road.

  The tests of the front seats and head restraints showed good protection against spinal injuries resulting from a sudden jerk of the head in a rear impact (i.e. whiplash syndrome). A geometric analysis of the rear seats showed good protection against this injury.

  Comments can be found here.
  

• Technical Development

  Technical Development

  Perfectly Proven Electronics

  To ensure that the car’s electronic equipment works together as it should, integration tests are carried out at special stands

  n recent years, the number of control units, sensors and electronic devices in new cars has increased significantly. The specific number depends on the customer’s wishes and car configuration, and there are so many possible combinations that they cannot even be tested in conventional prototypes. In addition, before the first prototypes are launched, the developers must ensure that the basic functions controlled by the electronics, including the brakes, will work. That is why our Technical Development department, in cooperation with Digiteq Automotive, uses special test stands to verify the functions of electronics.

  Currently, the most electronic devices, control units and sensors are tested on the ENYAQ iV and ENYAQ COUPÉ iV.

  
  

  They are called HiL (Hardware-in-the-Loop) and breadboard. The former is used to test the functionality that the control units create, and the latter focuses on testing the functionality of data communication among control units. To the layman’s eye, both test conditions look basically the same: They are workstations where all the car’s (low-voltage) electronics are mounted in frames. The control units are connected by special wiring to “probes” that monitor communications and important data but can also send their own signals that either simulate certain commands and functions or, conversely, deliberately create errors. “We test not only whether the control units communicate with each other as they should but also how they will behave if some unexpected situation, failure or malfunction occurs,” explains Lukáš Zavadil from EEI/2 – Test Management and Integration Tests Midsize/MEB.

  20

  Approximately this number of control units was present in the second-generation OCTAVIA in 2005, when the carmaker began its comprehensive integration tests.

  80

  Or more control units are featured by the current ŠKODA models.

  Increasing number of tests

  The testing of a car that is still in development starts even before the first prototypes are built and gradually increases in intensity and scope. “We start with basic tests in the area of the power unit, and as the development of the car progresses, we gradually add tests of comfort functions and assistance systems up to complete tests. Before building the first pre-production cars, we test the complete functionality of the car,” says Zavadil. In current projects, the testing phase is extended until the car is launched on the market. “This is because mobile online services also need to be verified in terms of integration. The software for remote control of the car’s functions via a mobile phone or web portal is often developed up to the moment of the sales launch,” explains the developer. Complete tests of one car under development take about two years. During that time, thousands of automated but also manual tests are completed. “We have robots that press buttons, and we simulate some commands, but we still wish to retain that human interaction. We also cooperate with Digiteq Automotive on these activities,” adds L. Zavadil.

  During the testing process, the software of the controllers is gradually improved. In total, hundreds of configurations are tested, and in order to be able to keep up with everything at any given time, they use one HiL and two so-called breadboards for every project, and even three breadboards for an electric car like the ENYAQ iV. All the car’s functions are tested. “For example, we test something as seemingly obvious as the functionality of the warning flashers. This is, nowadays, influenced by six to eight control units, which have to agree with each other in every situation where the warning flashers are required to be activated,” says L. Zavadil. This applies both to situations where the driver activates the flashers himself and to cases where they are activated automatically – for example, in the case of panic braking or automatic emergency stops. “We’re also testing other basic functions of the headlights in terms of integration in car, including that they do not switch on in situations where they may not or should not be switched on. In the ENYAQ iV model, we also have the Crystal Face to consider,” adds L. Zavadil. ED
  

• Purchasing

  Purchasing
  

  Eco-Friendly Materials in Serial Production

  ŠKODA AUTO uses materials made from recycled PET bottles in seat covers

  nstead of conventional equipment versions, the carmaker has opted for interior design worlds inspired by modern living for its all-electric ENYAQ iV. For the seat covers inside the Lodge, whose hallmark is sustainability, it combines wool with recycled polyester made from non-returnable PET bottles. Together with its supplier partners, the carmaker works on environmentally produced, recyclable and durable materials for use in serial production. As the biggest private company in the country, ŠKODA AUTO will focus even more strongly on sustainable development and the circular economy in the purchasing of materials and components in the future (read more in the January 2022 issue of ŠKODA Mobil). It involves its supplier partners in this process. For example, it has been working with Sage Automotive Interiors, which has been manufacturing upholstery in Strakonice for several decades. This company develops innovative materials that can then be used in serial production. These materials also include the fabrics used in the interior of the ENYAQ iV. In addition, the company develops reflective yarns or fabrics with special fibres that can be used for heating and greater seat comfort. The company works closely with the Technical University of Liberec on many of its solutions. 

  The company AUNDE also produces materials for the ENYAQ iV by using recycled PET bottles with a wool blend. The bottles are crushed, melted and processed into granulate. This then produces durable yarn that is first stretched before weaving to expose any weak points. In the weaving loom, 6,000 of these yarns are woven into a strong fabric according to the specifications of the ED – ŠKODA Design Team. The material is then washed and dried to provide the necessary stability. ED

  Markéta Truhelková

  Coordinator of the BI/1 – Dashboard and center Console department

  The consistent use of environmentally produced materials in the current models changes the requirements in Purchasing and, therefore, the demands on our suppliers. This is why we work together to develop innovative and environmentally friendly materials. We count on them to be Simply Clever, as is typical for our brand, and to prove themselves in everyday use by being easy to process and simultaneously attractive in design.

  See behind the scenes of the ENYAQ iV seat covers

  

• Green Week

  Thinking Green

  Livestock production has a major impact on the environment, greenhouse gas emissions and land and water use. It also depends on the type of meat; for example, beef and lamb have a higher carbon footprint than pork and poultry. The CAP/4 team and Aramark outline what meat production also entails. In the next instalment, they will show you how you can affect the environment through your eating style.

  Meat consumption on the rise

  Globally, meat production is more than three times what it was 50 years ago (e.g., in 2018, it was around 340 million tonnes). In the Czech Republic, the annual consumption is 80 kg per person, which is about 220 g of meat per day.

  Greenhouse gas emissions

  The production of greenhouse gases is probably one of the most serious problems, as it is clear that our planet is warming more quickly than was predicted just a few years ago. The amount of greenhouse gases generated during the production of 1 kilogramme of two different types of food speaks for itself. While the production of 1 kg of nuts results in 0.43 kg of greenhouse gases, the production of 1 kg of beef produces almost 100 kg.

  Source: J. Poore and T. Němeček (2018)

  Livestock production vs agricultural land

  Greenpeace states that livestock production is the main reason for deforestation in the Amazon, with more than half of the land ending up as pastures. These pastures are also created by burning forests, which further increases the amount of CO2. According to some calculations, 80% of agricultural land is used for livestock farming, but the products obtained in this way cover only 18% of the calories produced.

• Sustainability

  Dialogue with experts on sustainability

  Get to know the members of the Sustainable Development Advisory Board better

  Sandra Feltham

  CEO and founder of the company Flagship and a leading expert on sustainability and non-financial reporting in the Czech Republic. Her firm is the only consulting agency in the country that specialises in these areas.

  Jan Bureš

  Chief economist at Patria Finance, the Czech Republic’s first investment bank. For nine years, he was the chief economist at Poštovní spořitelna. He focuses on economic analysis – specifically, on monetary policy and financial markets – in the Euroregion and the Czech Republic.

  Soňa Klepek Jonášová

  Founder and director of the Circular Economy Institute (INCIEN), the sustainability sharing activity Zajimej.se and the Change for the Better platform, which connects business and science with individuals to find solutions to environmental challenges.

  Ladislav Miko

  Head of the European Commission Representation in Slovakia, former deputy director general at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) and director for Biodiversity Protection (DG ENV). A long-standing expert in the field of environmental science, he has also worked at and temporarily led the Ministry of the Environment.

  Hans Reitz

  Director of the Grameen Creative Lab, which he founded with the Nobel Peace Prize–winning Bangladeshi banker and economist Muhammad Yunus. His key theme is building a culture of solidarity that leads to the global development of the idea of social entrepreneurship. Reitz also advises renowned companies and big corporations in creating innovative management cultures and adapting their corporate strategies to changing conditions. In addition, he lectures at international conferences and universities and conducts numerous workshops.

  Sustainability, integrity and diversity play a central role in the new NEXT LEVEL – ŠKODA STRATEGY 2030, which the carmaker presented last year.
  

  s a socially responsible company, the carmaker is committed to systematically improving its performance and position in the area of environmental, social and economic sustainability (ESG) and has decided to call on a team of five external experts for its Sustainability Advisory Board. It began its work with a founding meeting in Mladá Boleslav on 30 November. This first meeting included a visit to the plant, where the Board members took a look under the hood at the technological background of electromobility – from the assembly of battery systems to the final assembly of plug-in hybrid and fully electric cars. This was followed by a discussion with the carmaker’s Board of Directors and internal experts about the current sustainability topics that are gaining more importance, not only in terms of internal processes but also with regard to customer expectations. “Already during the first meeting, we received a number of interesting suggestions, which we will continue to address in cooperation with the Advisory Board,” says Libor Boček, expert coordinator of the GSC – Corporate Strategy and Innovation Management department.

  The diverse international team represents the key areas of sustainability and will contribute to the strengthening and implementation of ŠKODA AUTO’s 2030 Sustainable Development Strategy with its ideas, suggestions and recommendations. Regular meetings between the Board members and representatives of the Advisory Board will ensure a comprehensive view of the key sustainability topics that takes into account diverse interests and attitudes, as well as social, economic and technological trends. ŠKODA AUTO is the third company in the VW Group to establish an advisory board and to involve external experts in the development of sustainable development; it has become a pioneer in this area on the Czech market. ED
  

• Central technical Service

  Central Technical Service

  Both Necessary and Unique Solutions

  Scheduled repairs concentrate on the oldest but most critical production plants

  he plant maintenance scheduled by the PSZ – Central Technical Service department for the end of 2021 included several repairs at the main production plant. They have mainly helped to modernise the individual sections and improve the reliability of our production lines, while one of the repairs has also implemented a unique technical solution at ŠKODA AUTO.

  The PSZ department carries out repairs both in-house and in cooperation with external suppliers. “Between 23 December 2021 and 2 January 2022, we carried out a number of actions, seven of which can be described as major,” says Petr Červinka, coordinator of the PSZ/2 – External repair machine department. “Many of our tasks related to modernising the M16 and M17 paint shops in Mladá Boleslav, which are among the busiest and oldest plants in terms of service,” says P. Červinka, adding that the reliability of these lines is extremely important. Any downtime essentially means stopping production entirely. One of the critical and very demanding tasks to coordinate was the complete replacement of the switchboards for the production conveyor equipment in Paint Shop A (Hall M16).

  The other team, led by Jaroslav Chmelař, coordinator of the PSZ/3 – Internal repair department, carried out four major actions during the same period. The most interesting one was, undoubtedly, the installation of a new hopper for the BOTTA melting furnace (see photo). The existing solution used to cause excessive damage to the furnace lining during material loading, which the new hopper has eliminated. “We completely designed and manufactured the hopper at our department,” says J. Chmelař. The drive mechanism includes a new device called the ZIP Chain Actuator, a kind of stepper motor that works on the clothes zipper principle. “This solution features roughly half the space requirements of conventional pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders,” explains J. Chmelař, highlighting the innovation’s benefit. “Moreover, if this solution proves itself in practice, we will deploy it at our other plants,” he adds.

  In the M12 welding plant, the PSZ/3 team replaced the running rails of the seventh axes of two KUKA robots, and in Hall M1, in cooperation with the external repair team, refurbished the running rollers at the end of the assembly line. “Every car produced here goes through the rollers, so they are very stressed,” according to J. Chmelař, who explained the reason for the refurbishment. His team also designed, manufactured and installed a completely new hinged gate mechanism for the wax flooding line in the D13 paint shop. They made sure the new design will enable the Maintenance staff to carry out repairs more quickly in the future. ED
  

• My footprint at Production

  My footprint in production

  Partnering with the Foremen

  Karel Kudrna, TUTOR, who became a foreman in the automotive industry after finishing vocational school, assesses his work in the production area.

  Karel Kudrna

  Foreman of Assembly Shop MB I 
  PF1-M/4 V – Foremen Training – TUTOR

  How did you come to work for ŠKODA AUTO?

  After graduating from ŠKODA AUTO Vocational School, my next step towards the automotive industry was a job opportunity. 

  How did you start at the carmaker? 

  I’ve been working in Production and Logistics since I joined ŠKODA AUTO. I started in Hall M1 as an MFT operator at the ECOS workplace (coding and programming of cars and vehicle run-in) brake testing. My current career has been influenced by the experiences gained over the years in this area.

  How do you contribute to the carmaker?

  As a TUTOR, I feel that I’m an important member of the team of foremen. Those who hold this position do their best to promote the interests of the current foremen and assist them in resolving numerous issues.

  Is your work in the production area challenging, and in what ways?

  If I draw on my discussions with my colleagues in other departments, I conclude that the situation at their workplaces is similar. However, I would like to get advice on how to keep my will and motivation up in challenging times. ED
  

• FORCE Program

  FORCE Program
  

  We Use the FORCE Program in Russia As Well

  A new strategy will help with future manufacturing challenges in another region

  OUR GOAL:

  THROUGH EFFICIENCY AND FLEXIBILITY TOWARDS GLOBALISATION

  OUR WAY:

  SIMPLY CLEVER SOLUTIONS

  OUR MOTIVATION:

  CHANGING MINDSETS TO SECURE THE FUTURE

  he transfer of the Group’s responsibility for the Russian market has presented ŠKODA with another challenge. As of August 2021, the entire Production and Logistics team will form the backbone of all eight of the FORCE Program action fields there. The goal is to adapt to globalisation in the automotive industry through effectiveness and flexibility. The FORCE Program offers a set of proven tools in production that are already geared towards achieving the Group’s objectives. Its eight action fields contain specific goals and measures that the organisational team has tried to adapt to the capabilities of the Russian operations. The first challenge, for example, was to continue with the set strategy to meet the production objectives by the end of 2021. In parallel, there was a need to prepare and train our employees and commit to the FORCE Program objectives. Not all the Russian employees were familiar with the Program, and the Program also had to be explained more thoroughly to the employees who would be newly responsible for the individual action fields. In the Czech Republic, in addition to the people in charge, the implementation team will be complemented by talented employees selected from every department. In the future, these young professionals will focus on their action field in more detail, take it forward with new ideas and make themselves visible in their field.

  Thanks to the support of our colleagues from Mladá Boleslav and good mutual cooperation, we were able to successfully present the FORCE Program in Russia already on 9 December.

  After the summer production shutdown, the management of the Production and Logistics area in Russia included the FORCE Program in their weekly production meeting schedule to allow the entire implementation team to set a sufficient timeframe for the preparation, harmonisation and finalisation of the project by the end of 2021. The other task was to develop specific measures and production plans for every action area. The emphasis was on the specifics of the Russian region while taking into account the production standards of the Czech headquarters. The advantage for everyone was that they could benefit from their Czech colleagues’ almost three years of experience. However, they all had to incorporate the new strategies of the VW Group, Group production and, above all, the company-wide NEXT LEVEL – ŠKODA STRATEGY 2030 into the FORCE Program.  

  This year, the FORCE Program will focus on the implementation of the main measures set by Volkswagen Group Rus. Specifically, this means that all the relevant measures will be registered in the Maßnahmen@web tool so that they can be monitored and evaluated in detail. The local team plans to present the first results at a production summit in March this year. It hopes to achieve the same success at the Russian locations as the Czech team, which has achieved significant savings in production thanks to the FORCE Program. ED

• FORCE Program / Interview

  FORCE Program / Interview
  

  We have a lot to offer

  Interview with Jiří Černý, Board Member for Production and Logistics at Volkswagen Group Rus

  
  

  You have been in your new position since last July. What are the challenges you have faced since then?

  In connection with ŠKODA AUTO’s Group responsibility for the region, including Russia and the adjacent countries, we had to change the organisational structure of Production and Logistics in agreement with our colleagues in Mladá Boleslav. Thus, we are gradually integrating ourselves into ŠKODA AUTO’s decision-making processes and key committees.

  You have also been setting the rules for the introduction of the FORCE Program since the summer. How did you fare in this respect?

  The FORCE Program is a fundamental project and, as in the Czech Republic, we believe it will help us to reduce the negative impact of the current market situation on our production. At the same time, it is a project that helps us to set our communication with ŠKODA AUTO at a higher level. The opportunity to involve a wide range of experts and highly qualified and motivated colleagues in communication is great.

  What did you have to do before the FORCE Program was introduced?

  First of all, we have defined the organisational structure for the project management, and we’ve selected the Program guarantors and leaders who will be responsible for the different action fields. But above all, we have chosen the young talents who will use the FORCE Program for their further professional development. Furthermore, in regular workshops, we prepared the target areas that the Program will cover and set clear indicators. We then presented the entire project to our employees during their individual meetings.

  Whom did you consult to set up the project?

  Throughout the autumn of last year, we were in contact with our colleagues from Mladá Boleslav and those from India to learn from their experiences and align our activities with theirs. At the end of last year, we presented our version of the FORCE Program to Michael Oeljeklaus, Board Member for Production and Logistics.

  Does the setup of the FORCE Program for Russian manufacturing have any local specifics?

  We strove to make it as close as possible to the current form of the Program in the Czech Republic, but we couldn’t do it in every aspect. At ŠKODA AUTO, the Program has been running since 2019, and this experience and project work cannot be skipped or caught up in a few months. However, all of this helped us in thinking about what we wish to achieve in the medium term, and we also thought about the new technologies, digitalisation and restructuring that our entire industry is going through. I see it as a great benefit that our colleagues from Nizhny Novgorod and Engine Production also joined the FORCE Program activities.

  How does your approach differ in the specific action fields?

  We know that ŠKODA is ahead in some areas; for example, in the case of our approach to the environment. Others, such as regionalisation, we have not yet addressed at all. On the other hand, I am convinced that we have a lot to offer to our colleagues in both the Czech Republic and India, and we look forward to working together.

  What goals have you set for the beginning?

  We wish the FORCE Program to help us save costs already this year. The goal is to save 5% of all production costs. ED
  

• Press Shops

  Press Shops
  

  Modernisation of the press shops

  The carmaker has finished the complete renewal of its machinery in the press shops and paved the way for transformation

  he project of the new pressing line, which was commissioned on 10 December 2021 in Hall M12, is based on a long-term strategy for the development of the press shop, which is the responsibility of the team of Lukáš Veselý, coordinator of the PPF-P/4 – Structure of Press Shop Planning. Over the past 10 years, this department secures a major technological transformation of press shops with the goal of removing old ineffective equipment and replacing it with modern and efficient technology.

  The carmaker started the process of technology rejuvenation in Hall M4, where the original five lines were replaced by the PXL line in 2012. Four years later, because of the model offensive and capacity increases, it was supplemented by another PXL line. In the same period, retrofits (adding technology and functions or improving the features of older equipment – ed.) of two existing cutting lines in halls M12 and M15 were secured by implementation team as well. New retrofits with the integration of electronic parts transfer were added to Hall M15 in 2015. “We started the retrofitting of the GRS presses in 2019 and we expect to complete it in the near future,” says L. Veselý. In the summer of 2021, the carmaker commissioned a new cutting line in Hall M4, and in December, a new servo press line in Hall M12. The latter specialises in the fifth door and C-pillar sectors. With this move, ŠKODA AUTO has become the only plant in the VW Group with three servo-moulding lines. ED

• Production and Logistics

  Production and Logistics

  The Pandemic Did Not Stop the Lines

  ŠKODA AUTO produced more than 800,000 cars worldwide last year

   lthough the COVID-19 pandemic and the shortage of semiconductors posed major challenges for ŠKODA AUTO, the Czech carmaker produced more than 800,000 cars at its production sites around the world last year. “I thank the entire team for their extraordinary commitment. Together, we successfully handled the situation by using the Simply Clever method. We are currently expecting that the semiconductor supply situation will gradually improve from the second half of the year. Therefore, I look to the future with cautious optimism. Our team is highly motivated to produce as many cars as possible for our customers,” emphasises Michael Oeljeklaus, Board Member for Production and Logistics. In 2021, components were also an important part of production for the carmaker. The engines, axles, bodies, transmissions and high-voltage traction batteries produced at ŠKODA AUTO’s plants are also assembled for vehicles from other brands in the Group. 

  Worldwide production in 2021
  

  802,000 

  cars

  560,000 

  engines

  1,405,000 

  axles

  128,000 

  high-voltage traction batteries

  842,000 

  transmissions

  423,000 

  DQ200 units

  419,000 

  MQ200, MQ100 units

  Plant investments

  Last year, the carmaker continued investing in the modernisation of its plants. In so doing, it consistently focused on the introduction of Industry 4.0 technologies and methods and the implementation of its Green Future strategy. The parent plant in Mladá Boleslav completed its major transformation in 2021. In January, a new Central Pilot Hall was commissioned. It features a 12,000 m2 area for a welding shop, measuring centre and virtual reality studio. In the hall, the carmaker conducts extensive analyses of its new models in their development phase, produces pre-production cars and prepares production ramp-ups. The total investment in the hall amounted to more than EUR 20 million. In connection with the start of production of the new FABIA generation in July 2021, the production lines were substantially rebuilt, and the carmaker invested a total of EUR 110 million to make the necessary modifications. ED
  

  Launch of SLAVIA car production

  Since 21 January 2022, the ŠKODA SLAVIA has also been produced in Pune. This is already the second model based on the MQB-A0-IN platform developed exclusively for the Indian market. This all-new premium medium-class limousine is produced with a localisation rate of up to 95%, which has a correspondingly positive impact on the cost structure and our ability to respond to changing demands.

  Production plants in 2021

  Czech Republic

  Mladá Boleslav

  FABIA, SCALA, OCTAVIA, OCTAVIA iV, KAMIQ and ENYAQ iV, high-voltage traction batteries, manual transmissions, axles and engines 

  Kvasiny

  SUPERB, SUPERB iV, KODIAQ and KAROQ

  Vrchlabí

  DQ200 automatic transmission

  Russia

  Nizhny Novgorod

  OCTAVIA, KAROQ and KODIAQ

  Kaluga

  RAPID, engines

  China

  Changsha

  KODIAQ and KODIAQ GT

  Nanjing

  KAMIQ, KAMIQ GT and SUPERB

  Ningbo

  OCTAVIA and KAROQ

  Yizheng

  RAPID

  India

  Aurangabad

  OCTAVIA, KODIAQ, SUPERB and engines

  Pune

  KUSHAQ and RAPID

  
  

  Slovakia

  Bratislava

  KAROQ and CITIGOe iV

• Coronavirus

  Coronavirus
  

  How to Recognise Myths and Hoaxes?

  Advice and tips can be found in the series on ŠKODA Space. We have chosen one of them

  Myth

  The vaccine against COVID-19 will make me ill.

  Truth

  This is a myth because vaccines do not cause diseases. Some individuals may experience side effects after receiving their vaccine, but of the 12 million doses administered in the country, less than 1% reported any side effects. Every medicine has possible contra-indications. Therefore, when receiving a vaccination against COVID-19, some people may have a reaction. These are mainly mild complications, such as redness, pain or swelling at the injection spot, headache, increased temperature or fatigue. None of the COVID-19 vaccines contains the entire virus, which would be able to multiply itself or enter any cells; therefore, it is unable to infect humans. The vaccines only contain components that stimulate the immune system to make antibodies. They are not dangerous and will not cause the disease itself. ED

  Preferably all three

  Any internal ŠKODA employee over the age of 18 can sign up for a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine via the Booking ŠKODA application. Appointments are currently available at two clinics in Mladá Boleslav and one clinic in Kvasiny. Please note that you can only register yourself for the vaccination; you cannot make a booking for any of your colleagues.

  Reward for the third dose

  Every ŠKODA AUTO employee who opts for a booster vaccine dose by 30 June 2022 and delivers their certificate by 15 July 2022 will again be able to take advantage of the incentive programme. As part of this, they will either choose to take a day off or earn 2,000 points for the ŠKODA Benefits Cafeteria.

  
  

  PCR testing cell at Gate 3

  From Monday 24 January, a PCR test cell has been available at Gate 3 in Mladá Boleslav. It is open every weekday. Testing is primarily intended for all the employees identified during self-testing at ŠKODA AUTO in Mladá Boleslav.

  For employees

  MON–FRI7 a.m.–10 a.m., 1 p.m.–3 p.m.

  No booking is necessary for testing; however, you can book your specific time. This link will take you to the booking system.

  More information here.

  
  

  Health as a benefit

  Interview with Jiří Prokop, Head of the SG – Health Services and Ergonomics department

  The past two years have been particularly challenging for everyone. The carmaker is undergoing a transformation, and the COVID-19 pandemic and related semiconductor shortage issues have come into play. What impact have these circumstances had on the health of your employees?

  Physically, our employees are affected by the risks of infection and protection from it, but also by the length of illness, that is, the subsiding symptoms or impacts of the illness. They can affect the respiratory, cardiovascular or neurological systems and last for many months. On the psychological side, our people are affected by the isolation of quarantines and lockdowns but also by the stress of the future. Fears about work and questions about how production will proceed, or the frequency of shift changes due to the shortage of chips, affect the psyche of our employees, and they need to learn to cope with this.

  Is employee health the top priority?

  Health has become a top-level strategic issue inside the carmaker. We are concerned with what we call well-being – i.e. making sure that our employees thrive in both their work and private lives. In addition to the physical aspects, which have always been our priority, we’ve expanded our view of employee health to include the psychological and social aspects. We wish our employees to be well and the company to minimise any stressors at the workplace.

  What changes can your employees expect in this respect this year?

  We’re preparing new mental health, stress management and other training programmes under the banner of the ŠKODA Academy. Psychologists will also be available to help our employees at all the plants at any time. In the long term, we’re planning systematic work to reduce chronic stress in the individual jobs. We also plan to categorise job positions according to their stress load and to support our employees who work in these positions.

  What advice would you give to your colleagues to stay fit and healthy, both physically and mentally?

  Eat healthy, get enough sleep, engage in physical activities of a sporting nature and take advantage of the vitamin supplements offered by the carmaker. And when it comes to mental health, find your own strategy to help you cope. The information at www.skodastresu.cz can help as well, as can relaxation, meditation and, of course, being surrounded by good friends. ED
  

  Information pages for employees can be found on ŠKODA Space.

• Shared Workspaces

  Shared Workplaces
  

  New Concept of Work

  ŠKODA AUTO, in agreement with the KOVO Trade Union, is launching its pilot programme of shared workplaces and workstations called NEW WORK

  he New Work concept creates the framework conditions for ŠKODA AUTO’s gradual development into a project-oriented and agile organisation. The aim of the concept’s individual projects is to maintain the company’s competitiveness in a changing environment and in the current market conditions. The carmaker focuses on activities in the areas of culture, employee management, working environment, innovation, education and cooperation. 

  Already in 2017, an agreement on mobile working was signed together with the KOVO Trade Union. In 2020, a qualification programme was also created for direct employees, which they can complete during their COVID-19 sickness or quarantine period. In addition, the carmaker offers training on effective mobile working for all the employees. It has also come up with a pilot project for a shared workplace or workstation in the direct area, based on an agreement with the social partner. 

  Since the end of 2021, shared workplaces have been introduced in several areas of ŠKODA AUTO as part of a pilot project.

  In the pilot programme, which began at the end of November 2021, the Product Line department, known as Baureihe, was the first to join the project. “Desk sharing will allow our employees to work in an environment that reflects the current trends, particularly the increase in online meetings that have distracted other employees. Thanks to desk sharing, we were also able to accommodate an additional work team in our existing office space in connection with the re-organisation of the product lines at the end of 2021,” says František Drábek, Head of the G2 department. In addition to this department, the programme is also running in six other teams from different areas (G2, G1, VX, FCZ, PK/1, EGV and SPS). After a few months, the pilot operation will be evaluated with the KOVO Trade Union and, in the light of the results and the experiences gained, ŠKODA AUTO will eventually extend the shared workplaces in their current or modified form to its other departments if they are interested in this concept. ED
  

  Maren Gräf

  Board Member for People & Culture 

  ŠKODA AUTO wishes to continue to be an attractive employer, for both our existing and new employees. Shared workplaces are the first of several projects that we are currently working on together with the KOVO Trade Union. They have been rolled out in several areas at the company since the end of 2021 as part of a pilot project.

  How does desk sharing work?

  The shared workplace pilot project (so-called desk sharing) is an innovative way of working: A workstation is not permanently assigned to an employee but used interchangeably by colleagues according to their actual needs. Mobile working, holidays, training and other absences from the workplace allow the carmaker to reduce the number of its office jobs to an optimal number. The freed-up office space is complemented by furniture suitable for phone calls, Skype and Teams work, focused work and team collaboration. Our employees, therefore, do not have their own desk, chair or monitor. They can book everything in the online system for the days they plan to work at ŠKODA AUTO. Owing to the coronavirus pandemic, the carmaker also pays special attention to hygiene conditions. The desks are disinfected daily, and the desk sharing users use their own keyboard and mouse.
  

  The full article, including instructions on how to book a desk sharing workstation in Microsoft Outlook, can be found on ŠKODA Space.
  

• Training

  Education
  

  Prepared for Digitisation

  ŠKODA AUTO’s cooperation with Czechitas, which included courses for our employees last year, continues in 2022

  he coronavirus pandemic has accelerated automation and digitisation at ŠKODA AUTO. Last year, in cooperation with Czechitas, the carmaker offered employees a series of courses through its SE – ŠKODA Academy to help them step into the IT world.

  One of the activities included programming courses, where 60 specialists across the company, but primarily from Technical Development, were trained in the Python programming language. In mid-September, the three-month Reskilling Programme – Digi4Work courses began, targeting Generation X (employees between 42 and 56). The course consisted of three modules. In the first one, the participants learned to use technology in their daily life by considering concrete examples. In the second module, they focused on using Office 365 for their work both in and out of the office, and in the third module, they learned more about the smart use of data, such as visualising it in dashboards using Power BI (you can read more about these courses in the October 2021 issue of ŠKODA Mobil). This year, ŠKODA Academy is offering courses on these topics to our employees as well.

  Other departments are also continuing their cooperation with Czechitas, in particular the SX – Transformation and STR – Recruitment and Employer Branding departments. Through the SX department, you can sign up for workshops such as Healthy Boundaries in the Digital World and Children and Social Networks or the lecture entitled The Parent as a Guide to the Digital World. This year, the STR department is also planning several programmes for primary and secondary school pupils, as well as teachers and university students. In the spring, for example, it will launch the Digital Academy. It is planning a series of Digital Competences for Teachers, and it will continue the ŠKODA EDU.LAB project, where Czechitas will be actively involved in one of the educational stations. All of these projects have one common goal: to ensure the popularisation of IT and modern technologies not only for our existing employees, but for potential ones too. ED
  

• Diversity

  Diversity

  We build an attractive firm

  Interview with Martina Zimmermann, Diversity Coordinator at the SX – Transformation department

  Since when have you been part of the diversity team, and why is this topic so important to you?

  I’ve been part of the team for a short time, since last November. However, diversity has been developing at ŠKODA AUTO for more than two years, so I have a lot to build on. I believe that my knowledge of customers, their needs and also brand building – that is, the experience I gained during my time in Sales and Marketing – will help me a lot when working with the topic of diversity.

  To what extent does diversity influence the new strategy of the area?

  It has become one of the key objectives of the NEXT LEVEL – ŠKODA STRATEGY 2030 and is also part of the new transformation-oriented NEXT LEVEL People Strategy 2030. Diversity and inclusion are part of our lives. Everyone is unique and has numerous features that make them different. Not surprisingly, these realities are reflected in the strategy documents. Diversity is featured in all the initiatives of the new Area S strategy, whether it is flexible working models, developing our neighbourhoods, digitisation or health care.

  Why do you think the topic of diversity is so important? 

  Introducing a diverse and inclusive environment has clear benefits for ŠKODA AUTO and especially for employee satisfaction. Everyone has the right to feel like themselves in the work environment, to be able to use their skills and to be a rightful member of the team. An environment where the diversity of any individual differences is encouraged will enable all of this. It is also a proven fact that companies that keep the door open to diversity and inclusion are more profitable, innovative and competitive.

  What are ŠKODA AUTO’s plans for diversity and inclusion this year?

  Both topics are at the forefront now. That is why the new SX – Transformation department has been created, with a three-person team dedicated to diversity and inclusion. We have big plans, and we need to communicate both topics more as a priority: explaining why it is good to address them and what aspects they contain, but also that they concern everyone. 

  And the next step?

  We wish to make diversity and inclusion clear and inherent to all the employees. That is why we are preparing a series of training events, webinars and meetings. We are working on expanding our pro-family policy, we plan to support employee communities (such as ŠKODA Proud) more, and we also wish to open up the topic of age diversity in the work environment. At ŠKODA AUTO, we would like to create an environment where every employee feels supported by the company, regardless of their individual abilities and capabilities. However, we’re not stopping there. As one of the biggest employers on the Czech market, we wish to become a role model for others. ED

• Think Digitally, Print Minimally

  Plenty of Experience

  This year marks the 10th anniversary of ŠKODA AUTO’s SAP Competence Centre, which supports the entire VW Group

  ince the 1990s, ŠKODA AUTO has been building up its wealth of know-how in the SAP information system, which has become the global standard for business process management, especially at big companies. It allows using pre-programmed modules and creating custom ones. This very complex system requires the deployment of experts who can best adapt it to a specific application. 

  “From the beginning, we had internal teams that learned how to set up SAP and the program modules for it and use it,” says Luděk Pavlík, Head of the FIC – SAP Group Competence Centre. The carmaker began using the knowledge gained by these teams – for example, for its importers or subsidiaries (e.g. ŠKO-ENERGO). “Later on, we also started to cooperate with our colleagues from the Group’s IT department and helped with the deployment and development of SAP at our plants in Russia and India, for example,” explains L. Pavlík. As a result, ŠKODA AUTO was trusted to handle certain areas of SAP deployment for the entire VW Group and established its SAP Competence Centre in 2012. At that time, it had 36 employees. This number later grew to 64, and as of 2018, a gradual expansion to the currently planned 185 employees has been underway. These employees are to deliver their services from the offices in Mladá Boleslav and Prague to the whole world. “We operate on a self-financing basis. The Group’s individual customers, whether they are car companies, dealers, production plants or others, pay us for our new IT solutions, and we plan this income so that we can pay for both our employees and our complete operation, including offices, for example,” explains Vojtěch Mikát from the FIC department. The centre has to compete with reputable external companies that supply SAP solutions. “We would be competitive even if we operated outside the Group,” says V. Mikát.

  Three pillars of global solutions

  The Competence Centre at ŠKODA AUTO focuses on three areas of SAP application. The first and most typical one includes financial management applications, such as accounting and controlling processes. The second area is the technical support of system uptime. It is not about hardware but about the correct installation and setup of the system so that it runs effectively in terms of computing power requirements and communication among all the modules and elements works without any issues. The third pillar includes the area of reporting and analysis, for which the competence centre is seeking global responsibility in the VW Group. “There are also several other areas in SAP. The fact that we mainly deal with these three areas does not mean that we do not address any other area, quite the opposite. However, as part of the Group’s Competence Centre strategy, those areas are the responsibility of someone else. For example, we only deal with the logistics area in certain locations or for certain specific projects,” adds V. Mikát. ED
  

  Did you know that...

  …SAP was founded back in 1972? The name is the abbreviation of the German Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung (systems, applications and products in data processing).

  Cooperation with universities

  Like many other employers, the SAP Competence Centre cooperates with universities not only in the IT sector. In addition to the traditional ways, such as lectures, internships or cooperation on student projects, the so-called SAP Sandbox is a speciality. This allows students to try working under the supervision of the SAP Competence Centre’s experts. The carmaker has also supported the ŠKODA Biz Sim Cup 2021, a college competition focusing on this system (see Students have shown how they know SAP).
  

  Students have shown how they know SAP

  he carmaker supported the ŠKODA Biz Sim Cup 2021 competition to motivate students to take an interest in SAP business information systems. The competition finals took place online at the end of last year and was attended by teams of four to six students from three universities: the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague (ČZU), the Prague University of Economics and Business (VŠE) and the organising Faculty of Informatics and Management of the University of Hradec Králové. The competition focused on the application of managerial and economic skills to business and logistics activities through the SAP S4/HANA information system. The goal was to achieve the best possible economic results in a simulated market environment. ŠKODA AUTO also supported the student competition because the SAP system is the responsibility of the entire VW Group. Thus, the young specialists will find a range of job opportunities directly at the carmaker. “We had very positive feedback from the contestants, about both the organisation and, above all, the opportunity to put their experience from the competition into practice,” says Tereza Navrátilová from the STR/1 – Employer Branding and Cooperation with Schools department. This year, a new edition of the competition is planned, in which the carmaker would like to expand the number of participating universities and, if the situation permits, hold the finals at the ŠKODA Museum in Mladá Boleslav. ED

  Top three teams of the ŠKODA Biz Sim Cup 2021

  1. Team looking for a name (ČZU)

  2. Working title_final version (VŠE)

  3. Pumpers (VŠE)

  
  

  CZK 40,000

  Was handed over to the winning team. The same amount was divided up among the second- and third-place participants.

• Digitisation

  Digitisation
  

  Unique Virtual Reality 

  The carmaker is developing and increasingly using VRUT 2.0

  here are numerous commercial solutions for visualising virtual reality, but they fall far short of covering the needs of some ŠKODA departments. That is why Technical Development began developing its specialised tool as far back as 2007. It was eventually named VRUT: Virtual Reality Universal Toolkit. “In 2018, the software became one of the pillars of the carmaker’s digitalisation and strategy for virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR),” explains Leoš Červený, coordinator of the FIP/7 – IT Projects – Technical Development unit. At ŠKODA AUTO, the goal is currently to replace third-party commercial software with VRUT 2.0 wherever it makes sense to do so. A specific solution that used to “cover up” the shortcomings in some commercial software becomes an effective modular tool that is capable of providing the necessary visualisation for almost any application.

  VRUT 2.0 can render not only photorealistic images for static presentations but also real-time displays for virtual reality environments. The software takes care of the desired projection on large screens and in multi-wall projections but also, for example, in virtual reality goggles (HTC Vive) or augmented reality (Microsoft Hololens). Compared with the early days, it already features a straightforward user interface, so no programming knowledge is required to operate it. Since 1 January this year, the EGV/5 – Virtual Technology Centre department has started using VRUT 2.0 in live operation. Ten more processes have been identified for use in Technical Development, Sales and Marketing, Production and Logistics, as well as in the G area departments. The implementation of these processes will be worked on in the coming months. And other uses in the automotive industry are being analysed. 
  

  VRUT 2.0 is truly versatile, and thanks to its modular nature, it can be relatively easy to add features that it does not currently have on offer.

  Roman Schubert 

  EGV/5 – Centre of virtual techniques

  Secure Future

  As part of the current digitisation strategy, VRUT 2.0 has secured funding for development for the next 2.5 years and for five years of user support. “Our programmers, testers, system analysts, support staff, trainers and marketing activities regarding the software and other areas are taking care of the development, operation and deployment of the software,” says Roman Schubert of EGV/5 – Centre of virtual techniques. Software development will be significantly faster than before. A strengthened team will be taking care of VRUT 2.0. In addition to more efficient work, the carmaker expects financial savings. “Commercial software is very expensive, and any adaptation to our specific needs is more expensive and time-consuming. Moreover, VRUT 2.0 complies with all the internal standards of the automaker and is the only software that can be used to present confidential data remotely,” according to L. Červený, who explained the reason for investing in his own solution.

  Broad use

  Thanks to VRUT 2.0, Technical Development can present the shapes of upcoming models not only on their large screen projection but also, for example, remotely to members of the VW Group (we described how this is done in the November 2020 issue of ŠKODA Mobil). VRUT 2.0 can be used in a variety of different training courses. Among those that have already been prepared is a course on working with a high-voltage electric vehicle battery. It is also possible to prepare training for test drivers, who can get to know a new car model in a virtual environment before they get into it. Training sessions can also be created in the software for assembling different parts and groups, and one of the interesting applications is the combined AR testing for loading objects into the boot.

  VRUT 2.0 can use a computing cluster for demanding realistic visualisations, which is located in the computing centre and falls under the auspices of the FI – Information Technology department. The data are transmitted over a dedicated high-speed optical network. ED
  

• Technický vývoj – fotogalerie

  The integration tests are being carried out in cooperation with Digiteq Automotive on special test stands in Česana. The first of these is HiL - Hardware-in-the-Loop.

  The functionality created by the control units is tested on this stand.

  The second type of stands are breadboards on which the functionality of data communication between control units is tested.

  All of the car's low-voltage electronics are mounted in the frames of both types of stands.

  The testing uses robots that push buttons…

  ... but human interaction also remains important.

  By contrast, when the integration tests of this type began in 2005 with the second-generation OCTAVIA, there was used significantly less space for wiring the electronics.

• Centrální technický servis – fotogalerie

  The most interesting repair at the end of 2021 was installation of a new hopper for the BOTTA melting furnace.

  The new hopper was completely designed and manufactured in the PSZ/3 department.

  The PSZ/3 team also designed, manufactured and installed a completely new hinged gate mechanism for the wax flooding line at Paint Shop D13...

  ... the new design will allow Maintenance staff to carry out repairs more quickly in the future.

• Sdílená pracoviště – fotogalerie

  Vacant office space was supplemented by furniture suitable for making phone calls...

  ... including communication via Skype or Teams and focused work or teamwork.

  In the offices, employees involved in the project share a desk, a chair or a monitor with others.

• Expo Dubaj – fotogalerie

  ENYAQ SPORTLINE iV se díky Expo 2020 v Dubaji představil vůbec poprvé v tomto regionu.

  Po dobu světové výstavy s ním jezdí generální komisař české expozice Jiří František Potužník.
  

  Pro vůz vzniklo pohodlné a elegantní dobíjecí místo hned u českého pavilonu.

• Digitalizace – fotogalerie

  With VRUT 2.0, a familiarisation session with a new car can be prepared in a virtual environment before it hits the road.

  It is also used, for example, to test the loading of objects into the luggage compartment.

  VRUT 2.0 currently has a straightforward user interface.

  No programming knowledge is required to operate it.

  Some of the projects implemented include training on how to work with the high-voltage battery of an electric vehicle.

  The virtual environment also helps with training in the CKD centre.

• Vzdělávání / EDU.LAB – fotogalerie

  Mobilní laboratoř EDU.LAB tvoří jednotlivá stanoviště, která se nachází vně i uvnitř návěsu.
  

  Ve vnitřních prostorách pak na žáky čekají dvě stanoviště virtuální reality, termovize,3D tisk a několik stanovišť umělé inteligence.
  

  Jednotlivé technologie jsou zasazené do kontextu, tak aby děti dovedly pochopit, jak se využívají v praxi.

  Laboratoř je koncipována jako prostředí superhrdinů bojujících se zlým profesorem, který ohrožuje svět.

• VZOR

  Sysel při západu slunce na Radouči

  Bedřichov po cestě na přehradu 

  Zima v Arberu

  Přehrada Souš

  Kozí hřbety nad Špindlerovým Mlýnem

  Mléčná dráha nad osadou Jizerka

• Pravidla soutěže

  Pravidla soutěže ve ŠKODA Mobilu

  1. Pořadatel Soutěže

  Společnost ŠKODA AUTO a.s., se sídlem tř. Václava Klementa 869, Mladá Boleslav II, 293 01 Mladá Boleslav, IČO: 00177041, zapsaná v obchodním rejstříku vedeném Městským soudem v Praze pod sp. zn. B 332 (dále jen „Pořadatel“), pořádá tuto čtenářskou soutěž (dále jen „Soutěž“), jejíž postup a podmínky upravují tato pravidla (dále jen „Pravidla“).

  2. Doba trvání soutěže

  Soutěž probíhá v době od 27. 08. 2021 do 20. 09. 2021 (dále jen „Doba soutěže“).

  3. Soutěžící

  Soutěže se může účastnit každý čtenář zaměstnaneckých novin ŠKODA Mobil, který v Době soutěže vyplní kvíz a své odpovědi zašle na e-mailovou adresu skoda.mobil@skoda-auto.cz (dále jen „Soutěžící“). Soutěžící se zavazuje uvádět v soutěžní registraci pouze pravdivé údaje.

  Soutěžící mladší 18 let se mohou Soutěže zúčastnit pouze se souhlasem svého zákonného zástupce, který je povinen se na žádost Pořadateli prokázat.

  Ze Soutěže jsou vyloučeni zaměstnanci útvaru GK/1 jako organizátora soutěže a osoby těmto osobám blízké podle § 22 zákona č. 89/2012 Sb., občanský zákoník, ve znění pozdějších předpisů.

  4. Princip Soutěže

  Úkolem soutěžícího je zodpovědět otázky v kvízu, který Pořadatel zveřejní v tištěné verzi zaměstnaneckých novin ŠKODA Mobil (vydání Září 2021), nebo v online verzi novin téhož vydání na webové adrese www.skodamobil.cz. Zodpovězením otázek se rozumí odeslání odpovědí na kvízové otázky na e-mailovou adresu skoda.mobil@skoda-auto.cz. Každý soutěžící může odeslat své odpovědi za Dobu soutěže jen jednou. Ze správných odpovědí budou vylosováo 10 výherců (dále jen „Výherce“).

  5. Výhra v Soutěži

  Výhrou jsou následující ceny:

  10x dva dárkové poukazy do Národního divadla v hodnotě 1000 Kč s platností do 9. 6. 2022
  

  6. Kontaktování Výherce a podmínky čerpání výhry

  Pořadatel bude Výherce informovat o výhře zejména telefonicky/písemně na kontaktní telefonní číslo / e-mailovou adresu, které Soutěžící uvedl v e-mailu se svými odpověďmi, a to nejpozději do 14 dnů od ukončení Soutěže. S Výhercem se Pořadatel následně dohodne na způsobu předání Výhry. Standardní způsob předání výhry je osobní předání. Podmínkou předání výhry je podpis předávacího protokolu nebo potvrzení o převzetí ze strany Výherce.

  Výhru není možné alternativně vyplatit v hotovosti ani v jiném plnění. Výhra není soudně vymahatelná. Poskytovatelem výhry je Pořadatel. Pořadatel nenese žádnou odpovědnost za jakákoliv rizika a závazky související s užíváním výhry. Pořadatel si rovněž vyhrazuje právo výměny výhry za výhru, která je odpovídající náhradou.

  V případě, že Výherce výhru nepřevezme osobně ve sjednaném termínu, ztrácí na výhru nárok a výhra propadne, aniž by Výherci vznikl nárok na jakoukoliv kompenzaci ze strany Pořadatele.

  7. Pravidla ochrany osobních údajů (v souladu s GDPR 2016/679)

  Vyplněním kvízu a zasláním odpovědí na výše uvedenou e-mailovou adresu Soutěžící vědomě a dobrovolně souhlasí s Pravidly soutěže (viz tento dokument), což znamená:

  – zařazení do soutěže a příslušné evidence Soutěžících;

  – zasílání informačních e-mailů týkajících se této Soutěže;

  – případné zveřejnění jeho osobních údajů v rozsahu jméno a útvar na výherní listině.

  Osobní údaje budou uchovávány pouze pro potřebu Soutěže a nebudou využívány k marketingovým účelům.

  Osobní údaje se zpracovávají po dobu od jejich poskytnutí v rámci Soutěže až do vyhlášení výsledků Soutěže, maximálně však na 1 rok od jejich poskytnutí. Osobní údaje jsou od Soutěžícího získávány na základě pravdivě vyplněného registračního e-mailu (e-mail se správnými odpověďmi zaslaný na skoda.mobil@skoda-auto.cz). Osobní údaje Soutěžícího budou zpracovány ve výše uvedeném rozsahu v elektronické databázi správce osobních údajů, popř. zpracovatelem, se kterým správce osobních údajů (Pořadatel) uzavře příslušnou smlouvu.

  Požádá-li Soutěžící o informaci o zpracování svých osobních údajů, je mu správce a případně i zpracovatel povinen tuto informaci bez zbytečného odkladu předat. Každý Soutěžící, který zjistí nebo se domnívá, že správce provádí zpracování jeho osobních údajů, které je v rozporu s ochranou soukromého a osobního života Soutěžícího nebo v rozporu se zákonem, může požádat správce o vysvětlení nebo požadovat, aby správce odstranil takto vzniklý stav. Soutěžící má právo (omezení zpracování, oprava osobních údajů, doplnění nebo likvidace osobních údajů, podání stížnosti) se obracet na správce na: DPoffice@skoda-auto.cz.

  Kontakty:

  Pověřenec pro ochranu osobních údajů ve ŠKODA AUTO: DPO@skoda-auto.cz

  Úřad pro ochranu osobních údajů: www.uoou.cz.

  8. Ostatní ustanovení

  Pořadatel neodpovídá za přímé či nepřímé škody v souvislosti s účastí v Soutěži. Nebezpečí škody na výhře přechází na Výherce okamžikem předání výhry Výherci. Pořadatel není odpovědný za jakékoli technické problémy vzniklé při přenosu dat elektronickými prostředky.

  Pořadatel si vyhrazuje právo bez udání důvodu vyloučit Soutěžícího, jehož chování či jednání vykazuje známky nekalého či podvodného jednání. Osoby nesplňující podmínky účasti v Soutěži nebo jednající v rozporu s Pravidly Soutěže nebudou do Soutěže zařazeny. I pokud taková osoba splní některé podmínky pro získání výhry, např. v důsledku nepravdivých informací, které poskytla, nestává se Výhercem a nemá nárok na výhru. Výhra bude v takovém případě předána dalšímu Soutěžícímu v pořadí. Soutěžící bude vyloučen v případě, že Pořadatel zjistí nebo bude mít oprávněné podezření na spáchání podvodného nebo nekalého jednání ze strany některého ze Soutěžících či jiné osoby, která dopomohla danému Soutěžícímu k získání Výhry.

  Pořadatel si vyhrazuje právo i bez uvedení důvodů Dobu soutěže zkrátit, Soutěž přerušit nebo zrušit či změnit její Pravidla, a to i bez udělení výhry a bez poskytnutí náhrad. Pořadatel si rovněž vyhrazuje právo nahradit ohlášenou výhru předmětem podobného typu a odpovídající hodnoty a upravit podmínky předání výhry v případě, že výhra nebude poskytnuta způsobem umožňujícím předání výhry vítězům v souladu s těmito Pravidly.

  Pořadatel má právo konečného rozhodnutí ve všech záležitostech Soutěže včetně rozhodnutí o neudělení výhry v Soutěži a také si vyhrazuje právo konečného posouzení splnění či nesplnění podmínek stanovených pro získání výhry v Soutěži. Výhru nezískají ti Soutěžící, kteří nesplní byť jen okrajově či částečně stanovené podmínky pro získání výhry. Pořadatel tímto nepřebírá vůči Soutěžícím žádné jiné závazky, a tito nemají nárok na jakákoliv jiná plnění ze strany Pořadatele než uvedená v těchto Pravidlech.

  V případě, že dojde ke změnám podmínek a Pravidel Soutěže, bude toto učiněno písemně ve formě aktualizace těchto Pravidel. Aktuální verze těchto Pravidel je v plném znění dostupná na www.skodamobil.cz. Soutěžící nemá právo na náhradu nákladů spojených s účastí v Soutěži, a to ani v případě změny těchto Pravidel.

  Tato Pravidla jsou platná a účinná ode dne 27. 08. 2021.

• Pravidla soutěže PDF

• Lisovny – fotogalerie

  The new servo press line in hall M12 specialises in the sector of fifth door and C-pillar production.

  With its launch, ŠKODA AUTO has become the only plant within the VW Group with three servo press lines.

  The modernisation of the Press Shops was carried out by a team from the PPF-P/4 – Structure of Press Shops Planning department led by Lukáš Veselý.

• eMobilita / Světová premiéra – fotogalerie

  ENYAQ COUPÉ iV was presented through a short film shot in attractive locations.

  These include, for example, the former military airport Hradčany in Brdy.

  Actress Anya Geislerova took the wheel of the new car in the film.

  She showed the passion that a dynamic coupe brings.

  The filming also took place with representatives of the car company in the Brdy forests.

  However, there are also shots from the studio.

• Motorsport – fotogalerie

  Ůřadující mistr světa v kategorii WRC2 Andreas Mikkelsen vyrazil do Rallye Monte-Carlo s novým spolujezdcem Torsteinem Eriksenem.

  Během jedné z rychlostních zkoušek dvojici zdržela výměna píchlého kola.

  Přesto dotáhli závod do vítězného konce s téměř minutovým náskokem.

  A neztratili se ani v absolutním pořadí letošního ročníku legendárního závodu – patří jim v něm sedmá pozice.

  V nové kategorii WRC2 Junior si vítězství připsal Nikolay Gryazin s vozem FABIA Rally2 evo.

  A český vůz přivezl do cíle vítěze i v kategorii WRC2 Masters – Itala Maura Mieleho.

• Škodováci – fotogalerie

  Po úraze na motorce hledal Jan Pavlíček mladého talentovaného jezdce, kterého by mohl podpořit.

  Při sledování české road racing scény mu neušlo, že ve výsledcích začal figurovat Petr Najman.

  Letos spolu plánují nastoupit do druhé závodní sezony.

• eMobilita / ENYAQ COUPÉ iV – fotogalerie

  he ENYAQ COUPÉ iV boasts even better aerodynamics thanks to its body shape and a lot of sophisticated features.

  The panoramic roof flows freely into the boot lid.

  Customers can also choose the car with large, 21-inch wheels.

  The top version of the model is the ENYAQ COUPÉ RS iV, which reaches a top speed of 180 km/h.

  The fifth door is decorated with the ŠKODA sign.

  The top LED tail lights feature illuminated crystalline elements.

  
  

  A tinted panoramic glass window covers the entire roof.

  The LODGE interior seat cover consists of natural wool and polyester made from recycled PET bottles.

  The Sportline iV and RS iV versions feature their standard matrix-led headlights.

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