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Automotive learning is messy and tough, but with a 10x multiplier.
In 2017, ramping up the Model 3s, Elon Musk slept on the floors of his Freemont plant.
This was interpreted as a symbol of his exceptional work ethic.
Another point of view is that the “Technoking” was forced to learn about the automotive industry from First Principles, overwhelmed by the sheer complexity of decision-making. “Every single decision … was put back into the context of an electric car,” says Doug Field, a former Apple Vice President that Musk hired as a top engineer in 2013. In other words, electric vehicles necessitate novel approaches to design, production, cost, and performance.
Scaling up a car plant is not simple. It’s still not. The payoff is tenfold, though, if done effectively for the right car.
Learning rate determines achievement.
Most of my colleagues and friends in the automotive industry have had similar professional experiences. It is a mess, but it is a phase of super-fast learning. This is what you must endure.
Thus, the Saturday Automotive Learning Newsletter is dedicated to Automotive Learning.
Have you ever been in a meeting and thought to yourself, “I wish I knew… how do they know…”? Or have you ever had to scour the internet for information or to find an expert to assist you with the current task on your desk?
Sure, in most cases, you can ask someone.
However, this person may not be a true expert. In a corporate setting, this person may have an agenda or be unwilling to support you for other reasons. You may have “the advantage” or even the funds to hire an outside expert, but you cannot always rely on others.
You must learn it.
But here’s reality: it is up to you to learn.
As a director working on the second level of the boards of car manufacturers, I had access to training in leadership skills, compliance, and mindfulness.
Nothing about completing my tasks at hand.
Despite having worked on over 100 board resolutions in a decade, I had to acquire the necessary technical knowledge myself through interviews and research. Even with a sizable training budget per employee (more on that in another newsletter), I was unable to obtain any learning content on relevant technical knowledge.
Instead, I worked long hours to figure it out.
The board resolutions ranged from market entry decisions involving car platforms, drivetrains, and manufacturing technologies to retailer-network balancing, or a car ecosystem via customer data strategies.
However, the topics were extremely interesting, and the learning was indeed quick.
The success rate (board approval and successful implementation) was above average. But I can only imagine how much more successful we would have been if I had had access to technical training.
Technical learning pace equals automotive success in the next decade.
Clean energy and new mobility are two of three top trends driving the replacement of core technology in the automotive industry. By 2030, EVs will account for 30% of all passengers’ vehicles sold, rising to 60% by 2040, according to Bloomberg NEF.
Automakers that are too slow to adapt will be forced out of the car market.
The emerging revenue pools of EVs and software-related business models are being conquered by fast-adopting OEMs and new incumbent brands.
It is obvious how technical learning for managers, which improves success rates in the short term, will lead to long-term sustainable, profitable growth in this industry.
If I could just help my 2018 past self.
Combine content providers, learning craft & technology, plus the Creator Economy.
Learning has matured during the pandemic.
Remote work has become the new normal. Web-based training has replaced classic classroom training for almost two years. Hybrid training is the new normal, and fewer commutes and social gatherings free up time for more learning.
Rather than staying late at the (virtual) office, we can combine a few trends from the automotive and learning industries to create our own learning environment.
- Learning has emerged as an appealing source of recurring revenues and cross-selling for research institutions and automotive suppliers.
- Most organizations have Learning Management and Learning Experience Systems in place. Both systems enable role-based integration and 24/7 distribution of learning content, even to an employee’s smartphone.
- It is insufficient to have a good system as well as useful content. In the film industry, having good actors and excellent camera equipment does not make a good film; a good story and a good director do. Learning designers are experts in the creation and implementation of learning programs. Like being a movie director, being a learning designer is a necessary skill.
- Peer-to-peer learning is a massive movement within the Creator Economy. Content marketers and experts share their business knowledge in micro-learning and monetize it successfully. It is only a matter of time and incentives when these mechanisms leave the external marketplace and get adopted inside companies.
The Saturday Automotive Learner’s Newsletter (SALN) is all about learning how to make better decisions in the automotive industry.
TL; DR
- Stamina, dedication, and daily practice go hand in hand with learning in the car industry.
- The unavailability of formal technical training for managers presents a huge opportunity.
- Knowledge of EV and software will help you compete in emerging revenue streams.
- Combine the best contents with learn design & tech and P2P learning for max effect.
- SALN reveals the “secret sauce” of learning in Automotive.
